EPISCOPALIAN BILL OF RIGHTS

A while ago Father Harris wrote his 1000th blog. In the post he tripped through about 15 or 20 items that he had "learned" over the course of his writings. At that time I asked him if from time to time I might "springboard" from those various items and, at least at that time, he agreed. This is my second posting from that 1000th blog post of Fr. Mark's.  I am hopeful he still is in agreement, especially since my last post over at Real Anglicans.

"2. Not enough attention was paid to the Kuala Lumpur statement on Human Sexuality and on the wider distress with innovative theology. Had more attention been paid to serious dialogue then, we might be in a different place now."  Fr. Harris

I will start with my own "spin" on what was written.  This speaks to issues surrounding our LGBT brothers and sisters -- and perhaps to a lesser extent issues surrounding adultery, divorce and other sexual "misconduct" issues.  Let me posit something not terribly novel.  

Suppose, just suppose TEC were to make a blanket statement that everyone who comes to the Episcopal Church will be welcomed and able to participate to the fullest extent.  Call it "The Episcopal Church Bill of Rights".  That is correct, a bill of rights for all Episcopalians that allows for an open door through which one steps and when one does so it permits the person to fully participate in ALL aspects of the Episcopal Church of the United States.  We, as a church from the very beginning of our days, have always thought that and acted, for the most part that way, now we actually voice the truth.  Then, we go on to conclude this statement with the following words: 

If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous; and he is the perfect offering for our
sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole
world. 

Now, that ends the argument/discussion on this issue.  I am unclear why the issue of "sex" in any way shape or form continues to fascinate so many people for so long a time.  Be that as it may, it is time to get over it.

This Bill of Rights is nothing more and nothing less than what we as a a nation and as a church are founded upon. It is the bedrock of our existence and a baseline beneath which the Episcopal Church should not go.  We have for too long and for too many people talked a good talk but never walked the walk.  We have excluded women and handicapped and poor, and culturally different and LGBT brothers and sisters from some or all of our great Church opportunities and now is the time to make it right.  Actually, now is the time to walk the walk.  How can anyone not subscribe to the basest of human requirements, that all persons are created equal and demand to be treated accordingly.  In God's kingdom we, each and everyone of us, needs each and everyone of us.  We are all broken before the Lord.  We are all entitled to fully participate in all aspects of God's saving grace here on earth.  We have denied it for too long to too many.  This Bill of Rights allows for the Episcopal Church to reach out to everyone and say with an open heart and an honest mind "Come here, we have a place for you at the Lord's table."  (If nothing else it relieves many of the burden of having to read peoples minds to determine whether they have sinned and to what extent. ;-})

It is time!

Is The Episcopal Church a Learning Polity?

Well, the latest and greatest plot has been hatched by those who would eliminate the Episcopal Church from the encyclopedia -- as well as the United States (and Canada as well). Seems, these two groups are far too liberal for even the clergy and laity that would NOT leave for the Global South. According to a whole bunch of the "loyal opposition" they just wanted to bring us closer to God - - and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Of course they wanted to do this without "that woman" as Presiding Bishop or Susan Russell and "that group" and whole lot of the rest of us. So, the Communion Partners including the Anglican Communion Institute and every other "conservative" cleric and bishop decided to hatch a plot to do just that.

Yesterday there was a flurry of blog postings shining the light of day on this insidious plot to do away with the Presiding Bishop along with the rest of us. Today is another day. Fr. Mark has posted a critical canonical piece to refute the "great scholarly writing" of those who would betray the Episcopal Church. Tobias Haller has also written a substantive work on where these interlopers fell off the tracks. Susan Russell has likewise written a refutation of this "revolutionary subterfuge".

But ya know, ain't it always like that?

One would think with all the learned persons on this side of the fence we would be able to put a plan into play that does something beside say "Oh ya!". Do you know what I mean? A couple of examples. Mr. Wantland and Mr. Howe and Mr. Schofield go off and file incorporation papers and try to abscond with the name "The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America" and this is uncovered and everyone writes about and cites the proper constitution and canons and all the stuff and the plot is thwarted and we say "Oh ya!", nothing else just, "Oh ya!".

