So ECUSA, through its hopelessly conflicted Disciplinary Board for Bishops, blames the Bishop for the actions of the Diocese — even though he had no vote on them to begin with, and no Constitutional power to set aside the acts of the diocesan convention.
And then the Presiding Bishop, while trying with one hand to lure Bishop Lawrence into further mediation talks, uses her other hand to sign a certificate restricting his ministry — and then still wants to continue talks as scheduled while keeping his restriction “confidential.” (Oh, yes, that would certainly work.)
To top it off, she then claims that “her hands were tied,” and that once she received the certification that he personally had “abandoned” ECUSA by the actions the diocesan convention took, she had “no choice” but to restrict him.
Mr. Haley declares “In fact, I am gradually coming to the conclusion that the spectacle produced in ECUSA by the Presiding Bishop is the real reason why the Church of England decided not to have any women bishops for the time being.”
I don’t think I’m misinterpreting here–the woman bishop ruined TEC, ergo, CofE is reluctant to approve woman bishops. Putting aside the theological arguments for and against WO, this is a remarkably sexist statement.
If Haley’s opinion that gender is factor in the presiding Bishop’s presumed ineffectiveness is representative of his cause, it speaks to the gulf in world views between reasserters and reappraisers. That his comment is applauded by his readers is revealing to me.