Response to Article on the Anglicans’ Penalties for Our Episcopal Church

“It is reassuring to read that the Episcopal Church does not intend to compromise its support for gay marriage (“Episcopal Church Stands firm on Gay Marriage,” January 17). At least the American branch of Anglicanism recognizes that the twenty centuries since Christ have seen enormous social and intellectual upheavals.

In response to them, the “Body of Christ” have made thoughtful and generally progressive re-assessments. This may be heresy, but for me Christ’s “kingdom” is a body in continuous “process,” not permanent or fixed: the faithful do not always conform to dogmatists’ preferences; they often dare to “depart from the faith.”

The Anglican Church’s reticent leaders should pay heed. And after all, modifying church doctrine on a purely cultural practice like marriage is a minor challenge. It doesn’t obligate the Church of England to rethink more fundamental (and, for me, comparably suspect) doctrines like the virgin birth, th e immaculate conception and the resurrection.”