Mr. Schofield and Mr. Duncan and Mr. Iker all say, the Episcopal Church has moved and so we are the real church and everyone else is apostate and so they must be recognized. We take the time, once again look up and help everyone understand the constitutions and canons and then guess what happens? We say, "Oh ya!" Then, Mr. Duncan and Mr. Schofield and Mr. Iker and whoever the h**l runs Quincy goes to the Southern Cone -- ah, this time we did a little more than "Oh ya!" but not much. Those global south folks one-upped everyone by forming GAFCON and we struggled to find traction, and when we did and produced the documents and scholarly writings necessary to refute their claims and then we said "Oh ya!" Now, we have the Communion Partners who tell us the Presiding Bishop is only a woman and really can't lead a whole Province, not like say, Bobby Duncan, and we refute it in a scholarly manner and end up with a whole lot of "Oh ya!".

I would like to point out, as an interesting side note, that during this entire time those LGBT who are Episcopalian have paid an enormous price for all this "Oh ya!". So do not think we, as the Episcopal Church are not somewhat duplicitous in this struggle where "no one is getting hurt." Remember B033? And while TEC is busy refuting the nonsense the opposition is hatching more nonsense and then hiding behind the argument" Don't you love us? Aren't we part of the big tent? Oh, so you are not really all inclusive?!" And a bunch of us become wracked with guilt and feel bad about the whole affair.

So, the main question is have we learned anything and are we prepared to do something about it? Have enough LGBT and women now been hurt, maimed and psychologically (as well as really) killed to put together some of these great minds and get a plan of action in place that will outwit, outplay and OUTLAST our opponents? Are we ready to protect our beloved Church with everything we have? Is it not the time to stop this fooling around before something MORE terrible happens if that is possible)? Can we learn and then act on what we learned? You can bet that just as surely as the sun rises this plot is only the latest and that the next one is already in the formative stages.

For those of you who play basketball you already know this but the real action occurs away from the ball. Don't look at the Communion Partners let's look to whoever is planning the next best thing to overthrow the Episcopal Church. You say, that can't possibly be happening? Read not just the context of those recent e-mails but the tone and the tenor and the tenacity of this group. Then tell me sit down and relax, everything will be all right. We got it all under control -- I see absolutely no evidence of that at all!

For Our Own Communion Partners

Turns out we are taking requests this evening and so, this song goes out to Father Rob Eaton, St. John's Tulare and all those wonderful guys (and one gal) we fondly refer to as The Communion Partners.  Clearly there is a significant problem with Schofield, Iker, Duncan et al as they tried unsuccessfully to move into ACNA.  So now we have this next step, well, hope you enjoy the song and remember -- someone is always watching!

Where Has Everyone Been?

The Episcopal blog world is abuzz with ACI and The Communion Partners. Well, where have you all been? The Communion Partners and ACI and the Covenant Group are all tied together along with the Diocese of West Texas. Apparently no one has read the CP website or the West Texas resolutions passed at their last convention. In addition to all that keep in mind there is a secondary group from CP called the Communion Rectors group.
Any one hazzard a guess that what is going on is benign? Why is this a surprise? The CP and the ACI and Duncan and Radner are all tied together.
Finally, anybody care to put a plan together now?

Sunday Music - God of Wonders

Third Day performing God of Wonders. Enjoy and have a blessed Second Sunday.

The Road To Emmaus

In light of all the happenings around the Anglican Communion including the RCDC Covenant and the GAFCON meeting in England and the slef-recognition of GAFCON and the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans and all that whoop-de-do I wish to go back to Luke 24:13-35 and the disciples encounter with Jesus along the road to Emmaus.  As you may recall Jesus slips up on a couple of disciples (unbeknown to them).  They talk about the happenings in Jerusalem a couple of days ago.  Then, Jesus begins to warm up -- I will let Luke finish the story:

And he said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, but they constrained him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

When the disciples discovered it was Jesus, he vanished, but they went to the others with their hearts burning and could not keep still nor could they keep quiet.  The Episcopal Church, when we discovered women's ordination and LGBT rights did our hearts burn and could we hardly keep quiet?  I think not!  We have tried to hide all these things under a bushel basket.  Our timidity has been our worst enemy.  Yes, too some extent we have brought the last few years and the last few days upon ourselves.  And we continue to be timid and "hopeful" about these issues.  Those who would supplant TEC have neither been timid nor quiet.  They have mistaken our kindness for weakness and have taken full advantage.  In fact today, who stands up for Bishop Robinson?  Do we see or hear clear and unequivocal response to all the evil that has spewed from the mouths of Iker and Duncan and Schofield and Venables and Jenssen and Orombi and Akinola?  Each time they speak does someone immediately answer with clear and certain terms?  Does the rest of the Communion know, really know, where we stand and how firmly we intend to hold that ground?  No, why do I say that?  Look at B033!  Listen to those that speak of these issues.  Heavens, we are still apologizing for women priests and bishops!  No one in TEC seems to be willing to take on the primates on the issue of LGBT rights!  We are still arguing about the rescission (or not) of B033!  

