The Associated Press: J.K. Rowling Outs Hogwarts Character
Not only that, but this means Dumbledore is ineligible for a pointy hat in the less tolerant provinces of the Anglican Communion. Â And Halloween is coming, too! This’ll get the anti-intellectual religious Right in a fluffy pink froth.
What is good to a liberal is evil to a conservative, and vice versa.
But what is truly good? And what is truly evil? How about a little exercise in compare/contrast?
::Humility, Grace and Freedom by Canon Dr Joe Cassidy::
So here’s what puzzles me: Given all this openness, why can’t we allow or even authorise the Episcopal Church to experiment with including gay lay-people, gay deacons, gay priests and, yes, gay bishops? Why can’t we allow the Episcopal Church to experiment with same-sex/quasi-nuptual blessings? Why can’t we ask the Episcopal Church to undertake, on behalf of the rest of the Church, a ministry of discernment within and alongside the various gay and lesbian communities? Why can’t we enable the Episcopal Church to push their idea of baptismal inclusiveness to the hilt to see whether it enhances holiness? Why can’t we do that? What is the real risk of doing so and what is the real risk of not doing so?In one sense, the answer is obvious: we can’t because many Anglicans in many provinces think the question is closed; others think the timing isn’t right; others think more theological reflection needs to occur before testing things in the field; others, hopefully only a few, write off the whole thing derisively as a pandering to modernity.
I take seriously what the Episcopal Church is trying to do. Unlike some, I do not believe that the Episcopal Church are a bunch of uncritical liberals, glibly and mindlessly embracing contemporary values as if they were obvious Christian values. My own theological and ethical instincts are decidedly conservative on most issues, but I do see the Episcopal Church taking a costly road, which admittedly is capable of jolting the foundations, and which would inevitably cause friction. I cannot but see a serious attempt to act with integrity. And that goes for all sides.
In one sense, I’m not surprised that this is occurring in the US, but I wouldn’t put it down to Episcopalian American liberalism. Rather, in a culture still barely coming to grips with a long and horribly-recent history of slavery, racial segregation, and racism, it should be impossible for the Church not to wonder whether we’re doing it again – only this time to another group identified as different in a different sort of way. That’s not American hubris, but real humility, an awareness of the possibility of grave sin.Because, if there’s any chance whatsoever that we’re doing it yet again, then not to take it seriously, not to take the possibility that we, the Church, might be caught in a long, deep cycle of social sin – well, that’s dangerous to the soul, a real sin of omission, one that can be profoundly destructive to a great many people.
In any event, taking it seriously means testing it, testing the direction the Episcopal Church is moving in to see whether it is ‘of the Lord.’
The entire essay is well written and well reasoned, and and it offers a new perspective that casts a lot more light than heat – a refreshing change from most opinions offered in the current unpleasantness. I’ve highlighted the part that seems to be resonating with a lot of people over at Father Jake’s. This is a considered opinion from a more conservative viewpoint that exercises a lot more intellectual rigor than usually seen from that end of the spectrum.
Compare and contrast with an editorial from a Nigerian news site, that from its tone is strongly pro-government, and is thus pro-Akinola, who carries the anti-gay flag for them.:
It is true that the American society largely runs on a liberal path. Its social ethos is strongly anchored on near laissez-faire attitude. That explains why the American society is very elastic in terms of tolerance of sometimes strange, if not outlandish habits.
However, if the social norms could accommodate such dispositions, the sacred order of religion is supposed to be tempered by some restraint and moderation. But the curious ordination of Jean Robinson, a gay Bishop, a couple of years ago, manifestly proves that not even the sanctity of divine laws espoused by the major religions can tame the wild libertine philosophy of the American society.
Archbishop Peter Akinola, the primate of the Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion) has been in the fore of the fight against this weird intrusion into the Christian faith. Just like most parts of the world were shocked with that ordination, Akinola has earned accolades from around the world for his doggedness in condemning the practice; at one point threatening to lead other African countries out of the Anglican fold if the practice of gay ordination continues. Time magazine named him among 100 most influential persons in the world.
