by Robert Forsyth
Sometimes things get so bad I feel like I am an American. They try to do good for society and the other nations of the world but so often they are hated.
That's exactly how I felt the other month at a Gleebooks event to commemorate the launch of The Chosen Ones: the Politics of Salvation in the Anglican Church by Chris McGillion. Instead of the learned discussion about the nature of church and society or the role of narrative in the modern book or the distinction between fiction and non-fiction, I found myself rather at the end of a whole series of sharp and bitter attacks from the audience at "the Sydney Diocese'.
There was a memorable moment when a man, apparently an academic, to my very face accused me and those for whom I work and with whom I associate as being "terrible fascists'.
The problem was not that they were wrong. They were. Most of the attacks were ill judged, bitter, and did not in any way represent the church as we are despite our weaknesses. I do not think that they caused me much trouble in the situation. But as I left, one nagging thought remained. Sure, these guys had us completely wrong but why do they hate us so?
And the fault no doubt is in individual stories, individual disappointments, confusions or even deeper and darker matters. But could there be, at some level something about ourselves that, despite our good intentions, does bring about such hostile reactions? I know that Jesus said "If the world hated me, they'll hate you' but I am also aware there is a kind of time when we need to take responsibility or at least look at ourselves and wonder whether or not we are at some level, no matter how minor, responsible for strong feelings against us which are not truly honouring to Christ. So I think that's a question to think about. Styles or cultures, perhaps even mirror images of our very strengths as a diocese, for some people produce an intolerable sense of exclusion and depression.
Certainly a mature Christian community like the Diocese of Sydney ought to certainly allow that as a possibility and see if we can't under God at this point reform ourselves.
Rob Forsyth is the Bishop of South Sydney.
