Posted on 02/08/2006 12:48:00 PM PST by sionnsar
The lines are beginning to harden. The four nominees for PB, as I noted last week and as this recent Living Church editorial makes clear, are distinctly immoderate. Even the “moderate” nominee is not at all moderate when it comes to enforcing institutional loyalty to the detriment of the orthodox in his diocese. In fact, the common thread (if you were looking for one) that ties all four of these nominees together is their unflagging commitment to the institutional decisions of the Episcopal Church.
Moreover, so far two dioceses, Newark and DC, have been frank enough to reject the Windsor Report and the Dromantine Communiqué outright. Other more traditionally centrist diocese have produced and approved more or less subtle resolutions that essentially do the same.
There is little doubt ECUSA as a whole will follow suit in June. The biggest question is whether the deciding resolutions will look more like those in Newark and DC or like those in Virginia and Southern Virginia.
On the other side of the ledger, the pace of orthodox departure is rapidly increasing. It seems every week a new ECUSA parish affiliates with one Global South province or another. This week the Church of the Holy Spirit disassociated from the Diocese of Virginia. I searched in vain for a firm count of the Episcopal parishes that have disassociated since GC2003. I wasn’t able to find a solid list but I’ve heard that somewhere around 140 parishes have affiliated with Global South primates in the last three years, not including those that have gone to the AMiA or other American Anglican bodies. But, again, that’s not a solid number…could be more, could be less.
One thing is certain. As the time draws near tensions rise on both sides.
Something big is coming. We all feel it.
I read a history of WWI a few years back that described the feel of Europe before hostilities broke out. The alliances and treaties notwithstanding, everyone knew war was inevitable. The pressure and anxiety grew until the entire continent was like a great powder keg waiting to explode. When it finally came there was a palpable sense of relief, joy even.
They didn’t know the horror this war would bring.
As it stands now we have our alliances, our Schleiffen plans, our resolutions and statements. But when the first shot is finally fired no one really knows what it will be like. Will both sides mobilize their lawyers? We could truly destroy each other. Countless churches, souls, families and careers, could be lost. We’re all prepared to take that road if necessary.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. If it becomes clear that a split is absolutely inevitable, what’s to keep revisionist and ACN bishops from simply, amicably, swapping parishes? Why fight it out in court? Spare me the “historic-jurisdictional-boundaries-must-be-honored” argument. “Traditions” like that are made to be broken in times such as these.
Twice last year a group of orthodox and revisionist bishops, including bishop Duncan of Pittsburgh, met to discuss and possibly negotiate various issues including law and property. They met again in Tampa this week. It’s difficult to estimate the significance of these meetings because the participating bishops have vowed silence. I pray, however, that frank and realistic negotiations are taking place that will, if it comes to that, lead to an amicable and fair split.
It would be nice to avoid a war.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. It's always nice to avoid wars with the Devil.
But he must be fought. He can't be appeased. He'll go for the jugular every time. And if the face of those who won't fight, he'll find it.
You're right about that. The devil cannot be appeased. And we are definitely ready for a fight.
Matt+
(For some reason I recall reading about your church in the past few days... but don't remember why.)
I'm the guy who wrote the article posted somewhere below about Ghosts in the Church
I am honored!
The honor's mine. Thanks for posting so many Anglican articles here. I knew Arlin Adams via email and some listserves we were on. He was a good man. Thanks for taking up his ministry here.
"Schlieffen plan"..LOL..Make the LEFT flank strong...how very apt..
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