Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in General Convention and two General Synods for the renewal and mission of your Churches. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (The Book of Common Prayer)
Note: I added the Church of England General Synod to our prayers.
Our bishop, boldly nailing his colors to the fence.
ReplyDeleteIn two pre-convention meetings, Waldo said his position was bolstered by comments from two homosexual men “who did not want to approve this unless the theological rationale was rigorous and robust enough to acknowledge who they were from the depths of the Christian tradition,” Waldo said.
ReplyDeleteAnd some of my best friends are gay.
The theology is not done? How long, O Lord?
You know we can't rush these things, Mimi! Just like women bishops in CoE. BTW, did you see the article about the new Dean of York at TA?
ReplyDeletesusan s., I did read about the new Dean of York. The cynic in me says, "Is this a sop because women still won't be real bishops?"
ReplyDeleteIn Alabama we have a new Bishop. He is a lovely man and greatly loved, but I read today that he wrote there would be no blessings of gay unions in our diocese. How long, oh Lord, indeed.
ReplyDeleteI think back on our history in this diocese and to Martin Luther King's "Letter from the Birmingham
Jail." One of the clergy persons addressed in that letter was Bishop Carpenter who was a lovely man and greatly loved who wanted Dr. King and his people to wait yet again.
It amazes me that we have to relearn our lessons one at a time. Nothing generlizes from one situation to the next.
Ro Ford
(Boo Cat)
Justice delayed is justice denied - in the courts AND in the church.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDennis, I've wondered if just donning the purple church changes certain people. I hope the good guy you know is still there under the purple shirt.
ReplyDeleteIn a 16th March piece in the Guardian, shortly after the announcement of Rowan Williams' forthcoming retirement, Giles Fraser wrote of the archbishop that he "cared little for ecclesiastical flummery. He once teased me that I had gone native with the dressing up culture of St Paul's. "Red buttons, Giles. It always starts with red buttons"."
ReplyDeleteI wonder why Dennis deleted his comment.
ReplyDeleteRowan never wore the purple shirt. Maybe it's the mitre.
In 2003 some went prepared to say "nay." But, in the end, miracle of miracles, they said "yea." God grant them courage to say "yea" now. Affirmation for the church carrying out God's mission on earth. Wouldn't that just be blissful unity!
ReplyDelete"“I support the full inclusion of gay and lesbian persons in the life of the church but as bishop, I’m everybody’s bishop, and that I’m in no hurry.”"
ReplyDeleteWell sure, Bp Waldo. You're everybody's bishop. Every PERSON'S bishop. But you can't simultaneously include POSITIONS of LGBT inclusion, and (heterosexist) LGBT exclusion. You have to choose. *CHOOSE* LGBT inclusion, knowing you'll make those persons w/ LGBT exclusionist positions p*ssed off. Then do your duty as an apostle, and TEACH those w/ the exclusionist position, to let go of it. [This is "How to Be a Bishop 101"!]
Yes, JCF, the bishop still faces a dilemma. As I see it, he can't have it both ways.
ReplyDeleteThe World Mission legislative committee led by Bishops Ian Douglas and Ed Little and Deputies Mark Harris and Josephine Hicks has brought forth a resolution on the proposed Anglican Covenant that essentially kicks it down the road to 2015.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised and disappointed with the resolution from the World Mission Committee. TEC will gain nothing by a wishy-washy response. With Ron, "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no." I so hope that, in the end, our church will have the courage to take a polite but firm stand with our sister churches, SEC, ACANZP, and the Church in the Philippines against adoption of the Anglican Covenant. To delay the decision on the odious document will accomplish no good thing and will rather make our church appear weak.