'BISHOP YELLOW BELLY FIGHTS BACK'

Passage of the Anglican Communion Covenant was supposed to be an easy task in England. But then people started reading, marking, learning and inwardly digesting the document and found it gave them stomach cramps. And this has made Bishop Yellow Belly "very, very angry."

H/T to SCG at Wake up and Live.

FULL MOON

Cloud-streaked moon in full
Werewolf howling noisily
Beneath glowing orb

Sorry. My picture does not show the clouds.

I AM ADDICTED TO THE PAC

All right, I admit it: I am addicted to efforts to bring down the proposed Anglican Covenant (PAC) to a crushing defeat. I find the events in the Church of England quite exciting. Who would ever have thought there was a chance of defeating the covenant in the Archbishop of Canterbury's own church? I attribute no small part of the success in diocesan synods of the Church of England voting 'no' to the efforts of NACC, of which I am a part, though I make only the smallest of contributions. Please, even if you could not care less about the Anglican Covenant, bear with me through my craziness until I wear out or until we can say, 'Mission accomplished!'

You may be curious as to why I am intensely interested and involved in the PAC. What I foresee coming out of GC of the Episcopal Church in July is some type of resolution for 'further study' of the document, so why worry? (Not that we should take anyhing for granted!) A good many of our sisters and brothers in other churches in the communion do not favor adoption of the covenant. Especially now in England with diocesan synods voting, my intention with my numerous posts is to help my English friends and others around the communion as much as possible to achieve their goal. My poor efforts may not help at all, but I have to try to put out information to assist anyone involved in voting to make informed decisions about whether to vote for or against the PAC.

The heavy hitters amongst the proponents of the Anglican Covenant are fighting for the life of the covenant in the Church of England. The vote now stands at 13 diocesan synods voting against the covenant and 9 voting in favor. This coming Saturday, six diocesan synods will vote.

Ripon and Leeds

Bath and Wells

Southwark

Carlisle

Coventry

Worcester

The members of synods have a choice on how to vote, or there would be no vote, but only theoretically according to the Anglican Communion Office, which wants the members to believe that there's only one right way to vote: in favor of adopting the PAC. Thus the ACO provides only pro-PAC material

Below is a round-up of links to posts around and about the internet giving reasons why the covenant should be defeated.

Ann Fontaine at What the Tide Brings In responds to Gregory Cameron's defense of the covenant at Fulcrum.

Benny Hazlehurst at Benny's Blog:

For example, I live in an area of Salisbury diocese where our local Bishop, Graham Kings, is vociferously in favour of the Covenant. He has devoted much time and effort in writing, speaking and arguing for it - yet in this same diocese our new Diocesan Bishop voted against the Covenant in Diocesan Synod, as did Graham Kings predecessor, Bishop Tim Thornton in his diocese of Truro.

Laura at Lay Anglicana:

But I have another suggestion. The most exciting spectator sport on offer this Saturday, 10 March 2012, is the Pro Anglican Covenant v Anti Anglican Covenant encounter being played out in another six diocesan synods across the land. These are exceptional times we live in – it has been said (rather rudely) that a deanery synod is a collection of people waiting to go home, and I have not heard that diocesan synods are any more gripping. But, if you have any imagination at all, this contest should have you on the edge of your seats with excitement.

Tobias Haller at In a Godward Direction:

Kovenunty

with apologies to Lewis Carroll. I mean, serious apologies...

'Twas britigg, and the slithy coves
Did gyre and wimple in the nave;
All mimsy were the piscophobes
As the Pre-Lates misbehave.

You know you want to read the rest.

The No Anglican Covenant Coalition website provides a wealth of material advocating for rejection of the PAC, but, for the sake of balance, provides quotes and links for material in favor of the PAC. which is more than I can say for the ACO.

My suggestions to any involved in the process are:

Read the text of the PAC.

Read both pro and con arguments.

Make up your own mind as to whether the covenant is the solution to the disagreements in the Anglican Communion.

Vote accordingly.

ASBO JESUS - SUPER CHURCH

Click on the cartoon for the larger view.

From jonbirch at ASBO Jesus.

FURTHER ON THE ANGLICAN COVENANT...PROF. DIARMAID MACCULLOUGH

There are other ways forward, and I urge you if you have anything to do with this process, make sure that this Covenant is voted down.

Diarmaid MacCulloch is Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford and Fellow of St Cross College, Oxford. He was knighted for his service to scholarship in January 2012.

"I was ordained Deacon [in the Church of England]. But, being a gay man, it was just impossible to proceed further, within the conditions of the Anglican set-up, because I was determined that I would make no bones about who I was; I was brought up to be truthful, and truth has always mattered to me. The Church couldn't cope and so we parted company. It was a miserable experience."

From Wikipedia.

MacCulloch's two latest books are Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years and The Reformation, both of which I've read. They are excellent, and I recommend the two publications highly.

STORY OF THE DAY - CLOSE TO THE GROUND

I still fly a lot in my dreams, she told us,
but I try to stay close to the ground. At
my age, a fall can be pretty serious.

From StoryPeople.

HIDING FROM WIFE

Well, the sign made me laugh, but don't blame me. Blame Doug.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELANGELO!

I've a soft spot in my heart for depictions of the Madonna and Child, and the Madonna of Bruges is one of the loveliest.

Thanks to Doug (Counterlight) on Facebook for the reminder of the birthday. Michelangelo is an old man of 537 years.

Image from Wikipedia.

LOUIE CREW RESPONDS TO ARCHBISHOP ROWAN

Louie Crew, founder of Integrity, makes great good sense with a few, clear, well-chosen words as he cautions against probable punitive consequences of adopting the Anglican Covenant. Geaux, Louie!

PADRE MICKEY HAS A CHURCH!

I'm happy to announce that I have accepted the call to be Priest-in-Charge of All Saints Episcopal Church and Vicar of Misión Cristo Rey in Watsonville, California....

No more lazing around for you, Padre. It's time to get back to work.

Seriously, I am delighted at the news. Now go on over to Padre Mickey's blog and congratulate him and the Lovely Mona and tell them how thrilled you are for them. The folks at All Saints Episcopal Church and Misión Cristo Rey are blessed to have Mickey as their priest-in-charge and vicar, as Mickey and Mona will be blessed by sharing their lives with the congregations of the churches. May God bless them and their congregations as they begin their new lives together.