This should be no surprise to anyone familiar with the diocesan leaders.
12 June 2010
Albany accepts "Covenant"
This should be no surprise to anyone familiar with the diocesan leaders.
The Presiding Bishop addresses Scotland
- The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schiori was invited to speak to the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church this afternoon. She was sitting in the pews during the final presentation of the Inter-Church Relations Committee and a presentation by a delegate at the Edinburgh 2010 Mission Conference. At long last she took the podium and spoke about elements of our shared history, the importance of the Baptismal Covenant in the Episcopal Church and in those churches in whose prayer books it appears in some form and the future shape of our shared ministry in the world.
There will be an video version of this appearing on the Scottish Episcopal Church website and Kelvin's blog. In the mean time, you have an audio version of what was said during Bishop Katharine's talk to us this afternoon. Enjoy!
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On a not related subject, TTLS is having significant problems with the blog. Posts are disappearing only to reappear, parts of posts also disappear and the blog template is crazy. My apologies for the inconvenience.
11 June 2010
Newport Beach schismatics headed to State Supreme Court
Remember, folks, they keep saying "It's not about the property." Apparently they prevaricate because it is all about the property.
The CASC agreeing to hear this case is most interesting in light of their refusal to hear the La Cresenta case last March. Could this hearing have anything to do with the fact that ueber-rich < Ahmanson, the chequebook of the schismatics worships at St. James', Newport Beach? I'm just wondering.
NOTE: This post was sent out at about 3:30 a.m. but I've changed the post time to keep it at the top of the list for today because it's more newsworthy than the Druid in Lambeth Palace.
Also, make sure to read Fr. Jake today. He presents a very thought provoking explanation to the current power play by Mr. Williams, Druid practitioner.
Williams: Druid and promoter of Shariah
It's amazing that he can promote two non-Christian religious system and then castigate TEC for a Christ-like compassion for GLBT people in the United States. The temerity of his hypocrisy boggles the mind.
Make sure to read Fr. Jake today. He presents a very thought provoking explanation to the current power play by Mr. Williams, Druid practitioner.
10 June 2010
Canada bows down before Rowan I
Here is the document of appeasement.
- Sexuality Discernment report, June 9, 2010
Discernment on Sexuality
General Synod 2010
We engaged these conversations within the particularity of our Canadian context – a country that is diverse and many cultured. Canadians have been learning how to dialogue across their diversities over the course of our national life. We do so with deeply held commitments to transparency and openness, an approach that is not without risk and that we affirm as a great gift. Often, in processes of discernment, the task is to see our way through a paradox.
- Our conversations affirmed the full inclusion of gay and lesbian members in our churches, aboriginal voices in our midst, and the wide range of perspectives on the issue of same gender blessings across all dioceses. Our dialogue has been a positive and helpful step in our discernment. At this time, however, we are not prepared to make a legislative decision. Above, in and through all of this, and despite all our differences we are passionately committed to walking together, protecting our common life.
We acknowledge diverse pastoral practices as dioceses respond to their own missional contexts. We accept the continuing commitment to develop generous pastoral responses. We recognize that these different approaches raise difficulties and challenges. When one acts there are implications for all. There can be no imposition of a decision or action, but rather we are challenged to live together sharing in the mission of Christ entrusted to us, accepting that different local contexts call at times for different local discernment, decision and action.
We are in a time of ongoing discernment which requires mutual accountability through continuing dialogue, diocese to diocese and across the wider church. It also requires continued theological and scriptural study and dialogue on the wide range of matters relating to human sexuality.
For many members of General Synod there is deep sadness that, at this time, there is no common mind. We acknowledge the pain that our diversity in this matter causes.
We are deeply aware of the cost to people whose lives are implicated in the consequences of an ongoing discernment process.
This is not just an ‘issue’ but is about people’s daily lives and deeply held faith commitments. For some, even this statement represents a risk. For some the statement does not go nearly far enough.
In the transparency and openness we have experienced with one another, we have risked vulnerability but it is in such places that we grow closer in the body of Christ and behold each other as gift. Abiding with each other, and with God we are sustained through struggle, patient listening, and speaking from the mind and heart together. We have experienced these conversations as a gift for us here at Synod and hope that they will be a further gift to the Anglican Church of Canada and to the wider Church.
Shame on you, Anglican Church of Canada.
To quote Henry II, "Will no one rid [us] of this meddlesome priest?"
TEC has friends in the "Global South"
One of the first provinces to come out of the closet to support TEC is actually in the geographical global south - the Province of Brazil. This was posted by the General Secretary of the Irreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brazil.
My thanks to Mike Vierra for smoothing out the translation from the Portuguese.
Virginia property dispute news
They did rule that a "division" as occurred in The Episcopal Church - no surprise there. But, here is the important bit of the ruling.
In light of our holding that the circuit court erred in granting the Code § 57-9(A) petitions, the control and ownership of the property held in trust and used by the CANA Congregations remains unresolved. Accordingly, the declaratory judgment actions filed by TEC and the Diocese, and the counterclaims of the CANA Congregations in response to those suits, must be revived in order to resolve this dispute under principles of real property and contract law."For these reasons, we will reverse the judgment of the circuit court and remand with direction to dismiss the CANA Congregations’ Code § 57-9(A) petitions. We will further direct the circuit court to reinstate the declaratory judgment actions filed by TEC and the Diocese and the counterclaims of the CANA Congregations to those actions, and conduct further proceedings thereon consistent with the views expressed in this opinion.
