Twenty-First Century Excommunication

It's been a long time since I blogged, but I think this merits it.

Twenty-First Century Excommunication
You're not Anglican, says the Episcopal Church to congregations that split over its liberal doctrinal and political stances.

By MOLLIE ZIEGLER HEMINGWAY

When the Church of the Good Shepherd in Binghamton, N.Y., left the Episcopal Church over disagreements about what the Bible says about sexuality, the congregation offered to pay for the building in which it worshiped. In return the Episcopal Church sued to seize the building, then sold it for a fraction of the price to someone who turned it into a mosque.

The congregation is one of hundreds that split or altogether left the Episcopal Church—a member of the Anglican Communion found mostly in the United States—after a decades-long dispute over adherence to scripture erupted with the consecration of a partnered gay bishop in 2003. But negotiating who gets church buildings hasn't been easy. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said she'd rather have these properties become Baptist churches or even saloons than continue as sanctuaries for fellow Anglicans.

The Episcopalian congregations that want to break away are part of a larger movement of Anglicans world-wide who are concerned by the liberalism of the official New York-based Episcopal Church on sexuality and certain basic tenets such as Jesus' resurrection. Of the 38 provinces in the global Anglican Communion, 22 have declared themselves in "broken" or "impaired" fellowship with the more liberal American church.

In 2009, breakaway Episcopalians in the U.S. and Canada formed the Anglican Church in North America, which now reports 100,000 members in nearly 1,000 congregations. This group has been formally recognized by some Anglican primates outside of the United States.

Bishop Jefferts Schori says this new Anglican group is encroaching on her church's jurisdiction, and she has authorized dozens of lawsuits "to protect the assets of the Episcopal Church for the mission of the Episcopal Church." The Episcopal Church has dedicated $22 million to legal actions against departing clergy, congregations and dioceses, according to Allan Haley, a canon lawyer who has represented a diocese in one such case.

Now the Episcopal Church has upped the ante: It has declared that if congregations break away and buy their sanctuaries, they must disaffiliate from any group that professes to be Anglican.

Rather than agree to this demand to disaffiliate from Anglicanism, Pittsburgh's All Saints Episcopal Anglican Church last month walked away from the building it had inhabited since 1928. The congregation called the Episcopal Church's demand "mean-spirited" and an attempt to deny "the freedom of religious affiliation."

Some other Episcopalians have opted to disaffiliate rather than lose their buildings or spend years in expensive litigation. Two breakaway congregations in Pennsylvania and two in Virginia have promised they will not affiliate with other Anglicans for five years.

For Anglicans, affiliation with a bishop is essential to their identity and to being part of a church. A disaffiliation clause means that bishops can't make their annual congregational visits to perform baptisms, confirmations and other rites integral to the life of the church, and they can't encourage or discipline priests. The congregation meanwhile can't work with local and national church bodies on disaster relief, youth retreats or educational seminars. Clergy members' insurance and pensions are uncertain. And congregations can't advertise that they are Anglican or contribute the traditional 10% tithe to the local branch of their denomination.

"It's unconscionable for a Christian to impose such a condition on a fellow Christian, telling them who they can and can't worship with and who they can and can't affiliate with. That violates every Christian precept I know of," said Mr. Haley, citing St. Paul's admonition against Christians suing each other in secular courts.

"We can't sell to an organization that wants to put us out of business," said Bishop Jefferts Schori, who added that her job is to ensure that "no competing branch of the Anglican Communion impose on the mission strategy" of the Episcopal Church. Indeed she has no complaint with Muslims, Baptists or barkeepers buying Episcopal properties—only fellow Anglicans.

I'll start my own club & you can't join!

This is hysterical.

Someone styling himself "President of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh":

On Wednesday afternoon, I received a phone call from David Wilson, President of the Standing Committee, informing me that in 15 minutes there would be a conference call with the other seven members and that they intended to remove me from the Standing Committee. Two reasons were given. First, I had not accepted my letter of transfer to the Southern Cone. Actually, I had missed the announcement at convention and the letter was never offered to me. When I returned home that evening I found it in the mail having been sent the previous day. The second reason given was that my parish, St. Michael’s, appeared on this web site as having decided to stay in the Episcopal Church. I was not asked to join the conference call and was offered no due process. I do not recognize the authority that purported to take these actions. Providentially at that moment, I was meeting with key leaders of the Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Episcopal Church. After I reported the phone call to those assembled, and with the advice of the Diocesan Chancellor, I immediately appointed two new members to the Standing Committee, which the canons give me the authority to do. This was done at 2:44 P.M. I am pleased to announce that Ms. Mary Roehrich and The Rev. Jeff Murph, who were in attendance at the meeting, immediately accepted those appointments.

