Saturday, November 7th 8am registration; 8:30am - 5pm Walkabout
* Episcopal High School, Baton Rouge
* St. Martin's Episcopal School, Metairie
God willing, I'll be in attendance at the meeting at St. Martin's School. I must be ready to leave at 7:00 AM, or I shall be left behind. I don't blame the driver of the car that I'll be riding in one bit. She knows my habit of tardiness, and she is not a morning person, either. She says, "If I can be there on time, you can be there." She's right.
What I'd like from you, my dear readers, is suggestions for questions to ask the candidates, if I get the opportunity to do so. I'm told that there will be a question period.
The names and biographies of the candidates may be viewed at the diocesan website.
Thank you.
I haven't read the bios of the candidates, so I don't have any specific questions, but here are a few general ones for them all - right off the top of my head:
ReplyDelete1. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of The Anglican Covenant?
2. This country is built on the foundation of the separation of church and state, yet clergy in TEC function as both agents of the state and agents of the church. this obviously has implications for our church's response to marriage equality. What are your thoughts?
3. What are your first impressions of the Pope's willingness to change canon law in the Roman Catholic Church to allow 'disaffected Anglicans' to join? Do we have a reciprocal responsibility, in the name of ecumenical relations, to invite 'disaffected Roman Catholics' to join TEC, and, if so, what would you articulate as the theological basis for that invitation?
There are more, but I gotta go. I look forward to reading the questions others bring.
I was a Convention delegate the year that Bishop Gayle Harris was elected Suffragan in my diocese. The question and answer that made the greatest impression on me as a listener was, "What is your experience of suffering?" Bishop Gayle gave a very moving answer describing her arrival in a very poor urban parish. It was wonderful to see another side of this woman who had initially struck me as so confident, elegant, and poised. In the intervening years, I have felt that the combination of determination and empathy that I heard in her response has been demonstrated in many ways.
ReplyDeleteWho are your best LGBT friends?
ReplyDeleteAre they church/temple-goers (of any denomination)? If not, why not (surely they´ve told you)? Do you have LGBT family members? What is your relationship with them?
How would your ministry actions move to be more welcoming to LGBT people into the Diocese of Louisiana? Would you try and ¨change¨ LGBT people? What fellowship and ministry service opportunities are there for LGBT (of which New Orleans/other communities have huge numbers) at the Body of Christ?
For Bishop Smith/North Dakota: Who paid for his recent trip/expenses (all) to Lambeth Palace as part of the group of seven?
Why is Bishop Smiths ministry in North Dakota no longer critical to his ministry (and hasn´t been for a long time as Assisting Bishop of Louisiana)...why is the Diocese of North Dakota is unstable? What were Bishop Smiths major ¨objectives¨ in North Dakota?
DID BISHOP SMITH ATTEND THE GAFCON MEETING IN THE MIDDLE EAST LAST SUMMER? If so, who paid for the trip and all expenses? Is Bishop Smith a Gafcon Bishop? Does he attend to align himself with the ACNA or Bishop Duncan, Iker or Schofield (or attended any non-TEC meetings or ¨get togethers¨ with any of them? Has Bishop Smith had any meetings with PB Greg Venables/Southern Cone in person or on the telephone?
What is your opinion of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009, currently ¨tabled¨ (means actively engaged) by the Ugandan Parliament and endorsed by the Anglican Church of Nigeria?
Excellent, my friends. Keep the questions coming. I'll print them and take them with me, if I don't take my laptop, which I probably won't, because I want to listen closely, and, as I've told you before, I have a one track mind. I can't walk and chew gum.
ReplyDeleteJust how exactly do you understand the words of the baptismal covenant in which we promise to 'seek and serve Christ, loving our neighbor as ourselves,' and also we vow to 'respect the dignity of every human being?' How does that apply to equal access to all the sacraments for all of God's people?
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1 for right now....
Ask them how they can justify being members of a church that continues to engage in the sin of homophobia. Why haven't they all quit in protest?
ReplyDeleteIF you were an animal which animal would you be?
ReplyDeleteThanks Caminante, Lindy, and TheMe. I'll carry all the suggestions with me.
ReplyDeleteTheMe, yours is a "must ask", but I'm wondering if I should also pose the question to the candidates as to which kind of tree they would be.
I predict that I will not be able to ask all the questions that I'd want to ask.