[Bishop Wallis Ohl] has had his challenges, not the least of which is the national church’s continuing quarrel with other Anglican…[provinces] over [the] consecration of practicing homosexuals as bishops.
Such issues do not stay at the national level. The diocese has filed a lawsuit in San Angelo to keep church property of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, which is being disputed by a dissenting congregation that has left the Episcopal Church.
“It doesn’t matter what the issue is,” Ohl said. “We’re going to have something to argue about as long as we have human beings. How do we treat one another in the midst of all that is, for me, more important than anything else – as brothers and sisters in the Lord or with ‘no, not as long as you disagree with me.’ ”
Whether a bishop agrees or disagrees with decisions made by the majority of fellow bishops, his or her task is that of peace maker and preserver of the diocese, and thus, the church.
We seem to think that distraction – ie. “individual ministries” – can complete our struggle about core theology and send us on our happy way. In fact, it leaves us voiceless and makes us little more than a bandaid on society. There are plenty in the secular society who do those services better and aren’t involved in a dispute about “what we believe about what we are doing.” The Church is doing these things already, however, and there is no news in saying something about health ministries. To serve is not a dispute. To offer the Gospel in its fullness and truth is disputed. And the sad truth beyond that is the incompitence of those in the office of Bishop. Instead of defending the fatih of Christ and him crucified, there is a middle walk which Christ himself said he would spew out of his mouth. Northwest Texas is an example of the worst effort. It isn’t shrinking because of movement of people but because of lack of Christian Gospel proclamation. And that because TEC is unwilling to listen to the Church and NWT (Northwest Texas) is buying it. Universalism/Unitarianism is tiny for a reason.
[blockquote]Whether a bishop agrees or disagrees with decisions made by the majority of fellow bishops, his or her task is that of peace maker and preserver of the diocese, and thus, the church[/blockquote]
A bishops task is to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the churhc, not its peace or to preserve the diocese (although perserving the diocese can be a function of guarding the faith and unity).
YBIC,
Phil Snyder