GAFCON (the Global Anglican Future Conference) has banned the following from their meeting at the Renaissance Hotel in West Jerusalem: Bishop Robert O'Neill, Davis Maclyalla, Colin Coward, Louie Crew, Susan Russell, Scott Gunn and Deborah and Robert Edmunds. Ruth Gledhill reported this banning on her Times blog. She does not say if all the members of this august group are actually in Jerusalem.
I have met all the illustrious folk on this list, the most recent being the Rev. Robert Edmunds and Deborah Edmunds. They were part of the Episcopal Church outgoing missionary conference the beginning of June on Staten Island. They are to be honored by being banned and I am honored to know them.
GAFCON was clear from the outset that no one was allowed to participate who was not vetted. But it would appear that only some people could come to observe, watch, report on, or otherwise be in the presence of the proceedings of GAFCON. There are such observers, watchers, reporters, etc. So it is something about these eight that is part of their very being that makes them dangerous or infectious to the GAFCON crowd.
What is it? They are all a source of infection... that is, they all spread the infection of doubt, doubt in the absolute certainty that GAFCON's take on homosexuality is right, and doubt of the propriety of meeting in Jerusalem against the expressed desire of the Diocese of Jerusalem. And now, with the disastrous press briefing of yesterday, in which Archbishops Akinola and Orombi had to be rescued from silence on questions of the treatment of homosexuals in their countries by Peter Jensen of Australia, there are new doubts concerning the moral stance of some GAFCON leaders.
So these eight are sources of infectious doubt. Next think you know, there may even be doubt that GAFCON can make it to the end of its meeting without stumbling down the hole into a place of confusion and really bad manners...a kind of Anglican hell.
6/23/2008
17 comments:
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Excuse me, but were they even invited to start with?
ReplyDeleteIf they weren't invited to a private gathering, why should they be allowed in...or do they hold superior ratings to allow them instant access to any venue?
I believe that you reappraiser folks often think more highly of yourselves than is healthy.
here's an idea: maybe the leaders of gaffe-gon will issue a list of banned books, too. or maybe a list of banned movies. or maybe a list of banned thoughts. or a list of banned words. wow----maybe they can ban reality, too!!
ReplyDeleteHonored, I'm sure ... to be thought of so highly that I'm banned from attending something I had not intention of going anywhere near.
ReplyDeleteWhy, one wonders, do they think we would have bothered?
Mark, I can't believe that you weren't banned...!
ReplyDeletePeter+
I feel slighted. I'm not on the list.
ReplyDeleteThat these folks keep such a list says volumes and volumes about the nature of their movement.
With tongue firmly in cheek -
ReplyDeleteCanon Harris, are you jealous that you didn't make the cut?
I recall an old grad school professor who for the rest of his life was offended that he did not make Nixon's Enemies List.
And for music choice, All Hail the Power is OK I guess, but, why not Gilbert & Sullivan's I've Got a Little List
Here's the 'Hot Mikado' version:
Here
Or, from King's College:
here
Anglicans yes, but surely not Anglophiles. :-)
Did our GafCon friends not see the silliness of it all. Well, maybe not.
Blessings to ALL, whether in Jerusalem or elsewhere,
-miserable sinner
Rob O'Neill is there as the representative of the Presiding Bishop and to stand in solidarity with the Bishop of Jerusalem. Marilyn
ReplyDeleteFor those with a Facepage account you can join the parade of folks who want to be added to the good company of the Jerusalem Eight.
ReplyDeleteI want to be banned by Gafcon, too!
Currently over 100 folks have added their names.
Allen - It's not a matter of giving "superior ratings" to anyone - these people are, on the whole, not present. It is a matter of the paranoia of the Gaffers who are so afraid of - what? - that they must ensure that these individuals are excluded at all costs, whether they are anywhere in the neighborhood or not.
ReplyDeletePretty pathetic.
