Springfield, Illinois ”“ June 19, 2009
Notwithstanding suggestions to the contrary, Bishop Beckwith remains a faithful Christian within The Episcopal Church (TEC) as the Bishop Diocesan of Springfield, and intends to keep that status intact. Bishop Beckwith has also served as the Vice President of the American Anglican Council (AAC) for a number of years. A majority of AAC’s membership consists of communicants of The Episcopal Church. It is in this capacity that he has been involved in the Anglican Communion Network (ACN) and the Common Cause Partnership (CCP). Any involvement in the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA) Assembly scheduled for next week in Bedford, Texas, would be limited to being an observer. Furthermore, as an Episcopalian, Bishop Beckwith was asked to be a TEC Liaison to the Ecumenical Relations Task Force. In no sense is he a structural part of either the Task Force, or the ACNA.
Pray hard for wolves to stay out of the sheep’s pen.
I am glad to hear this about Bishop Beckwith.
It is interesting that more ACC folk are in TEC than in ACNA. I am sure that the leaders of the exodus had expected more to leave.
What prompted this release? (I.e., what ‘suggestions to the contrary?’)
There have been some rumblings about the loyalty of Beckwith and Ackerman on the Leftist blogs. I think Mark Harrises blog was one.
“What prompted this release? (I.e., what ‘suggestions to the contrary?’)”
The liberal blogs had picked up the fact that Bp Beckwith was going to participate and there were already calls for his deposition.
The revisionists are trigger happy these days, a sign of their insecurity.
#2 Eugene,
The AAC was formed to be a voice for orthodoxy WITHIN the Episcopal church. It is no surprise, then, that most of its members are WITHIN the Episcopal church.
The AAC was formed, in part, to be a counterweight to Integrity, and to provide organizational support to the orthodox, just as Integrity provides it to the GLBT movement. Of course when the AAC does it, it is part of a conspiracy by the conservatives to do evil things to TEC. When Integrity does the same thing it is part of truth, justice and the American way (at least according to the revisionists).
So what Ralph M says is absolutely correct.
It is not hard to understand the need for this press release and the clarity it brings. The rumblings from official and unofficial EC sites is that Bishop Beckwith is being unfaithful to the Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship of TEC by attending. With the formation of the ACNA, he Anglican Communion Network will no longer exist.
He is going simply as an observing and one representing the American Anglican Council who has members in both organization. However, as we can see, the powers that be will do what they can to paint this as being unfaithful to the EC.
I am still amused at TEC declaring that clergy have abandoned communion by becoming members of a provence with whom TEC claims to be in communion. But it’s the kind of dishonesty we have come to know and love.
The thing I find funny is that the official mantra of the Reappraisers and of 815 in particular is how very important “the conversation” is and that we “stay in conversation”. Now one of their own actually takes them at their word and tries to stay “in conversation” with the conservatives and they start yelling for his blood.
Makes one wonder if “conversation” actually means something else –e.g. like “obediently listening to Reappraiser monologues and eventually realizing that you were a bigot and they were right and coming around to their point of view.”
Br. Michael,
You are correct. As stated on a thread yesterday, the new application of abandonment of communion means leaving the EC for another province of the Anglican Communion. The HOB decided a while back that if someone was leaving the EC for another province but remain in the USA, then no letter would be transferred. When title IV is changed at GC09, then it will be official.
In a sense, it is important to also note that this is a back hand action by the EC that says we don not care whether or not we are a full member of the Anglican Communion…
Br Michael, the simple answer is that TEC will tolerate no competition in this country, and they seem to think that they own the title of “Anglican.” This is simply not true, of course. Never was, and never will be.