Welcome to the Reformed Episcopal Church!
Another parish, St. Andrew’s in Savannah, has joined the Reformed Episcopal Church. And they won’t be the last.
I suspect a certain June event in a larger Episcopal denomination will prompt many individuals and parishes to check out the REC, APA, and other continuing Anglican bodies.
We continuing Anglicans need to pray and get ready.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Statements from Bishops Duncan and Stanton Prompt Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth.
If you haunt the Reasserting Anglican blogosphere, you may have noticed that Network bishops Duncan and Stanton have issued statements the past few days that have prompted many orthodox in the Episcopal Church to respond with some unhappiness as you can see for yourself on the two links.
Although the bishops’ statements are by no means easy to interpret, to at least some they mean the bishops intend to stay in ECUSA no matter what happens at the General Convention this year.
I frankly don’t yet know what to think about the two statements and have no desire to prejudge their meaning. But, for now, I do have two hard big picture questions to ask:
1. If the bishops indeed intend to stick it out and stay in ECUSA, one motivation for them surely is that they don’t wish to abandon that branch of the Church. It therefore must be asked – is there a point at which a branch of Christ’s church so strays from Christ and His word that it is no longer a part of his church?
Like I said, a hard question. But I think the answer is yes. And I think a good case can be made that on a national level, ECUSA is near or past that point. If it’s past that point, then the most Christian thing an individual or parish can do is to witness to the truth and serve as a warning to the apostate by leaving.
2. A cause that prompts some to advocate staying in ECUSA is Christian unity. And that surely is a cause bishops Duncan and Stanton are considering. But if continued unity with an apostate or nearly apostate church would shatter unity within the orthodox, then which unity is more important?
I would assert unity with orthodox Christians is more important. And if the comments to the two statements are any indication (not to mention past statements from overseas orthodox leaders), the bishops simply staying in ECUSA (which isn’t necessarily what the two propose to do) would indeed shatter that unity.
If you haunt the Reasserting Anglican blogosphere, you may have noticed that Network bishops Duncan and Stanton have issued statements the past few days that have prompted many orthodox in the Episcopal Church to respond with some unhappiness as you can see for yourself on the two links.
Although the bishops’ statements are by no means easy to interpret, to at least some they mean the bishops intend to stay in ECUSA no matter what happens at the General Convention this year.
I frankly don’t yet know what to think about the two statements and have no desire to prejudge their meaning. But, for now, I do have two hard big picture questions to ask:
1. If the bishops indeed intend to stick it out and stay in ECUSA, one motivation for them surely is that they don’t wish to abandon that branch of the Church. It therefore must be asked – is there a point at which a branch of Christ’s church so strays from Christ and His word that it is no longer a part of his church?
Like I said, a hard question. But I think the answer is yes. And I think a good case can be made that on a national level, ECUSA is near or past that point. If it’s past that point, then the most Christian thing an individual or parish can do is to witness to the truth and serve as a warning to the apostate by leaving.
2. A cause that prompts some to advocate staying in ECUSA is Christian unity. And that surely is a cause bishops Duncan and Stanton are considering. But if continued unity with an apostate or nearly apostate church would shatter unity within the orthodox, then which unity is more important?
I would assert unity with orthodox Christians is more important. And if the comments to the two statements are any indication (not to mention past statements from overseas orthodox leaders), the bishops simply staying in ECUSA (which isn’t necessarily what the two propose to do) would indeed shatter that unity.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
What?!? No Anglican Fudge at GS ’06??
It’s unwise to ever underestimate the capability of Anglicans to fudge matters. But I have a bold prediction: Anglican Fudge will not be served at the Episcopal Church’s General Convention this year. And the fall out will be a split in the Anglican Communion sooner rather than later.
Oh, Griswold et al will serve up resolutions saying how wonderful it is to be a part of the Anglican Communion etc. etc. And they would like to fudge the whole convention so as to make it more difficult to boot them out of the Anglican Communion. But they will fail.
They will fail to cook up their Anglican fudge at GS ’06 ironically because forces from their own camp won’t let them.
I expect the Diocese of California will elect one of the two gay-with-partner nominees as bishop, making that particular issue impossible to fudge. That bishop will be confirmed at the General Convention, blowing up any pretense of supposedly abiding by the Windsor Report and the Dromantine Communique.
