Since when is a press release by an opinion monger news? ENS picked it up, but why?
The Rev. Dr. Kendall Harmon thinks the election of the Rev. Mary Douglas Glasspool as bishop is a bad idea. He has published a statement which is nothing more than a press release for writers looking for a good quote. Bet it is quoted several times over. This is news about as much as quoting a particular sort of puffed rice as saying, "Snap, Crackle and Pop" is news.
Dr. Harmon is pleased to tell us,
"This decision represents an intransigent embrace of a pattern of life Christians throughout history and the world have rejected as against biblical teaching. It will add further to the Episcopal Church's incoherent witness and chaotic common life, and it will continue to do damage to the Anglican Communion and her relationship with our ecumenical partners.
--The Rev. Dr. Kendall Harmon is Canon Theologian of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina"
And?
Kendall Harmon is a fine person, a good priest, and all that. He is also working well beyond his pay grade. Granted he is Dr., he is Canon Theologian. In reality he is only a major conservative blogger.
But really, "This decision represents an intransigent embrace of a pattern of life Christians throughout history and the world have rejected as against biblical teaching."? Come on.
This decision represents the willingness of the Diocese of Los Angeles to elect a fine priest to be a bishop in the church, knowing that her manner of life is exemplary and her honesty in presentation of self a model for all of us.
The Rev. Dr. Canon Kendall Harmon is in a crabby mood. Not good for a fine fellow who loves his children and grandchildren.
I say this as,
The Rev. Dr. Mark Harris, Canon, Episcopal Church of the Philippines, and D. Humanities, Trinity University of Asia, none of which titles do anyone, including me, any good at all.
I believe the election of The Rev. Mary Glasspool as bishop exemplifies the very best of Episcopal and Anglican sensibilities. She was elected because of who she is, not in spite of it.
12/05/2009
20 comments:
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It strikes me that Mark Harris might be in a crabby mood as well. Magnanimity at a moment of victory? Worth a try.
ReplyDelete"The Rev. Dr. Kendall Harmon thinks the election of the Rev. Mary Douglas Glasspool as bishop is a bad idea."
ReplyDeleteComing from Kendall, since when is this news? Really.
And, really, just because he thinks it is a bad idea doesn't mean that others do. Clearly the people of the Los Angeles convention struggled and voted their consciences or hearts or, gee, as they heard the beckoning of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteKathryn Jensen, J.D., and otherwise layperson unextraordinaire.
"Christians throughout history and the world have rejected as against biblical teaching"
ReplyDeleteA true fundamendalist will resist change as society matures. There are Southerners who have never accepted the outcome of the civil war, black men still get dragged with a rope behind pickup trucks in Jasper, Texas; those remaining in the flat earth society steadfastly maintain that marriage must always remain between a man and a woman because that is the way it has always been.
Didn't Jesus come to earth to change society?
Thank you Fr. Mark, I fully agree, enough with the overcharged nonsense...there have been LGBT people surving God always (like it or not and ready or not some will no longer pretend they are different than they REALLY¨are).
ReplyDeleteThe Episcopal Church, diocese of Los Angeles is to congratulated for honesty, validating their own and acknowledging it in others...truth matters to those of us who seek spiritual accountability.
Mary and I were in seminary together. At a time when it seemed just about everyone else on campus was a fruit loop, Mary was rational, focused, calm, and above all - kind. She made the community a better place and she will bring a rich assortment of gifts to LA. I don't want to be uncharitable first thing on a Sunday morning, so I will simply be silent about my personal experience with the Rev. Dr. Harmon.
ReplyDeleteMr. Arabin
"and it will continue to do damage to the Anglican Communion and her relationship with our ecumenical partners." Let's hope he isn't referring the RCC.
ReplyDeleteIt should be clarified that Dr. Harmon is Canon quasi-Theologian of the quasi-Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.
ReplyDeletePaul Ambos: same credentials as klady and humbly proud of it.
I wonder if the continuing deafening silence from Lambeth and other ecclesiastical palaces about the situation in Uganda could possibly be related to this election?
