Calvin warned Christians when faced with 'open enemies of the truth' they must be careful of 'the heat of contention'. But they must not 'appear to flatter by keeping silence'.
Many evangelicals have been silent following the announcement that Rowan Williams is to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury, a man known for his heterodox teachings with regard to basic Christian sex ethics. Others have made muted or ambiguous statements that de facto concede the principle-namely that encouraging sexual immorality is a secondary issue over which Christians are at liberty to disagree. Others have given a positive welcome.
Mark Ashton, Richard Bewes, Jonathan Fletcher, Angus Macleay, Hugh Palmer, Vaughan Roberts, William Taylor and myself (all incumbents of larger churches) sent an Open Letter to the Prime Minister that publicly opposed the appointment. This was on the grounds that regarding homosexual behaviour Rowan Williams was flying 'in the face of the clear teaching of the Holy Scriptures and the resolutions of the Lambeth Conference 1998'. Tony Blair courteously replied, particularly remarking that 'his appointment has been warmly welcomed by many leading Evangelicals in the Church'.
