Episcopal bishop issue stirs up schism fears Gay, lesbian among 5 candidates for local post

A gay man and a lesbian are on the short list to be the Bay Area's next Episcopal bishop, but many Episcopalians said the 77 million Anglicans worldwide might split permanently if a gay person is selected.

The California Diocese's nomination of the two, along with three other candidates, defies the worldwide Anglican Communion's 2004 recommendation that the Episcopal Church in the United States put a moratorium on ordination of gay and lesbian bishops who are in active same-sex relationships.

That order came after the Rev. Gene Robinson was appointed bishop in New Hampshire in 2003, the first Anglican bishop to acknowledge being in a same-sex relationship.

Both gay candidates, the Rev. Bonnie Perry of Chicago and the Very Rev. Robert Taylor of Seattle, are in same-sex relationships. The other nominates are the Rt. Rev. Mark Handley Andrus of Alabama, the Rev. Jane Gould of Massachusetts and the Rev. Canon Eugene Taylor Sutton of Washington, D.C...

Here's the short course in Episcopal titles:

A Reverend is just an ordinary priest.

A Right Reverend is a bishop.

A Very Reverend is the Dean of a cathedral or seminary.

The Reverend Canon is a Canon (associate priest) of a Cathedral.

After we crossed the Tiber, I called the archbishop "Your Grace" without thinking . . . which is correct for both Anglican and Catholic archbishops in Britain . . . but not in the U.S. (he is apparently "Your Excellency" here . . . cardinals are "Your Eminence" everywhere. One of my dad's friends who is a judge addresses other judges as "Your Eminence" . . . just a personal quirk.)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1585344/posts

Episcopal Bishop Issues Jihad Against Cartoon Depicting Jesus as "Son Of God" (Latest Parody News)
The Iconoclast.ca ^ | William Grim

Posted on 02/25/2006 6:35:41 AM PST by Apolitical

EPISCOPAL BISHOP ISSUES JIHAD AGAINST CARTOON DEPICTING JESUS AS "SON OF GOD"

(Fire Island, NY) -- The Right Reverend Percy Dovetonsils III, Bishop Suffragan for the Diocese of Fire Island, Provincetown and San Francisco, today called for the beheading of the entire editorial staff of Catholic Monthly for publishing a cartoon in which Jesus of Nazareth is depicted as being the "Son of God."

The cartoon, published in the October 12, 2005 edition of the magazine, and titled "Jesus Raising Lazarus from the Dead," shows a halo-crowned Jesus miraculously bringing Lazarus back to life. In contemporary Episcopalian theology, all references to religion, miracles, holiness, God, and the Bible are considered to be blasphemous -- distracting believers from more important religious priorities such as promoting same-sex marriage and voting rights for illegal immigrants.

"The pictorial representation of the alleged divinity of the notorious Jewish political leader variously known as Jesus, the Son of Man, and the Son of God is deeply offensive to all progressive-minded Episcopalians," said Bishop Dovetonsils this morning at the annual Solidarity Breakfast of the anti-1st Amendment lobbying group, Episcopalians Against Christianity.......

(Excerpt) Read more at iconoclast.ca ...

What's the difference between a Rev., a Rt. Rev., a Very Rev., and a Rev. Canon? Other than their same-sex relationships, of course ...

Addressing the Clergy
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/addressingtheclergy.html

Since the Lambeth Conference of 1968, at which styles of address were debated, there has been a trend towards simpler forms of address, Resolution 14 stated: 'The Conference recommends that the bishops, as leaders and representatives of a servant Church, should radically examine the honours paid to them in the course of divine worship, in titles and customary address, and in style of living, while having the necessary facilities for the efficient carrying on of their work'.

Whereas formerly a bishop would have been addressed as 'My Lord' and a dean as 'Mr Dean', it has become more usual to address a bishop in speech as 'Bishop' and a dean as 'Dean'. There is, however, a correct way to address clergy on an envelope, which is normally as follows:

Archbishop of Canterbury or York
The Most Revd and Rt Hon the Lord Archbishop of

Archbishop of another Province The Most Revd the Lord Archbishop of
Bishop of London The Rt Revd and Rt Hon the Lord Bishop of

Diocesan / Suffragan Bishop
Either The Rt Revd the Lord Bishop of
Or the Rt Revd the Bishop of

Assistant / Retired Bishop
The Rt Revd J.D.Smith (or John Smith)

Dean
The Very Revd the Dean of

Provost
The Very Revd the Provost of

Archdeacon
The Ven the Archdeacon of

Canon
The Revd Canon J.D.Smith (or John or Jane Smith)

Prebendary
The Revd Prebendary J.D.Smith (or John or Jane Smith)

Rural Dean
No special form of address (The Revd, the Revd Canon, etc)