It is bad enough that the Episcopal Church in America could condone sodomy in accommodating gay adherents in its fold. Yet, it is worse that even a gay man could be ordained a priest. Even then, that such a gay priest could indeed become a Bishop, a spiritual head of the church is revolting. It is as strange as it is antithetic to biblical stance.
No doubt, the idea of gay-priests and same-sex marriage as practised in American Anglican (Episcopal) Churches and some parts of Europe is a double-barreled affront on the doctrine of chastity and continence as enunciated in the Holy Bible.
Not so rigorous, is it? Not terribly well written, not factually accurate, full of half-truths twisted into non-truths.
Also, not terribly Christian, either. I can’t bring myself to quote the whole thing on my front page, but my gut tells me that this story might disappear from the news site if it causes enough of an uproar, as happened before when Bishop Orama’s words were twisted by another Nigerian reporter.
The Nigerian news services certainly seem to want to beat that big gay drum, because the government wants scapegoats to draw attention away from its many and manifest sins.
The rest of the Nigerian editorial is in the extended entry.
UPDATE: Fooey. The “MORE” tag isn’t working, the whole disreputable thing is here.
Continue reading
THE Anglican Province of Central Africa has initiated moves to expel controversial bishop of the capital, Nolbert Kunonga, after he withdrew the Harare diocese from the province alleging that it had failed to censure bishops sympathetic towards homosexuality.
There’s other evidence that a number of other African Anglicans aren’t necessarily supportive of the anti-gay agenda of the conservative faction represented by +Akinola, +Orimbi, +Minns the former Episcopal priest, and so on. The recent CAPA meeting concluded with the African bishops in attendance finding evidence that a “Western pen” (presumably that of Bishop Martyn Minns, former Episcopalian priest, now a bishop of the province of Nigeria) had written unwanted anti-homosexuality conclusions in the official statement document. And so they “roundly threw them out.” It’s not that the bishops didn’t agree with the insertions, but they definitely objected to their being inserted without being discussed, or even without their prior knowledge. They know to blame the American conservatives who are driving the debate and financing “their” African allies – thus contributing to the problem of corruption.
Meanwhile, there’s noise being made in English Evangelical circles about boycotting Lambeth. At this rate, all the really unpleaseant people will stay home, and although there may be big defections, it’s unlikely to result in anything changing all that much.
I was following a link from Scott Gunn’s Inclusive Church blog, and was completely gobsmacked by what I saw at Mad Priest’s place:
Welcome newly discovered
HEROES OF THE BLOGOSPHERE.
(Personally, I blame bad parenting – spare the rod and spoil the child)
BAREFOOT AND LAUGHING
BLOGULA RASA
DREAMING IN THE DEEP SOUTH
EPISCOCHICK
FRANIAM
HERE I SIT
HOPE’S MAMA
INCLUSIVECHURCH BLOG
ON TRANSMIGRATION
WHAT CAME FIRST, THE MUSIC OR THE MISERY?
Heavens to Murgatroyd – I’d noticed with blushing pleasure that the Mad Priest had honored this blog with a spot on his blogroll, but somehow I ended up on there twice, and a hero(ine) of the blogosphere to boot. How’d that hoppen? I just sorta… regurgitate thoughts on events of the day, especially on the subject of the “Anglican follies.”
Resolution B033 of the 2006 General Convention
The House of Bishops concurs with Resolution EC011 of the Executive Council. This Resolution commends the Report of the Communion Sub-Group of the Joint Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates of the Anglican Communion as an accurate evaluation of Resolution B033 of the 2006 General Convention, calling upon bishops with jurisdiction and Standing Committees “to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.” (1) The House acknowledges that non-celibate gay and lesbian persons are included among those to whom B033 pertains.
Achhhh! SSSSSsssss! B033! We hates it! We hates it forever!
