Church of Scotland General Assembly says "aye" to gay minister

According to The Press Association, The Kirk of Scotland's highest governance assembly has rejected an attempt to block the appointment of The Rev'd Mr. Scott Rennie as a minister of the Scottish Kirk. The vote took place about two hours ago.

According to The Herald

Commissioners voted 326 to 267 in favour of appointing the Rev'd Scott Rennie, 37, currently at Brechin Cathedral, who had the support of the majority of the congregation at Queen's Cross in Aberdeen and the presbytery.

The gathered commissioners at the supreme court meeting of the Church of Scotland heard how left handed people were once considered "not normal", how in Roman times faithful homosexual relationships were accepted, and how the Kirk had previously changed its mind over controversial issues such as its stance on female ministers.

We don't stone women, we don't stone adulterers, we've moved on from that. The living word is Jesus and I think the question is, what would Jesus have done?

I should point out that the Church of Scotland is the Presbyterian Church, and should not be confused with the Anglican Church in Scotland which is, officially, The Scottish Episcopal Church.

The Scotsman reported that tough times are ahead for the Kirk

The debate on the subject of the acceptance of Rev Scott Rennie as Minister of Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen, will certainly divide the church, as I believe it will be impossible to come to any sort of compromise.

The polarisation of conservative evangelical Christians and those of a more moderate and liberal stance has become more evident in recent years. The issue of homosexuality which the church wished would just "go away" must now be faced.

The article continues:

Around 10 per cent of the male population is gay. This has not altered as a statistic for generations, and is constant throughout all races.

These men do not "choose" their sexual orientation. They are born with it.

We know that gay men are often particularly skilled in the areas of art/music/theatre, and also in the "caring professions" such as nursing, and in the hospitality sector.

Where is the church's respect for the individual? Scott Rennie has already been labelled "the gay minister" in people's minds. What about him as a person with feelings, talents and a life to live without fear of discrimination.

Dani Garavelli puts it in perspective:

If there is to be a schism in the Church of Scotland over this matter it will not have been caused by Scott Rennie but by those who quite clearly may feel more comfortable in a church which places more store in the Old Testament than that which celebrates and promotes the teachings of Christ.

And so it is and so it will be. Are we to live in the Old Testament Law with its bondage or in the life Jesus brought us?

Armstrong arrested, fingerprinted, and released on bail

The rumours I heard yesterday are, in fact, true. The Grand Jury returned a 20-count indictment of felony theft charges ($291,000) against "the Rev'd" Donald Armstrong, former priest of The Episcopal Church. The Gazette has the details here.

After the arrest warrant was issued, Armstrong surrendered himself to the legal authorities. He was fingerprinted, photographed, and released, presumably on bail. Please note that he was not removed from church property in handcuffs as some have stated.

According to the article,

If convicted on all 20 felony counts, Armstrong, 60, could spend the rest of his life in prison. Each count comes with a possible prison sentence of 4 to 12 years, said Pueblo District Attorney Bill Thiebaut. Fines against Armstrong could mount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

With so much evidence against him, and from what we know of his conduct, it is difficult not to prejudge him. We must remember that until the verdict is delivered he is presumed to be innocent according to the law.

The indictment and arrest is a major blow for the schismatics. Armstrong was the shining and "comes-with-lots-of-money" star. Now he has been arrested on charges of grand theft. Ever the spin-doctor, Armstrong said

I will, after years of unbridled false accusations, have my day in court, so this is a good step in that direction.

We shall see exactly what direction that step takes - I'm betting on incarceration. One must wonder what the charges would be if the shredded documents were available to the authorities.

According to the article,

Grand juries convene when an attorney general or district attorney concludes there is probable cause that a crime has been committed.

Wednesday's indictment concludes a long chapter in Armstrong's ongoing saga that began in December 2006 when the rector was placed on leave by the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado for alleged financial misconduct.

A Grace Episcopal vestry member put it best, perhaps, "He's got great gifts, but also tremendous failings. He has a sense of entitlement about himself that can lead to this type of behavior." Entitlement is his middle name.

Armstrong's schismatic community is solidly behind him, of course - the Stockholm syndrome at work. According to Kathleen Buzby, a CANA parish member

Until someone actually proves something against Father Armstrong, I'm backing him. He's straightforward and honest.

Another member, Marge Goss (and according to "James in Colorado," a vestry person), said,

The church is totally behind Don, but we will be glad when this is behind us.

Straightforward, yes, but the courts will tell us about Armstrong's honesty.

We should also ask what this arrest means to the credibility of the CANAnites? Remember they pronounced all Armstrong's financial dealings as above-board and legal. Now that he has been officially arrested, will the schismatic leaders inhibit him? Does the U.S. have extradition agreements with Nigeria and Argentina?

