Great post from Scott Gunn on InclusiveChurch.net today, reflecting on the sermon given last night in New Orleans by the Archbishop of Canterbury:

“Among progressives, I can see that we often fail to maintain a sense of gratitude. We talk about respect, but it’s sometimes a code for the furtherance of our own agenda. We talk about thanksgiving, but we rarely acknowledge the fact that who we are comes from God, and it is contingent on others — even those with whom we disagree.

Among conservatives, I observe a sense that the church should be mired in some static place (pick the 17th century, or 1928, or 1955, or…). The church loses its sense of gratitude, and there is certainly no abiding thanksgiving for the presence of everyone — including LGBT Christians.

What if we really experienced God’s grace? What if we acted as if we really believed that it is right to give thanks, ‘always and everywhere’? What if we had a view of the church catholic imbued with the notion that the church is complete only when it is undivided?

I think progressives would be a little slower to jettison those with whom they disagree. I think conservatives might be a bit more flexible, moving more of our common life into the category of adiaphora.

My friends, Rowan is right. It’s all about grace. It’s all about Jesus. When we talk only about rights, or autonomy, or justice, or experience, we have missed the boat. When we talk only about tradition, or law, or unanimity, we have missed the boat.

Let us follow Rowan’s advice. Let us give thanks.”

Read the rest: InclusiveChurch blog: Rowan reminds us all of what matters