In addition, the Executive Council’s decision to jump the gun and affiliate ECUSA with the abortion lobby Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) will not go unchallenged at the convention. Since it’s exceedingly unlikely the convention will reverse the decision, but will affirm it (if perhaps indirectly by suppressing an attempt to vote on it), this will be yet another big red flag of apostasy at the convention for all to see.
So although only a couple months ago I thought GS ’06 would be a Fudge Fest, the liberals themselves are sabotaging that tactic.
The fall out will be a more swift and certain split in the Anglican Communion. The Global South will not tolerate ECUSA being allowed to remain as members of Anglican Communion. Either ECUSA bishops (or at least most of them) are kicked out of Lambeth in 2008 or the Global South will walk out. And that’s only if the Communion stays together until Lambeth.
Here in the U. S., what the orthodox in ECUSA will do is not so clear cut. There will surely be a conservative walk out at GS ’06. But many conservatives will stay in ECUSA, including perhaps even Network leader Bishop Duncan. And, as the comments on that link indicate, the conservatives themselves would then sadly split with not a little acrimony.
I do pray I’m wrong on that last prediction.
It’s unwise to ever underestimate the capability of Anglicans to fudge matters. But I have a bold prediction: Anglican Fudge will not be served at the Episcopal Church’s General Convention this year. And the fall out will be a split in the Anglican Communion sooner rather than later.
Oh, Griswold et al will serve up resolutions saying how wonderful it is to be a part of the Anglican Communion etc. etc. And they would like to fudge the whole convention so as to make it more difficult to boot them out of the Anglican Communion. But they will fail.
They will fail to cook up their Anglican fudge at GS ’06 ironically because forces from their own camp won’t let them.
I expect the Diocese of California will elect one of the two gay-with-partner nominees as bishop, making that particular issue impossible to fudge. That bishop will be confirmed at the General Convention, blowing up any pretense of supposedly abiding by the Windsor Report and the Dromantine Communique.
In addition, the Executive Council’s decision to jump the gun and affiliate ECUSA with the abortion lobby Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) will not go unchallenged at the convention. Since it’s exceedingly unlikely the convention will reverse the decision, but will affirm it (if perhaps indirectly by suppressing an attempt to vote on it), this will be yet another big red flag of apostasy at the convention for all to see.
So although only a couple months ago I thought GS ’06 would be a Fudge Fest, the liberals themselves are sabotaging that tactic.
The fall out will be a more swift and certain split in the Anglican Communion. The Global South will not tolerate ECUSA being allowed to remain as members of Anglican Communion. Either ECUSA bishops (or at least most of them) are kicked out of Lambeth in 2008 or the Global South will walk out. And that’s only if the Communion stays together until Lambeth.
Here in the U. S., what the orthodox in ECUSA will do is not so clear cut. There will surely be a conservative walk out at GS ’06. But many conservatives will stay in ECUSA, including perhaps even Network leader Bishop Duncan. And, as the comments on that link indicate, the conservatives themselves would then sadly split with not a little acrimony.
I do pray I’m wrong on that last prediction.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Amazing Quote About Worry
I’m a bit busy this morning. But I want to be sure to pass on this amazing quote I saw on RealMoney.com of all places:
"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."
-- Corrie Ten Boom
I’m prone to worry and can be really bad about fretting. So posting this is as much for me as for my gracious readers.
Corrie Ten Boom was quite an influence on Christians in the 1970’s, by the way, including me.
I’m a bit busy this morning. But I want to be sure to pass on this amazing quote I saw on RealMoney.com of all places:
"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."
-- Corrie Ten Boom
I’m prone to worry and can be really bad about fretting. So posting this is as much for me as for my gracious readers.
Corrie Ten Boom was quite an influence on Christians in the 1970’s, by the way, including me.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Silly Liberals
Some things from libchurch people are so absurd, they *almost* exhaust my talents for commentary or satire. This is one of them.
Meanwhile, an ecumenical church commission has decided not to meet in Corpus Christi because the very name of that city discourages interfaith dialogue and shows disrespect toward non-Western faiths. The commission has called upon the city to change their name to Goddess Sophia. The city was too busy cleaning up coffee spills to comment.
That brings to 96 the number of the 100 largest U. S. cities the commission has ruled out for their meetings. They are now considering meeting in San Francisco, Eugene, or Havana.
Some things from libchurch people are so absurd, they *almost* exhaust my talents for commentary or satire. This is one of them.
