The long-simmering dispute over homosexuality in the Episcopal Church, USA, which has threatened to tear the denomination apart, is now roiling the Diocese of Central Florida.
Six traditionalist congregations here, together with two new congregations in the process of being established, are planning to leave the diocese and the denomination.
They oppose ordaining openly gay clergy and blessing same-sex unions and were outraged at the 2003 consecration of openly gay Rev. V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire.
“I believe all of the efforts we have made to change the direction of the church have failed,” said the Rev. Donald J. Curran of Grace Episcopal Church in Ocala, one of the dissident congregations.
[blockquote] “Eventually Central Florida will go the way of every other diocese in the country,” Curran said. “That is, with a new bishop it will become more moderate, and then it will become more liberal, and ultimately it will embrace the innovations of the national church. You cannot build walls high enough to keep this agenda from coming into your diocese.” [/blockquote]
Here is the crux of the problem for communion conservatives. Today’s godly bishop is no protection for tomorrow’s agenda, an agenda writ large in the statements of the General Convention and the House of Bishops.
Yeah, and even when you ‘think’ you are calling a conservative bishop, that’s no guarantee that you are going to GET a conservative bishop. As we found out in the diocese of Florida. 🙁
Jim Elliott <><
But they are leaving a corrupt organization as Martin Luther did. Nuff said!!