Phillip Jensen - Views

Views

Jensen has spoken publicly against secularism, syncretism, intellectual relativism, gambling, same-sex relationships and Roman Catholicism. He is an opponent of the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate within the Anglican Church of Australia. In 2004, Jensen gave a speech against tolerant views of homosexuality, referring to "theological prostitution" after paraphrasing the more tolerant views of Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The publication of the comment, accusing Jensen of challenging Williams, drew ire from the secular media and Anglican commentators in the United Kingdom. and Australia Jensen responded to the criticism by suggesting that he had been "grossly misrepresented" by The Guardian and later saying that the secular media is biased against Christians.

Jensen and a number of other influential Sydney Anglicans have promoted lay administration of the Lord's Supper. Jensen has offered opinions on the future structure and functioning of the Anglican Communion in response to the ordination of practising homosexuals to the episcopacy, calling on bishops to refuse to attend the Lambeth conference.

Jensen's attitude to traditional Anglican styles of cathedral worship has drawn criticism, especially from defenders of classical sacred music such as the Tallis Scholars' director, Peter Phillips, who accused him of "vandalising" Anglican culture. Jensen has defended his changes in the cathedral's style of worship on the grounds of attempting to broaden the demographic of the congregation. Jensen, as with most Sydney Anglican clergy, has discarded use of the cassock, scarf and surplice but, idiosyncratically, has revived use of the Geneva gown. Choral Evensong on Sunday evenings has been replaced with "The Bible Talks" (renamed City Night Church in 2009) and a more contemporary style of gathering. Jensen has stated that the cathedral choir continues to play an active role in the life of the cathedral, though others point out that its opportunities for performance have been much diminished, a conflict which led to the departure of the previous music director, Michael Deasey. The St Andrew's Cathedral School's Girls' Vocal Ensemble was, for the first time, allowed a regular opportunity to sing in the cathedral, but this has since changed. The liturgy in St Andrew's Cathedral has undergone considerable change since Jensen's appointment as dean, though according to him and his supporters it remains grounded in the theological outlook of the Book of Common Prayer of 1662 with its emphasis on the confession of sin and salvation solely through the merits of Christ.