B033 is doing NOTHING to make things right between the conservatives and liberals of the Episcopal Church, except to cause discord between GLTBQ lay and clergy and the rest of the liberals and centrists – while a large number of the folks in the pews have barely heard of it, or understand its import in the context of “the current unpleasantness.” The conservatives dismiss it as not far-reaching enough, and they probably benefit from its divisiveness.
Way to hit the nail on the head, bishops – with a sledgehammer. We get it. No secks for those pervy pipples.
Here in the Diocese of Chicago, this limits our choices, which is annoying, because resume a resume, the candidate with the most bang for the buck for me, as a leader and evangelist, is “the gay one.” There is no outright ban, but consent to consecration is to be “restrained.” So if we elect and consecrate a gay woman in November in the Diocese of Chicago, is consent from the rest of the Episcopal Church required? Not if it’s this far in advance of General Convention, I think, but it would not be within the spirit of the resolution. It would put the national church in a difficult position in its ongoing wrasslin’ match with the more conservative provinces of the Anglican Communion, and give the extremist-conservatives an easy “fall” on points. Which totally irks me.
Blessing of Same-Sex Unions
We, the members of the House of Bishops, pledge not to authorize for use in our dioceses any public rites of blessing of same-sex unions until a broader consensus emerges in the Communion, or until General Convention takes further action. In the near future we hope to be able to draw upon the benefits of the Communion-wide listening process. In the meantime, it is important to note that no rite of blessing for persons living in same-sex unions has been adopted or approved by our General Convention. In addition to not having authorized liturgies the majority of bishops do not make allowance for the blessing of same-sex unions. We do note that in May 2003 the Primates said we have a pastoral duty “to respond with love and understanding to people of all sexual orientations.” They further stated, “…[I]t is necessary to maintain a breadth of private response to situations of individual pastoral care.”
It’s not official, never has been. When a local parish priest assists a couple, in a committed relationship, to make sacred vows before God, it’s because that priest uses his or her own discretion. If it’s not gonna fly in the local parish, it will be handled discreetly. And if the priest should refuse, the couple may find a more welcoming community elsewhere. It’s a local pastoral issue. Everybody else, MYOB.
But personally, I think that everybody should share the joy of committing matrimony and having to suffer the agonies of the receiving line, and introducing your weird relatives to your partner’s weird relatives. Everyone should have to deal with getting “Thank You” notes out, and sending them to the wrong gift givers, and then apologizing profusely when you thanked somebody for the gift in the toaster oven box you never even opened, only to find later that the box actually contained a handmade ceramic bean crock.
Everyone should have to stand before God and everybody else and declare your love for one another, while your pulse hammers in your veins, and you worry about dropping the ring or screwing up the words.
I’ve always believed that the whole “gay marriage! Oh noes!!1!” outcry in various mainline Protestant churches is related to the well-known conservative political ploy to hit the big red “rally base” button when votes are needed. Controversies need soft, easy targets to succeed in the goal of fostering conflict and realignment.
Episcopal Visitors
We affirm the Presiding Bishop’s plan to appoint episcopal visitors for dioceses that request alternative oversight. Such oversight would be provided by bishops who are a part of and subject to the communal life of this province. We believe this plan is consistent with and analogous to Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight (DEPO) as affirmed by the Windsor Report (paragraph 152). We thank those bishops who have generously offered themselves for this ministry. We hope that dioceses will make use of this plan and that the Presiding Bishop will continue conversation with those dioceses that may feel the need for such ministries. We appreciate and need to hear all voices in The Episcopal Church.
Let’s keep talking with everybody who’s willing to stay and listen, and offer them a way to remain in a way that makes them comfortable with their leadership and their continuing place as valued members of the Body of Christ. And let’s keep this in-house, too. It’s our business to repair our internal bonds of affection, let us get on with it.
Incursions by Uninvited Bishops
We call for an immediate end to diocesan incursions by uninvited bishops in accordance with the Windsor Report and consistent with the statements of past Lambeth Conferences and the Ecumenical Councils of the Church. Such incursions imperil common prayer and long-established ecclesial principles of our Communion. These principles include respect for local jurisdiction and recognition of the geographical boundaries of dioceses and provinces. As we continue to commit ourselves to honor both the spirit and the content of the Windsor Report, we call upon those provinces and bishops engaging in such incursions likewise to honor the Windsor Report by ending them. We offer assurance that delegated episcopal pastoral care is being provided for those who seek it.
