Communist Pig Update

Hugo Chavez and his sycophants in his congress have lurched Venezuela still further down the road to Communist dictatorship. That congress has given Huge Ego the power to rule by decree.

Oh, I’m sure that will be temporary.

The Expectation and Necessity of Real Action at the Primates Meeting

Matt Kennedy has posted an article at Stand Firm about expectations for the Primates Meeting. He notes recent attempts to lower expectations for it, but insists that people are right to expect real action and discipline from the Primates Meeting. And he’s right.

First, there are the past statements of the Primates themselves, which he goes though. Second is the necessity for action.

General Convention ’06 was a disaster. And the Episcopal Church had been told any number of times that an adequate response to Windsor/Dromantine was needed from that convention. And the Presiding Bishop that convention elected has been far more assertive in heresy and in persecuting the faithful than any of her predessessors.

If GC06 and its sorry aftermath doesn’t convince the Primates that discipline is necessary, what the heck will? If the --Schori sponsored persecution of orthodox priests and parishes and the difficulty in getting consents for the election of a strong orthodox Bishop of South Carolina doesn’t convince the Primates that “a separate ecclesiastical structure of the Anglican Communion in the USA” called for at Kigali is necessary, what will?

If the Primates Meeting fails to take strong action in these two areas, then many orthodox will rightly conclude that a church that doesn’t care enough about truth to discipline doesn’t care enough about truth. And that a church that doesn’t care enough about the faithful to act to provide a safe place for them doesn’t care enough about the faithful. And they will see the Anglican Communion as such a church and leave.

As Matt Kennedy puts it:

If the leaders of the Anglican communion fail to discipline the Episcopal Church not only for “breaking the bonds of affection” but, more importantly, for defying the Word of the living God, then you will see Windsor and Network dioceses begin to crumble as many of the strongest parishes realize that the Communion is toothless and that the Windsor “process” is just that…an endless process leading nowhere…and depart.

For the new Covenant to mean anything at all; for the Anglican Communion as it is currently bound together to retain any integrity, the primates at Tanzania must act in accordance with their words and in accordance with the processes they themselves have established and recognize that the Episcopal Church has chosen to walk away and, at the very least, take concrete steps to establish/recognize/legitimize some form of separate structure.

Otherwise, words, promises, and exhortations to patience will, rightly, be recognized as groundless, baseless and untrustworthy.

Now I am actually cautiously optimistic about the upcoming meeting for a number of reasons I may go into in a later post.

But this is it. Pushing matters to the next meeting won’t do.

Windsor/Dromantine gave the Episcopal Church three years to respond. And the Episcopal Church has made quite clear where it stands – against the minimal requests made by Windsor/Dromantine, against the faithful and, yes, by the election of a heretic as Presiding Bishop, against the faith.

What reason is there to see more before acting? The only reason for further delay is an unwillingness to do what is right, catholic, and biblical. The time for discipline and forming a replacement province is NOW.

St. Charles, King and Martyr

Today is the Feast of St. Charles, King and Martyr.

I’ve found an appropriate hymn for this day here. And here’s the place if you wish to rightly commemorate this august day.

“Woe to those who call evil good . . .”

With my jaded cynical attitude toward Episcolibs, you’d think I’d be beyond outrage by now. But. they. keep. provoking. me.

The latest outrage is this from the Diocese of Virginia:

Many of the 1,000 delegates and visitors present gave a standing ovation when the Rt. Rev. Peter Lee announced that both the standing committee and the executive board of the diocese voted unanimously to take legal action over property ownership in the departing parishes [of Truro, Falls Churches et al].

It’s one thing to possess such fallen logic as to think trying to kick those faithful congregations out of their buildings is what Bishop Lee should do. But to give it a standing ovation?

Here we have the spectacle of a church convention giving a standing ovation to a nasty church fight, really to the persecution of the faithful. Do these people have no shame?

I’ve calmed down a bit since I first read of this. So I no longer feel like pronouncing woes on these people. But it would be redundant anyway. For God already has.

Woe to those who call evil good . . .
Isaiah 5:20

I discover Betty Butterfield.

This weekend I’ve discovered Betty Butterfield. And I’m still laughing. “Her” short videos about churches are hilarious . . . and perceptive as well, for the most part.

“She” does have an agenda I and probably most of you don’t share. But the videos are so brilliant, I chose to overlook that.

Enjoy.

Christ Church Plano Joins AMiA

Christ Church Plano, which you may remember had a significant influence in my journey to Anglicanism, has joined the Anglican Mission in the Americas.

