THE COMPLAINT AGAINST THE BISHOPS

This post is a sort of clearinghouse for information from other sources on the complaint against the seven bishops who filed the amicus curiae brief in the court appeal concerning property in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.  A friend sent me the link to George Conger at Anglican Ink.  The quote below is said to be from Bishop Matthews' letter:

“As the Intake Officer for the Church, I am obliged to inform you that a complaint has been received against you for your action in filing of Amicus Curiae Brief in the pending appeal in the Supreme Court of Texas in opposition to The Episcopal Diocese of Texas and The Episcopal Church. In the next few weeks, I will initiate a disciplinary process according to Title IV Canon 6 Sec. 3 & 4 of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church,” Bishop F. Clayton Matthews wrote to the seven bishops.

George Conger did not name his source for the information in the letter.  Note that the quote mentions only "a complaint" and "a disciplinary process", and nothing about "charges".

Thanks to Jim Naughton at The Lead, this morning, I was directed to Bishop Dan Martins' post at his blog Confessions of a Carioca:

I cannot presume to speak for any of the other eight, but I need to be clear that my intention in attaching my name to the amicus brief was in no way to affect the outcome of that case. As the Bishop of Springfield, which is in Illinois, it is no concern of mine how a property dispute in Texas is resolved. If my action has the effect of aiding one side or the other, that is, from my perspective, an immaterial consequence. Rather, I took the action I did with the best interests of the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Springfield, as nearly as I can discern them, at heart. My principal concern was to not leave unchallenged the assertion that the Episcopal Church is a unitary hierarchical organism at all levels, and that the dioceses are entirely creatures of General Convention. I viewed signing the amicus brief as consistent with my vow to uphold the doctrine and discipline of the Episcopal Church. 

I certainly signed on reluctantly and reservedly. As a matter of general principle, I am opposed to litigating church disputes in secular courts. Lots of scripture passages are challenging to interpret, but I don't think I Corinthians 10 is one of them. "Why not rather be defrauded?", St Paul says. Moreover, I realize how my action could be construed as one bishop interfering in the affairs of a fellow bishop's diocese, which is a big No-No. So I had to make a judgment call, and my judgment, after reflection and prayer, was that I had to join the intervention, because to allow such a false read of TEC polity to potentially help form legal precedent constitutes a danger that could bring harm to the church for decades to come, and resisting this outcome trumps my other concerns.

By signing on to the amicus curiae, Bishop Martins in no way meant to affect the property decision in the Diocese of Fort Worth and had only the best of intentions in his challenge to "the assertion that the Episcopal Church is a unitary hierarchical organism at all levels, and that the dioceses are entirely creatures of General Convention".   Did it never occur to the bishop that the brief might, indeed, affect the outcome of the litigation?  That he could appear to be supporting the cause of the breakaways against his own Episcopal Church?

I wonder why Bishop Martins did not take up the challenge to the hierarchical structure of the church within the channels of the church.  I wonder why he thought to promote "the best interests of the Episcopal Church" by a challenge in a court of law.

In a letter to the people of the Diocese of Albany, Bishop William Love quotes the same words from Bishop Matthews as those quoted above in Anglican Ink and says further:

While Bishop Matthews has informed me that he has received a “complaint,” against me and the other six bishops dealing with our participation in the above mentioned Amicus Curiae Brief, at this point, I have not been officially charged with anything and may not be depending on the outcome of the initial investigation of the “complaint.”

At the appropriate time, I will address my participation in the Amicus Curiae Brief with Bishop Matthews (as the Intake Officer) and others involved.

As I learn more about this situation, I will keep you informed. In the mean time I would ask for your prayers as this situation is resolved.

Again, no one is charged with anything.  A complaint is being investigated.

Commentary from the Anglican Communion Institute:

The sequence of events of the last few days leaves little doubt that these two issues of polity and Title IV were coordinated to coincide with the General Convention that begins this week. It is clear that the Title IV process is being used as a means to enforce a uniformity of thinking on polity that was inconceivable a generation ago. Less clear is whether differences of opinion over polity will be used as an excuse to preserve Title IV overreaches from corrective amendment.

