Posted on 03/18/2005 6:36:35 PM PST by newheart
The leading conservative body in the US Episcopal church has given warning of a "leadership crisis" over the American bishops' decision to halt all consecrations.
Canon David Anderson, president of the American Anglican Council, whose group claims 300 congregations as members, said that the covenant statement issued this week by the Ecusa's bishops was "insulting" to the 38 primates of the worldwide Anglican communion.
The bishops agreed to a moratorium on all consecrations, gay and straight, until at least June next year in response to a demand from the primates at their recent meeting in Northern Ireland for a moratorium on all such actions.
The Anglican Communion is on the brink of schism after the US church consecrated the openly gay Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire and the New Westminster diocese in Canada authorised same sex blessings rites.
Canon Anderson said: "With regard to the so-called moratorium on consecrations, I am outraged that the House of Bishops drew equivalence between single or married individuals with those living in homosexual partnerships.
"To place a moratorium on all consecrations not only makes the episcopacy hostage to the homosexual agenda, but also places several dioceses in crisis. Canon law requires that bishops must retire at age 72 - what happens in those dioceses where their bishop faces mandatory retirement?"
(Excerpt) Read more at virtueonline.org ...
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. "Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered."
It is our turn now. Let's force the ECUSA to respond to us this time. I would love to see the liberals scream for a heresy trial for three bishops who are willing to defy the HOB.
This is all good, as the schism has been needed for a long time. But I think we need to leave with a statement. We also need to make sure we create a whole, apostolic, traditional Anglican church, and not splinter into five or six denominations.
There are already two Oklahoma bishops on Griswold's black list. Wantland and Cox. No doubt there would be at least one more willing.
The only question would be whether this tack is stooping to the level of the heretics. Seems it would require some sort of support out of Canterbury. (Support from the 'south' would be ruled out of bounds.
Or as Shakespeare put it, "The first thing we must do is kill all the lawyers.' (Henry VI) (Figuratively--for anyone who thinks I'm advocating a literal reading of Shakespeare. ;-)
But put it in context. WHO wanted to be rid of the lawyers?
The current crop of 'conservative' bishops aren't noted for their willingness to take initiative. They'll act only when they are forced into a corner.
Cade. And those who would foment rebellion. So who are the real rebels in this case? ;-)
The fact is, the conservative U.S. bishops will have to either take an initiative now, or take an initiative later. The later initiative involves leaving the ECUSA. Taking a lesser initiative now could eliminate the more drastic option later. Regardless, it will make the more drastic option easier.
This is not a time for cowardace. If the conservative U.S. bishops won't do it, and there is a current conservative candidate for bishop within the U.S., get three bishops from outside the U.S. to consecrate him. There are good conservative Anglican bishops in Africa and Asia that will be happy to do it. Then dare the ECUSA leadership to not recognize the consecration.
It is time to call the hand of the ECUSA leadership. I for one am tired of feeling less like a parishioner and more like a hostage.
There was a posting on here a few days ago where Christ Church in Plano was planning another conference and seemed to be moving toward departure from the ECUSA. That is going to increase pressure on the Bishop of Dallas. He's going to be forced to make some hard decisions over the next few months. This may be his last opportunity to exercise leadership.
As for foreign Bishops coming in to do a consecration, that is already occurring outside the ECUSA in the Anglican community. I would expect the ECUSA to ignore any such consecration. The ECUSA constitution provides a mechanism for episcopal oversight of a diocese where the Bishop has retired and not yet been replaced. They'll put their own lackey in place in conservative parishes, and have him burrow in so that the process can be manipulated to elect the guy they want.
See Article II, Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Constitution. (PDF version here: http://www.churchpublishing.org/general_convention/pdf_const_2003/Constitution.pdf )
Don't insult lawyers by comparing them to liberal ECUSA Bishops.
I don't think they can ignore it. There are three steps to becoming a bishop in the ECUSA: Diocesan election, consecration, and HOB consent to election.
The Covenant Statement of the House of Bishops only withholds consent. It does not prevent diocesan election or consecration. The Covenant "encourage[s] the dioceses of our church to delay episcopal elections accordingly".
There are several candidates for bishop currently affected by the HOB witholding consent. I do not know if those candidates have been consecrated. But if there are candidates who have been elected but not consecrated, in a diocese willing to make a point, the diocese could arrange a consecration. It would not be official until the HOB consent to election, however it would send a very strong message to the ECUSA leadership.
My whole point is the conservatives in the ECUSA have been tolerating illegal actions of the liberals for a long time. The liberals have set the precidents of tolerating and recognizing the illegal action. It is time to give them a piece of their own medicine.
Episcopalian plan stays consecrations
The moratorium on House of Bishops' Consent to Election was proposed by, guess who, New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson.
Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, head of the 2.3-million-member Episcopal Church, told the Associated Press yesterday church leaders approved the moratorium because they did not want "our gay brothers and lesbian sisters demeaned."
The Rev. Jan Nunley, spokeswoman for the ECUSA, said the majority of 140 bishops at the meeting "didn't want to single out any one group and say, 'We can't do that,' sSo we'll put a hold on it all."
Gene Robinson is now the defacto presiding bishop. My guess is he will get the job for real once Griswold retires.
Personally, I would almost be happy to see Robinson replace Griswold. There would be absolutely no doubt as to how far ECUSA would have fallen. There would be an exodus the likes of which we have not yet seen. ECUSA would wind up having to join the Metropolitan Community Church.
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