Thoughts from a friend:

The tradition of the last supper includes the story of John, the disciple who Jesus loved, laying his head on Jesus’ breast. In modern, western English speaking society what would be made if, at dinner with Christian male friends, the Pope or the Archbishop of Canterbury experienced such behaviour with one of the male Christians present laying his head on the papal or Anglican breast. Would this be interpreted as some form of homosexual behaviour – or latent homosexual behaviour? I think it would. But we skip over that just as we skip over the role of women in the ministry of Jesus, Jesus friendship and movement about the countryside in the company of women, and Jesus’ dependency upon the resources of women. The church is happy to build its edifice on the labour and resources of women but not always keen about their company. The church would do well to remember that women and children have more to fear from heterosexual males than homosexual males. Most paedophiles are of heterosexual orientation. Most deaths of children and violence against women are carried out by men of heterosexual orientation. Remember that in Australia we recently had a Governor-General who was also an Anglican Archbishop. He had to resign his position because he had failed to intervene against an Anglican cleric who had committed sexual offences against a female in the cleric’s care and he had failed to interest himself in the abuse of children at an Anglican prep school in his archdiocese. Bad attitudes can end up in high places. Finally, so many women enjoy the company of homosexual men? Ever wonder why? Firstly, they frequently have common interests. Secondly, they feel safe and don’t have to fear unwanted sexual advances.