Posted on 12/28/2006 5:37:41 PM PST by sionnsar
In another manifestation of the increasing detestation that Episcopal liberals have for Episcopal conservatives, the Rev. Astrid Storm, an Episcopal priest from New York City, opens up on the Virginians:
The possibility of a breakaway, particularly one involving foreign bishops, has been taking up a lot of the Episcopal Church’s energy over the last three years, because it could have significant consequences for its polity, finances, and even day-to-day parish life. Yet some Episcopalians, like me, are relieved that it has finally happened—and are especially relieved at how it happened. In fact, it seems to me that this couldn’t have happened at a better time, with better people, or in a better way. The Episcopal Church may even be stronger for it in the long run.
The departing churches, you see, have elected to place themselves under The Most Evil Human Being Who Has Ever Lived:
Most significant, perhaps, is these churches’ decision to align with controversial Archbishop Akinola—someone whom even many conservatives in the church have serious qualms about.
Odd how these "many conservatives" never seem to have names. But they're just a bunch of stupid bigots in those Virginia churches anyway
Try as some have, no excuse—cultural factors, tribal politics—mitigates his venomous statements, and aligning with what basically amounts to the Jerry Falwell of the Anglican Communion exposes just how visceral and unexamined these anti-gay feelings must be for many of these people in these Virginia parishes. Even before they departed, these parishes were very much on the fringe of the wider Episcopal Church.
You learn something new every day. Akinola Derangement Syndrome can apparently cause hallucinations
The timing of this decision is also important. It came at a time of relative calm and good will in the Episcopal Church, and many people have questioned the reasons—or lack thereof—behind it. The Rev. William L. Sachs, director of the Center for Reconciliation and Mission at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Va., told me that "since 2003 the Episcopal Church has worked very hard at listening to the Anglican Communion and trying to honor the Windsor Report and, in fact, there has been a moratorium on the consecration of gay bishops. So, what have they got to complain about?" The election of a female presiding bishop with liberal views on gays and lesbians is the closest he could think of to a proximate cause for last Sunday’s decision, but considering Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori’s recent efforts to accommodate those who don’t share her more liberal viewpoint on homosexuality, and considering many people’s support for women clergy in these breakaway churches, even that seems an unconvincing provocation.
So good riddance to bad rubbish.
Which is all to say that, in doing what they did, when they did it, and with whom, these churches appear disorganized, impatient, and uncouth. To quote William James, the ideal pairings of "fervor with measure, passion with correctness" seemed distinctly lacking in their actions, and it’s very hard to imagine many other churches following their lead. In fact, Bill Sachs assured me that Virginia Episcopalians are distancing themselves, and he surmises that splinter parishes will amount to "not more than five percent" of the U.S. church—probably far less. If I had to bet on it, I’d even say Archbishop Akinola’s power among Episcopalians in this country is quickly waning as of last Sunday..
Does all this liberal Episcopal hostility result from the Current Unpleasantness? I don't think so. I think that to an extent, it's always been there, until recently as a latent contempt. My experience was, of course, limited but I can recall more than a few remarks made by the liberal clergy at my liberal parish about colleagues in other parishes that they considered a bit too conservative about things.
There weren't many of us but conservatives at my place were tolerated and that was pretty much it. Do something gauche like put a fish symbol on you car and no one would say anything to your face. You just wouldn't get asked to do things or serve on this or that committee and you certainly couldn't get yourself elected to vestries. Most of the conservatives at my old joint eventually ended up moving on.
I think that the last three years have brought liberal scorn for the right out into the open which is a good thing. We were two churches long before 2003, this split should have happened a long time ago and we have no business staying together.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Johnson has a good time slapping her around though, much more thoroughly than any of us did.
"Which is all to say that, in doing what they did, when they did it, and with whom, these churches appear disorganized, impatient, and uncouth."
As opposed to snarling, raging, soul destroying heretics. Tough choice, that one! :)
All I can say is, dear Astrid, I didn't leave The Episcopal Church; The Episcopal Church left me. I voted for my parish to leave out of sheer disgust for the apostasy of TEC. Now it's apparent: you didn't really care about folks like me, but you did care about my money. TEC is now showing who it truly serves.
Well duh!
Hopefully, the significant consequences will include bankruptcy, lawsuits and making museums out of old churches. The ultimate irony would be for TEC to sell their unused churches to moslems just to show ecumenical support for fellow brothers of the book......
That is exactly what I said when I left almost 24 years ago.
There is an interesting case of one such church in Chico, California. The parish split, with one group joining the APCK. The remaining group was too small to sustain the building, so they put it up for sale -- to anyone *other* than the APCK church.
It was finally sold to a fellow who turned it into an upscale Chinese restaurant, with a bar where the altar stood, a nightclub in the Sunday School, and so on. It was designated a historic building, though, so the exterior remain unchanged except for the removal of the cross from the steeple.
Seems the good people of Chico didn't feel comfortable eating in a former church, so the place went out of business several years later. This was a huge relief to the police, because they were forever being called to the nightclub, a draw for bad elements.
The church went up for sale again.
The university eyed it for a student center, and began investigating. As it turned out, the building did not meet the university's earthquake codes and so it went on the block again...
...to be bought by the APCK church, who set about removing and selling the restaurant/nightclub accretions, restoring the church to its original function. (One of the carpenters who worked on the restoration is also a deacon in that church.) During the process they discovered, and I have seen pictures of this, crosses that had been secreted behind walls and other places by the unknown workmen who converted the church to a restaurant.
Today St. Augustine's has been fully restored as an Anglican church, with a number of outreach missions, including student outreach and a mission to Iranians in the area.
No. They're biblical.
Talk about some major cognitive dissonance on display.
Cut to the chase. "Liberal hostility" is a redundancy, since liberals, whether episcopalian or otherwise, are intrinsically hostile. Without hostility against one's fellow man, there would be no liberalism in the real world.
Thank you for all your wonderful posts about the Episcopal church. I enjoy reading about the unfolding events. As a former member - I read and hope for the best future possible.
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