Posted on 04/15/2005 2:45:09 PM PDT by sionnsar
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
April 15, 2005
A duly authorized elected body of the diocese has determined and signified to me that six priests of this Diocese have abandoned the communion of this church.
My responsibility as bishop is to review that determination and act accordingly.
I have offered an opportunity for all the priests to meet with me, next Monday, in the company of Bishop Scruton of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts, whom I have asked to help us in our conversation. In light of this meeting, I will not take action today concerning the inhibition of these priests. I look forward to this meeting.
I care deeply for these priests, and for the congregations they serve. I have every hope, for the sake of the Church and our mission, that we will go forward together.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Is he caving a tad, or maybe better put, looking for a way down from the limb he has climbed out on?
Well, I keep reading it two ways. One is that he's going forward but needs a little more cover for it, or the other is that yes, he's looking for a way to back down.
Nope. He's going to use the "conversation" to further justify his position. His opening statement is pretty much clear on that point.
Then you don't think that he issued this "delay" just after all the retired bishops released the letter condemning his actions..
At face value, Smith is acting Biblically by having another to witness the meeting. See Gospels on how to resolve disputes in the church.
However....
Is the Bishop Scruton an apostate like Smith? Was Scruton another of the "progressive" Bishops who laid hands on Vicki Gene?
If Scruton is just another apostate Bishop from the church of Laodicea then the six priests should suggest an alternative, or at least additional Bishop of their choosing.
I don't know anything about Bishop Scruton, except that he wasn't one of the 17 bishops who protested. I would guess from this fact that Scruton is being called in to provide Smith some cover when the "meeting" fails and Smith deposes the six.
Just a guess.
"The Episcopal Church is not always viewed as a shining example to the rest of the Communion. Bishops in Africa and Asia have looked aghast, as the American church has grown increasingly liberal on issues such as female ordination, theology, and homosexual unions. They have used the Web to stay in contact with conservative forces within the Episcopal Church, to try and confine and rollback what they view as apostate innovations.[47] As such, according to Bishop Gordon Scruton:
I clearly see it [the Web] as having much more negative than positive impact, since the cultural differences are enormous and there is great conversation. I have found e-mail to be quite a violent medium, with occasional moments of grace. It has also excluded many from open conversation. A useful tool, which, like atomic energy, can be useful in some contexts, but destructive in others.[48]
However, I must reiterate that bishops are called to discipline the heterodox, NOT discipline the orthodox who refuse to go along with heterodox programs!!!!
As I have said many times, in my congregation and elsewhere in my synod (before seeing your tagline), the ELCA is in the handbasket, too!!!!
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