It does seem that the good Bishop has just handed Mrs. Schori her....uh....posterior.
Here’s an even funnier letter from an Associate Rector at Truro Church (Bishop Minn’s home church)(notice the “(sic)” insertions at Shori’s mistakes in grammar...):
Irony Abounds
Richard Crocker
Episcopal Presiding Bishop Schori this week called on Archbishop Akinola not to proceed with Martyn Minns’ Installation as Missionary Bishop to CANA. She cited three reasons for her request. “First, such action would violate the ancient customs of the church which limits (sic) the episcopal activity of a bishop to only the jurisdiction to which the bishop has been entrusted, unless canonical permission has been given. Second (sic), such action would not help the efforts of reconciliation that are taking place in the Episcopal Church and in the Anglican Communion as a whole. Third (sic), such action would display to the world division and disunity that are not part of the mind of Christ, which we must strive to display to all.”
This is frankly bizarre! CANA has emerged to deal with the very points she says she wants to uphold. It was the Episcopal Church which violated not only ancient customs, but also the apostolic faith, by its consecration of self confessed active homosexual Gene Robinson as Bishop in 2003. It was the Episcopal Church that, ignoring calls by the worldwide church, created the need for reconciliation by this action. As they were told, such action would tear the fabric of the Anglican Communion at its deepest level. Thirdly, would that there would have been a similar concern for division and disunity before the Episcopal Church embarked on its unnecessary and damaging course. One of the Episcopal commentators had this succinct response to her letter: “Beyond parody!” As so often in recent history, The Episcopal Church is asking for listening while exhibiting deafness; calling for humility while demonstrating arrogance; and expecting cooperation while trumpeting autonomy.
But back to Saturday’s celebration, and the question on everybody’s lips-What is an Installation? The custom in many Anglican Provinces is for Bishops to be ordained at a central national place. The Bishop is then presented to his Diocese by the Archbishop or his representative at a local Installation, where his ministry is recognized and commissioned. From now, Bishop Martyn will devote himself to leading us, to preach the Gospel and make disciples, within a Convocation that will seek to build a new American expression of faithful Christian witness within the Anglican Communion.
That’s what we are about. Let’s ask God for his vision and guidance as we set out on this road.
Your brother in Christ,
Richard