Loading ...Conservative U.S. Anglican province to be unveiled Dec. 3
flockwoodIt’s been a momentous month for doctrinally conservative Anglicans in the United States. The Episcopal dioceses of Quincy, Ill. and Fort Worth, Texas voted to secede from the Episcopal Church. Also, the Episcopal diocese of Pittsburgh, after voting to secede from the Episcopal Church, rehired deposed bishop Robert Duncan. Now comes news that a new conservative Anglican province will be unveiled in suburban Chicago on Dec. 3.
(Click here to see video of the announcement.)
November 18th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Ah, the determination to maintain domination and control shows up in all sorts of places.
John Dominic Crossan has noted that such is the essence of civilization, and that Jesus was a threat because the Kingdom of God he ushered in insisted in flipping that domination system approach to social (and spiritual) relations on its head.
November 18th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
AG, this isn’t about control, it’s about the use of a name. There’s no reason that every Episcopalian in America can’t leave the church today, if they think it’s too liberal, and form their own church. A few parishes did that back in the ’70s, when they couldn’t take the ordination of women or the new prayer book.
But they didn’t claim to be members of the Anglican Communion, and therein lies the rub. The Anglican Communion is a franchise operation, and the Episcopal Church has the franchise in the US. What these people want is not control, it’s to be able to say that they’re members of the Anglican Communion. And they’ve gone about it through a bunch of hocus-pocus involving bishops and dioceses from around the globe who apparently have solved their own problems to the degree that they can meddle in ours. As a traditional Episcopalian (which might well be different from being a traditional Anglican), I hope that the Anglican Communion tells these folks that they can leave if they want to, but can’t join up with someone else who has no jurisdiction over the United States. One would think that “conservatives” would understand the importance of church structure, but alas, their homophobia apparently clouds all else in their minds.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
You know, Caleb, I love reading your posts. They make me think, even if I don’t always agree….until you put in a line like that last one. You just love to generalize and state your own judgements as “law” concerning the beliefs and motives of those who don’t agree with you. As I’ve heard President-elect Biden say his father taught him; it’s OK to question judgement of another person, just not their motives.
Besides that, though, help me understand the point about the whole jurisdiction issue. What you’re saying is that it’s not OK for them to join with a church who is based outside of the US? I guess I just can’t understand all this “franchise” talk when you’re speaking of a church. Who cares if they join up with the Anglican church based in England, or elsewhere, if they choose? Is it because they want to continue to be called Episcopalian?
I’m trying to understand, really. It’s interesting to me, but since I have no “protestant” background, sometimes it’s a little confusing.
Thanks.