Did you think the tornado-like controversy over the Aug. 5 consecration of the US Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop had subsided? You may wish to re-think that. And if you're pro-gay and Episcopalian or Anglican, you had better brace yourself for rough winds ahead.
The Associated Press reports that Episcopal dioceses in Pennsylvania and Texas are accusing the national church of overstepping its authority and violating its own constitution by confirming the nomination of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire and by approving the blessing of same-gender unions. In essence, these dioceses will ignore the decision by the national church's General Convention and may even attempt to withhold funds from the national church.
"These acts are to be held null and void, and of no effect, in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh," read a resolution approved 239-69 by delegates in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
And in Texas, conservative Fort Worth Bishop Jack Iker spoke out: "We are here to take a stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ in a time of great dissension and confusion in our church."
From the AP report:
Both the Texas and Pennsylvania dioceses called on the Anglican Communion to recognize those who oppose the gay bishop and same-sex blessings as "the legitimate expression" of the Episcopal Church.Delegates in Pennsylvania also approved a resolution that would allow parishes to withhold money from the national church.
The national denomination of the Episcopal Church, with 2.3 million members, is the US branch of the worldwide, 77 million-member Anglican Communion.
"We are dealing with the consequences of that body's schismatic — literally unity-breaking — acts," said Pittsburgh Bishop Robert Duncan. "We are trying to call the Episcopal Church back to its senses, and asking the worldwide Communion to help us."
The furor over the General Conference's decisions is having a personal effect on an incoming liberal Episcopal bishop in Colorado. The Rev. Robert O'Neill is under scrutiny by right-wing clergy in his new diocese, reportedly because of his stated support for gay issues. For the next six months, O'Neill says he will make "no substantive changes in diocesan practices."
The ill will goes farther than the Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Texas dioceses, and, if the denominational right-wing gets it way, their anger could set the stage for the establishment of a separate conservative Anglican province in the US.
A week ago, the Diocese of Central Florida voted to repudiate the General Convention's vote on Robinson and same-sex blessing ceremonies and asked world Anglican leaders to intervene.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Davis
And this just in:
Leader defends N.H. gay bishop
2 - Doc
Let them go...the Southern Baptists broke off from the mainstream over slavery so let these "conservatives" go and burn in hell with their irreligious piety.
Better to cut off your hand than have it infect the rest of the body.
3 - Kathy Johnson
There's a superb, long-out-of-print biography,'CHARLES SIMEON OF CAMBRIDGE' by Hugh Evan Hopkins, still available at http://www.torontochristianbooks.com/simeon.htm. It's a wonderful example of what Christianity was once considered to be, both in public and private life.
That site also has a lot of new and unplayed out-of-print Christian music cassette bestsellers, CDs, and hymn records from the 1980's and '90's. Try:
http://www.torontochristianbooks.com/cassette.htm
http://www.torontochristianbooks.com/records.htm
http://www.torontochristianbooks.com/demorecs.htm
http://www.torontochristianbooks.com/oldcds.htm
There's a substantial listing of other useful resources, too, on the huge http://www.torontochristianbooks.com main page, including their interesting list of exclusive reprints at http://www.torontochristianbooks.com/reprint2.htm.
4 - Natalie Davis
Thanks for the links!