This elf just finished reading the most-recent post by Chuck Blanchard, aka “A Guy in the Pew.” Chuck and some others on the “reappraising side” show some signs of reassessing strategy and musing whether TEC needs to “do what it takes” to ensure they remain a full member of the Anglican Communion.<\/p>\n
Some of the “Next Steps” which Blanchard proposes for TEC are the following:<\/i><\/p>\n
…what should the Episcopal Church do? I offer the following thoughts:<\/p>\n
First, another response by the House of Bishops that speaks of polity and the independence of the Episcopal Church will not be helpful. We have made our points about polity and independence. It is time to offer a way ahead to reconciliation within the Communion.<\/p>\n
Second, we need to end our obsession with Archbishop Akinola and the most vocal Global South Primates. They are not the audience for our response. I doubt even defrocking of all gay priests would be enough for them. Instead, our audience includes Anglicans across the world who want to preserve the Communion, members of our own Church for whom the issues of the day are of no import, and yes, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the majority of the Primates. This audience will not demand capitulation, but it will expect a respectful (and yes, compromising) response.<\/p>\n
Third, we need to stop talking about the issues of same sex unions as if they were political issues that can be decided by majority votes. These are theological issues, that deserve theological attention.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n