From Mr Malcolm Halliday
Sir, - Reading carefully "The Nairobi Communiqué" issued by
GAFCON II, which was published a couple of days before the Last
Sunday after Trinity, I wonder how those who drafted it and those
who voted for it can square the tone and sentiments with Jesus's
very clear teaching set out in the Gospel reading for that Sunday
from in Luke 18.9-14, the Pharisee and the tax-collector.
Is it not significant that Jesus chose his disciples from people
on the margins, and not from the religious leadership of the day,
who were full of judgement of others and of their own importance,
and based their views on law rather than grace?
MALCOLM HALLIDAY
8 Malham Court, Silsden
Keighley BD20 0QB
From Miss Joy Dawson
Sir, - On 15 October, The Daily Telegraph printed a
quote from the student magazine
The Tab in which the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord
Williams says the Church of England's attitude to gay people has at
times been appallingly violent.
By coincidence, you printed a fine review of a most courageous
book Diary of a Gay Priest (Books, 18 October).
When I first read this book, if I had not been so angry, and
ashamed of some of the events related there, I would have wept over
nearly every page.
Once and for all, can we not all agree that we are, by sex,
gender, and temperament, as we are born; in the past few years,
there have been medical papers published on this point. We are
instructed in the Gospel to love our neighbour (not instructed
necessarily to like), and it is high time that we were reminded of
this command.
Finally, who on earth would choose to be gay, when truthfulness
can cause hate and even violence?
Perhaps I should add that I am a "spinster of this parish" in my
eighties, and can never forget the care that I have received from
many gay priests over those years.
JOY DAWSON
5 Palfrey Road
Bournemouth BH10 6DL
