About Episcopal “Discourse�

In Presiding Bishop Griswold’s statement mentioned yesterday and elsewhere, you hear much from the national ECUSA leadership about how much they value and are engaged in “discourse� and “dialogue� over homosexuality and related contentious issues. You would think discourse was a sacrament or something.

Well, here’s what Episcopal “discourse� looks like:

First, you ignore pleas from the faithful in the U. S. and from around the world that the actions you are about to take violate scripture and will tear the Anglican Communion apart. Oh, you might sign a statement with the other Primates, but you then tear it up before the ink is dry.

Then, without even waiting to allow the Communion an opportunity to decide how they are going to deal with the issue, you cram your desires down the throats of conservatives, electing a bishop who left his wife and kids to pursue a homosexual lifestyle and putting further blessings on homosexual unions. You and your allies rig the vote while you’re at it. All 11 representatives from the Diocese of Missouri, for example, voted to consecrate Gene Robinson. Unless Missouri Episcopalianism is a hotbed of lavender Communism, the fix was on.

Then, having succeeded in your divisive schismatic acts, you urge against division and schism. Having steamrollered the opposition, you say you are engaged in dialogue with them.

Oh, and if the opposition tries to pass resolutions denouncing your actions at the diocese level, your allied bishops don’t even allow those resolutions to come to a vote. See Bishops Wimberley in Texas and Lee in Virginia among others.

And if parishes ask for Adequate Episcopal Oversight from orthodox bishops they can conscientiously submit to, screw them! If the rest of the Anglican Communion Primates instruct you that there should be AEO for those parishes that ask for it, you ignore them. If parishes become convinced by your actions that they can no longer faithfully stay in the ECUSA, your bishops don’t negotiate with them in good faith over property issues. No, they sue them to take it all from the parish faithful. Some bishops even take preemptive action, dismissing rectors and vestries and installing puppets, driving the faithful out.

Of course, the puppets then hand over all the parish property and money to the bishop. And that’s what’s important, isn’t it? Who gives a flying fajita about conservatives being driven out? As one nice Episcopal lady said to one of them, “Why don’t you just leave so our church could be inclusive?� But you gotta keep that property. Money is a sacrament in the ECUSA.

And then you keep on issuing nice statements about how much you value “dialogue� and “discourse.