Other Memphis-area parishes intend to remain with the Episcopal Church.
“I don’t think there’s anybody left in the Diocese of West Tennessee that is going to be interested in that,” said Rev. Dr. Andrew MacBeth, rector of Calvary Episcopal Church. “It has been a long time coming, and I wish them well, but we really are of different views on how to interpret Scripture and a different view of authority.”
Rev. Jeffery Marx, rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of Collierville, expects the Episcopal Church to react to the conservative rebellion.
“There’s more and more anger toward those people,” he said of those leaving the church. “Especially the left-wingers are furious about what these people are doing. They have spent millions of dollars on lawsuits. It’s really unfortunate.
“It’s what people do when they’re mad.”
Does anyone really believe that all the disgruntled have already left the church of Tennessee referred to in this article? I should be surprised if that were the case. This seems wishful thinking at worst and hopeful thinking at best. I strongly suspect that there will be more and more defections since there is now a safe harbor on American and Canadian shores.
I truly suspect that the ECUSA/TEC/GCC/EO-PAC will leave the ANGLICAN Communion to form its own little continually declining communion of the Gozpell of the New Thang (c).
Time will tell.
My good friend Fr. Jeff Marx has said it well: “this is what people do when they are angry”…referring to those in reactivity to the development of a new province.
Fr. McBeth’s comments need a bit of historical context: up until the current bishop’s caving in to the Integrity group in the Diocese of West Tenn., that diocese was (mostly) orthodox in its response to the unfaithfulnesses of ECUSA. Alas, in the past 5 years, the bishop has gone out of his way to misuse the deposition weapon to punish orthodox clergy…even retired ones!…and has led the diocese in its leftward drift. So…Fr. McBeth’s quote is relevant for the past 5 years only, and is demonstrative of how quickly a diocese can change its character! Fr. Marx is a very lone voice in the diocesan wilderness. God bless him!
[blockquote]”There’s more and more anger toward those people,” he said of those leaving the church. “Especially the left-wingers are furious about what these people are doing…It’s really unfortunate.[/blockquote]
Sadly I fear this is an accurate description of what is coming for those of us whose vocation is to be obedient and remain in TEC. With every conservative diocese or church that leaves, it makes our work that much harder. For those who inherently feel that all conservatives/reasserters/whatever-the-lingo-descriptor-is in TEC are just a hair trigger away from rebelling and leaving, things like the Common Cause Partnership seem to justify their worst fears.
I can readily understand why they are angry in West Tennessee. From 2002 through 2007 the diocese lost 18 percent of its Membership and 22 percent of its ASA while Plate & Pledge increases fell short of inflation. Even the Cathedral has no happy face. And 2008 and 2009 data will most likely be far from cheerful. Statmann