The Arrogance of Certainty

I was interested to read an article by Alan Cowell in today’s New York Times (see Facing Gay Rift, Anglican Sees ‘Two-Track’ Church) in which Cowell quoted Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, as saying:

“…a person living in such a union* cannot without serious incongruity have a representative function in a Church whose public teaching is at odds with their lifestyle.”

* meaning a same-sex union

I struggle with his statement because of the thought that one cannot live as created without that life being “incongruous” with the teachings of the church. How odd.

First, I guess I can’t understand how these massive segments of the Anglican church can vary so widely on what they view as God’s plan. How could God’s thinking regarding gay men and lesbians be viewed so differently by members of the same church which are, presumably, standing on a common foundation?

Second, I can’t understand how those standing on either side of the argument can know, with certainty, that their perception of God’s will is accurate and that the opposite perception is inaccurate?

Third, how can these people presume to know God’s will? Where does such arrogance come from? From a supposed understanding of the Holy Bible? How can they rely on a book so full of inconsistencies and incongruities?

Many centuries’ worth of theologians have attempted to comment upon and find consistency in the teachings of the bible, yet there are still vast chasms in understanding that lead to ever more commentary and argument.

How can the man of casual faith therefore assume to understand God so much better? And why should all others be subject to his instincts? How many times have we heard people say that they have to do what they “feel” is right? Even when they do not know why they feel what they feel?

I don’t know exactly what I am trying to say – perhaps only that I don’t think it’s possible for one to create a consistent life for one’s self out of the teachings of the Christian church – perhaps that the arrogance of the believer seems far more dangerous to me than most anything else I can imagine.