No poaching. No border raids. No sheep-stealing. Got it? You no respect our turf, prepare to be boarded (see below).
Communion-wide Consultation
In their communiqué of February 2007, the Primates proposed a “pastoral scheme.” At our meeting in March 2007, we expressed our deep concern that this scheme would compromise the authority of our own primate and place the autonomy of The Episcopal Church at risk. The Executive Council reiterated our concerns and declined to participate. Nevertheless, we recognize a useful role for communion-wide consultation with respect to the pastoral needs of those seeking alternative oversight, as well as the pastoral needs of gay and lesbian persons in this and other provinces. We encourage our Presiding Bishop to continue to explore such consultation in a manner that is in accord with our Constitution and Canons.
Good enough. I like the veiled threat implied in “as well as the pastoral needs of gay and lesbian persons in this and other provinces.” Let’s go there arm in arm, shall we? Some conservatives are pissed that this para contains an injunction to stick to boring old constitutional rules. The church is in need of saving grace, hallelujah bruddah, and not icky old Law.
The Listening Process
The 1998 Lambeth Conference called all the provinces of the Anglican Communion to engage in a “listening process” designed to bring gay and lesbian Anglicans fully into the Church’s conversation about human sexuality. We look forward to receiving initial reports about this process at the 2008 Lambeth Conference and to participating with others in this crucial enterprise. We are aware that in some cultural contexts conversation concerning homosexuality is difficult. We see an important role for the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) in this listening process, since it represents both the lay and ordained members of our constituent churches, and so is well-placed to engage every part of the body in this conversation. We encourage the ACC to identify the variety of resources needed to accomplish these conversations.
I didn’t hear any listening going on from conservatives this week, did you? A comment on a recent post at a site I don’t usually read on account of my blood pressure said it all in paraphrase: they can sit next to me in a pew and share Communion, but gay clergy? No way, no how, not ever. This doesn’t ring true with the “hate the sin, love the sinner” bromide. Other comments in the same place spouted off thoughts like “don’t call gays and lesbians Christian, because they are not… they are in the Devil” met with no criticism, except from one deceptively modest “hateful troll” named “Tom Collins” who mildly raised well-ordered and rather scholarly objections to various hairy-eyeball-homophobe comments about gay people as, well, people, and was roundly castigated. Far from “listening,” the uber-conservative cognitatively dissonant pileon there seemed to be a whole lot of people hollering “Burn the f*660t” in slightly more polite terms. Don’t call those people Christians, or people neither. Nothing to listen to there.
The Lambeth Conference
Invitations to the Lambeth Conference are extended by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Those among us who have received an invitation to attend the 2008 Lambeth Conference look forward to that gathering with hope and expectation. Many of us are engaged in mission partnerships with bishops and dioceses around the world and cherish these relationships. Lambeth offers a wonderful opportunity to build on such partnerships.We are mindful that the Bishop of New Hampshire has not yet received an invitation to the conference. We also note that the Archbishop of Canterbury has expressed a desire to explore a way for him to participate. We share the Archbishop’s desire and encourage our Presiding Bishop to offer our assistance as bishops in this endeavor. It is our fervent hope that a way can be found for his full participation.
This seems to be allaying the fears of many sympathetic Anglicans who’ve heard the rumors of what would happen if the entire American House of Bishops refused to attend if +Gene is not included in the invitations. I hope that he can attend, too. And it backs up +Gene at a time when he must be feeling terribly lonely.