I doubt that Bishop Matthews made public the information on the complaint, so, as to timing, I wonder who gave the information to George Conger and whether whoever released the information in the letter may have wanted to make martyrs of the bishops before GC.

Link to the complete text of the Amicus Curiae.

PROOF THAT HUSBANDS DO LISTEN TO THEIR WIVES

This is a story which is perfectly logical to all males:

A wife asks her husband,

"Could you please go shopping for me and buy a carton of milk,

And if they have eggs, get 6."

A short time later the husband comes back with 6 cartons of milk.

The wife asks him, "Why did you buy 6 cartons of milk?"

He replied, "They had eggs."

(I'm sure you're going back to read it again!)

Yes, Frank, I went back to read the story again.

COME AGAIN, GOVERNOR JINDAL

Those of us who do NOT wish to see Mitt Romney elected can only hope that the national news outlets continue to invite Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal as a guest.  Here's Bobby on Meet the Press with David Gregory.

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL:
David, every governor's got two critical decisions to make.  One is do we set up these exchanges.  And, secondly, do we expand Medicaid.  And no, in Louisiana, we're not doing either one of those things.  I don't think it makes sense to do those.  I think it makes more sense to do everything we can to elect Mitt Romney to repeal Obamacare.
....

DAVID GREGORY:
There are a lot of facts and figures there, a lot of charges which are disputed, so I want to try to flow this down and break it down so it's understandable.  Governer [Howard] Dean, on what Governor Jindal is proposing to not do, can you actually explain what the impact of that will be?
....

GOV. HOWARD DEAN:
Let's deal with the exchanges.  First, if you don't put in your own exchange the federal government's going to run one for you.
                                 
DAVID GREGORY:
The exchange is where you would actually go and buy--
                                 
DAVID GREGORY:
--a program.
                                 
GOV. HOWARD DEAN:
To buy health insurance.  So he has a choice.  Bobby has a choice, basically, of having this done for him by the federal government or doing it himself.  So I think that's a no brainer.  But, look, in my state we have had universal healthcare for every kid under 18 for 20 years by an expansion of Medicaid.

In Louisiana, it's 48th in the country in terms of child poverty, 48th in the country in terms of premature death, 48th in the country in terms of industrial accidents and so forth.  Just by expanding Medicaid alone, by accepting the president's Medicaid expansion, 340,000 out of those 860,000 uninsured people get covered.  This is a great deal.

Jindal goes on to say that the unemployment rate in Louisiana is lower than the national average, and the rate is low because of his policies as governor.  Well, I suppose he's entitled to take credit for the low unemployment rate, but it's mainly due to oil and gas company activities.  If Jindal takes credit, he also has to take the blame for the fact that the state is broke, and to maintain the fiction of the mandated balanced budget, he had to cut vital programs in a state that weighs in at the bottom in the good stuff and near the top in all the bad stuff.  Plus, he had to use one-time money to fill the budget gap, money that will not be available next year, so presumably there will be more cuts to vital services.

(VIDEO)
MITT ROMNEY: With regards to the individual mandate, the individual responsibility program that I proposed, I was very pleased that the compromise between the two houses includes the personal responsibility mandate. That is essential for bringing the health care costs down for everyone and getting everyone the health insurance they need.
(END OF VIDEO)

DAVID GREGORY:
This is somebody who says, "Let's repeal a law that has the individual mandate at its core."

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL:
Well, I think Paul Ryan made this point very well Friday.  Mitt Romney's always been against the national mandate.  He's always been against Obamacare.  Always said he wanted to repeal it.  Look, states are different.  Founding Fathers intended each state to be a laboratory of experimentation.
....

