From here:
New Zealand’s second biggest city Christchurch has been hit by devastation after a major earthquake struck during the busy lunch break today.
Police said ‘multiple fatalities’ were expected and many people were trapped under the rubble after buildings and homes collapsed in the city centre.
The city was being evacuated amid fears that more buildings would come down and fires were breaking out.
Dozens of buildings have crashed down and roads have broken open as the quake ripped through the stricken city. The famous cathedral in the city centre has been destroyed.
The bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch is Victoria Matthews, a product of Wycliffe College Toronto and, at one time, in line to be Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. Although Matthews is supposedly theologically conservative, at the 2007 synod she voted in favour of a resolution acknowledging that “the blessing of same-sex unions is not in conflict with the core doctrine of the Anglican Church of Canada”. Yet she voted against permitting same-sex blessings, encouraging a contradiction both within her church and her convictions.
The destruction of Christchurch Cathedral by an earthquake brings to mind another – what we used to call – act of God.
David Jenkins (not me – really), bishop of Durham was infamous for disbelieving in Jesus’ bodily resurrection; he called it “a conjuring trick with bones”. Naturally, he became one of the first clergymen in the Church of England to bless a civil partnership between two homosexual men, one of whom was a vicar. He was consecrated at York Minster; three days later, York Minster was struck by lightning, resulting in a catastrophic fire. Rumour has it that the sky was clear that night, and nobody heard any thunder – but there were reports of a “sword-like stab of fire” descending from above.
Another act of God? Hard to say, but if I were Michael Ingham, I’d move to the basement.
Sometimes the Hand of God leads people to safety in new churches.
2011 Quakes: Buckle up, both hands on the steering wheel and WATCH.
Mat 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Mat 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Mar 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
Mar 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
Mar 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Isa 28:5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
Isa 28:6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.
Isa 28:7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Isa 28:8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Ecc 6:12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
“…not in conflict with core doctrine” is an often misunderstood statement. Specifically, it means “is not in contradiction to the three creeds” – not one of which mentions either sex or marriage at all.
In the same category as eating one’s children, then.
Actually, yes.
The statement is meaningless then – any definition of “core doctrine” that doesn’t include the Bible isn’t worth much.
What an interesting thought. I was born in York (a few years after the big fire) and now I live in Christchurch. Inside of the base of the tower there was actually some medieval stained glass from the York Minster on display. It had been gifted perhaps a couple of decades ago. Searching Google for info on the potential fate of that glass is how I came across this blog post. Anyway, all sorts of interesting connections between the cathedrals of the two cities that mean more to me than any other!
On another note, I would have to agree with Kate when it comes to “core doctrine”. As for speculation as to whether God decides to take out his anger on Anglican cathedrals due to a stance by an individual on homosexuality, I tend to doubt it, as I think there are countless other issues where God’s will, word and plan have been completely overlooked. With the exception of certain drastic events outlined in Bible prophecy, I doubt we’ll be seeing any large displays of God’s disapproval until the Second Coming.