Justice and Dignity for Gay and Lesbian Persons
It is of fundamental importance that, as we continue to seek consensus in matters of human sexuality, we also be clear and outspoken in our shared commitment to establish and protect the civil rights of gay and lesbian persons, and to name and oppose at every turn any action or policy that does violence to them, encourages violence toward them, or violates their dignity as children of God. We call all our partners in the Anglican Communion to recommit to this effort. As we stated at the conclusion of our meeting in March 2007: “We proclaim the Gospel of what God has done and is doing in Christ, of the dignity of every human being, and of justice, compassion and peace. We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ there is no Jew or Greek, no male or female, no slave or free. We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God’s children, including women, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ’s Church. We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God’s children, including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ’s Church. We proclaim the Gospel that stands against any violence, including violence done to women and children as well as those who are persecuted because of their differences, often in the name of God.”
A good statement, and a worthy one. Of course, the conservative, anti-gay faction (although they tend to decry their position as not being all about “the gay stuff”) was not satisfied, and never will be satisfied until the Episcopal Church boots all gay clergy and, eventually, demotes all female clergy back to “deaconess” status or less. A confab was previously planned for all the most conservative bishops to discuss taking their entire dioceses out of the Episcopal Church, whether individual parishes or parishioners wanted or not.
——
(1) The Communion Sub-Group noted that “the resolution uses the language of ‘restraint’, and the group noted that there has been considerable discussion since General Convention about the exact force of that word. By requiring that the restraint must be expressed in a particular way–‘by not consenting…’, however, the resolution is calling for a precise response, which complies with the force of the recommendation of the Windsor Report.” The group also noted “that while the Windsor Report restricted its recommendation to candidates for the episcopate who were living in a same gender union, the resolution at General Convention widened this stricture to apply to a range of lifestyles which present a wider challenge. The group welcomed this widening of the principle, which was also recommended by the Windsor Report, and commend it to the Communion.”
Phew. You know, if you’re going to condemn gay clergy, why are you not troubled by divorced clergy? This is the question that conservatives soft-pedal, as at least as many of the leadership on the conservative side are in second marriages as on the liberal side. Only a few decades ago, divorce was unthinkable in the laity, and grounds for sanctions in the clergy.
The reference to slavery is another tricky thrust for the conservative faction to parry. The Bible was used to justify slavery, and also to justify miscegenation and “Jim Crow” laws in this country. Now those concepts are universally condemned (or I hope that they are universally condemned, although I have my doubts). Still, there is actually hope for conservative parishes that align with African bishops – their eyes will be opened in a way that they never have been by the association with those who are very different from them. Contact with The Other will change them for the better, or it will send them running in some new direction that is even harder to justify. If poor people in the Global South benefit more from the association with American Anglican conservatives more than they would if their provinces and dioceses were accepting help from the Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Relief and Development fund, I can’t fault that. But if they do not benefit more… if the largesse of American “neo-Reformationists” finds its way into the pockets of accomodating African bishops, then they will be laying themselves open to continuing criticism. And they will be perpetuating a kind of economic servitude that is not pretty, not following in Christ’s footsteps, not answering the call to support the poor.
There really needs to be a better, less confrontational nomenclature for the two wingtips of the body of Christ in the Episcopal church.
“Open” versus “Closed?” As in doors, hearts, welcomes, minds, or interpretation? Descriptive, but the conservatives come off in a negative way.
“Processing” versus “Fixed” might be less confrontational. Processing with the emphasis on the first syllable indicates that details are in a state of being worked out, and processing with the emphasis on the second syllable means going forward with the cross before us toward Christ. Fixed can mean either “immovable, staying in one place, firm” or “repaired, as in that which was broken is now fixed.” However, it can also mean “neutered, emasculated, unable to reproduce.”
Bother.
[tags]Episcopal, Anglican, schism, gay clergy, House of Bishops, bother[/tags]
MadPriest’s on the New Orleans Statement:
We have come together because of love. Those who seek our oppression have come together because of hatred. Love will conquer all.
If the whole “Anglican angst” saga starts to sound like schism is practically a done deal, it’s because a lot of the press coverage tends to focus on the conflict, and quite often (and annoyingly so) the first and juiciest quote in a story is often by a big-fish conservative, such as in the Chicago Trib’s story about the boundary-crossing visit by Archbishop Akinola of Nigeria to the Chicago suburb of Wheaton next Sunday.
