11/13/2006

What is Happening with LEAC? Update

November 14: update. Notice has been published on Christian News Wire that the Lay Episcopalians for the Anglican Communion have had to reschedule their planned conference noted in this article. Two of the bishops planning to attend are ill. The article noted that one of the leaders died earlier, but that was already noted in the lead up to the conference. The report said that the conference has been rescheduled for February 28th to March 1, 2007, claiming that that time would be better since more would be known about the Primates concerns. I am puzzled that two bishops in the hospital would lead to a postponement. If there had been very many people apply I think there would have been other speakers secured. Something is not right here.

Nove 13, 2007

Lay Episcopalians for the Anglican Communion, LEAC, is having a conference on November 20-21 in
Orlando. LEAC says of its strategies, “With deployment of the teachers’ educational models and strategies across the country by cadres oriented at Orlando, there is a better chance for survival of more than a tiny remnant in Anglicanism in America.”

But what good is a cadre without a nifty emblem to wear on your bombardier jacket? Just in time LEAC has provided one, suitable for each new cadre member to wear so that we can tell the good guys from the bad.

Here it is, in all its glory.

It's lightening bolts reminds me a bit of the emblem for the Stratigic Air Command.

Lightening bolts have been part of other emblems as well. Lightening quick swords, etc, ought to make us all just a bit watchful.

I have heard almost nothing about this event since it was first announced, billed by LEAC as “‘BEST EVER’ EVENT FOR SURVIVAL OF ROBUST U.S. ANGLICANISM” and “The Right Stuff for the Right Church.” The speakers include two AAC/Network bishops, one AMiA bishop, a variety of clergy who have had a difficult time in the Episcopal Church, and a gaggle of lawyers. Interestingly, for a Lay group, Conference leadership as advertised is remarkably clergy heavy.

The propositions driving this conference assume the worse about lay people in the Episcopal Church – that they are lazy, ignorant or just uninterested – and condemn the Episcopal Church. LEAC states:

“Without effective education in the parishes, illuminating the grave schism from true faith by radical revisionists, many of the “The Middle 80%” will innocently be taken from Anglicanism, virtually trapped in the hold as hierarchical leaders sail off to a non-Christian spiritual destination.” And,

“It probably is already too late for educational initiatives to reach more than half of the nation’s Episcopalians or half of the parishes, but the faithful true believers owe, as a matter of Christian accountability, to do the best we can. Every soul we save from non-Christian poison is a victory for Jesus.”

Well, these are grim doings. Drastic measures for drastic times, or so they say. If the cadres are marching will the thought police be far behind?

17 comments:

  1. And this one, while it doesn't incl. lighting bolts, has a pair of swords:

    Virtue Online

    Such lovely, militaristic images. What a way to glorify the Kingdom...

    (Note: I don't suggest actually clicking on the above link unless you have a stringer stomach than I)

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  2. Interestingly, for a Lay group, Conference leadership as advertised is remarkably clergy heavy.

    That's because LEAC is apparently what is known, in political circles, as an "astroturf lobbying" outfit.

    That's when some wealthy interest sets up a phony front group to give the impression that their position actually has popular support, like those "Americans for Truth and Justice" outfits that turn out to have three members and be funded by the nuclear waste disposal industry.

    Since the fundamentalists have adopted every other tool of the right wing political propagandists, it is only to be expected that they would also be doing the astroturf thing.

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  3. I may not select "Onward Christian Soldiers" for my congregation to sing ever again.

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  4. It's OK, Ref+. Long ago I made peace with "Onward." You just have to switch on your irony filter...

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  5. David - UGH..I can't believe I just went out and looked at that site. MY EYES. MY EYES. IT BURNS....(stunned from hate filed stupidity)

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  6. It has always been obvious that the traditionalist revolt against the church has been clergy-driven. This “lay” group provides yet more evidence of the fact.

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  7. The Traditionalist revolt is actually let by the revisionist relativistic liberals, Bishops, clergy and lay. They started it in the late 60's, and have continued to lead the church down the liberal arrogant path of the elite Episcopalians, without regard for the other two branches of the Catholic Church, because, the Episcopalians are the only ones some Spirit is revealing all this heretical information to. They shall have a lot of other things revealed to them as well on a day in the future. Stay tuned.

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  8. The Traditionalist revolt is actually let by the revisionist relativistic liberals, Bishops, clergy and lay. They started it in the late 60's, and have continued to lead the church down the liberal arrogant path of the elite Episcopalians, without regard for the other two branches of the Catholic Church, because, the Episcopalians are the only ones some Spirit is revealing all this heretical information to. They shall have a lot of other things revealed to them as well on a day in the future. Stay tuned.

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  9. It looks like the conference has been rescheduled because of ailing bishops:

    http://www.christiannewswire.com/
    news/536241505.html

    They've had bad luck before: an earlier event was to feature the former Archbishop of Canterbury, who backed out late in the game.

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  10. Or maybe no one signed up for the meeting?

