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The Obergruppenführer makes it official
Midwest Conservative Journal ^ | 1/15/05

Posted on 01/16/2006 5:13:36 AM PST by Huber

The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut on Saturday removed a priest from his duties in a clash over the elevation of a gay bishop in New Hampshire.

Connecticut Bishop Andrew D. Smith stripped Mark H. Hansen, formerly of St. John’s Church in Bristol, "of the right to exercise the office of priest in the Episcopal church." Smith had "inhibited," or suspended Hansen six months earlier.

"It’s a very sad day," Smith said in an interview Saturday.

Hansen was among six priests and their respective parishes who had asked to be supervised by a different bishop because they disagreed with Smith’s support for the Rev. V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the church’s first openly gay bishop. Robinson’s consecration in 2003 has divided the U.S. Episcopal Church and expanded the rift over gay issues among churches in the global Anglican Communion.

Hansen, who resigned his priesthood in September, refused to meet with Smith, the bishop said.

"The controversies are still there. This is not about the controversy," Smith said. "This is about his abandonment of the relationship he has as a priest with the bishop. People disagree with me (over Robinson) and do not abandon their relationship with the bishop."

Diocesan officials said last year that Hansen was suspended because he took an unauthorized sabbatical and St. John’s had stopped making payments on a loan for its building. Hansen maintained he notified Smith of his plans.

Smith said it was his duty to remove Hansen because the priest failed to meet conditions including recanting his behavior or statements that led to the inhibition. Hansen also could have denied the basis on which the inhibition was imposed and the bishop would have decided if the denial was in good faith, Smith said.

Hansen did make such a denial:

The Bristol priest whom Connecticut’s Episcopal bishop suspended July 13 formally denied Bishop Andrew D. Smith’s inhibition charges Friday, issuing a "good faith denial" that he has abandoned communion with the church.

The denial by the Rev. Mark Hansen of St. John’s Church, a member of what has become known as the "Connecticut Six," came with no additional direct comment.

But a press release issued on Hansen’s behalf said that church law provides that if the bishop is "reasonably satisfied" that a priest has issued a good-faith denial, the bishop shall withdraw his notice of inhibition "and the inhibition shall expire."

Must not really have been in "good faith," I guess. Oh well.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: anglican; connecticut6; ct6; ecusa; homosexualagenda; homosexualbishop; schism

1 posted on 01/16/2006 5:13:38 AM PST by Huber
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To: ahadams2; AnalogReigns; Uriah_lost; Condor 63; Fractal Trader; Zero Sum; anselmcantuar; Agrarian; ..
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this moderately high-volume ping list (typically 3-9 pings/day).
This list is pinged by sionnsar, Huber and newheart.

Resource for Traditional Anglicans: http://trad-anglican.faithweb.com

Humor: The Anglican Blue (by Huber)

Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15

2 posted on 01/16/2006 5:15:50 AM PST by Huber
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To: Huber

New chess move: The Bishop is now allowed to mince across the board and slap all the other pieces. Also, there's a new 'castle-ing' type move with the Bishop: The Bishop can move next to the King, but only through his own Queen, retiring her.


3 posted on 01/16/2006 5:21:57 AM PST by wvobiwan (It's OUR Net! If you don't like it keep your stanky routers off it!)
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To: wvobiwan

This is what happens when satan gets inside a church.


4 posted on 01/16/2006 5:27:13 AM PST by kjo
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To: kjo

First you water down the message, creating all kinds of splinter groups, each with its own focus.

Then, you change the official behaviour of the Church into something diametrically opposed to its original charter.

And then you call it good, tolerant, and normal...

Time to unify Christianity, methinks.


5 posted on 01/16/2006 6:13:34 AM PST by MarkBsnr (When you believe in nothing, then everything is acceptable.)
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To: Huber

I wonder what Martin Luther would have done?


6 posted on 01/16/2006 6:28:51 AM PST by moonman
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To: Huber

Just a brief note to thank your for stepping into the breech and keeping us informed while sionnsar is on "hiatus"...(G)


7 posted on 01/16/2006 7:15:37 AM PST by ken5050 (Ann Coulter needs to have children ASAP to pass on her gene pool....any volunteers?)
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To: ken5050
Just a brief note to thank your for stepping into the breech and keeping us informed while sionnsar is on "hiatus"...(G)

Thank you! I just wish that I had sufficient time to do it right!

8 posted on 01/16/2006 7:18:43 AM PST by Huber (Suicide is probably more frequent than murder as the end phase of a civilization. - James Burnham,)
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To: Huber

"stripped Mark H. Hansen, formerly of St. John’s Church in Bristol, "of the right to exercise the office of priest in the Episcopal church."

That's O.K. There's no such thing as a priest in Christianity, anyway. We have one High Priest who intercedes for us in Heaven. That's it.


9 posted on 01/16/2006 7:22:06 AM PST by RoadTest (- - Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. - Isaiah 27:6b)
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To: Huber

You're doing great...


10 posted on 01/16/2006 7:23:36 AM PST by ken5050 (Ann Coulter needs to have children ASAP to pass on her gene pool....any volunteers?)
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To: RoadTest
That's O.K. There's no such thing as a priest in Christianity, anyway.

A quick estimate would indicate that there are probably at least a billion Christians who might disagree with you on this point.

11 posted on 01/16/2006 7:31:30 AM PST by Huber (Suicide is probably more frequent than murder as the end phase of a civilization. - James Burnham,)
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To: RoadTest

"There's no such thing as a priest in Christianity, anyway."

Awww, let's don't do that. It's just gonna start a fight.


12 posted on 01/16/2006 11:34:44 AM PST by beelzepug (only two months till spring training starts.)
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To: beelzepug
"There's no such thing as a priest in Christianity, anyway."

Awww, let's don't do that. It's just gonna start a fight.


A rose by any other name... <= :-)
13 posted on 01/16/2006 5:40:50 PM PST by LibreOuMort ("...But as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" - Patrick Henry)
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