Posted on 05/04/2006 5:50:16 PM PDT by sionnsar
Dr. Paul Zahl, dean of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, set off a firestorm yesterday when he characterized this Saturday's Diocese of California bishop elections as being like "a terrorist bomb, which is timed to destroy a peace process." At TitusOneNine, Kendall Harmon cautioned his visitors against using the word "terrorist" in the comment thread. Integrity has issued a press release demanding that Dr. Zahl apologize.
There is no doubt that Saturday's election in DioCal could be a pivotal moment in the Anglican crisis, and there is no doubt that the rhetoric on both sides of this debate has been turned up as the Episcopal Church heads into its triennial General Convention next month. But as usual, Integrity is playing games with words, and doing their wonderful Claude Raines impression again, claiming to be shocked - shocked - that anyone in this debate would characterize DioCal's election as anything but sweetness and light, let alone what it really is: Divisive and potentially catastrophic for ECUSA and the Anglican Communion.
For in fact, Dr. Zahl's seemingly reckless comment is a very accurate and insightful comparison. By holding its election for bishop a mere six weeks before General Convention, and nominating not one but three partnered homosexuals, DioCal has mimicked perfectly the tactics of terrorist organizations - the IRA, the PLO, and the Tamil Separatists come immediately to mind - that explode bombs on the eve of important events such as peace summits, with the clear intent to draw attention to themselves and disrupt negotiations which are by nature usually quite fragile.
How will a non-event this Saturday in DioCal affect General Convention, and the extraordinary "peace process" embedded in its otherwise ordinary proceedings? It's impossible to know. But if California elects one of the three gay candidates to the office of bishop, it will have indisputably signalled its intention to walk apart from the Anglican Communion, and it will have no one to blame but itself for the disaster that will likely follow. It will have detonated a figurative bomb the effect of which will be to derail the Episcopal peace process. Right now the timer is set, and a finger hovers over the detonator. The decision is now in the hands of the delegates to DioCal's convention whether to push the button.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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