Conservatives get ecumenical. Liberals get "snooty."

I’ve told you to keep an eye on the Reformed Episcopal Church. Well, a retired REC bishop, with permission from conservative Episcopal Church (USA) Bishop Robert Duncan, performed a confirmation in an ECUSA church in Ligonier, PA Sunday. For those not from an episcopal background, you don’t let just anyone perform confirmations. Usually, only approved bishops can do them. +Duncan allowing +Daniel Cox of the REC to do one in one of his churches is quite significant. It certainly confirms my happy suspicion that the REC will have a role to play in Anglican realignment.

The national office of the ECUSA was, well, a bit snooty about the confirmations.

We are certainly not in full communion with the [Reformed Episcopal Church] and so I do not believe it is appropriate for one of their bishops to confirm,� said the Rt. Rev. C. Christopher Epting, the national church’s deputy officer of ecumenical and interfaith relations.

“That is not the way we do ecumenical work.�

Somehow +Epting misses the irony that over half of the Anglican Communion is not exactly in full communion with him. But, like the scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, people on the outs tend to get “snooty� at times.

Liberals have the reputation for being oh-so ecumenical. But lately in the Anglican Communion, it is the conservatives who are being truly ecumenical. One of the things I like about the Reformed Episcopal Church is its priority of connecting with other orthodox Anglicans. And they are not alone in this. And several Anglican primates and bishops are reciprocating.

Again, keep on eye on this. I am.