She even looks like someone I would like. I've been thinking a lot about her since I read that at an international meeting seven archibishops refused to take communion with her. And yesterday, the Anglican Archbishops gathered in Tanzania issued their edict to the American Episcopal Church:
"make an unequivocal common covenant" that they will not authorize same-gender blessings within their dioceses and confirm that Resolution B033, passed at the 75th General Convention, means that a candidate for bishop who is living in a same-gender relationship "shall not receive the necessary consent unless some new consensus on these matters emerges across the Communion."
In other words, stop performing same sex unions and ordaining gay and lesbian bishops -- or else.
The U.S. House of Bishops has until September 30, 2007 to respond to the Primates.
My heart hurts for those in the U.S. Episcopal Church who know that our sexual and gender differences are assets to be celebrated, not problems to be solved. I find it hard to imagine what it must be like today to be in Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's shoes -- or is that robe and stole?
The Episcopal Church has just launched its own blog -- www.episcopalchurch.typepad/com/episcope You can leave your comments there -- tell them why you think God calls us to embrace all of God's children and why everyone must be welcome at the table.
And pray for Presiding Bishop Schori. I think she's going to need it.
3 comments:
This is such a tragic situation, I agree, Debra. Here on Whidbey Island, an Oak Harbor Episcopal church has split over this issue, and it was none too big in the first place. Now it has two communions meeting under one roof, in different parts of the building, with two rectors, one of whom is a colleague and friend of mine. The Anglicans meet in the larger sanctuary and the Episcopalians have been relegated to a small chapel, because the Anglicans outnumber the Episcopalians. Oak Harbor is a military town, and quite conservative, which is clearly reflected in the situation at St. Stephen's.
My friend Rachel, the newly installed rector, is a member of my newly-formed clergywomen's group, so I expect we will be hearing more about this anguish soon.
The NT is obviously ambiguous on the matter. Yes you can cite a couple passages against it. Yet you can also look at the text's overall message of justice and compassion and go with that. People used to pick out lines to justify slavery...
Add to this the fact that there is no rational argument against either full and equal rights for homosexuals nor for women as being spiritually inferior to men, and the correct answer to these issues is clear.
Just an FYI -
The link doesn't follow thru as written below:
http://www.episcopalchurch.typepad/com/episcope
It should be as below here. There's a dot/period betwixt typepad & com rather than the back-slash.
http://www.episcopalchurch.typepad.com/episcope
Being a junkie of 'the Internets' pays off once in awhile.
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