Here’s the news, complete with videos and links from Christ Church’s site.

A “Very Difficult Meeting” Noted

A leaked e-mail from Secretary General Kenneth Kearon of the Anglican Communion Office to TEC uberliberal Louis Crewe is revealing a glimpse of Archbishop Rowan’s direction. And that glimpse is encouraging.

Kearon, who has a well-earned reputation of undercutting the orthodox, the Primates, and at times maybe even the Archbishop of Canterbury himself, shares that he is unhappy with ++Rowan’s relationship with the Episcopal Church, echoing pointed recent comments by Bishop Paul Marshall.

Kearon said he met with ++Rowan on this subject. And it was “a very difficult meeting.”

He ends his email with “Advisers (and sadly I’m not one of them) are at the heart of this.”

When a high up revisionist with this sort of access to the Archbishop feels his influence with ++Rowan is that weak and is that displeased with the Archbishop’s direction concerning the Episcopal Church, that’s good news.

And it bodes well for the Primates Meeting next month.

BREAKING: +MacPherson is the “Second Bishop” invited to Primates Meeting.

I haven’t posted it here, but Network head Bishop Duncan is the first bishop (other than ++Schori of course) known to be invited to the Primates Meeting to aid discussion of the Episcopal Church. We were told a mysterious “second bishop” would be invited as well.

Frankly, I expected a uberliberal for balance. But I’m glad to be wrong.

Word has just gotten out that +Bruce MacPherson is the second bishop. I’m not familiar with him, but he is reputed to be solidly orthodox. So this is (more!) good news.


UPDATE: Well, it looks like I wasn't that wrong. There's a third bishop going now -- a revisionist. Oh, well.

Teens Stand Up for the Unborn at School

Good on these students!


(Hat tip to Titusonenine .)

Adoption Madness in the UK

The U.K. is on the verge of pulling a Massachusetts on adoption. Not only is the government encouraging adoption by gays, there is a push within a divided government to require all adoption agencies to adopt to gays regardless of consciences.

As in Massachusetts, this may force the Roman Catholic Church to close its adoption agencies, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has warned of that, receiving not a little flack in return.

To their credit, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have written to the Prime Minister and are supporting religious exemptions from gay adoption laws. Yes, they are getting flack for that, too.

I oppose allowing adoptions by gays, but I can understand allowing it. That may be thought better than a child remaining in the foster care system.

But to require all adoption agencies to adopt to gays or else is sheer madness. That is putting the gay agenda above the welfare of children and above the consciences of those doing good work for them and society.

Let’s pray common sense prevails.

What Should Happen if --Schori Goes to the Primates Meeting

It may surprise you to know that a few months ago, I probably would have said that TEC Presiding Bishop Schori should be allowed to fully participate in the upcoming Primates Meeting although I had mixed feelings about it. After all, a big subject of that meeting will be the discipline of the Episcopal Church and its status for Lambeth. So it’s only fair that she be allowed to participate in that deliberation.

That’s what I would have said a few months ago.

Since then, however, her conduct has changed my mind. I knew she was a liberal when she was elected PB. But I did not expect the following (Maybe I should have.):

1. She has very publicly and brazenly espoused multiple heresies, some of which are spelled out here. Her denial that Jesus is the way as He taught especially angers me.

2. It is now quite clear that she is a systematic persecutor of the faithful.

Many faithful orthodox wish to leave the Episcopal Church in a peaceful matter. In Virginia, Falls and Truro Churches and allies have bent over backwards to negotiate amicable departures. Her policy instead is now clearly to take away their parish property (which in at least many cases was entirely paid for by congregations with little or no help from dioceses) and kick the faithful out onto the streets. And, yes, she’s now gone public with that policy.

This has now gone far beyond Windsor and gay bishops, though she and the TEC are certainly on the wrong side of those matters as well. A serial heretic and persecutor of the faithful now presides over an Anglican province. This can not and must not be accepted in any church body.

A number of the Global South primates are right to refuse to sit with her. Her conduct should not be tolerated in any Christian leader. She shouldn’t be a Sunday School teacher or VBS volunteer, much less a Primate of the Anglican Communion on equal footing with Primates who are actually Christians.

It is also clear that she has no constructive role to play in the Anglican Communion, particularly in bringing current troubles to a right resolution. She is a big part of the problem and has shown no willingness to be a part of the solution except on her terms, which include toleration of her heresies and wars on the faithful. It’s clear than any solution should and must include expelling her.

