I dream a dream for the Canadian Church:
1) Our Church is progressive but holds fast that which is good.
2) Our Church is really and truly inclusive (therefor not divisive).
3) Our Church is on higher moral ground than the secular society.
4) Our Church goes back to the root of Christianity to understand and know what Christianity is all about.
5) Our Church is not just a charitable society but also a place for religious (not just spiritual) and moral teachings
6) Our Church encourages honours and celebrates (only heterosexual union) family life—the very basis for the survival of the church.
This I believe is God’s Mission for us.
According to your point 2, the Church has to be truly inclusive, and I do agree with you. But I wonder why inclusivity is not applicable for homosexual unions? If we are to be truly inclusive, I think it is important to provide equal rights and opportunities to every faithful individuals regardless of his or her sexual orientation. We cannot establish restrictions, and claim to be truly inclusive.
The notion that the church is somehow “on higher moral ground than secular society” is extremely problematic. The lack of commitment to human rights by religious groups is often understood as anything but moral high ground. I recommend a book on this topic. “The Global Face of Public Faith” by David Hollenbach S.J. (Georgetown University Press 2003).
To be a Christian church mandates the church accept the authority of Scripture and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. The church is NOT called to be tolerant in the manner described by apostate leaders. Tolerance is indeed a good servant but an impossible task master. We must indeed welcome all sinners as all of us have that old nature but when the church attempts to “bless” sin it denounces the very standards on which it must be based. Doing so seriously misleads those involved. We cannot claim to be Christian when we deny the authority of Scripture.