Feeling Giddy

I'm feeling a little giddy today. The words of the resolutions and the statement from the House of Bishops are so absolutely perfect that I find it difficult to believe in them. To finally hear clear and unambiguous statements coming from our bishops is such a breath of fresh air that it could blow me away.

Last night, I was close to euphoric. Today I'm back down to earth. The Episcopal Church has been pushed too far, and we finally said, "Enough! Here we take our stand." What the House of Bishops did is good and right, and I'm pleased they did it. The ball is in the other court now. Really. How long did the Primates and Archbishop Rowan think they could push us around?

The bishops seem ready to face the consequences, and all of us must be ready to join with them, because there will be consequences, some of them unpleasant.

Moving on to selfish thoughts, where is my Windsor bishop in all of this? He has said that he wants to be in the Episcopal Church and in the Anglican Communion. What if he must make a choice? I know what my choice would be.

Here's a quote from Bishop Jenkins' address to the Diocesan Convention 2007 in Louisiana:

Mature leadership implies a differentiated response in the face of acute anxiety in a regressed system. I offered my understanding of such to the wider Church in the recent election of a Presiding Bishop, but it was not to be. Even so, I will not be thrown off course in my resolve to remain a constituent member of the Anglican Communion even as I am a participating member of the Episcopal Church. I am not compromised as a Christian by either the Anglican Communion or the Episcopal Church. I am disappointed at times by both, at other times I find joy and life in both, and sometimes I am angered by both realities. I know that I am at times a disappointment to the leadership of the Church and the Communion and more often than not I am enigma to both. Even so, our response to one another is characterized by generosity and respect.

From the Committee on The Response to the Bishop’s Address
Diocesan Convention 2007:

We stand with our bishop in his resolve ‘to remain a constituent member of the Anglican Communion’ even as we remain participating members of the Episcopal Church. We ask the Diocese of Louisiana to persevere through the discomfort of these unhappy divisions, to extend forgiveness quickly, and to practice a particular generosity towards those with whom we disagree. And we ask Bishop Jenkins to continue to offer his gifts to the larger communion and to take an active role in the process towards an Anglican Covenant. We voice our support of Bishop Jenkins as he represents us to the larger church during these trying times. [Bolding by the Committee]

May the wisdom of the Spirit continue to abide with the bishops of the Episcopal Church and with all bishops within the Anglican Communion.