Therefore, if she flies to Tanzania, she should receive the following reception. Right at the start of the Primates Meeting or even before, the Primates should tell her that she is a blatant public heretic and a persecutor of the faithful, and she will not therefore sit as a Primate at the meeting. Then she should be voted out of the meeting, except perhaps to participate as a non-voting observer (After all, TEC will be a big subject of the meeting.). And she should be banned from any services.

And, although the Archbishop of Canterbury makes the final decision on invitations to Lambeth, he and the other Primates should make clear that she and a number of others will not be invited.

Yes, harsh. But her heresies and systematic persecution of the faithful must not be tolerated; such conduct in a putative Primate must be firmly disciplined. And that should not wait until Lambeth ‘08. She should not be allowed to be a Primate in full standing at the meeting next month or ever. I understand the Anglican love of dialogue and deliberation. But this is that clear cut and urgent a matter.

If she is not so disciplined and is seated at the Primates Meeting, then it’s problematic to say the least. That heretics and persecutors have been tolerated and even favored in the Episcopal Church is a big reason for its downfall. Ditto for the Presbyterian and other mainline churches. If the Anglican Communion makes the same mistake, it likely faces a similar future.

And, as I mentioned, a number of primates say they will refuse to sit with her. That could be end of the Anglican Communion then and there. Even from a purely practical point of view, seating her is a huge and needless risk. Still, at least part of me hopes that, even if she is seated in Tanzania, the Global South Primates would somehow stick it out, continue their leadership in the Communion, and help boot her and allied Episcolibs out of Lambeth and the Anglican Communion.

But they and the Anglican Communion should not be put in such a position. Public, blatant, unrepentant heretics and persecutors of the faithful have no place in any position of church leadership, much less as a Primate of the Anglican Communion. The time to boot --Schori is now.

No Safe Place: -Lee, --Schori Wage War on Faithful in Virginia

Earlier this month, I noted a little meeting between national Episcopal Church officials and the Diocese of Virginia.

We now see more of the results of that meeting. The diocese has declared departing orthodox parishes “abandoned” and gives itself the right to seize them at any time.

Methinks you will find those parishes anything but abandoned this Sunday. A media circus this weekend would not surprise me.

Since it’s clear 815 is behind this, you can officially declare Presiding Bishop Schori a persecutor of the faithful. That has serious implications for the upcoming Primates Meeting which I will revisit at a later time.

As if declaring vibrant faithful parishes “abandoned” isn’t rich enough, Virginia Bishop Peter Lee also made such statements such as these:

Bishop Akinola’s effort to establish CANA within the boundaries of The Episcopal Church has occurred without any invitation or authorization whatsoever and violates centuries of established Anglican heritage.

A bishop who voted for Gene Robinson decries the supposed violation of centuries of established Anglican heritage. Uh huh. And ++Akinola I'm sure was quite invited and is much more welcome in those parishes than -Lee.

In the coming days and months there will be many opinions aired in the media, in letters and in countless blogs, opinions disguised as facts. I urge you to turn away from those as the distracting noise of the world intended to take your mind and your heart off the mission of the Church.

Don’t be confused with the facts! And pay no attention to that Presiding Heretic behind the curtain!

Too late, guy. She’s already revealed herself quite well.

You can take the boy out of Texas . . . or can you?

A nine year old boy’s family unwisely moved out of Texas. And he did everything he could to get back . . . including auto theft and sneaking onto two Southwest Airlines flights.

As the Texas version of the story says (But not the Washington State version. Hmmmm.), the boy was "incredibly motivated to get to Texas. He doesn't want to live in Washington state."

Now that’s a Texan!

Thoughts on North American Anglican Unity

I’ve mentioned that one reason I joined the Reformed Episcopal Church is that it has a vision of being part of something bigger than itself. And that it is therefore actively seeking unity with other Anglicans. There’s the movement toward merger with the Anglican Province of America. And the REC has joined Common Cause and helped form the Anglican Federation of America.

Like the REC, I desire Anglican unity around orthodoxy that is both robust and diverse. Along those lines, Matt Kennedy has written an excellent article over at Stand Firm. I share his concerns. It’s important that we not so major on minors that we remain a big separated alphabet soup. But it’s also important that we have more of a basis for unity than adherence to the Windsor Report. We must so strongly and clearly confess what orthodox Christians have believed through the centuries that those who hold to the idol of uncertainty would have to change their ways to join.

Anything less will just invite a repeat of the Episcopal Church’s problems in the future.

