The Rt. Rev. Andy Doyle’s election in May to lead the Houston-based Episcopal Diocese of Texas came as a surprise to many, including him.
For one thing, he is young ”” at 41, he’ll be the second-youngest bishop in the country when he takes over in 2009. For another, his initial support in the election process came overwhelmingly from the laity. One of his opponents, the Rt. Rev. Dena Harrison, a suffragan, or assistant bishop, covering the Austin area, drew more clergy votes.
After several ballots, though, Doyle prevailed. He succeeds the Rt. Rev. Don Wimberly who, according to church policy, is retiring next year at age 72.
Some observers in the church cited an “Obama factor,” a combination of youth and enthusiasm for change, as a reason for Doyle’s win.
“The message I feel I have is really one of hope and excitement about our future and joy,” Doyle said.
I hope that Doyle will shave off that ridiculous goatee.
[blockquote]Some people, he said, ask him what he will do about priests who reject the belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Nothing, he says. Some priests have always argued that.
“I guess I’m just not that worried,” he said.[/blockquote]
That’s the problem, not the goatee — priests (and bishops) who do not proclaim the risen Lord, and bishops who fail to guard the faith of the Church. That’s what needs to change.
(Admittedly Alfred E. Newman doesn’t sport a goatee.)
Wow! What wisdom! Naw, I wouldn’t worry about preaching Jesus NOT risen from the dead, either. I’m sure the Diocese can provide people and money in the project to help find the sack of bones, aka, Jesus of Nazareth, somewhere in the Holy Land. We need more 41 year old bishops, believe you me! Did I fail to mention, “Good luck, Texas?”
I”d be alot more worried about what the two largest churches in the diocese think about a bishop who ‘is just not worried’ that his priests may not believe in the words of the Nicene Creed (resurrection of Christ, Atonement).
Astounding!!! Sad!! Pitiful!! And he, as a Bishop, is called to defend the Faith??? I didn’t know that believing in the Resurrection was a matter of personal choice for a priest. But then again, this is the Episcopal Church, and “there are many paths to God”. Wow what a great Church!! So “affirming”!!!!! I want names of those priests. I want to be sure to avoid them if I’m ever so unfortunate as having to go to a church in that diocese on a Sunday.
Words fail me . . .
Maybe this is a blessing in disguise – the choices in leadership are becoming more and more apparent.
If you’re in the diocese of Texas, make sure your parishioners and clergy know that your bishop-elect is okay with an optional belief in Jesus’s resurrection. [i] It’s all good. [/i]
As long as you’re well liked that’s what matters, right Bif?
Doyle’s election continues the institutional rot that set in a number of years ago here in the Diocese of Texas when Bishop Ben Benitez, a solidly orthodox bishop, was replaced by institutional toady Don Wimberley. Now we have Doyle, a Schori clone and sycophant. Doyle was Wimberley’s hatchet man two years ago when Wimberley summarily forced Fr. Mike Baker at Holy Cross in Sugar Land to renounce his orders for his orthodox views. The Obama factor indeed.
Well, I hadn’t heard much about the next Bishop of Texas, but the comments here leave me with a reasonably good feeling. Anyone who causes such [i]sturm und drang[/i] on T1:9 is probably (mostly) alright ;->
Planonian (baptized as an infant a waaaay long time ago @ St. David’s, Austin, Dio. of Texas)
#9, you skipped over Bishop Claude Payne. I would also point out that Fr. Baker wasn’t forced out because of his views, but because he was trying to move the congregation out of the diocese.
— Some people, he said, ask him what he will do about priests who reject the belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Nothing, he says. Some priests have always argued that.
“I guess I’m just not that worried,” he said.–
Well, this speaks volumes. I feel very empathetic for the young lady in the article who articulated, “It’s all about vision, vision, vision!” Indeed. “Andy’s” vision is quite clear, isn’t it? A canonical version of the Jaycees with Sunday liturgies instead of meetings.
He seems to forget, though, that this is Texas and those precious young people he is rightly meeting are surrounded by peers whose churches do good works AND preach an authentic Gospel. You cannot sacrifice the Gospel.
I will say, as a Texan, that I’m rather concerned with what’s going to happen to the church in our beloved state. Our dioceses have been solidly orthodox, with the main question being Wimberley. Now there’s NO question where Dio. of Texas will stand, Ft. Worth is leaving, +Stanton may be looking toward retirement relatively soon, my own diocese (Northwest Texas) can’t muster the required number of episcopal candidates to even hold an election, but West Texas is well-served by +Lillibridge. In short, we’re not the solid block we were just a few years ago.