I come from one the most distinct cultural states in the entire country.  Mardi Gras is great for Louisiana.  May not work as well in Vermont or other states.  The reality is what works in Massachusetts may not be appropriate to another state.  Mitt Romney--
                                 
DAVID GREGORY:
You're really comparing Mardi Gras to universal health insurance?

Ha, ha, ha.  Yes, David, Jindal is doing just that.  Next thing you know, the Obama socialist team will be trying to run the Mardi Gras festivities.  You know...the slippery slope.

Watch the show, or read the entire transcript at the link above, and remember...

In a brief slip of the tongue while discussing the Supreme Court’s health-care ruling, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal invoked the term “Obomney’’ care, a phrase that does Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney no favors.
....

“There’s only one candidate, Gov. Romney, who has committed that he will repeal the Obomney, uh, the Obamacare tax increase,’’ Mr. Jindal said.

Oops.

REALITY CHECK

How many times have you heard that the costs of Medicare will bankrupt the country? Have a look at the chart below. Why do we need the middle man, the for-profit health insurance companies, to rake in huge profits from people who get sick? Why not Medicare for all?

H/T to Rmj at Adventus for the chart.  His post titled "Am I my brother's keeper?" is well worth reading.

WHAT TO DO?

Diana taking her ease

Diana has a new thing.  She's taken to peeing on the green carpet in the living room and THEN coming to one of us to be let out.  She has the order all wrong.  Girl, come to be let out first, and THEN pee on the green lawn, instead of the green carpet.  For three days now, we've had to clean up after her, and we'll soon have to call in the carpet cleaners.

We have carpet or rugs in all the rooms except the kitchen, breakfast room, and bathrooms, and not all the areas can be closed off, except with swinging doors in the kitchen, which she can push open.  Diana's age (16) and poor eyesight and hearing might have something to do with her "accidents".

HAPPY CANADA DAY! - BONNE FÊTE CANADA!

May God bless all my dear Canadian friends. Have a lovely day!

SPAM TOO GOOD NOT TO SHARE

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The blighter's English-as-a second-language is brilliant.  Anyone here planning a wedding?   Decent Various wedding Trainers anyone?   The best dazzling similarity on.  Even if you're not getting married, the slippers are must-haves, surely.  Now that you've read the ad, the wedding planning pair of shoes will become a part of per women's thoughts.  Resistance is futile.

COMPLAINTS AGAINST 7 TEC BISHOPS

According to George Conger at Anglican Ink:

Seven bishops have been charged with misconduct for having endorsed a friend of the court brief prepared by the Anglican Communion Institute in the Diocese of Fort Worth case.

On 28 June 2012, the Rt Rev Maurice M. Benitez, retired Bishop of Texas, the Rt Rev John W. Howe, retired Bishop of Central Florida, the Rt Rev Paul E. Lambert. Suffragan Bishop of Dallas, the Rt Rev William H. Love, Bishop of Albany, the Rt Rev D. Bruce MacPherson, Bishop of Western Louisiana, the Rt Rev Daniel H. Martins, Bishop of Springfield, and the Rt. Rev. James M. Stanton, Bishop of Dallas were informed they had been charged with misconduct.

Read the rest of the article.

Why would the bishops join with a breakaway diocese in a suit against the church in which they took vows at their ordinations as bishops?  The litigation in the dioceses thus far has been decided in favor of church property being held in trust for The Episcopal Church, which the courts have ruled as hierarchical from its beginning.

From the Service for the Ordination of a Bishop in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer:

My brother, the people have chosen you and have affirmed their trust in you by acclaiming your election. A bishop in God’s holy Church is called to be one with the apostles in proclaiming Christ’s resurrection and interpreting the Gospel, and to testify to Christ’s sovereignty as Lord of lords and King of kings.

You are called to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the Church; to celebrate and to provide for the administration of the sacraments of the New Covenant; to ordain priests and deacons and to join in ordaining bishops; and to be in all things a faithful pastor and wholesome example for the entire flock of Christ.