Meanwhile, an ecumenical church commission has decided not to meet in Corpus Christi because the very name of that city discourages interfaith dialogue and shows disrespect toward non-Western faiths. The commission has called upon the city to change their name to Goddess Sophia. The city was too busy cleaning up coffee spills to comment.
That brings to 96 the number of the 100 largest U. S. cities the commission has ruled out for their meetings. They are now considering meeting in San Francisco, Eugene, or Havana.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
An Episcopal Election to Watch
The Episcopal Diocese of California has announced its nominees to become its next bishop. The five nominees include a gay man, the Very Rev. Robert Taylor of Seattle, and a lesbian, the Rev. Bonnie Perry of Chicago, both of whom have partners at this time.
The election therefore becomes one to watch. Most readers of this blog don’t need me to tell them the possible consequences if either Taylor or Perry are elected by the diocese in May and approved by the national General Convention this summer. To say the split of the Anglican Communion may be accelerated would be an understatement.
I wouldn’t bet against Taylor or Perry. We’re talking California now. There are many in that diocese who won’t be able to resist voting for the most trendy “prophetic” candidate possible.
The Episcopal Diocese of California has announced its nominees to become its next bishop. The five nominees include a gay man, the Very Rev. Robert Taylor of Seattle, and a lesbian, the Rev. Bonnie Perry of Chicago, both of whom have partners at this time.
The election therefore becomes one to watch. Most readers of this blog don’t need me to tell them the possible consequences if either Taylor or Perry are elected by the diocese in May and approved by the national General Convention this summer. To say the split of the Anglican Communion may be accelerated would be an understatement.
I wouldn’t bet against Taylor or Perry. We’re talking California now. There are many in that diocese who won’t be able to resist voting for the most trendy “prophetic” candidate possible.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
”Leaving the Shire”
Many conservatives in the Episcopal Church USA are struggling with the question of whether to stay in or leave ECUSA. And I’ve wrestled with that question here although it’s not a decision I have to make personally.
But here’s an interesting alternative view that hasn’t been discussed much: perhaps conservatives would do well to “leave the shire,” join the fight, and join the Episcopal Church.
If one is not in any way aiding apostasy and if one is not endangering the spiritual health of oneself or (especially) one’s family, there is something to be said for this approach. (Yes, those are big “if”s.)
When I was moving the past couple years, I did actually check out local ECUSA parishes from a distance, if you can believe that. But I felt the bishop over this area was too much of a fence-sitter and therefore had little confidence in the diocese.
And I remembered how upset I was by doings in the Presbyterian Church when I was in that denomination. And I thought it unwise to put myself through that again. I just don’t think I have the stomach for it. Maybe that’s not the godliest consideration, but there you go.
If I were still in the Diocese of Dallas, I might now be a member of an ECUSA parish, however. I’ve made no secret of how much I love St. David’s and Smokey Matt’s. But that’s probably a different situation than what the couple in the article joined. I doubt I have the temperament to do what they are doing.
But their decision is certainly honorable and worthy of consideration even if one might not agree and be able to do the same thing.
Many conservatives in the Episcopal Church USA are struggling with the question of whether to stay in or leave ECUSA. And I’ve wrestled with that question here although it’s not a decision I have to make personally.
But here’s an interesting alternative view that hasn’t been discussed much: perhaps conservatives would do well to “leave the shire,” join the fight, and join the Episcopal Church.
If one is not in any way aiding apostasy and if one is not endangering the spiritual health of oneself or (especially) one’s family, there is something to be said for this approach. (Yes, those are big “if”s.)
When I was moving the past couple years, I did actually check out local ECUSA parishes from a distance, if you can believe that. But I felt the bishop over this area was too much of a fence-sitter and therefore had little confidence in the diocese.
And I remembered how upset I was by doings in the Presbyterian Church when I was in that denomination. And I thought it unwise to put myself through that again. I just don’t think I have the stomach for it. Maybe that’s not the godliest consideration, but there you go.
If I were still in the Diocese of Dallas, I might now be a member of an ECUSA parish, however. I’ve made no secret of how much I love St. David’s and Smokey Matt’s. But that’s probably a different situation than what the couple in the article joined. I doubt I have the temperament to do what they are doing.
But their decision is certainly honorable and worthy of consideration even if one might not agree and be able to do the same thing.
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