But that’s what PB Umbridge is doing, isn’t she? Waiting us all out and propping up her Inquisatorial Squad where she can. Sigh…
[blockquote] +Stanton may be looking toward retirement relatively soon [/blockquote]
Hope hope hope
Texas became the largest ECUSA diocese (in terms of ASA) following the departure of 18-20% of the diocese of VA’s most active members. Shall we take bets on how long Texas will stay at #1? Not too long I don’t think when the orthodox read stuff like this. I predict T19 will soon have a “TEC Conflicts – Texas” category.
OK, I’ve taken a breath, and now have this question for the new bishop (and all reappraisers) —
When you speak of change, are you sure you should not be changing back? When you say that God is still speaking, are you sure he is not saying, “Repent?”
Are we sure? I hope not, I hope no one is ever 100% sure of anything.
Am I comfortably confident, yes.
I am a member of one of the two largest churches in the Diocese of Texas and I can tell you that most of the members of those two churches are not happy about Doyle’s election. We felt that we did not know him or where he stood before the election. This little tidbit is confirming our fears. I think that at least for a while Doyle will try to keep everyone “focused on mission” and not distracted by divisive issues a la Claude Payne. But, I think it won’t be long before he becomes clearer about his liberal leanings – and there are now a lot of liberal clergy in the diocese who will gladly support him. Pray for us in EDOT.
“A canonical version of the Jaycees with Sunday liturgies instead of meetings.” Funny!
#11. I left out Payne intentionally since we lived out of state most of his episcopate, and I did not feel knowledgeable enough to comment on his reign. As far as Fr. Baker is concerned, his version of the facts is significantly different than yours. I don’t know Fr. Baker from Adam, but you will forgive me if I accept his version in preference to yours. Assuming, for the sake of argument, that Fr. Baker was trying to move his parish out of the diocese as you claim, why couldn’t some reasonable accomodation have been reached a la Dallas and Christ Church in Plano? Isn’t TEC all about peace, justice and love? No need to answer that question as I just read the response of the Presiding Bishop of TEC to the GAFCON communique. Her incredibly coarse and arrogant response says about all one needs to know about the mind of TEC: it’s my way or the highway.
teatime [#12] writes of “[a] canonical version of the Jaycees with Sunday liturgies instead of meetings.”
You say that like it’s a bad thing. A group that gets together regularly to acknowledge and praise the Creator and his works (period) and to serve others — what’s not to like?
#20 — I wasn’t aware that the Jaycees subscribed to formal doctrine nor that they saw themselves as a religious organization. I would suggest that if TEC wants to become like the ultimate Christian service organization and one that is highly respected worldwide, they might want to emulate the Salvation Army instead. Of course, they would have to commit to sound doctrine, shed its glorification of VGR, and eschew alcohol and tobacco.
As far as I am concerned, the model for doing the most authentic Christian good in Christ’s Name rests with the Sallies. TEC loves to talk about serving the poor but its name is certainly not synonymous with doing so.
Teatime [#21] writes: “I wasn’t aware that the Jaycees subscribed to formal doctrine nor that they saw themselves as a religious organization.”
I was speaking hypothetically about a service organization that held liturgies. A lack of formal doctrine (over and above acknowledgment and honor of the Creator) would not be a negative; most religious doctrines are unverifiable speculation and are unworthy of being used as exclusionary devices.
From what little I know of the Salvation Army, I certainly admire their work, but many of their doctrines are just as fantastic as any reasserter belief. Besides, I wouldn’t care to sign up for what I understand to be their abstemious lifestyle. (Please don’t tell me to join the UUs; as a late friend put it, the only thing they seem to believe in is general human warmth — if that.)
Aside from possibly #9, I don’t see anything in their listed doctrines as terribly strange. While I don’t agree with their non-use of the sacraments in worship, I can at least appreciate their reasoning behind it. All in all, their doctrinal statement is pretty solid.
#22: Oh those fantastic doctrines! Oh, those narrow Cappodocian Fathers! Oh, that rascally dogmatist, St. Athanasius! Oh, that Savior who talked about sheep and goats!
Read Sayers on doctrine. Then, come back to the blog for a chat!!