Elevating [Michael] Barlowe, currently head of congregational ministries for the Diocese of California, also might exacerbate tensions over homosexuality in the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Church of England’s umbrella organization that includes the Episcopal Church. Several African dioceses, opposed to gay clergy, have split with the Communion and formed a new denomination, which has attracted a handful of Episcopal churches in the United States.
Picking a gay bishop also would not likely endear the diocese to Utah’s dominant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was among Prop 8’s strongest supporters.
“There are a lot of theological issues that divide our churches and [homosexuality] is certainly one of them,” Ric Tanner said. “Perhaps the best way to work toward understanding is to be engaged in conversation with views different than ours. That’s true of both groups.”
But Barlowe’s sexuality may not matter to the 6,000 members of Utah’s Episcopal Church, which is on record supporting the ordination of gay and lesbian priests in committed relationships, Tanner said. At the denomination’s triennial meeting in Los Angeles last summer, the diocese sided with the majority in making the office of bishop open to all ordained persons, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation.
It’s an avalanche!
Even yet more clarity.
It would seem that the floodgates are now open.
Third time pays for all or three strikes and you are out! (Nah, won’t happen.)
The only question is how long will it take for every diocese to have a gay bishop or those who are gay to come out, come out, wherever they are?
On the bright side, the shoes at next Lambeth will be fabulous, if the theology will be as vacuous as inadaba.
#4,
I don’t think every diocese will have a gay bishop, but each
diocese will have an LGBT kommissar to make sure the
local bishop tows the party line.
Third time he’s been included in a finalist group, and three times the media has used this very same headline. And each time the same responses. My prayer is that Utah will see his capabilities – if they can’t seem to see the sinfulness – and choose to make this the third time he is not elected.
And then, whomever keeps putting his name forward, quit it.
The diocese hasn’t seen 6,000 members seen 2004. It is now down to 5,250 members and ASA of 1,612.
I see that three of the four candidates are bureaucrats. Quevedo-Bosch has a parish in Long Island that has seen it’s ASA drop from 280 in 2003 to 160 in 2008. Giving for the parish is only ~$70,000.
#7 It seems he fits what TEC is all about. The parish is till there so there are no losses.The gospel of inclusion results in negative growth.
Did anybody else notice the lousy reportage for getting the factual background to the crisis?
* That’s several African PROVINCES, not dioceses. The terminology is important. The global south is vastly larger than all of TEC put together — just one of those provinces is way bigger.
* The Anglicans deeply unhappy with North American actions are not only in Africa.
* They are not simply “opposed to gay clergy” — the issue is much deeper than that.
* Our overseas brothers have NOT split with the Anglican Communion — it is TEC that is isolated and schismatic.
* Our overseas brothers did not create ACNA (presumably what the reporter means by a “new denomination”). The formation of ACNA was led by North Americans (Bob Duncan and many others).
* ACNA does not consist of a “handful” of parishes. Perhaps someone on this thread can tell me the correct number. I know it is over 100, possibly much much more.
Can you imagine what would happen to a reporter who got his facts so colossally wrong on a secular subject?
For Jon: Latest ACNA stats that I have seen lists 741 churches of which only one is in Utah. But then there were only 23 TEC churches in Utah in 2008 with 17 of them with Plate & Pledge of less than $150K. The diocese had a rough time in 2002 through 2008 with Members down 25 percent and ASA down 18 percent But Plate & Pledge adjusted for inflation did increase 9 percent so i guess that they believe that they can afford a bishop. Statmann
Utah has been living off its share of the proceeds of the sale of its hospital. That happened several years ago. Any prospective bishop needs to follow the diocesan budget paper trail. The new bishop doesn’t have to be a financially savvy person necessarily — but they do need to be a person who will support the tough decisions re: avoiding the use of those funds for general operations, if indeed that is happening. Otherwise, they are all in for a rude awakening when the funds get close to being depleted and they have to rely upon assessments alone.
How can this “exacerbate tensions” on the communion fabric that has already been torn to shreds at its deepest levels? Pull yet harder against no resistance, Utah, and end up landing splat on your rear!
Wretched journalism.