Did we encounter Jesus on the road to Emmaus or not?  I think we did.  Everyone is wringing their hands over these events and yet we caused a portion of them ourselves.  We need to create empahtic statements that leave no room for discussion or dismissal.  We need to show the Primates and the FCA and GAFCON and anyone else that these are baseline issues and we do not intend to allow rights to be taken away from classes of people simply because someone in Argentina doesn't like women.  Someone in Nigeria hates gays!  Someone in Fresno or Forth Worth or Pittsburgh takes advantage of TEC's kindness.   Let's start talking and acting and working like these issues are baseline issues -- remember, lukewarm Christians get spit out.

Keeping The Promises in Front of Us

Remember back when there was no schism?  Well, maybe not that long ago, how about we remember to the spring and summer of 2007.  Mr. Schofield and Mr. Gandenberger (then bishop and priest ) were making the rounds of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin.  He came to our parish in the northern portion of the diocese and was willing to take questions.  Here are some of the important questions and answers and how that has played out.

Question:  Bishop Schofield, I am an Episcopalian and if we move to the Southern Cone where will I worship? 

Answer: Why, right here in your own building.  Nothing will change.

Today:  Those buildings and properties taken by the Southern Cone are being given back to the Episcopal Church where they belong.  So, had you gone with Mr. Schofield (or anyone else such as AMiA) you would be in the process of finding new digs after giving back the stuff that was taken.  One parish is currently preparing to move here in our diocese and the balance of those incorporated parishes will be coming back shortly.  Those in the corporate sole will be back with in 4 to 6 months.  In point of fact, those who went with the Southern Cone will NOT be worshiping in their own buildings.  Furthermore, when you travel, you need to be very careful since there are so few southern cone churches inside or outside of California.  

Question: Bishop Schofield, will we be able to use our own prayer book?

Answer:  Nothing will change.  The Book of Common Prayer will be our prayerbook and nothing  will change. 

Today:  The Global South, the Southern Cone included and all of the GAFCON provinces have adopted the 1662 prayerbook.  That is right, the book prior to anything American.  You pray for the King and Queen of England.  Even the cherished Rite I, or the original Eucharistic prayer from the 1928 prayerbook is not recognized.   Don't forget you folks adopted the Jerusalem Declaration at your last convention.  

Question:  How will this change help us bishop Schofield?

Answer:  Well my people, it will bring us back into alignment with the Archbishop of Canterbury.  We will be closer to Canterbury and the Church of England.

Today:  Not only are you not any closer you are actually further away.  Look for one statement in which the Archbishop of Canterbury directly recognized your deposed bishop, your diocese or your move to the Southern Cone.  AND, the Jerusalem Declaration says that you don't have to recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury -- in fact -- the Archbishop of Canterbury is a throwback to colonialism and is probably a bad thing. 

Question:  Bishop Schofield how will this move fix the issues we face in the church?  Will this resolve the +Robinson issue?  Will this resolve the women's ordination issue?  How about the other things you warned us about?

Answer:  It will clear the path so that we can work on those issues but it will not fix them immediately.  

Today: Well, nothing has changed but the path has become no clearer.  And in fact the Southern Cone is preoccupied with other issues, like money. 

Ladies and gentlemen of the Southern cone -- you are not Anglican, you must use a prayerbook you never even saw and your issues have not been resolved.  By the end of the year you will be worshipping in storefronts and old liquor stores and borrowed churches.  Look at the following:

Picture is a bit dark but it is of the Easter Vigil just last Sunday.  It is of the renewal of life in the Episcopal Church in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin.  It is not too late and it is time to renew your life.  Come home, come back to your friends and family.  Come back to where the prayerbook is the 1979 prayerbook and we pray for those things American.  Come back to where you can worship in your own buildings, built by your fathers and grandfathers for the Episcopal Church.  Come back to wrestle with those gnarly issues that we all wrestle with and things will improve.  Come back to the Episcopal Church -- the only true tie back to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion.  Come back -- no come home -- this is where you belong -- why continue the charade when you can resolve these issues and come home.  We continue to be hopeful.