Remember: the conservatives most loudly voicing the “Episcopal Church left us, we’re not leaving it” meme are a small minority. The clergy leading the most visible departures are a tiny minority of the total number of clergy in The Episcopal Church. Messy breakups are much newsier than successful ministries serving the poor for years or ongoing steady growth or making a joyful noise.
I noticed yesterday that the Bishop of Mississippi used a construction in a letter to his diocese that’s been bothering me for a while: conservatives have been co-opting the words “safety” and “dignity,” words which are currently used to describe what gay Episcopalians and seekers are looking for in a church.
You can expect me to push this church to make real its commitment to diversity. That would mean that we shall be a church of invitation and open to all people. It will also mean that this church must give dignity and safety to those who, through reason of conscience and conviction, cannot accept certain theological and ethical presuppositions of the majority of the church. I believe that is what I am called to do in faithfulness to my vows as your bishop.
I can’t imagine why someone who doesn’t want to worship in the same space with gay people, or be part of a parish led by gay clergy, would describe their situation as being “unsafe.” Do they actually think gay parishioners or clergy pose a threat to them or their family? Do they really think that there is no dignity in worshipping with gay people, or that letting them out of the closet into public roles is undignified in church?
In reality, gay people have much to fear when they take the courageous leap of faith and try a new church. In this country, they might suffer a polite form of silent shunning, or they might feel that something said or done in all innocence during a service or in conversation afterwards might do them a kind of spritual violence.
In Nigeria, home country of Archbishop Akinola, they would likely be taken outside, beaten in the street, and then arrested for violating the peace. This happened to Davis Mac-Iyalla, of Changing Attitude Nigeria, an Anglican gay advocacy group. He has issued a statement in support of Saturday’s protest of Akinola’s visit to the African-led former Episcopalian congregations in Wheaton.
My old vicar used to talk about fearing for his personal and spiritual safety sometimes… and also he would use the word “dignity” in the sense of retaining his personhood or spiritual autonomy as an “out” gay priest in the church, and as an “out” gay man in the world. It took a lot of strength and integrity for him and his partner to “not fade away” and blend in when in new social and spiritual circles. Even after knowing him for a few months, some parishioners occasionally made mis-steps and failed to fully make him and his partner welcome. Being on the Bishop’s Committee during his tenure sensitized me even more to the issue of offering the fullest and most comprehensive welcome. So it troubles me to see words like “safety” and “dignity” used in a way that seems to co-opt their previous usage by gay Episcopalians and Catholics.
It was a relief today to read this article, which lays things out in a more factual and less hysterical way than most news outfits bother with:
The Associated Press: Episcopal Bishops in Key Meeting on Gays
The 2.2 million-member Episcopal Church comprises only a tiny part of the world’s 77 million Anglicans. But the wealthy U.S. denomination covers about one-third of the communion’s budget.Within the Episcopal Church, most parishioners either accept gay relationships or don’t want to split up over homosexuality.
However, a small minority of Episcopal traditionalists are fed up with church leaders.
Three dioceses — San Joaquin, Pittsburgh and Quincy, Ill. — are taking steps to break away and align directly with like-minded Anglican provinces overseas.
According to the national church, 55 of its more than 7,000 parishes have either already left or voted to leave the denomination, with 11 others losing a significant number of members and clergy. Episcopal conservatives contend the losses are much higher.
From the ongoing discussion at Father Jake’s regarding the protest of border-crossing Bishop Akinola in Wheaton: a commenter has posted a press release from Changing Attitudes Nigeria director Davis Mac-Iyalla, the gay Anglican activist from Nigeria who is now living in exile in Togo. He regrets that he probably won’t be able to arrange a visa and funds for travel in time to walk the picket line.
Father Jake Stops the World: Protest Against Abp. Akinola on September 23
Changing Attitude Nigeria fully supports the plans of peaceful demonstration against our homophobic Archbishop Peter Akinola.
