Fr. Jake has an excellent post on the Archbishop of Canterbury's Advent letter to the primates of the Anglican Communion, which includes copious quotes and commentary. I'll leave it to others to parse the epistle and confine myself to brief comments.
It seems plain to me that the Archbishop still does not understand the polity of the Episcopal Church. It's not only bishops who make the rules. Lay persons and clergy really do have a place in the governance of the Episcopal Church.
The title of Robert Graves' first novel, "My Head! My Head!", succinctly states my reaction to trying to plough through Williams' Advent letter - and that's in Fr. Jake's CliffsNotes version.
ReplyDeleteLapin, here's what I said at Fr. Jake's:
ReplyDeleteJake, this post is quite helpful. I find when I try to read the letter at one stretch, my eyes glaze over, and my brain shuts down. Taken in pieces, with the commentary, as you have done, works for me. I still plan to read the whole thing, perhaps in fits and starts.
Grandmère Mimi | Homepage | 12.14.07 - 4:35 pm
I've resd it twice, Mimi, and ,I'm sorry to say, it makes me weak. The real bottom line is that Mr.++ Rowan is unable to defend the intrinsic worth of our gay brothers and sisters. It is very simple: we honor the ministry of ALL the baptised faithful, or we don't. Damn the rest of them.
ReplyDeleteI love historic cathedrals and glorious Anglican church music way more than most, but Jesus calls us to a higher task. If TEC is cut loose to serve Jesus, so be it.
Perhaps G-d is bringing a new thing.
John D, I have no doubt that God is doing a new thing. If we remain rooted in the Gospel, loving the Lord and loving our neighbors - all our neighbors - and model our behavior on that of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who welcomed all who came to him and excluded no one, we will be fine. I know that.
ReplyDeleteGrandmère, "It seems plain to me that the Archbishop still does not understand the polity of the Episcopal Church." I also seems to me that is not the only thing the Archbishop does not understand. In fact, his total lack of understanding in most things is truly astounding, especially considering his obvious intelligence and level of formal education.
ReplyDeleteBoocat, of course, you could be right. He baffles me.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with one part of your comment, beloved Mimi. I believe the ABC does understand our polity. He just doesn't like it. I seem to recall a comment coming out of the New Orleans meeting in which he challenged the bishops to "act like real bishops." In my view, that's even sadder than thinking he still doesn't understand our polity.
ReplyDeleteOCICBW . . .
Lisa, OCYCBR, and if you are it is worse than ignorance. It reminds me of "act like real men". What the hell is wrong with him?
ReplyDeleteDear Grandmère, if I could answer that question, I'd have better credentials than the Oracle at Delphi.
ReplyDelete