Over at The Lead Mr. Naughton writes about how Bishop Chris Epting would like to know our thoughts on the issue of the Anglican Covenant, better known in my circles as the "poison pill". This is of course, an offshoot of what the Presiding Bishop and the Executive Council would like for all of us to discuss in our next conventions and leading up to the General Convention of 2012.
My question back to them is, "Why are we taking this so seriously? What makes anyone think that those enemies of the Episcopal Church would for one second allow the Episcopal Church (or the greater Anglican Communion, room to breathe should we all, all of a sudden, decide that the Anglican Covenant is the greatest thing since, oh, say, popcorn?!
Does anyone, for just one holy second, believe that Mr. Duncan and Mr. Schofield and Mr. Iker (along with Mr. Orombi, Mr. Akinola and Mr. Venables) would sudeenly give in and say, "O look, the Episcopal Church has agreed to the Anglican Covenant, we all need to forgive and forget." If anyone on this side of the Atlantic believes that then I want some of what they have either been smoking or drinking 'cause livin' in California gots nothin' on what you got!
Who says that the ACNA, CANA, CAPA, AiMA and all the other alphabet soup even cares whether we approve the Anglican Covenant? And do you think for even a nano-second that the ACI and the Communion Partners and the primates will not immediately exercise Section 4 of the Covenant to remove the Episcopal Church from the Anglican Communion?
So, let's give them something to really worry about -- how about we not only say no! but Heck No! (this is church). And, we develop some alternatives of our own and simply say that if you all want to play the game then this is how it is done! What those alternatives are could be developed right now, in our meetings and brought to General Convention in 2012.
To Bishop Epting, to all the bishops of the Episcopal Church, I ask, why are you even worried about this Covenant thingy? Why are you folks not spending your time voluntarily disbanding the House of Bishops and reconstituting the House of Deputies to include all orders including the bishops. Why are you not spending your time redeveloping your job descriptions to exclude all the political stuff and growing your pastoral duties? Why are you bishops not out at every other bishop/presiding bishop/province talking about rejecting those who would think they can ignore our inhibitions and defrockings? Why are we not standing on the Archbishop of Canterbury's toes asking him to reject those who would serve a poison pill to the Episcopal Church of the United States of America? What are you waiting for? The Chapman memo and the GAFCON Jerusalem Statement have clearly laid out the plans of those who would oversee the demise of our beloved church!
3 comments:
Bishop Chris Epting posted ¨his thought¨ when this somewhat ¨final¨ version of the ¨Anglican Covenant¨ was presented (you can go back to Episcopal News Service and check it out)...Bishop Epting made it clear this ¨version¨ was something he could live with (nobody else who commented agreed and he dropped the debate)...again, again I say ¨no way¨ to +Epting..no means no and I choose not to live in spiritual denial or wishful thinking regarding part FOUR...real lives are at stake, the real lives of LGBT Anglicans worldwide and there is no way there ought be open-ended visions of pretend when signing a document that PUNISHES REAL ANGLICANS at The Body of Christ.
Fred: We are worried about this "covenant thing" because some of our sisters and brothers to whom we are bound by water and the Holy Spirit have asked us to join them in it. Others of our sisters and brothers to whom we are similarly bound (and some of whom are gay and lesbian folks and their sympathizers) want us to do no such thing for understandable reasons. As bishops we are to "guard the faith and unity of the church" as well as "defend those who have no helper." That's why we are "worred about this covenant thing."
Bishop Epting,
It appears you may be part of the overall conspiracy to sell the Episcopal Church of the United States out to the lowest bidder, but alas, you do not yet seem to get it. It does not make any difference whether we approve or disapprove -- those in the Primates Council and those in cahoots with them inside our borders (apparently you may be one of them based on my reading of your material) do not care -- in fact are prepared to take the next step to remove us from the Anglican Communion no matter what we do.
My question to you is, what are you doing to stop the grinding movement of our dioceses to the global south? What primates have you talked with that have agreed to not give shelter to those who have been inhibited? What provinces have you travelled to to make the case that we are worthy of a continuing alliance for the purpose of full inclusionof ALL peoples? What steps have you taken to voluntarily reduce the bishops political power in favor of more pastoral care? Pray tell, Bishop Epting -- what are you doing that will make a real difference to the Episcopal Church in two years?
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