Upheaval in the Anglican communion over lesbian bishop

Inside Catholic ^ | December 7, 2009 | Margaret Cabaniss

[NYer]

I don't envy Archbishop Rowan Williams. The leader of the global Anglican communion has had a busy couple of months -- on one hand, dealing with the news of the Vatican's offer of a personal ordinariate within the Catholic Church for Anglicans looking to convert... and now, on the other, with the Episcopal Church in the United States electing an openly lesbian bishop to the Los Angeles diocese. If confirmed, the Rev. Canon Mary D. Glasspool would be the first lesbian bishop in the Anglican communion.

But the global communion is still struggling with the question of whether practicing homosexuals should be ordained bishops, and a moratorium on electing other gay bishops (after ECUSA ordained Bishop Gene Robinson in 2003) was agreed to in 2004. Last summer, however, ECUSA voted to lift the moratorium, in spite of Canterbury's protests.

Archbishop Williams responded to the latest news:

"The election of Mary Glasspool by the Diocese of Los Angeles as suffragan bishop-elect raises very serious questions not just for the Episcopal Church and its place in the Anglican Communion, but for the Communion as a whole," Williams wrote.

The archbishop pointed out that Glasspool's selection must be confirmed by leaders of the U.S. church before she can be consecrated as a suffragan, or assistant, bishop. "That decision will have very important implications," he said.

At the America magazine blog, Austin Ivereigh thinks "schism" is too strong a word here, but he sees big changes coming:

[W]e're looking at a future in which there will be a much smaller 'core' Anglican church -- with which Rome will do business - surrounded by satellite groupings of Anglican churches whose communion with Canterbury will be largely nominal and which have increasingly less in common with each other; or which, in the case of the Catholic Anglicans, will find their home in Rome's new ordinariate plan. . . . The restructuring of the 70m-strong Anglican Communion is under way.

Father Dwight Longenecker, however, sees it as more of the same:

[T]here's not really very much to say that has not been said already umpteen times. Archbishop of Canterbury: "This raises serious implications..." Evangelicals:  "We really are going to leave this time. We really are. We really mean it this time. We do." Liberals: "One more step away from homophobia! Hooray." Anglo Catholics: "A woman bishop and a homosexual! Does that count as two strikes or one?"

ECUSA does seem to like testing Canterbury's limits. Whether this will be the straw that breaks Williams's back remains to be seen.

[NYer]

Ping!

[littleharbour]

Time for a genuine schism within the Episcopalian/Anglican church , so that the heretics can no longer hide behind the sheen of respectability provided by that ancient English denomination. And while they’re at it, the Catholic Church is also due for a housecleaning. Let the liberals in the Catholic Church make common cause with the wayward Episcopalians, Prysbyterians, Methodists, etc., and let the Church emerge smaller but stronger to carry on the Faith.

[NYer]

Time for a genuine schism within the Episcopalian/Anglican church

Interesting response and one that, in our current world, makes sense. Consider, however, that our Lord established one Church. According to Scripture, Christ wanted us to be one (John 17:22-23). We are all as a Church to be of one mind and to think the same (Philippians 2:2; Romans 15:5). There is only to be one "faith" (Ephesians 4:3-6), not many. For the Church is Christ's Body and Christ only had one Body, not many. Also, since the Church is Christ's Bride (Ephesians 5:29), can Christ be married to more than one wife (essentially a spiritual form of the the sin of polygamy)? No, Christ can only have one wife (i.e., one Church, not many).

Since the Reformation, "christian" churches have been established then split and divided and split again and again. The current number of churches proclaiming to be christian is beyond measurement. Some put the number at 30,000, others at 40,000 and then there are those who practice alone at home.

Only one Church has stood strong for 2,000 years. That is the Church founded by Christ. No other organization has thrived for that length of time, testimony to the work of the Holy Spirit.

[marron]

Austin Ivereigh thinks "schism" is too strong a word here

Just understand that holding fast to biblical principles is not a "schism" and if it were, bring it. The people who have walked away from biblical orthodoxy are the schismatics. The people who are faithful are by definition "the faithful".

The "faithful", catholic and non-catholic alike, have much more in common with one another than they do with the schismatics who are destroying churches.

Out of everyone, you would think the "protestant" groups would understand that it isn't your position in the org chart that matters, its whether or not you are faithful to the word, and faithful to your calling. Do you know God and are you in obedience. To see "protestants" following an apostate leadership out of loyalty to tradition is a sad thing.

[ken5050]

FYI..Merry Christmas

[Alex Murphy]

Since the Reformation, "christian" churches have been established then split and divided and split again and again. The current number of churches proclaiming to be christian is beyond measurement. Some put the number at 30,000, others at 40,000 and then there are those who practice alone at home.

More dishonest numbers, I see.

[sionnsar]

Thanks to ken5050 for the ping.

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Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15

[Tennessee Nana]

Merry Christmas...

This isnt the Anglican Church of my childhood...

[Chode]

next time, maybe they can find a trans-sexual lesbian, then they'll have a trifecta...

[littleharbour]

I don’t disagree with your analysis, but my belief is that for the Church to become whole again, those who are dragging down both the Catholic Church and these other denominations need to be set apart so that those who are genuinely attached to the Faith can come home. The Catholic Church’s outreach to faithful Anglicans is a sign of things to come.

[NYer]

Excellent observation! Thank you.

[SuziQ]

Just continuing their march toward religious irrelevance.

[gogeo]

Whether this will be the straw that breaks Williams's back remains to be seen...

Which begs the question...is he suspected of possessing one?

[SaraJohnson]

At the rate they are “progressing” all the Bishops will be gay soon. It can be the gay church of liberation theology -for all those liberated from Christian theology.

[MWS]

My diocese broke ranks with ECUSA back in 2007. It formed together with a couple other break-away dioceses and non-Episcopalian Anglican-style churches to form the Anglican Church in North America. It's a young movement at the moment but there are quite a few of us who are devoted into making it something bigger. I bring this up only to state that significant action IS being taken, albeit not yet on the necessary scale. At any rate, it's a start.

I know that many Catholics have hope that conservative Anglicans will move in their direction. I believe that is a wonderful sentiment but not likely to happen on a massive scale anytime soon. Speaking for myself, I am still very much Protestant in my outlook, albeit using traditional forms that historically reflect Catholic belief and practice.

[WashingtonSource]

Mary Cesspool is a diesel dyke with a radical agenda. She so butch she makes Vicky Gene look like the fat old girl she is.

[Gman]

My thoughts...

1. Yawn...
2. I hope they have enough seating for the stampede of LGBT folks that will be coming to church now...they should have picked a constituency to pander to that has some remote interest in being in church...
3. TEC couldn’t fill the pews if they taped $20 bills to the Sunday Bulletins...
4. Yawn...

[Gamecock]

***Since the Reformation, “christian” churches have been established then split and divided and split again and again. The current number of churches proclaiming to be christian is beyond measurement. Some put the number at 30,000, others at 40,000 and then there are those who practice alone at home.***

Oh, I see, we would have better off staying Roman Catholic with the ultimate consequence of having our small boys molested by Priests. < sarc>

[Poe White Trash]

I guess to some folks honesty is not necessarily the best policy when it comes to "christians."