Well I'll Be Danforthed?

[SPKrazy]

Former Senator John Danforth,edit (he's an Episcopal Priest) a Republican no less, actually has said some interesting things lately.

Found this on a site that was linked to on Kwassa's thread on VirtueOnline:

http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4397

Danforth told the 500 attendees, "I believe that the central message of the Episcopal Church and of all Christians is and should be that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and that he has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation. When Jesus prayed that we all may be one, didn't he mean it? So that to me is particularly the message of the Episcopal Church. We have always, always seen ourselves as the middle way. We have always seen ourselves as the place where all kinds of people can come together around the same altar and say the same liturgy and have all kinds of different views, all kinds of political views, theological views. That's the Episcopal Church and it's going to continue to be the Episcopal Church. ... It's not a wimpy message. It's a prophetic message. It's a message that God is transcendent and God transcends any of our perceptions of God and that God is big enough to incorporate and encompass the perceptions of all kinds of people, even those with whom we most adamantly disagree. And if this is the message of our Episcopal Church we're no longer going to be seven tenths of one percent of the population that nobody cares about. We are going to be the church with a message that the world is waiting for."

and:

At the start of May, before the Senate defeated a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, Danforth had said the same to the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay caucus within the GOP: "Once before, the constitution was amended to try to deal with matters of human behavior; that was prohibition. That was such a flop that that was repealed 13 years later." Referring to the marriage amendment, Danforth said that perhaps at some point in history there was a constitutional amendment proposed that was "sillier than this one, but I don't know of one." With his repeated calls for moderation and his attacks on the Evangelical Right, Danforth has won praise from Democratic liberals (including President Carter).

Damn! I always thought Danforth was a jerk, but he sounds like someone with common sense these days.

[1620rock]

1. The true Episcopal; church....a place at the table for all. eom.

[stepnw1f]

2. It Does Appear That Way

from what I have heard and read... I applaud any church that welcomes all. Why the heck wouldn't I....

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Danforth has been that odd combination

of political conservative Republican and moderate-to-liberal Episcopalian-not a fundy. I'm surprised the GOP has let him remain in the party.

[KoKo]

6. Danforth has to answer for his Ushering Clarence Thomas

through Senate hearings with his buddy Joe Biden who kept the one witness who could verify Anita Hill's charges from testifying claiming that since the hearings were still ongoing at 2:00 a.m. that the "public might need a rest" so he closed them down.

I'm an Episcopalian...I look on Danforth as someone who would be happier with the Anglican Side of the Episcopal Church more than the Reform Side in some minor ways. .I'm in the MIDDLE between the Conservatives and the Reformists, leaning towards the reformists.

BUT, I will not trust Danforth until he recants his total support for Clarence Thomas whom he PERSONALLY took under his wing and pushed forth for a Supreme Court Judge. I consider him part of the Episcopal Movement that is closer to the Opus Dei Group in the Catholic Church than my very mainstream Episcopal upbringing. :shrug:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. Thanks for the information

I'm not an Episcopalian, and so didn't have all the information. Thanks for providing it!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

10. If Danforth is ok with women priests

and the ordination of Gene Robinson and a woman's right to choose (is her? I don't know) then I'd say he is standard ECUSA and not "part of the Episcopal ...Opus Dei."

I'll research a bit about the abortion thing.

TG

[Ringo84]

4. You See

Not all Republicans are RW, fundamentalist, humorless, rich bitch assholes. In fact, most of them aren't. A few rotten RW apples spoil the entire bunch.

Danforth seems like a pretty good guy...at least on these two issues.
Ringo

[Sherman A1]

7. He has been speaking out

regularly about the direction of the Republican Party. While he and I would disagree about many things, I think he is truly concerned about his party and the course it has taken. Certainly has a right to his views and at the very least he makes considered arguements. He isn't a wild "you are with me or against me" type. I have to respect him being willing to stand up and make his points, even if they are unpopular with the powers that be.

[bobbieinok]

5. I've always thought this is THE christian message

God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and he has entrusted us with the message of reconciliation.

2nd Corinthians 5:19

[NMMNG]

9. What do you know?

A Republican who doesn't run lockstep with the crowd. :shrug: