Wednesday, September 26, 2007

My Thoughts on U. S. Anglican Doings

Going into the TEC House of Bishops meeting, which just ended, and the Common Cause College of Bishops meeting, which just began, I felt it was necessary for Common Cause to unite into a new province, if necessarily with a federal structure. And I was convinced that the Episcopal Church is no place for the orthodox.

That much hasn’t changed. But the events in the TEC HOB meeting gave me two negative surprises which have hardened my views even further if you can imagine that.

1. As I mentioned a few days ago, Rowan Williams’ clarity on his attitude toward distressed North American Anglicans and those new bishops shepherding them shocked me. His stated solution to those who can’t stay in the Episcopal Church is . . . to stay in the Episcopal Church and not come under those “illicit bishops” outside TEC.

2. It’s hard to know for sure. But so far it seems the tripe passed by the TEC HOB received only one no vote. In a way I’m glad if this is so. It speaks volumes on the spinelessness of those so-called Windsor bishops who are dead set on remaining in the Episcopal Church.

These two factors make it even clearer, if that’s possible, that there is no safe place for the orthodox in the Episcopal Church. And forget about Rowan coming to the rescue. Please. Frankly my sympathy for the arguments of those who want to stay in, especially the Windsor bishops, is wearing thin.

So I will continue to pray and pray hard for the Common Cause meeting. I don’t want to think about the consequences if they fail to make significant progress toward forming a new orthodox Anglican province.

Lord have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us.
Lord have mercy upon us.


UPDATE:
A hat tip to Baby Blue for this update:
The New York Times confirms only one bishop voiced a “no” vote.

2 comments:

Texanglican (R.W. Foster+) said...

Just so you know, Newbie, the Network bishops who matter were all long gone from New Orleans before this thing was drafted and voted upon. They are in Pittsburgh now at the Common Cause bishops meeting (the real future of North American Anglicanism). Bishop Iker actually left NO after day two because he was treated so disrespectfully by the lefties. I imagine he knew the whole thing was a sham before the HOB meeting started, and I suspect he went simply out of courtesy to the ABC.

I am saddened that so many people seem to be taking the preposterous HOB statement seriously as a gesture of reconciliation to the Communion (even the head of Fulcrum seems to be doing so!). It is nothing but a mendacious piece of trash from beginning to end. No official "rites" for SSBs have been approved by GenCon, so we are fully compliant with DAR. We have offered DEPO instead of APO, so we are fully compliant with DAR. We pledge "restraint" on non-celebate gay bishop-elects so we are fully compliant with DAR. Balderdash!

Mark said...

Thanks, Tex. I do know that "the bishops who matter" were long gone and off to the Common Cause meeting.

But thanks for the opportunity to clarify that my "spinelessness" comment certainly doesn't apply to those who departed the sham in N.O.

newbie