The Episcopal Church turned an important corner at this General Convention and Integrity applauds the hard, faithful work of the bishops and deputies who brought us closer to the full inclusion of all the baptized in all the sacraments. We came to this convention committed to moving the church beyond B033 and forward on equality for the blessing of same-sex unions–and we are beyond gratified that we have realized both of those goals.
Thirty three years after promising a “full and equal claim” to the gay and lesbian baptized, the Episcopal Church has affirmed equal access to ordination processes for all orders of ministry for all the baptized, has approved a broad local option for the blessings of our relationships, and has called the church to work together toward common liturgical expressions of those blessings.
It is a great day for the church and a greater day for the witness to God’s inclusive love.
Gee, did Susan Russell go to the same GC2009 as the PB and Bonnie Anderson and bishops negating this “Fact On the Ground”? Were there two GC2009 and the latter went to the shadow convention?
It has been well organised, the local branches, the training courses, the targeting of people for election, the distribution of resolutions to diocesan conventions, the propaganda. And at General Convention the swamping of everything by one agenda, described in so many different ways, the lobbying, the rainbow flags, the determination to drive through resolutions in the teeth of the Anglican Communion moratoria. Total success.
Did anyone give any thought to the traditional societies in which most Anglicans live, where there are Muslim neighbors in Africa, Buddhist or Hindu neighbors in Asia, or Roman Catholic majorities in South America? Where persecution is the norm in the best of circumstances, discrimination in jobs, housing and education. Where with the hard life of Anglican Christians in these societies, from this weekend, life is going to be so much harder; where their opponents will jibe at them, and laugh at them in South America and ask how they can call themselves Christians for their association with a church like TEC in the Communion? They will be called immoral, un-godly, and a bad influence in Asia and Africa at best and at worst they will find their ability to spread the good news of Jesus Christ compromised and will face persecution and perhaps imprisonment and now and again death. Did any of the rather smug members of TEC HOD and HOB consider them in their hell for leather drive to pass these resolutions? They may live far away, not be as educated or rich as you and have different skin colors and languages but did you ever give them a thought? Do you care about them?
Thinking about it, this more than anything else is why in my view it is sadly necessary for the rest of the Communion to now publicly distance itself from communion with the Episcopal Church.
They have been told all this, Pageantmaster. The reality is they DO NOT care. They have achieved their goals for themselves. That is all that counts. For as long as it counts…which will be as nothing in the face of eternity which we all have to face.
I’m a day late, but always pleased to be amusing to myself 😉
Dateline: Berlin. National Socialist Party Achieves its Goals in Poland in 1939.
😛
Clemmitt