With your fellow bishops you will share in the leadership of the Church throughout the world. Your heritage is the faith of patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and those of every generation who have looked to God in hope. Your joy will be to follow him who came, not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

....

Are you persuaded that God has called you to the office of bishop?

....

Will you guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the Church of God?

....

Will you share with your fellow bishops in the government of the whole Church; will you sustain your fellow presbyters and take counsel with them; will you guide and strengthen the deacons and all others who minister in the Church?

How can bishops answer in the affirmative at the ordination service and then join as Amicus Curiae in a lawsuit with a breakaway diocese in litigation against their own church?

Andrew Gerns at The Lead:

We don't know who brought the charges or what they are. Bishop F. Clayton Matthews is investigating to see if there is sufficient basis to proceed with a disciplinary action.  

LOWER ORDER WOMEN BISHOPS IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND?

Let's hope and pray that will not be the case.  The following poem was written by David Booker, a former colleague of themethatisme.  David kindly gave me permission to post his poem.

The case for clause 5. 1c

You are not like me.
The difference is obvious,
as plain as the nose on your face.
I am sorry to say
that although I have nothing against you
personally,
and although some of my best friends are like you,
I cannot, in all conscience,
accept the gift you offer.

Please don’t feel this secondary issue
in any way makes you second class.
Rather marvel at my exegetical acrobatics,
turning up to down, and north to south,
and Galatians 3 verse 28*
into a culturally bound reflection
we cannot be expected to take literally.

You must allow bigotry to triumph over grace
because unity demands the majority be silent.
As good Christians you must respect me
even when I refuse to recognise you
or eat from a table you may once have used
for fear of contamination
and deliberately airbrush you out of scripture
by mistranslating your name to suit my prejudice.

Yes, although our Church recognises
there is no theological objection,
you must turn a blind eye to injustice,
chauvinism, sexism, poor scholarship
and an incredulous watching world,
to guarantee a perpetual place for my ignorance.

After all, the permanent no go areas
we are asking you to create
will not stop those of others races,
or those with a yet incurable disease,
from exercising their ministry.
No, we only want to protect ourselves from women
and we really don’t understand the fuss.

David Booker

*Galatians 3v28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus
I can not support the amendment 5. 1c and dearly hope that it will be removed.

The statement on clause 5(1)c from the website of the Church of England.

WATCH (Women and the Church) on the clause:

But the amendment to Clause 5 has caused widespread dismay. It would entrench discrimination against women in the Established Church and place a permanent question mark over the validity of women's orders.  The confusion over its interpretation amongst commentators demonstrates that it would prove to be bad law

Sign the petition requesting the House of Bishops in the Church of England to withdraw clause 5(1)c.  You don't have to be English to sign.

GOLF NUT

Ed and Nancy met while on a singles cruise and Ed fell head over heels for her.

 When they discovered they lived in the same city only a few miles apart Ed was ecstatic. He immediately started asking her out when they got home .

Within a couple of weeks, Ed had taken Nancy to dance clubs, restaurants, concerts, movies, and museums. Ed became convinced that Nancy was indeed his soul mate and true love. Every date seemed better than the last.

On the one-month anniversary of their first dinner on the cruise ship, Ed took Nancy to a fine restaurant. While having cocktails and waiting for their salad, Ed said, "I guess you can tell I'm very much in love with you. I'd like a little serious talk before our relationship continues to the next stage. So, before I get a box out of my jacket and ask you a life changing question, it's only fair to warn you, I'm a total golf nut. I play golf, I read about golf, I watch golf on TV. In short, I eat, sleep, and breathe golf. If that's going to be a problem for us, you'd better say so now!"

Nancy took a deep breath and responded, "Ed, that certainly won't be a problem. I love you as you are and I love golf too; but, since we're being totally honest with each other, you need to know that for the last five years I've been a hooker."

Ed said, "I bet it's because you're not keeping your wrists straight when you hit the ball."

(Your Saturday morning laugh from Doug.)

Picture from Wikipedia.