The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Province of the Southern Cone, located some 5,000 miles away from the see city of the PSC, has got itself a new assisting bishop, John Rogers, himself located some celestial distance away from the recognized episcopate of the Anglican Communion, namely in the Anglican Mission in America, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Episcopal Church of Rwanda. The fact that he lives in the Pittsburgh area makes it easy for him to assist. The EDP/PSC website carries notice of this development HERE.
About Bishop Rogers, the article says this:
"Ordained a bishop in 2000 for the Anglican Mission in
the Americas, a group of congregations committed to evangelism that
left The Episcopal Church and came under the authority of the Anglican
Provinces of Rwanda and Southeast Asia, Bishop Rodgers is no stranger
to the politics of The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. In
fact, those politics kept him from being able to officially function as
a bishop in The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh until it voted to
separate from The Episcopal Church."
To Bishop Rogers credit he claims not to have functioned in Pittsburgh until it left TEC. Of course that did not prevent him from operating in other dioceses that have not left TEC.
The EDP/PSC is on its way to being part of a new church, the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). In that tent AMiA and the Dioceses related to the Province of the Southern Cone, etc, will supposedly find a common home. The bishops of the soon to be ACNA are finding ways already to do some ministry of mutual support. The tent, however, remains outside the Anglican Communion and its bishops to a man (and yet only men) are deposed, resigned, retired, or irregular, and without license to exercise their office in the jurisdiction of The Episcopal Church.
"deposed, resigned, retired, or irregular, and without license to exercise their office in the jurisdiction of The Episcopal Church."
ReplyDeleteOf small matter to those who believe TEC is a bastion of apostacy and disrespect for the "faith once delivered to the apostles" or whatever version of that sentiment they like to proclaim. Mark I sometimes think you have the feeling they will be accorded some degree of legitimacy by the powers that be if they hang around long enough, insisting they are the real deal no matter what everyone else thinks about it. I hope you're wrong.
Better yet, how about we start referring universally to them as Mr.; not Bishop, not Moderator, not deposed bishop, not archbishop in waiting just plain Mr.. That is all they are currently entitled to.
ReplyDeleteBishops moving on the diagonal.
ReplyDeleteDid you hear Bishop Robinson's response to Jon Stewart on the Daily Show. Stewart had asked wasn't it difficult moving in that crowd at the Inauguration when you can only move on the diagonal.