Many Episcopalians Wary, Some Defiant After Ultimatum by Anglicans

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/Reuters: Many Episcopalians Wary, Some Defiant After Ultimatum by Anglicans
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: February 21, 2007

There was a time when the Episcopal Church in the United States was known as “the Republican Party at prayer,” but in the last 30 years it has evolved into the Rainbow Coalition of Christianity.

There are hip-hop Masses, American Indian rituals to install a new presiding bishop and legions of gay and straight priests who don the rainbow stoles of gay liberation. Its pews are full of Roman Catholics and Christians from other traditions attracted by its aura of radical acceptance.

Now the conservatives who numerically dominate the global Anglican Communion have handed their Episcopal branch in the United States an ultimatum that requires the church to reel in the rainbow if it wants to remain a part of the Communion.

With a communiqué issued in Tanzania on Monday after a five-day meeting, the leaders of Anglican provinces around the world (known as primates) asked the United States branch to bar gay men and lesbians from becoming bishops, and to stop official blessings of same-sex unions. The communiqué even specified a deadline: Sept. 30.

There is no certainty that Episcopal leaders will now comply. In interviews yesterday, some liberal and moderate leaders who constitute a majority in the American church voiced everything from confusion to serious misgivings to defiance. Many took umbrage at what they saw as meddling by foreign primates who are imposing their culture and theological interpretations on the American church.

“Being part of the Anglican Communion is very important to me,” said Bishop Mark S. Sisk of New York. “But if the price of that is I have to turn my back on the gay and lesbian people who are part of this church and part of me, I won’t do that.”...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/21/us/21episcopal.html

[msongs]

1. nice to see people who might stand up for equality, like JESUS preached, eh? nt

[DeepModem Mom]

2. You're right. I think if we know only one thing about him, it's that he was inclusive...

of all sorts and conditions of people. Not exclusive, ever.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. they should find a more liberal denomination if they want to.

Oftentimes, ministers leave and change denominations.
The Congregationalists (United Church of Christ) and the Unitarian-Universalists have no problem with gays.

[JerseygirlCT]

8. But there are definitely big differences in the worship style

for many of us, the liturgy is key. Congregationalist services seem dry and lacking -- as terrific as the people and politics can be.

No, I think TEC needs to stay in the fight, and continue to lead the AC toward inclusion and justice.

[papau]

4. gays/women as priests ok, gays/lesbians as bishops not ok, bless gay homes but not

gay unions.

Can we say "symbols" - and those symbols they are demanding as concessions are relatively minor - but I hate being pushed around by outsiders.

[JerseygirlCT]

9. Well, symbolic or not, I'm not willing to trade

women's call to the episcopate for the bigots. Nor am I willing to concede full inclusion for gays and lesbians.

There's a lot to be said for finding compromise, for listening and trying to see the other side.

What I see of the other side is just plain wrong. They are very sadly mistaken, and their vision is distorted by prejudice.

Besides, as you say, they need to be reminded of the autonomy of our church and back the *O(7 off. I realize Peter Akinola believes himself to be perfect, but it ain't so. Perhaps he should spend more time worrying about the hungry, sick and otherwise needy in his province, and less about all the perceived sins of other churches.

[PFunk]

5. Looks like another split is in the making.

[kwassa]

6. Being part of a spineless homophobic community isn't important to me.

We are better off without them.

[kwassa]

7. The Presiding Bishop's full statement can be found here:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_82669_ENG_HTM.htm?menu=undefined

Our own Church has in recent years tended to focus on the suffering of one portion of the body, particularly those who feel that justice demands the full recognition and celebration of the gifts of gay and lesbian Christians. That focus has been seen in some other parts of the global Church, as inappropriate, especially as it has been felt to be a dismissal of traditional understandings of sexual morality. Both parties hold positions that can be defended by appeal to our Anglican sources of authority - scripture, tradition, and reason - but each finds it very difficult to understand and embrace the other. What is being asked of both parties is a season of fasting - from authorizing rites for blessing same-sex unions and consecrating bishops in such unions on the one hand, and from transgressing traditional diocesan boundaries on the other.

(jump)

While those who seek full inclusion for gay and lesbian Christians, and the equal valuing of their gifts for ministry, do so out of an undeniable passion for justice, others seek a fidelity to the tradition that cannot understand or countenance the violation of what that tradition says about sexual ethics. Each is being asked to forbear for a season. The word of hope is that in God all things are possible, and that fasting is not a permanent condition of a Christian people, nor a normative one. God's dream is of all people gathered at a feast, and we enter Lent looking toward that Easter feast and the new life that will, in God's good time, be proclaimed.