No matter how thin Occam’s razor slices the voting at the recent HoB meeting, one thing is painfully clear.
This vote does not pass the…[impropriety] test. It stinks.
It is so…[poorly done] and weak to go forward on voice vote only, for of course, there would be No recorded vote, so:
1) No one knows how many were in the house to vote on the motion.
2) No one knows how many in the house were entitled to vote.
3) No one knows how may voted for the motion.
4) No one knows who voted for the motion
5) No one knows if any of the bishops who were present but not entitled to vote, voted anyway, for one mumbled “Aye” sounds much like another.
6) …[It appears] the bishops there made sure that they have their political shelter of plausible deniability in place.
—Scottsreb in a comment on a previous thread about San Joaquin
I’ve used this remark in other contexts, but this Good Shepherd Sunday just past, I was struck that those “bandits” “entering the sheepfold not by the gate” surely include anyone whose fixation on a particular result leads them to violate the process and good order of the church. And these days, I see far more of that in the reappraisers than anywhere else.
Dark deeds for dark times by dark people.
Corporate cowardice, plain and simple. It is really hard not to have disdain for the House of bishops.
We have very strong condemnations of the vote from three dioceses. It is my understanding (I read the 1915 version of Robert’s Rules) that all it takes is a request and a second for a “division of the assembly” i.e., votes by standing and being counted. Now, +Geralyn Wolf tried that in the Fall and was rebuffed. (Again, anyone can call a point of order if that occurs and bring the process to a halt.) It appears that these deeds are being done in the waning moments of the meeting.
How about the much vaunted Camp Allen bishops? It is not as if they didn’t know about the depositions. Did they not plan on this contingency? At the very least, could +Howe, +MacPherson, and +Lawrence decide now to demand votes where the bishops can’t get away with mumbling their votes under their breath on matters of such gravity?
The stockholders in this incorporated Church will eventually get sick of this muck. Don’t look for too many portraits of Schori to be painted after her tenure is finally over. She’s the biggest disaster to hit this Church since the 1700s when other “All is Well” types let all the Methodists go without so much as a shrug.
#2 Dil,
That about sums it up. Stick a (pitch)fork in ’em Screwtape, they’re done.
And make sure that that pitchfork is heated red-hot!
May God bless you all who stand and fight the evil in your midst. The deposition of Schofield is evidence of that “the ends justify the means.”
My wife and I will be Chrismated on Holy Saturday at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, D.C. We have been warmly welcomed and enjoy the spiritual blessing that has come upon us. I thought our biggest regret would be the lost of our anglican heritage, but I can say with certainty, our biggest regret was that we didn’t find the Orthodox church sooner. As one traveller said when visiting the Orthodox church, ” I didn’t know whether I was on earth or in heaven”. And so it is as we have found it! Since anglicans and orthodox are not in communion, I can only pray that you all find peace with your decisions and bid you all if you find none, then “come and see” what the Orthodox Church of America has in store for your blessing!
Peace to you, in the name of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Barry