The Pluralist nails it occasionally. Sunday he published a blog entry that has been on my mind ever since. Bonhoeffer Moments Coming ought to be read through several times. Adrian Worsfold is saying hard things well. We need to hear him.
At the close he says, "It seems to me that the Church of England and The Episcopal Church ought to decide to be more inclusive regarding their leaderships. The Church of England's changes will make it more like The Episcopal Church, and thus will continue to follow where it has led. So it is up to The Episcopal Church to lead and its Bonhoeffer moment is not long off."
It is perhaps time for our yes to be yes and our no be no. The vote may come on a return to canonical normality re election processes (moving beyond B033), it may be on commitment to an Anglican Covenant, it may be on the blessing of same sex relations, but it will come, and then we will move on.
There are great possibilities beyond the greatly feared moments of choice.
3/02/2009
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Mark, there's no perhaps about it. The time has come for TEC to acknowledge the Division of the House.
ReplyDeleteThe Church has already moved beyond the reasserters. To acknowledge this will finally set us free to soar as eagles as we live into the inclusive Gospel.
"It is perhaps time for our yes to be yes and our no be no. "
ReplyDeleteSadly, for the sake of TEC's own integrity, your yes should always have been yes and your no, no.
Still, it is not too late to stand up for your convictions.... but staying in Rowan's club is a powerful draw for TEC - as BO33 proves. I still bet something like BO33 will be renewed......Rowan is coming to GC09 to make sure TEC delivers what he wants!
Observer, I would be willing to bet that B033 will be tossed in the circular file after GC'09. If we really believe in the Baptismal Covenant of our Prayer Book and an inclusive Gospel it's a dead issue.
ReplyDeleteRichard - I agree it should be if TEC is true to its principles....but that begs the question, how did BO33 ever come into being? Because it was given, I think it will be renewed again - TEC has never wanted to be outside the AC (that is why it has put up with the brick bats of the last 5 years and made smelly compromises like BO33 and accepting one of its bishops not being invited to Lambeth..... you really trust your leadership to put principle before expediency?
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly time to move on. Time to grant the church of England its moment of decision by refusing to be the punching bag anymore. No B033, no 'gracious restraint' and no Lambeth debt bailout. Yes to begining the process of prayerbook editing for gender neutral blessing ceremonies and a process to stop being State agents in jurisdictions that descriminate.
ReplyDeleteYes the ABC et al will have to choose between communion with us or church with Nigeria. I wish them and their deliberations well.
FWIW
jimB
I agree that the General Convention will be faced with some decisions about TEC's relationship with the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Covenant will not be on the agenda, but I think that B033 in some form will be. I hope that the Bishops and Deputies will stand firm and not renew B033 or anything like it. I also hope that General Convention will be able to focus on our participation in God's mission, especially in our partnerships with many who disagree with us about "sacramental equality" (Gray Temple's phrase) for all.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark--I liked this:
ReplyDelete"There are great possibilities beyond the greatly feared moments of choice."
Best choice is being able to get up each day and know that the life we are trying to live, we live to God. Time for B033 to go far, far away. Time to stand up for "In God there is only we."
First, let me say that I think that if an openly gay/lesbian person is nominated for election as a bishop, he or she should be given the same consideration as anyone else on the ballot.
ReplyDeleteHowever, something has been picking at me for a while. Some part of me wonders if we've maybe gotten things reversed. Maybe before settling the ordination question, we should settle the marriage/blessings question. For one thing, it would send a more consistent message, but it also an issue that affects the church as a whole, not just the ordained.
So here's a suggestion (feel free to shoot down if you want):
Rescind B003, but replace it with a resolution that reaffirms our commitment to loving, monogamous, (ideally lifelong) unions publicly celebrated in the church, traditionally considered Holy Matrimony and that holds that such a union, abstinence in singleness, or the celibate vocation are the standards that we seek to uphold in all ordained leaders, especially bishops. With this in mind, the Standing Cmte on Liturgy and Music would be charged with developing a rite for same-sex unions to be used until such time as the Prayer Book is revised. This rite, along with a theological explanation, would be submitted to GC '12.
Practically, it could have the immediate effect of continuing a sort-of moratorium on gay bishops but only in the sense of stopping the cart so we can get the horse hitched (no pun intended) up front.
Basically, it states TEC takes seriously the issue of marriage and its ordained leaders and is willing to take a stand one way or another and not let its agenda be dictated by reactionary forces, esp. among the Primates.