Dean of Oxford / Cambridge College
No special form of address

Cleric also Professor
Either The Revd Professor J.D.Smith
Or Professor the Revd J.D.Smith

Canon also Professor
Either The Revd Canon Professor J.D.Smith
Or Professor the Revd Canon J.D.Smith

Cleric also Doctor Either
The Revd Dr J.D.Smith
Or The Revd J.D.Smith (degree)

Canon also Doctor
The Revd Canon J.D.Smith (degree)

Other Clergy / Priest / Deacon
The Revd J.D.Smith (or John or Jane Smith)

The following points should be noted particularly:
A diocesan or suffragan bishop has a title conferred on him by his consecration or subsequent translation, which he is entitled to hold until he resigns. He then reverts to his personal name, retaining the title 'Right Reverend'.
A dean, provost or archdeacon has a territorial title until he resigns. He then reverts to his personal name, and his title is 'Reverend' unless the rank of dean, provost or archdeacon emeritus has been awarded.
Retired archbishops properly go back to the status of a bishop but may be given as a courtesy the style of an archbishop.
A bishop holding office as a dean or archdeacon is addressed as The Rt Revd the Dean / Archdeacon of.
If a cleric's name or initials are unknown, he or she should be addressed as The Revd - Smith or the Revd Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms Smith. It is never correct to refer to a cleric as 'The Reverend Smith' or 'Revd Smith'.
There is no universally accepted way of addressing an envelope to a married couple of whom both are in Holy orders. We recommend the style 'The Revd A.B. and the Revd C.D.Smith'.

http://www.iconoclast.ca/MainPage.asp?page=/TopFiveHeadlines.asp

Great find! Satire perfectly accompanies a Saturday morning cuppa. Here's another from the same site, originally from Scrappleface:

CLERGYMAN OUT OF CLOSET: FIRST OPENLY GAY, ALCOHOLIC & SELF-HATING U.S. EPISCOPALIAN BISHOP

NEW YORK CITY -- V. Gene Robinson, the first openly-homosexual Episcopalian bishop, came under attack today for a recent statement in which he called his alcoholism a “disease” for which he’s getting treatment.

“Bishop Robinson has reinforced the stereotype that being a drunk is some kind of medical condition that needs a cure,” according to an unnamed spokesman for the American Drunkards Association (ADA), a non-profit group that helps people recover from Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. “Alcoholism isn’t a disease, it’s who we are. We want to be accepted for who we are. The bishop has done irreparable harm to drunken clerics everywhere, not to mention the damage done to millions of lay-drunkards.”

The American Drunkards Association also lobbies lawmakers to gain equal rights for alcoholics — “a large and growing group of Americans who face discrimination daily, especially from the department of motor vehicles.”

“Imagine not being allowed to drive just because of who you are,” said the unnamed ADA spokesman. “Police across the country engage in discriminatory profiling against drunkards, and there’s no public outcry about this civil rights abuse.”

Bishop Robinson, who left his wife to live with his homosexual partner, said he’s “humbled by the opportunity to be the denomination’s first openly-gay, openly-drunk and openly-irresponsible bishop.”

“My life sends a refreshing message to our parishioners of redemption without repentance,” he said. “It’s a real improvement on old-fashioned Biblical principles.”

It always amazes me that these homosexuals shove their sexual orientation in the faces and down the throats of their congregation.

One would think that if sexual orientation were going to cause ANY kind of problem, rift or theological schism, these Christians would back off and allow the majority of the people (99%) to have their way.

But, NOOOOO, these homosexuals HAVE to force their unnatural sexual orientation onto the flock. They are hypocrites to their own faith. They are quintessential selfish, self-centered egoists who care more about their genitalia than they do about anything else in the world.

They use religion as a mask for their sexual egomania. They remind me of the Islamic fanatics who insist on their way or the highway. The Islamic fanatics murder innocents. These homosexuals fanatics murder their faith and church.

Thanks for posting this satire. I'm glad that I had no beverages in my mouth when I read the following:

"The American Drunkards Association also lobbies lawmakers to gain equal rights for alcoholics — “a large and growing group of Americans who face discrimination daily, especially from the department of motor vehicles.”

"“Imagine not being allowed to drive just because of who you are,” said the unnamed ADA spokesman. “Police across the country engage in discriminatory profiling against drunkards, and there’s no public outcry about this civil rights abuse.”

"Bishop Robinson, who left his wife to live with his homosexual partner, said he’s “humbled by the opportunity to be the denomination’s first openly-gay, openly-drunk and openly-irresponsible bishop.”

"“My life sends a refreshing message to our parishioners of redemption without repentance,” he said. “It’s a real improvement on old-fashioned Biblical principles.”"

This is an excellent summation of the other leg of the liberal in charge of a church: "There shall not be any judgement of so called moral lapses of any liberal member!"

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