The other argument they will use is the fact that Truro was a parish before there was an Episcopal Church in the United States. That is a fact. However, for over 200 years they've been part of TEC. Virginia law tends to favour hierarchical churches.
Remember to pray for those who are most unhappy about this ruling. Even though they caused a lot of pain to their fellow Christians, they, too, are hurting now. And pray for TEC, too.
Read the decision here.
More later.
09 June 2010
Why not give God a second chance?
They were talking about the service, what they'd done wrong and how much fun it had been. One of the acolytes said, "But it's okay because we always get a second chance."
Our rector said, "Oh, that would make a good poster - God always give you a second chance." One of the acolytes replied, "Why not give God a second chance."
We were all stunned, to say the least. This is the fruit of that conversation in the sacristy.
08 June 2010
A lite moment at a serious time
McDonald's brand director in France says the ad simply looks at how French society is today.
We're very comfortable with the topic of homosexuality, there is obviously no problem with homosexuality in France today. The point was not to show someone who is troubled, especially a teenager. We know it can be difficult for some people, but we wouldn't have dared show someone who is struggling.Do you know why there is no real problem with homosexuality in France? Very few fundamentalists mucking about. That's because during the "Revolution," the state became secular and no particular religious view is allowed to govern the country. Chalk one up for the French.
Lisa Howards, McDonalds's director of corporate media relations, told Media Matters that the Come as You Are campaign was made exclusively for France.
The ad you're referencing is one of a series of ads called Come as You Are, which recognized he diversity of McDonald's customers in France. This particular commercial was produced by McDonald's France and is running only in France. Each of our 117 markets around the world determines their own advertising and marketing.That means we won't be seeing an ad like this in the US for years to come. Too bad.
07 June 2010
Is it Pope Rowan I?
Of course, we know his first act - send down TEC. Here is the pertinent bit of the epistle from Canon Kearon:
Notice not a word about the African princes.This, in my opinion, makes him quite untrustworthy. Rowan fails to "discipline" the African churches because he knows it will get no press. By appearing to send own the American church, he is going to get publicity and appear to "mean business." And, also, at the same time, delude himself into believing the African churches will suddenly come flocking back to the Mother Country and Mother Church wailing wearing sackcloth and ashes as symbols of their repentance. He still doesn't get it that they wouldn't piss on him if he were on fire, as my grandfather was wont to say.Last Thursday I sent letters to members of the Inter Anglican ecumenical dialogues who are from the Episcopal Church informing them that their membership of these dialogues has been discontinued. In doing so I want to emphasise again as I did in those letters the exceptional service of each and every person to that important work and to acknowledge without exception the enormous contribution each person has made.
I have also written to the person from the Episcopal Church who is a member of the Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Unity Faith and Order (IASCUFO), withdrawing that person’s membership and inviting her to serve as a Consultant to that body.I have written to the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada to ask whether its General Synod or House of Bishops has formally adopted policies that breach the second moratorium in the Windsor Report, authorising public rites of same-sex blessing.
At the same time I have written to the Primate of the Southern Cone, whose interventions in other provinces are referred to in the Windsor Continuation Group Report asking him for clarification as to the current state of his interventions into other provinces.
These are the actions which flow immediately from the Archbishop’s Pentecost Letter.
But the interesting thing is that TEC has only been removed from minor committees that really don't do anything and TEC is still in communion with the Church of England.
So, what is Rowan doing? Well, my guess is that he's testing the water. All dictators start with very small moves to see if they can get away with their actions. History is full of examples. He has acted but his action is about the least possible action he can make. It's a fishing expedition, really. Also, he had to do something to pay back KJS for being such an upstart rude American woman and daring to make him look like un homme sot incompétent.
So there you have it. Where is Henry VIII or Elizabeth when we really then one of them to poke this git in the eye and send him packing? I have a feeling that Rowan may be surprised that his contempt for TEC unifies our members.
Thank God TEC has ++KJS a person with both a spine and the conviction to stand up to abuse.
Please read an article by the Rev'd James Stockton at the Daily Episcopalian on the recent developments.
UPDATE: There is a bit of the letter that I didn't "catch" on first reading:
Secondly, to ask the question of whether maintaining within the fellowship of one’s Provincial House of Bishops, a bishop who is exercising episcopal ministry in another province without the expressed permission of that province or the local bishop, constitutes an intervention and is therefore a breach of the third moratorium.Williams is using Mr. Kearon for an exploratory mission for Duncan's schismatics. - don't forget that ACNA meets this week.
06 June 2010
A Nation Remembers 6 June
Today in 1968 one of American's brightest lights was extinguished. He, too, was part of that great generation of Americans. For those of my generation, this was a moment when the "dream" flickered and nearly went out. It didn't go out, but it has never burned as bright since that evening in Los Angeles.
Let us give thanks today for those who landed in France on this day, the living and the dead, and let us give thanks that occasionally, God raises up a man like Robert Kennedy.
Pentecost II - Trinity I
The First Sunday after Trinity
Proper 5
1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Psalm 146 ; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17
Let us go forth into the world rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.