In addition to reports from representatives of Episcopal Relief and Development and Forward Day by Day, the House of Bishops received with great respect and enthusiasm two of the Episcopal Church’s previous presiding bishops, Edmond Browning and Frank Grisw…[o]ld. Bishop Browning was elected presiding bishop in 1985, and made the comment to us that he noticed that 24 years later, we are still debating many of the same issues that he dealt with when he led the House of Bishops.
Bishop Benfield highlights several things from his experience on Friday, including the establishment of full intercommunion with the Moravian Church. It makes me wonder, why in the world would the Moravians even want to be in full communion with TEC?? But John Wesley was very strongly influenced by the Moravians almost 300 years ago, and maybe some good can come out of better relations with the Moravians today.
But he saves for last his experience at the Integrity eucharist Friday night, which he obviously found quite inspiring. That even a bishop in the Bible Belt, and one that many would consider an “institutional reappraiser,” chooses to identify himself with the cause of Integrity in this way just may be one small indication of how the HoB will vote on the crucial sexuality resolutions. The “ideological reappraisers” have fire in the belly to push the gay agenda with all their might. I’m not sure the institutionalists have the necessary strength or passion to resist the relentless drive of their more zealous colleagues. We’ll soon see.
David Handy+