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  11. I'd vote for the "nobody signed up" theory. LEAC is not getting any traction as a conservative interest group. And the market can only handle so many.

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  12. Hey Anonymous...

    Let's see...it only took the RCC 450 years or so to decide to put mass in the vernacular, and I believe that they only admitted in the early '90's that Galileo was indeed on to something that was "true", and so, were wrong in persecuting him.

    I figure they have a chance of "catching" up to the Episcopal church in terms of being inclusive to humanity sometime in the next 400 or so years.

    If excepting everyone's right to basic humanity and spirituality in the way God has made us is considered elitist, I'm all for it.

    All hail the "elitist" Episcopal Church - here comes everybody.

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  13. You know, there really is something funny about right wing extremists who seek to make the church as exclusive as their country clubs calling other people "elitist."

    It's the same faux populist wedge-issue politics that Atwater and Rove have gotten so much mileage out of, now applied to religion.

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  14. You know, Anonymous on the Right (criticizing "revisionist relativistic liberals") highlights (lowlights?) one of the interesting conundrums of this division. Focussing on "the other two branches of the Catholic Church" suggests that outside certain marks of the Church Catholic (Historic episcopate? Use of the Nicene Creed, and not just the Apostle's? The specifics are not clear.) folks aren't Christian, or at least aren't Chritian enough. Can we believe that others who proclaim Christ but lack certain institutional characteristics aren't worth our respect and attention? That seems to leave a lot of folks outside the Body, or at least too far from the ear. The UCC and Disciples of Christ lead us in inclusive welcome. Our Lutheran siblings around the world wrestle with these issues with us, and many, including the Swedes (who have retained those marks of the Church) are far more welcoming and inclusive than we are.

    Our history and tradition are distinct within the Body of Christ, as are those of Rome and of Constantinople, but they are not detached or isolated from other traditions, also within the Body. I hope we won't let an ecclesial elitism won't close our ears to how Christ might be speaking to other Members of the Body.

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  15. This is another topic, but Mark, can you fill us in on the recent press release from ENS out of the Executive Council about a proposal of a new Convocation in North America? I find it amazing that this press release came out the same day that Falls Church and Truro vestries voted to have their churches vote to possibly join CANA. How might this Convocation be related to CANA?

    Here is the release...fill us in, please, if you can.

    Episcopal News Service
    November 15, 2006

    Executive Council proposes an Anglican convocation in the Americas

    Members briefed on status of diocesan property disputes, strategy

    By Mary Frances Schjonberg

    [ENS] The Episcopal Church's Executive Council agreed November 15 to contemplate an "Anglican
    regional convocation of the Americas" to better equip churches for "mutuality and
    interdependence in God's mission."

    The council, the church's governing body between General Conventions, asked Presiding Bishop
    Katharine Jefferts Schori and House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson to appoint a
    working group to investigate the possibility of the convocation.

    The group would consult with the Anglican Church of Canada, the Anglican Council of Latin
    America (Concilio Anglicano Latino Americano or CALA), and the Province of the West Indies.
    The other major convocation of Anglican provinces consists of churches in the Global South.

    The decision to pursue an American Anglican convocation was one of the actions the council
    took as it concluded its four-day Chicago meeting. Its gathering is to be followed November
    15-18 by a joint meeting of 23 Episcopal Church commissions, committees and boards. Both
    meetings are at the Chicago Marriott O'Hare hotel.

    The Executive Council carries out the programs and policies adopted by the General Convention
    and oversees the ministry and mission of the church. The council is composed of 40 members,
    20 of whom (four bishops, four priests or deacons, and 12 lay people) are elected by General
    Convention and 18 (one clergy and one lay) by provincial synods, plus the Presiding Bishop
    and the president of the House of Deputies.

    The meeting opened the 2007-2009 triennium for Executive Council, although it occurred at the
    end of the 2003-2006 triennial calendar. The majority of the meeting was spent in orientation
    and organizational matters.

    Full story, photographs, and a full list of the resolutions passed by council:
    http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_79758_ENG_HTM.htm.

    - - - - - - - - -

    To UNSUBSCRIBE from Episcopal News Service or change your address, click here:
    http://mh.epicom.org/c.php?L=enslist&E=petermcarey@yahoo.com

    To SUBSCRIBE to Episcopal News Service, send a blank email message, from the address which
    you wish subscribed, to join-enslist@epicom.org and include "subscribe" in the subject line.

    Send QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS to news@episcopalchurch.org

    ENS provides information and resources which we consider to be of interest to our readers.
    However, statements and opinions expressed in the articles and communications herein, are
    those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of ENS or the Episcopal Church.

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  16. Let me see, we have LEAC cancelling / rescheduling its conference, staff leaving (loose)canon Anderson's group, and a number of congregations or clergy deciding they are too holy for TEC. Seems to me that the right may be finding out its superb logos and great holiness is not moving many so it is taking its ball and leaving the game, in dribbles.

    FWIW
    jimB

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