I therefore also strongly agree that it is the Network and Common Cause that must lead in bringing about unity, not the Camp Allen bishops. They have been too much a part of the problem and are only recently perhaps maybe becoming a tepid part of the solution.

Again, we must be united around the basics of the faith, but flex on things on which Christians can honestly differ, such as Marian doctrine. Personally, I want full communion with Anglicans who are orthodox but differ with me on various lesser doctrines. I again commend to you an excellent paper by the REC and APA, which states, “Part of the genius of Anglicanism . . . has been its clearly defined standards on first order doctrines, while at the same time it has allowed for a breadth of belief regarding second order doctrines.”

I’m convinced that is indeed the way we should go forward.

Communist Pig Chavez Update

Well, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is revealing more of his red colors. He’s nationalizing industries and shutting down opposition press. Here’s a succinct summary among many accounts on the net. Of course, he comes out more as the Communist he is after the election there.

It’s interesting that he welcomed the investment by AES in the electric company not that long ago. Now he wants to steal it. That’s shows what kind of man he is, regardless of his politics.

To be honest though, I don’t have much sympathy for those losing or about to lose money in Venezuela. That may sound cold-hearted and uncapitalist coming from me. But I saw the direction Chavez was going and long ago sold a gold company investing in Venezuela. Anybody still betting on Chavez being decent and reasonable is so stupid and/or reckless they deserve to lose their money.

I’ve noticed the usual gullible lefty crowd is flocking to Chavez. Typical.

Meanwhile, my boycott of Citgo (owned by the government of Venezuela) continues. It’s been easy really, even in a town infested with Citgo. And since many stations are now switching away from Citgo gas, it’s getting easier.

I have a thought. If Chavez doesn’t give fair compensation to AES and other owners of the companies he’s nationalizing (And he won’t.), why shouldn’t we “nationalize” Citgo? That would take quite a bit of slush money away from him, now wouldn’t it.

An excellent column on the Duke Lacrosse Scandal

Dorothy Rabinowitz, author of the excellent book No Crueler Tyrannies, has written a timely column at the Duke lacrosse scandal and hoax. If you think wrongful prosecution of non-existent sex crimes is a just a Duke or North Carolina problem, you should read her piece. Two excerpts:

[Durham D. A.] Nifong is no anomaly--merely a product of the political times, a prosecutor who has absorbed all the clues about the sanctified status now accorded charges involving rape, child sex-abuse and accusations of racism. Which has in turn ensured their transformation into weapons of unequalled power. Like others before him, the DA quickly grasped the career possibilities open to him with such a case and proceeded accordingly . . .

Law officers who regularly violated requirements of due process in their effort to obtain a conviction, they grasped the special advantage that was theirs: that for a prosecutor dealing with molestation, and wearing the mantle of avenger, there was no such thing as excess, no limits to what could be said of the accused.

And apparently there may be no limits to punishing those accused and rightly or wrongly convicted of sex crimes either. In Texas and other states, opportunistic politicians like Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst are pushing for the death penalty for child molesters.

I wonder if they would have to be buried over 2500 feet from where children congregate and have to be monitored after death . . . with their families paying for the monitoring, of course.

Anglican Legal Defense Fund

If you, like me, want to assist the legal defense of orthodox parishes under attack by Episcopal wolves, here’s some information for you.

Racism and the Duke Lacrosse Case

Durham-in-Wonderland has a pointed piece on the rampant reverse racism surrounding the Duke Lacrosse case, not a little of it coming from Duke professors.

(By the way, I have let it be known that until some of these professors are fired, the Duke Annual Fund need not bother contacting me.)

If attempted lynching on the basis of skin color and class was wrong 100 years ago, it’s just as wrong today.

Have a good MLK Day.

Duke Lacrosse Update: Good Riddance

D. A. Mike Nifong has recused himself from the Duke Lacrosse case. Now lets hope the N. C. State Bar does the right thing and disbars him so he can never engage in prosecutorial race baiting and scalp hunting for political gain ever again.

As usual, Durham-in-Wonderland has excellent analysis.

Schori Opens Mouth, Inserts Mitre

Wow. As most of you know by now, TEC Presiding Bishop Schori gave another interview in Arkansas. And . . . she’s already becoming a parody of herself. It took years for her predecessor to become a joke. It’s taken her only months. For starters, if you believe her, the problems in the Anglican Communion are all caused by bigots in the He-Man Woman-Haters Club.

It’s getting to the point where the appropriate response to her statements isn’t anger, but laughter.