Archbishop Peter Akinola keeps refusing to start a listening process in Nigeria or to create a safe place for lesbian and gay people to tell our story.
The Archbishop and the Church of Nigeria is strongly supporting and advocating for a bill that will make Changing Attitude Nigeria illegal and any priest or bishop who listens to our story will be jailed for 5 yeas including we LGBT Nigerians.
The recent comments from Bishop Orama of Uyo are abusive and make life for LGBT people in Nigeria very dangerous. We condemn the Archbishops for their silence in not responding and not calling on Bishop Orama to apologise.
Archbishop Akinola has abandoned his pastoral duty to the Church of Nigeria and has joined forces with some American conservatives to cross boundaries and cause problems for the Episcopal Church just because they stand for what they believe: that all Gods children should be included and not be discriminated against.
We call on all true believers in truth and equality to join in this protest.
If it were not for the reasons of cost and visa, the Director of Changing attitude Nigeria is very willing to be there in person to give support to our American brothers and sisters.
We thank all those who have volunteered to play a part in stopping the world’s most homophobic Archbishop trying to take control of the Anglican Communion and the Episcopal Church.
In solidarity
Davis Mac-Iyalla
Director, Changing Attitude Nigeria
[tags]Episcopal, Anglican, schism, gay clergy, homophobia[/tags]
The article talks about Bishop Persell’s commitment to trying to find a middle ground that will [enable? help?]the Church to comprehend different understandings of how to be Christian in the world
I missed this article from June; I just noticed it because I was checking background on a more timely news story detailed below. +William Persell is my bishop and I know how hard he’s worked to try to keep lines of communication open. I’ll do my best to remember it in the coming weeks, as clearly he would wish us all to do. The article mentions Fr. Martin Johnson, who now leads an Anglican Mission in America congregation in Wheaton, one of 5 that will gather to hear Bishop Peter Akinola speak in a few weeks. In the meantime, Fr. Martin’s group has been asked to rescind an invitation to speak they had made to Paul Rusesabagina, of Hotel Rwanda fame. Fr. Martin’s Rwandan bishop, Emmanuel Kolini, ordered that this event be cancelled:
Rusesabagina has been at odds with the president of Rwanda. The archbishop feared that the event could create a strain in the relationship between the Anglican Church of Rwanda and the government.
…
[A]fter President Kagame found out Rusesabagina was supposed to speak to speak at a church overseen by archbishop of Rwanda, he contacted Kolini, who then told the church to cancel the event, Johnson said.“The bigger reality for us is having to accept the whole concept of obedience, and that is a harder cultural pill to swallow than I realized,” he said. “I’m forced to encounter my own resistance and bias.”
Johnson, who was previously a priest in the Episcopal Church, has been under the Rwandan authority since 2004.
What a desperately sad position to be in. If Fr. Martin hadn’t come to the parting of the ways over homosexuality in the church, he’d still be under the authority of his friend, Bishop Persell, who would enthusiastically support the speaking event with Paul Rusesabagina. But now he may be facing his old friend, literally or figuratively from across a divide, when +Akinola comes to preach in Wheaton. A protest group will attend Mass downtown at the cathedral, and then head out to Wheaton to walk a picket line that day. I don’t know if Bishop Persell will be part of it – probably not, given his schedule and health issues.
Note: I took the photo of Bishop William Persell on the occasion of his visit to Holy Innocents in Hoffman Estates, a year or so before the building was closed. I was struck by the way his episcopal ring glowed as he gestured (gently, so as not to slop coffee everywhere).
[tags]Episcopal, Anglican, schism, liberal, conservative, gay clergy, Rwanda, Paul Rusesabagina[/tags]
Things are about to get interesting in the Diocese of Chicago, in the “ancient Chinese curse” sense, so I went in search of a spiritual or musical unicorn chaser to get me in a better frame of mind.
After yesterday’s horrifying screed from a Nigerian bishop named Orama put me off reading the Internets tubes for a day, a friend emailed me to say that the Archbishop of All Nigeria will be speaking in the Chicago suburbs later in September, in support of some congregations that broke away to affiliate with the Anglican Church of Rwanda (bah, no linky-love for you). Yes, Akinola is coming here, but I’ll be off in the blue somewhere.
