The Bishop of Texas on General Convention 2009

Both resolutions (DO25 and CO56) will, I am most certain, place strain on the Anglican Communion. Reactions I’ve received support this belief. However, we need to give the communion time to respond, and we need to listen to our Archbishop as he speaks to us about his thoughts and reflections on the events of General Convention.

My [no] votes represent where I believe the majority of our diocese is right now; though I know it does not reflect the totality of who we are as a community. Press releases, news stories, and magazine articles can never carry the fullness of that reality, nor can they capture my desire to be shepherd to all my sheep in the diocese.

We remain part of the Episcopal Church. That’s my stance. I also intend to maintain the same balance as Don Wimberly, that we also remain active, constituent, members of the Anglican Communion.

I am committed to the Windsor Report recommendations and process which include a moratoria on blessings and elections of partnered gay clergy to the office of bishop.

I am committed to the Covenant and a process.

Read it all.

Posted in * Anglican - Episcopal, - Anglican: Primary Source, -- Statements & Letters: Bishops, Episcopal Church (TEC), General Convention

7 comments on “The Bishop of Texas on General Convention 2009

  1. Bernini says:

    [i]We remain part of the Episcopal Church. That’s my stance. I also intend to maintain the same balance as Don Wimberly, that we also remain active, constituent, members of the Anglican Communion.[/i]

    Why?

    As many have pointed out, the lines are clearly drawn, the boundaries clearly marked. TEC has abandoned the principles of the “universal church” and seeks to blaze it’s own path. By definition, therefore, one cannot be in communion with the “universal church” and TEC at the same time.

    With all due respect, there is no “balance” to be maintained. One is either in communion or one is not. TEC, by it’s own hand, is not. If one wishes to remain faithful to the sacraments as practiced and understood by the universal church, then one cannot be part of TEC. Period.

  2. samh says:

    My [no] votes represent where I believe the majority of our diocese is right now; though I know it does not reflect the totality of who we are as a community.

    Maybe I’m taking this out of context, but one would hope that bishops would vote based on what is right and true, not how their “constituents” feel.

  3. magnolia says:

    this is typical doublespeak from a diocese that has a weekly special eucharist for members of integrity and also houses ‘brigid’s place’, which from what little i do know is spiritually feministic in nature. they are due for their yearly tribute to mary magdalene where they try to determine whether jesus was married to her and whether she was the first disciple. they also pray for social justice and endorse pleuristic religion. so, i am not really surprised. notice how he never says exactly what he believes? definitely follows in wimberly’s footsteps.

  4. centexn says:

    #3..The EDOT website has nothing formally listed as “Brigid’s Place”. Is this an informal group meeting without the Bishop’s knowledge? Who in leadership is sympathetic to this particular group. Please be sure of your facts.

  5. Fr. Christopher Cantrell+ says:

    I heartily agree with #2. The bishop is charged with guarding the faith and unity of the church – not sticking his finger in the wind to determine which way the wind is blowing. One look at his video appearance on cnn said it all for me – trendier than thou. I am not impressed.

  6. chips says:

    I am curious as to what if any actions are taken by St Martins and St Johns – both are very large conservative Parishes. Thus, far +Wimberly was able to hold the diocese together (I think only one large church in Tomball/Spring has bolted)- how much was through threat and how much genuine orthodoxy I do not know. I would have to think the recent actions will cause greater strain – does anybody here have a feel for whether or not Texas will be one of the next true battlefields like Dallas, N. Florida, Rio Grande and Central Florida.

  7. The_Elves says:

    The bishop of Texas is now one of the signatories of the Anaheim Statement. There is a story posted at the Living Church.

    The Rev. George Conger has just sent us via e-mail a list of all 34 bishops who are current signatories of the statement.

    The Rt. Rev’d James Adams, Western Kansas
    The Rt. Rev’d Lloyd Allen, Honduras
    The Rt. Rev’d David Alvarez, Puerto Rico
    The Rt. Rev’d John Bauerschmidt, Tennessee
    The Rt. Rev’d Peter Beckwith, Springfield
    The Rt. Rev’d Frank Brookhart, Montana
    The Rt. Rev’d Andrew Doyle, Texas
    The Rt. Rev’d Philip Duncan, Central Gulf Coast
    The Rt. Rev’d Dan Edwards, Nevada
    The Rt. Rev’d William Frey, Rio Grande
    The Rt. Rev’d Dena Harrison, Texas
    The Rt. Rev’d Dorsey Henderson, Upper South Carolina
    The Rt. Rev’d Julio Holguin, Dominican Republic
    The Rt. Rev’d John Howe, Central Florida
    The Rt. Rev’d Russell Jacobus, Fond du Lac
    The Rt. Rev’d Don Johnson, West Tennessee
    The Rt. Rev’d Paul Lambert, Dallas
    The Rt. Rev’d Mark Lawrence, South Carolina
    The Rt. Rev’d Gary Lillibridge, West Texas
    The Rt. Rev’d Edward Little, Northern Indiana
    The Rt. Rev’d William Love, Albany
    The Rt. Rev’d Bruce MacPherson, Western Louisiana
    The Rt. Rev’d Alfredo Morante, Litoral Ecuador
    The Rt. Rev’d Henry Parsley, Alabama
    The Rt. Rev’d David Reed, West Texas
    The Rt. Rev’d Sylvestre Romero, Asst NJ
    The Rt. Rev’d Jeffrey Rowthorn, Europe
    The Rt. Rev’d William Skilton, Dominican Republic
    The Rt. Rev’d John Sloan, Alabama
    The Rt. Rev’d Dabney Smith, Southwest Florida
    The Rt. Rev’d Michael Smith, North Dakota
    The Rt. Rev’d James Stanton, Dallas
    The Rt. Rev’d Pierre Whalon, Europe
    The Rt. Rev’d, Don Wimberly, Texas