As I have been working with Communion Matters in preparation for a gathering in our congregation, I find myself disheartened. Not only is it confused and confusing, but it seems politically-driven, desiring rank-and-file Episcopalians to concur with special pleading being made by this Anglican province which has run foul the rest of the Anglican Communion. It is designed like a questionnaire whose outcome is already predetermined, and the predetermination is that the Episcopal Church at the very best wants to sit loose to the wider Communion.
Very well put, and the conclusion is, sadly, right on target with what is happening:
“As a faithful priest of the Episcopal Church who has spent much of his ministry working within the wider Anglican Communion, I have to caution that the path desired by this provinces leadership is causing great pain, producing terrible disruption, and can only lead to the disintegration of both the Communion and the Episcopal Church of the USA.”
I agree with Rev. Kew – the thing is bad. When it appeared, I printed it out, studied it and considered responding, but thought better of it. It’s so tendentious as to make it obvious that those not desiring to slobber over the genius of the Episcopal Church need not reply.
I, too, was struck by the problems with this document as I prepared for my parish’s study of it. Indeed, the misrepresentation of the via media is shameful. The very use of the Collect for Richard Hooker’s Day disproves the point they are trying to make: “…that middle way, not as a compromise for the sake of peace, but as a comprehension for the sake of truth.”
One can take issue with the bias and the half-truths on almost every page of Communion Matters.
The big problem is that the Bishops are supposed to get input from their members and share that with the HoB. Many of us on the losing side either don’t talk to our bishops anymore or if we do, they no longer care to hear what we have to say–so Kew is correct that the results have already been pre-determined.
Where is Richard Kew’s whole article on _Communion Matters_?
I was referred to this page to see it and there’s nothing here.
[i] Click on the link to Richard’s Blog. [/i]