[Jon] Anderson said this week’s decision — and whatever Young decides — is not likely to have the same far-ranging impact
as in 2003, when Gene Robinson of New Hampshire was consecrated as the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican world.
“My sense is more people are settled because they’ve had to think about it,” he said. “There will probably be some leave [individual churches]. Time will tell.”
Uh, the 5 different people I know in East Tennessee that I still have a long distance pastoral relationship with told me this week that are leaving the Episcopal Church. I think East Tennessee is going to be in for a surprise if they think they latest new thing is not going to affect them.
Archer, where are those people going? Having just moved a daughter to east Tennessee, I have an interest in knowing.
One is going to a local Methodist church. My mother is Methodist, and the Holston Conference is pretty conservative. 2 haven’t decided, but given their liturgical preferences, I suggested the Immaculate Conception Catholic church (I went to the Catholic High School in Knoxville, so they seem sane) which is run by the Paulist fathers or the Greek Orthodox Church there in downtown Knoxville. One is going to a Presbyterian Church of America church that I wasn’t familiar with.
The 5th one I think is giving up on institutional religion altogether. Ironically, he is pretty liberal but was just sick of a church that couldn’t do anything other than talk about sex all the time.
Archer –
Paulist Fathers lean left, so that may our may notbe a good recommendation. I’m Catholic, but if I were of a reformed turn of theology, PCA would be an excellent option. They seem to know who they are and what they are about.
Thanks, Archer. My daughter will check out Anglican places in and around Knoxville, and then perhaps search farther afield if needed. An internet search revealed little ACNA presence and one APA parish. Perhaps the Anglican movement in Knoxville will get a boost now, although people who weren’t upset about 2003 and following may not see the 2012 events as a problem either.
Yeah, I don’t know of any Non-Episcopal Anglican congregations in Knoxville. I think there is a Reformed Episcopal Church up in Sevierville. There is that one Anglican parish somewhere, if I recall, but I don’t know much about it. I think they used to meet out in some lobby of some hotel in the West Knoxville/Farragut area.
I went to St. John’s Cathedral for many years, and really enjoyed it, though that was in the pre-Gene Robinson days. I hear the Diocese of East Tennessee has gotten a lot more liberal since I was in college over 10 years ago, sadly. It was still pretty solid when I was there. The same is true of Immaculate Conception Catholic church. I had some friends from High School that went there and it didn’t seem at all crazy the times I went. Maybe its gone downhill since then.
There’s also a good Orthodox church out in Oak Ridge. I know the priest there, and he’s former Anglican. He’s a good guy and has a great blog.
In East Tennessee, if you aren’t Baptist or Methodist, you are basically in the 5 to 10% “other” category. If you are interested in going the Baptist route, let me know. I went to Carson-Newman, so I know people all over the Baptist world thereabouts.
I went to a Catholic high school and a Baptist college in the Bible belt…this might explain why I am do screwed up. 😉
Holy Cross Anglican is the name of that Anglican parish if I recall. I don’t know if it still exists or not.
No. 5,
Also, tell your daughter to go see the inside of the Greek Orthodox church when they host the summer Greekfest in downtown Knoxville. The food is fabulous, and that parish has the most beautiful icon/murals on the ceiling of the Church. It’s worth the trip.
Thanks much, Archer. She won’t go Baptist; even PCA might be too far. The APA parish is still active and I found a link for a Rwanda-linked formerly AMiA parish. She might check St John’s, and the Catholics as well.
Oh, and the REC church in Sevierville folded.
A friend of mine from seminary, Chris Cairns, is the vicar of Apostles Anglican Church in Knoxville (AMIA). They also have a mission start in Knoxville, Old North Abbey. I’d suggest your people check out either of these.
Katherine, please ask her to check out Apostles Anglican Church in Knoxville. Just joined ACNA. New Vicar, just formally selected lasat week, is Jack King. Two services on Sun. morning, traditional and informal. Please let me know if you need more information. There is more Anglican going on in Knoxville than one might find online.
Thanks so very much to those who have made suggestions for my now-Tennessee daughter. She starts her job on July 30, and will be visiting churches in August. Good to know Anglicans are there for her.
I don’t know K’ville Anglican congregations, but I do know that Jon Anderson’s parish in Chattanooga, Christ Church, used to be the bastion of high church, smells and bells, before the changes after 1976. Sadly, the old convent is gone, the old faith and practice is gone, and the Diocese of East Tennessee is a wasteland, like almost all of the other dioceses in TEo.