Posted on 12/31/2005 9:24:13 AM PST by sionnsar
Christopher Johnson has been offering his thoughts about the possible outcomes of the 2006 Ice Cream Social in Columbus. Since I think there is zero chance that ECUSA will change its course, and 100% chance that Convention will pass some greasy resolution apologizing for hurting overseas feelings and by the way here's a bucket of money if you let us hang around, the only real interest is whether the leaders of the Rebel Alliance will screw their courage to the sticking place and separate. This Convention will also elect a successor to Frank Griswold, and that successor will either be a manifest hard line Griswoldian (I know, "hard line" and "Griswold" don't seem to belong in the same sentence, but His Frankness is plenty tough when it comes to getting his way) or a wolf in "moderate" disguise.
We have become accustomed to seeing clergy transfer to overseas jurisdictions, and more recently to parishes leaving, or splitting in two. We remain to see if the Rebel Alliance is willing to take entire dioceses out of ECUSA and create alternative structures. This is a step into the great unknown, is pretty scary, and involves a host of messy practical details, so we shouldn't be surprised if it seems difficult.
On the other hand, the Powers that Be are showing themselves willing to bend the rules, and do whatever is in their power to silence alternate Anglican voices: this won't change. On the other hand, smaller ECUSA congregations are slowly dying. Here in northern Illinois, Bp. Persell combines declining parishes in various ways to avoid the impression of actual shrinkage, but there's little to no visible missionary activity, no growth, and at this rate ECUSA will be confined to a few older churches with large endowments, and even they will struggle. We already see a few parishes that hedge their bets by identifying themselves as "Episcopal/Anglican," and if some viable alternate jurisdiction is offered there might well be some migration. Rebel Alliance leaders seem to know that the other side will not play gently; the question is whether there are plans to separate, and how mature they are.
I believe with Christopher that the Alliance can't wait until Lambeth, and I also think that it's time to look to domestic resources. Shelter from overseas bishops is very nice, but it won't work over the long run. Canterbury will not solve the problem here, nor will Abuja. I suspect that if an alternate structure is in place at the time of the next Lambeth, that the overseas primates and bishops will take a stand. If there is no alternate Anglican jurisdiction, there won't be much for them to stand on....
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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