I really have to get on my studies, but there are commentaramas at the usual abodes here and at Stand Firm (temporarily offline as I post this).

And I might be coming to some conclusions as to how the Primates Meeting should deal with her. But that will have to wait until next week.

William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury

I missed the celebration of the Feast of William Laud yesterday. To do penance, I will reverence the altar and bow at the Holy Name every chance I get and will direct you to Affirming Laudianism.

No Safe Place: A Smoking Gun

In my last post of 2006, I asserted that the cause of a sudden rash of somewhat reasonable TEC bishops turning into Mafiosos and threatening the money and property of orthodox congregations was national headquarters and the new Presiding Bishop herself. I contended the threats are not exceptional; they are now policy.

It’s hardly ten days into 2007, and already I’m proven right . . . again. The Diocese of Virginia is cutting off negotiations over the property of Truro and Falls Churches. And that even though, until very recently, Virginia Bishop Peter Lee seemed to be acting reasonably in this matter. What is behind this decision?

The actions of the Diocese follow a meeting on Monday between the Diocese and David Booth Beers, Chancellor of The Episcopal Church (TEC). TEC has also indicated to the congregations that it intends to intervene in these Virginia matters.

Case closed.

And the implications are obvious. If you are an orthodox congregation, there is no safe place for you under the regime of Katherine Schori, no matter how reasonable your bishop. She doesn’t want any amicable separations. She wants orthodox congregations who can no longer endure the Episcopal Church stripped of their property and kicked out on the street.

BREAKING: Panel of Reference . . . Does Something and Backs Ft. Worth

Yes, I know. It’s shocking. And I do hope you’re sitting down if you haven’t heard. The Panel of Reference (of whom I’ve been mildly critical) has actually . . . done something. Not only that, they have backed the Diocese of Ft. Worth and put in their place those who would crack down on the diocese for their refusal to accept the validity of women’s ordination.

They even were so specific as to say refusal to ordain women is NOT grounds to withhold consents from a bishop-elect.

The report and the diocese’s grateful response may be found here.

Now I think I need to go out and get some fresh air.

Camp Allen II Doesn’t Produce (even?) a Press Release

The second meeting of Camp Allen “Windsor” bishops did not produce a press release or communiqué.

My first reaction is that those must be some wimpy bishops. (Yes, I know. Redundant.)

But there’s some interesting discussion here that maybe there’s more to this that meets the eye, particularly with Global South Primates Venables and Ormobi having attended. I hope so.

But I’m not holding my breath.

UPDATE: I might have gotten my Primates mixed up. Anyhow, Bishop Wimberly has now issued a report.

On Funding Heretics

I need to focus on my studies. So this morning, I’ll point you to an excellent piece by Matt Kennedy on whether it’s acceptable for Christians to fund heterodoxy.

He reflects my thoughts exactly, namely:

1. Funding heresy and apostasy is not an option for the Christian.
2. Revisionism, ala Schori, Spong, Chane, etc etc., is not just another flavor of Christianity, but is indeed heresy and apostasy.

I’ll add something his article implies: If to stay in a church, it’s required to fund apostasy (as under some bishop's regimes), then it’s time to get the heck out.

Holy Editing

I don’t know why some of you are so upset with the Glorious National Cathedral for truncating John 14:6 during President Ford’s funeral. You know the offending verse: the very exclusive verse that ends, “No one comes to the Father but through me.” Or at least it ended that way until our Glorious National Cathedral so wisely edited it. For surely Jesus wasn’t so uninclusive. So why needlessly exclude and offend people?

So in the demonic spirit of that wise Bishop Chane*, (And the Spirit is doing all sorts of New Things, don’t ya know.), I’d like to make some humble suggestions for other truncated verses for use during the Liturgy. Because, after all, it’s only scripture.


John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was.


John 3:16

For God so loved the world.


Luke 4:1-4

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone.


John 20:30-31

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written.


Romans 8:1

Therefore there is now no condemnation.


Ten Commandments A suggestion

Thou shalt.



And that’s just a start.

I hope my few and modest suggestions are helpful in avoiding those, well, awkward passages we really don’t believe anyway.

You’re welcome.



*Reportedly, --Chane has left off that uninclusive John 14:6b at the National Cathedral for years.

The Decline of Mainline Protestantism Explained

. . . If Christians will not mean what they say when talking with God and in the holy place, when and why should they expect ever to be taken seriously?

-- D. H. Tripp, from “Liturgy and Pastoral Service”


(I read this during my reading for Liturgics today. And I thought that just about explains it all.)