Meanwhile, it’s not known if Bishop Akinola’s visit was planned before or after Chicago’s nominees for bishop were announced. I tend to suspect the former, but of course he’s on a timetable and needs to get to as many large media markets as possible in the U.S. before September 30. That’s the “deadline” for the response from the U.S. House of Bishops to the ultimatum Akinola helped usher through the Primates’ Meeting.
There is no word yet as far as I know whether Bp. Akinola has distanced himself from Orama’s intemperate statements. Here’s part of what Bishop Orama said, which other conservative Anglicans have had the grace to repudiate:
“Homosexuality and lesbianism are inhuman. Those who practice them are insane, satanic and are not fit to live because they are rebels to God’s purpose for man…”
It would seem that Bishop Orama needs a little editing help; perhaps his superior can recommend a good proofreader.
Lame witticisms aside, people could die because of what this man has said. People made in the image of God – Susan Russell‘s not the only one to raise that point, it’s my instinctive response, too. I read those words, and I think of the loneliness of barbed wire fences across the high plains, and the lights of Laramie in the distance. Akinola has said similar things, in a somewhat more polished or “ready for prime time” way designed to get the most attention. His subordinate sounds like he’s trying to impress the boss, by piling on everybody’s favorite scapegoat of the decade.
UPDATE:
There’s a pretty good chance that Bishop Orama’s remarks WERE distorted by the Nigerian reporter, probably for purposes of gingering the story up to the usual standards of that country’s press, which is pretty much of the the FOX News “screaming headlines and unapologetic propaganda” school of journalistic endeavor.
Last night before I went to bed, it occured to me that in a decade or three, nobody will really bother about homosexuality or gay clergy, because
Yes, I really do keep my mind busy while waiting to fall asleep by thinking about such things. So this evening I needed to get my Anglican groove on and find something beautiful and spiritual and unicorney to enjoy before bedtime.
I must be the last progressive High Church Anglophiliac to find out that the Beeb broadcasts live choral evensong services on Sunday evenings. They keep the recording online for the week, so you can catch it anytime. Don’t know if it’s also a podcast, I just found it, clicked, and was transported. As a humble choir member (Alto, with enough range to cover soprano or high tenor), I recognize the sheer hard work that must have gone into preparing this program. The music was technically very difficult – mostly quite modern, but with plenty of lovely shimmering harmonies and exciting tone clusters like bursts of chrysanthemums, or musical fireworks. Also, the more traditional hymns and Anglican chant were beautifully done. This particular service originated in Scotland, and the readings sounded warm and pleasant in the local accent. The Royal School of Church Music Millennium Choir did an outstanding job.
The pieces I’d like to track down for my iTunes are in bold. For some reason, links to the Beeb site totally screw up WordPress, preventing text below them from appearing. I’m going to have to leave the URL unlinked.
BBC Radio 3 Dunblane Cathedral
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/choralevensong/pip/dy6a0/
Sunday 2 September 2007 16:00-17:00 Radio 3
Live from Dunblane Cathedral with the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir.
Duration:1 hour
Playlist:Introit: A Celtic Prayer Matthew Beetschen
Hymn: Jesus calls us Lewis Folk Melody
Psalms: 141, 119 vv81-96 Ogden, Pye
First Reading: Isaiah 33 vv13-22
New Testament Canticle:A Song of Christs Glory Bill Ives
Second Reading: John 3 vv22-36
Magnificat: Trinity Service Philip Wilby
Responsory:A Song of Faith John Harper
The Choristers PrayerJohn Harper
Anthem:Lo God is here Philip Moore
Hymn: I heard the voice of Jesus say The Rowan Tree
Organ Voluntary: Offrande et Alleluia final Livre du Saint-Sacrement MessiaenDirector of Music: David Ogden
Organists: Matthew Beetschen and Daniel Moult