The Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida signaled its intent Saturday to remain a conservative voice within The Episcopal Church, even as the national denomination moves ahead to liberalize its policies toward gays.
The diocese, meeting in its annual convention at The Lakeland Center, approved four resolutions that in one way or another declared its opposition to recent decisions of The Episcopal Church that may lead to [noncelibate] gays being consecrated as bishops and their unions being blessed in church ceremonies. But the mood of the convention was calm, and diocesan leaders seemed eager to turn away from controversies and focus on strategies to strengthen the diocese’s spiritual health.
About 380 clergy and lay delegates representing the diocese’s 88 parishes, including 11 in Polk County, gathered for the convention. There was little of the tension and sharp debate during votes on resolutions that marked the diocese’s conventions between 2004 and last year, mostly because a strongly conservative wing of clergy and lay persons who advocated that the diocese withdraw from The Episcopal Church has left to form independent churches or join a traditionalist Anglican denomination.
If anyone doubts the role of the Diocesan offices, and the importance of the leadership of the Bishop, surely Bishop Howe sets the example for the rest of the TEC universe, even more effectively than Bishop Henderson has done and hopefully Waldo will do for DUSC.
Unfortunately by staying, Cent FL becomes a useful prop for 815. They will show them off as a demonstration that they value diversity, and then promptly ignore their voice. Cent FL will drug down by the weight of the sinking TEC.
Good for Central Florida. We need them. This is a rational and considered approach.
This is hardly a fearless witness for orthodoxy. I suppose we have to be glad that Central Florida passed the motions that it did. However:
1. There is a good argument that +Howe has simply been keeping his options open, i.e. has no real commitment to orthodox Anglicanism for its own sake. Rather, he has kept a foot in both camps, and as he perceives that TEC may be losing support in the Communion in favour of ACNA, he tries to shift his position.
2. The resolution supporting the covenant hardly indicates a commitment to orthodoxy. It is an exceedingly woolly document, and ++Anis’ resignation indicates that it may well be a trojan horse for the liberals anyway.
3. +Howe opposed the resolution opposing Mary Glasspool’s election. This was telling. Regardless of the technical legalities, this was an opportunity to publicly declare a position, and his Synod took it without him.
4. The resolution disapproving of same-sex blessing ceremonies was a positive step.
RE: “. . . i.e. has no real commitment to orthodox Anglicanism for its own sake.”
I disagree. He’s been committed for his entire episcopacy at great cost, particularly in the pro-life efforts he has made. He just has no interest in partaking of “orthodox Anglicanism” in ACNA.
RE: “Rather, he has kept a foot in both camps, and as he perceives that TEC may be losing support in the Communion in favour of ACNA, he tries to shift his position.”
I disagree. He’s always been completely up front that he’s not joining ACNA. He wishes to remain in the Anglican Communion and if a chance is offered for the diocese to sign the Covenant and do an end-run around TEC, he’ll take it in a heartbeat. But either way, he’s not interested in being a part of ACNA; he’s not waffled on that.
Sarah,
I didn’t write “ACNA”, I wrote “orthodoxy”.
It was inherent in my original post that +Howe has “always been completely upfront that he’s not joining ACNA” and that he “wishes to remain in the Anglican Communion and if a chance is offered” to sign the covenant.
He can do all of those things, yet not have any real commitment to orthodox anglicanism.
RE: “I didn’t write “ACNAâ€, I wrote “orthodoxyâ€.”
[blockquote]There is a good argument that +Howe has simply been keeping his options open, i.e. has no real commitment to orthodox Anglicanism for its own sake. Rather, he has kept a foot in both camps, and as he perceives that TEC may be losing support in the Communion in favour of ACNA, he tries to shift his position.”[/blockquote]
Then I don’t understand what the “both camps” are to which you are referring.
???
RE: “He can do all of those things, yet not have any real commitment to orthodox anglicanism.”
Oh I agree that that can be possible — I don’t agree it’s true about Howe, but it certainly could be accomplished by any number of bishops.