So let me get this straight. The Rev.Dr. James B. Simons is kicked off the Standing Committee and he decides that he and he alone is the one true, real, legitimate and only member of the Standing Committee, so he appoints himself president and appoints new members to his "Committee". The two members just happened to be "in attendance" at his clubhouse meeting. I wonder if they met in a treehouse and had a special handshake? This is just beyond satire.

How many Episcopalians does it take to change a light bulb?

Chris Johnson at Midwest Conservative Journal has posted the PB's Hobart Lecture. So, to honor this faithful shepherd, Schori tells us to change our light bulbs.

So what does a reflection on tending the pasture say to us pastors and shepherds? We could be quite literal at first and ponder how much effort we’re putting into our role as gardeners. If we don’t steward this planetary pasture more wisely, our role as pastors will soon be vastly more difficult and, before much longer, moot. What is your congregation doing in the green department?

Most of us begin with the relatively easy, local initiatives like changing the light bulbs to compact fluorescents, or examining our use of disposable items, and then move on to upgrading building insulation and heating and cooling systems.

Sigh.

Liar, Lunatic or Lack-wit? You decide.

From Stand Firm: ( follow this link.)

TEC has been living in gracious restraint for some time. I don’t see any church wide push to end that in the coming months. General Convention is the only body that can decide to do anything significant related to that. Individual bishops always make their own decision about what is best for their own diocese. All of us are urged to live in gracious restraint.

"Gracious restraint" - How in Heaven and Earth does this describe anything TEC has done in recent years?

I can not decide. My vote keeps cycling between liar, lunatic and lack-wit. Anybody out there have a way to decide this?

Just a normal weekday Eucharist at All Saints, Pasadena

Pasadena wedding marks new day, continues tradition
"It's just a normal weekday Eucharist at All Saints," said the Rev. Ed Bacon, All Saints rector, amid laughter at White and Nixon's June 18 ceremony. Assembled in a small chapel were about 25 guests—half of them regular worshippers who discovered upon their arrival they were wedding guests. Others had received hurriedly telephoned invitations. Bacon called upon them all to view the wedding couple as "walking witnesses of justice" and as "love made tangible."

"They were married long before this moment," Bacon told the gathering. "The vows they will offer are not the first time those vows have been expressed between them," he said referring to a previous blessing of the couple's union. "As Gary has told me, they have been living these vows for 27 years."

Bacon praised the California Supreme Court's "stand for justice for all, holding that marriage is 'a basic civil right of personal autonomy and liberty' to which all persons are entitled without regard to their sexual orientation.

Within a week of the May 15 landmark decision, the vestry of the Pasadena church known for its social activism voted to adopt a resolution to "treat with equality all couples presenting themselves for the rite of marriage," said Bacon. "This is in keeping with a now 16-year practice of All Saints recognizing that when members of our faith community find the love of their lives and commit to live in a life-long loving relationship that we would bless these covenants regardless of sexual orientation."

16 YEARS! In 16 years, Jon Bruno or Fred Borsch never noticed? Right. They not only did not want to challenge one of the richest parishes in the Diocese, they were just fine with the agendas of George Regas, Ed Bacon and Susan Russell.

They claimed no official permission was given, therefore these actions did not occur. Oh, just a "pastoral response", but nothing controversial.The hypocrisy and nudge, nudge, wink, wink attitude is sickening.

Embarrassed by TEC #3 - June Brides

Yes, he really wore these shoes. Thanks to Stand Firm for the pictures.

Gene Robinson. What more needs to be said?

Embarrassed by TEC # 2- Ugly Vestments

Whatever happened to the stereotype of Episcopalians being the ultimate in tasteful, understated chic? Katharine Schori wears oven mitts on her head & rainbow vestments.

Why I am embarrassed to be an Episcopalian #1

There's a little book called "101 Reasons to be an Episcopalian" put together by Louie Crew. I think it's time for an new volume. This one should be titled "Reasons I am embarrassed by the Episcopal Church"

Here's a good entry for #1. Not that it's the worst by any means. It just happens that this lame & inane ad campaign is starting today.

"Put your faith to work"
is all well and good as an ad campaign for the Red Cross or some social service agency, but there is NO reference to Jesus Christ AT ALL. In fact there is no reference to GOD. This ad would serve just as well for Muslims, Jews, Wiccans, Buddhists, Thor-worshippers, anyone.

I don't see this inspiring a lot of people to get out of bed early Sunday morning and go worship. I don't even see this as inspiring many people to go slice carrots at a soup kitchen.