ReplyDeletejohn, as a propagandist for your own version of peculiar evangelical fundamentalism it doesn't behoove you to throw stones at Mark.
ReplyDeleteYour own site is a newsfeed of rightwing Christian stories, none of which show the slightest magnanimity to your liberal Christian "opponents."
You post articles that demonize those who disagree with your personal understanding of Christianity, dismiss the fact that millions of Christians and billions of humans reject your brand of Christianity, yet you maintain that you are a pipeline to the one, holy, truth,
And example article headlined on your site: "Liberal Experiment Fails the Church" that trashes Bishop Spong by misquoting his positions and continues to claim that liberalism has hidden the gospel from the world. That isn't what I'd call magnanimous.
"Kendall Harmon is anti-gay and says something very negative about TEC over the nomination of a lesbian bishop" is about as newsworthy as saying "the sky is blue, day follows night, and rain falls periodically."
Perhaps you are only trying to encourage Mark to do better than you do yourself? If so, then I commend you for being aware of your shortcomings and at least attempting to walk your talk.
Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGood Lord Counterlight, that would mean that this ¨warning¨ has little to do with the Anglican Communion but REAL LGBT BLOOD flowing in Uganda...ah, so predictable that the ABC would choose to anticipate rioting and murder (and get away with it with this typically Anglican/Rowaneese bandaid).
ReplyDeleteIsn't the Rev. Mr. Harmon one of the prime causes of the 'chaos' of the Episcopal Church?
ReplyDeleteIn fact, TEC is not in 'chaos' despite the efforts of K. Harmon, his bishop, and other fellows of ill will.
Burl, you are beyond correct.
ReplyDeleteThe "Cannon" Kendall Harmon is no friend of the Episcopal Church, and his writings are hurtful to our mission to the world. Pray for his conversion.
Q: How can you tell when +++RW has issued a statement?
ReplyDeleteA: No one pays any attention to it.
Q: How can you tell when Kendall Harmon has made a statement?
A: Everyone yawns.
If +++RW is predictable, KH is boring. No creativity. No imagination. No risk taking for the gospel.
It's just intercontinental blah, blah, blah, overinflated egos.
They deserve each other.
My goodness - what has gotten into Mark's Wheaties these days? It looks like things are going splendidly for The Episcopal Church - why so cross?
ReplyDeletebb
Harmon's opinions are as valuable and well-expressed as ever.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame for him and his buddies!
Priscilla,
ReplyDeleteyou might like to read David Millikan's paper on Bishop Spomg rather than my short summary of it. If you contact me via the eternity.biz website I will send it to you. David, who has a reputation as a leading journalist of religion in this country, has not only carefully read Bishop Spongs books but also reports that "I have met him several times. I have interviewed him on TV and radio. I have debated him at Flinders University and had dinner with him and his wife."
Millikan's paper may not make you change your mind. But it might convince you that he has tried hard to engage with Bishop Spong. Which is what we should do with each other of course.
This is the crux of the problem, isn't it; the two views below are simply irreconcilable.
ReplyDelete"...'This decision represents an intransigent embrace of a pattern of life Christians throughout history and the world have rejected as against biblical teaching.'?...
This decision represents the willingness of the Diocese of Los Angeles to elect a fine priest to be a bishop in the church, knowing that her manner of life is exemplary and her honesty in presentation of self a model for all of us."
Of course, the same irreconcilable views were once observed in the matter of divorce and remarriage. Yet something must have been different (at least over time). What exactly? That enough people - say, more than 10 percent of people - could imagine themselves or those they loved needing a divorce for whatever reason sooner or later? Certainly the Holy Scriptures were - and are - clear enough on the matter. That hasn't changed; what has changed is the pastoral response of God's Church to the realities faced by God's people.
So how *now* to reconcile "new" conflicting views for the greater glory of God and the well-being of God's people?
christopher+
With all due respect, there is a difference between
ReplyDelete1. being the canon theologian of a diocese; and
2. being an honorary canon,
and an even bigger difference between
1. a D.Humanities from Trinity University of Asia; and
2. a Ph.D. from Oxford University.