Uriel
There are reports around the blogospere that in addition to the good Bishop and the chaplain and his wife, that three more of the Jerusalem Eight actually are in Jerusalem, possibly actually in/around the Renaissance Hotel.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they are wanting to make themselves available to any Windsor Authorized listening possibilities.
It's 240 members just now 4:50 PM local time.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, a curious coincidence that 4 or 5 of the eight happen to be in Jerusalem at this time and staying at or around the same hotel as Gafcon.
ReplyDeleteNobody should be surprised that Susan Russell is going about her work in Pasadena. Its what she does. But its long odds surely that so many of the eight just happen to be in Jerusalem.
Pretty good guessing by Gafcon I reckon. Any other readers reckon they could have guessed this right? Would you have got 4, 5 or even 6?
Obadiah Slope
Allen,
ReplyDeleteNo surprise, but you miss the point. It is true they were not invited. Leaving aside how one can claim to define the global future with the parochial group, no one expected the Gaf(fe)Con 8 to be invited.
Consider one of the eight honorees: Rev. Susan Russell who is some 15,000 miles away, with no plans to fly to Jerusalem. She is being banned not because she is some sort of party crasher but as a symbol of the exclusive holiness of HACC (Holier-than-god Anglican Church of Caiaphas) that bans people.
Similarly, Dr. Crew is in New Jersey, minding his own business. What we have here is the major Anglo-bullies (Bp. Minns and his puppet Arch persecutor) acting out of pure spite. Well, actually probably impure spite laced with stupid.
No one expects the wrong wing do its business as the left does, with the doors open. After all, they might catch a disease like that "love one another" thing. Caiaphas got rid of that stuff!
But, the paranoid need a symbol to fight. After all if they are not god's warriors (they are not) they are nothing (which is about right.)
What really bugs them, I suspect is two things. First the homophobia is not working. They are not getting the marching zombies towards schism they wanted. Second, Dr. Crew, Rev. Susan et al are not there. Why because they really are not particularly significant.
Bp. Katherine sent an observer who has made no effort to inject himself, Dr. Williams and other primates did not even bother. If they can't get the cootie infected to even attack them, how important can they feel? If Rev. Susan and Dr. Louie wont even try to get in, then we will ban them to be sure everyone knows that with all our excessive (Viagra released) testosterone, we would have kept them out if they had cared.
Bad 8 year old's with the "no girls" sign on the door. Ever see a girl try to get in? Nope.
;sigh;
FWIW
jimB
Paranoid Uriel?
ReplyDeleteNot really.
After all, those on the watch (read watch out for their tricks) list have demonstrated that they are NOT above raising a loud disturbance when convenient. Have you forgotten the recent cross country "visitors" that were unleashed to crash dioceses that weren't sympathetic to them?
It wouldn't be the first time.
If I were loud and proud I would be suspect too.
David,
ReplyDeleteWhy did you change your picture back? Was there something wrong with shirtless and cheeky?
"impure spite laced with stupid"
ReplyDeleteHeavily laced, I'd say.
What the GAFFEPRONE don't get is that normal conferences organized by normal people generally provide observer status on a pretty open basis. As one of the GAFCON 8 has pointed out on her own blog, no less a schismatical lion that David Virtue has routinely been granted credentials for Integrity gatherings.
Now, if we were talking Peter Tatchell, who has built his entire reputation on disruptive antics, I might understand refusing him observer status.
But in banning an Episcopal bishop, in banning the Chaplain of their host(age) bishop, in banning at least two people who are thousands of miles away and have expressed no desire or itentio to go, the GAFFEPRONE have made themselves look foolish yet again.
I wonder what this band of paranoid conspiracy theorists might have accomplished had they had any competent commuications advice. Clearly, to date, they have had none at all.
Allen, I have 6 foto avatars/gravatars and just change them around on about a weekly basis. The big grin is but one. It is cropped from a larger foto, hence your cheeky comment, I suppose.
ReplyDelete