Quo vadis TEC?

As I prepare for a trip to England this week, I look forward to some first-hand observation of our Mother Church. According to a recent article in the Church Times, a soon-to-be-published history of Christianity by the brilliant English historian Diarmaid MacCulloch apparently will argue that change is inevitable in Christianity, that no orthodoxy remains so for long, and that developments tend inexorably in the progressive direction. I look forward to reading the book; it may take the full 1,200 pages to convince me that new ideas are always right.

Meanwhile, the President of the House of Deputies of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church (TEC), Bonnie Anderson continues to expand her job-description, as she plans to convene a committee to evaluate the "governance" of the church.

How that will jibe with the Presiding Bishop's actual governance is not clear to me. And having spent many miserable hours serving on various governance committees for non-profit boards, I find it difficult to be optimistic that Mrs. Anderson's project will bear fruit. --J. Douglas Ousley

Second Class Citizens?

I am just back from vacation and haven't caught up on my professional reading, but the Anglican media seem most interested right now in the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent proposal of two-tier status for provinces in the Anglican Communion. One tier would be for those who accept the idea of a common "covenant;" the other for those who wish to be part of the communion but, in effect, make their own rules.

Admittedly, if this characterization is accurate, it would only formalize current reality. The U.S. church and Canada have been making their own rules for some time. On the other hand, some African and South American bishops have been making their own rules about interfering in North American provinces, and this hasn't been regarded with the same opprobrium attached to pro-gay resolutions of General Convention.

Moreover, there are indications that liberals in the Church of England will push for greater recognition of gay relationships. That might change the scene entirely. As the Pope is Catholic, so the head of the Church of England is most certainly Anglican. --J. Douglas Ousley

Convention Winds Down

It is not clear what the repercussions will be to resolution opening ordination in the Episcopal Church to partnered homosexuals. Those in favor of the resolution say it reflects that the church has "moved on." Some also see the controversy to come as a by-product of adventurous faith.

I myself am of two minds. Since 1970, I have been in favor of full canonical and civil rights for lesbians and gays; I don't see how I could have voted against the resolution. On the other hand, I see myself as an Anglican under the Archbishop of Canterbury and I don't know what I would do if the Church of England breaks off relations with the Episcopal Church.

Yesterday, extensive canon law revisions were passed affecting clergy discipline. I have not seen the final version that was passed but according to one article I read--non-partisan, by a canon law historian--that was published before the Convention, these canons deprive accused clergy of the right to remain silent or to have any civil defense or attorney. The conduct requirements are quite detailed and strict. For example, if a retired widower priest living but not serving in a retirement home ("congregation") took a widow from the home out for dinner and held hands with her walking back to the home, he could be defrocked!

One can safely predict that the Church has not yet reached a coherent understanding of the ethics of sex! --J. Douglas Ousley
This has got to be the worst convention since the '70's.

Most Important Vote of the Convention?

The General Convention has just voted to remove any gender-preference barriers to ordination within the Episcopal Church. The resolution is somewhat nuanced but it does beyond both previous Convention proposals and the wish for restraint expressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and many other Anglican leaders and governing bodies. Whether this will mean the end of the Episcopal Church as part of the Anglican Communion under the Archbishop of Canterbury remains to be seen. But schism is closer than it has ever been. --J. Douglas Ousley

General Convention Continues

So far, so predictable. The Episcopal News Service reports indicate that the progressive agenda is moving along and that the Convention will choose to be "prophetic" rather than conciliatory toward the rest of the Anglican Communion with regard to its rules on gay relationships. A bewildering number of new lesser feasts have been authorized despite much previous criticism that many of the honored figures are irrelevant to our church or of deserved obscurity. It is not clear yet what impact the budget crisis will have on other aspects of the church's ministry but the national church leadership seems firmly in charge of the Convention. --J. Douglas Ousley

General Convention Begins

The General Convention of the Episcopal Church has convened in Anaheim, CA. Special meetings are scheduled to discuss past decisions about blessing and ordaining homosexuals in relationships. Budget pressures will also provoke discussion. In the background, despite the hoopla, delegates and the many observers will be aware of the continuing and seemingly inexorable membership decline in the Episcopal Church. To get up-t0-date coverage from the Episcopal News Service, click here. --J. Douglas Ousley

British Politics and the Church of England

The explicitly racist British National Party fielded two winning candidates in the recent European Parliamentary elections. The BNP was successful despite being denounced by virtually every leading figure in Britain, including the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

Such denunciations of a specific political group are as rare in the United Kingdom as they would be in the United States. Yet the Episcopal News Service, in quoting a BNP leaflet, suggests the deep anger tapped by this party. The leaflet states, "All over the U.K. pews are emptying; churches are closing down and turning into mosques/temples. Our distinctive Christian heritage is disappearing as whole regions of Britain become Islamified ... The cowardly 'yes men,' functionaries and time-servers leading the Church of England have consistently failed to lift a finger in defense of Britain against those who would destroy it."

In order to eliminate the scourge of racism, the leaders of the Church of England will need to develop a strong and cogent response to such cries of frustration. --J. Douglas Ousley