But, CANA's irregularly consecrated bishop Martin Minns said:

[T]he indictment was a painful but necessary step in Armstrong's journey of publicly proving his innocence.

After being booked, fingerprinted, jailed and released on bond Thursday, Armstrong returned to St. George's to preside over the evening Ascension Day service. Ah, the hubris.

We are fast approaching the "three-strikes" rule for the ecclesial community of schismatics in the Americas. One must wonder how many aspirin they needed yesterday.

The Denver Post has a good article as well. As of 23 May there is an updated article here. Take note of the lengthy list of links to other Denver Post articles about Armstrong and the ongoing investigation.

For some background, read Fr. Jake's reports here and here. Also see TTLS' posts here and here.

Guess what story a certain site that has the same initials as San Francisco had not posed on even though said story has been out for about 24-hours?

[Updated at 9 AM 24 May]

PS Thanks "Acolyte"

More on Forrester

There was an interesting article in the 17 May edition of Marquette's The Mining Journal regarding the "Christian controversy" that the election of Kevin Thew Forrester has caused. It's worth a read as it is well balanced. You'll find the article here.

After I made this post, I went looking about the web for more information about Fr. Forrester. One one of the "usual sites," there is a post that is a great analysis of the consent situation. I use it without permission of "Karen" whose comment it is.

Theoretically, the vote totals could still be close. We’ve heard from more of the “conservative” (expected NO voting) bishops and dioceses - about 60% of each, as compared with only about 38% of the “liberal” (expected YES voting) bishops and dioceses.

So… don’t be surprised if the YES totals climb quite a bit while the NO totals stay fairly stable for awhile.

There are at least 35 liberal bishops yet to be heard from. Theoretically, if they all voted Yes (very doubtful at this point) Forrester could have a total 49 Yes votes among bishops if past voting patterns held. However, the liberal bishops would now have to ALL vote YES for that to happen. So far only about 62% of the “liberal” bishops who have voted have voted YES. Among the “conservative bishops” 97% have voted NO as expected.

It is a similar story among Standing Committees. We still have yet to hear from 60% of the “liberal” dioceses. Theoretically, if they all voted YES, Forrester could get 53 YES votes and 58 NO votes. Consent would be denied. I don’t see how Forrester can pull off consent among the Standing Committees unless some current NO votes are switched. Forrester has lost the votes of 12 “liberal” dioceses whom we would have expected to vote YES. i.e. only 54% of the liberal dioceses are voting YES, while 97% of the conservative dioceses are voting NO.

For those who are curious, the “Swing” vote on the conservative side in both the bishop and the standing committee column is San Joaquin. So, it is not even really a “swing” since all the past voting record is for the Anglican Diocese under Bishop Schofield, now part of ACNA, whereas the YES votes are by +Lamb and the new Standing Committee. There have been no other “defections” among conservative bishops or dioceses.

Of course, the usual schismatic sites are abuzz with the story. One must wonder why a group that has departed from "the apostate TEC" is so concerned about whom that church picks as a bishop.

Could the answer be that the only uniting element in the entire schismatic movement is hatred for TEC? Could it be that without TEC to bash they have no reason to exist or to blog.

I found it amusing that the discussion could not be constrained to Forrester - it quickly reverted back to bashing the Presiding Bishop, Bishop Lamb and the "illegal" diocese of San Joaquin which they consider the TEC diocese to be. They chose to ignore the troublesome fact that the US legal system has recognized both Lamb and the TEC Diocese of San Joaquin and declared the schismatic "group" null and void.

Ah, how blessed are those who can live in the Isle of Grand Delusion.

Viri Galilaei - The Ascension of Our Lord

The Ascension of our Lord
Viri Galilaei

Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47 or Psalm 93; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 24:44-53

Introit: Ye men of Galilee, why wonder you, looking up to heaven? alleluia. He shall so come as you have seen Him going up into heaven, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. -- (Ps.44. 2). O clap your hands, all ye nations; shout unto God, with the voice of exultation.

“He came singing love,
and He lived singing love
He died…singing love
He arose in silence
For the love to go on, we must make it our song
You and I be the singers!”

So begins a song from the New Zealand Hymnal. What was promised is removed for a time, so it can be more fully given.

This moment in the story of Jesus, God-with-us, is fascinating.

So much has happened. We have now walked through the story of His life, death, and resurrection. Now, with the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, so much more is promised – but not yet fully given.

Jesus’ last words in The Gospel According to Matthew restate the promise, “Remember: I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Yet, before we receive this gift in its fullness, we will pass through a time when it feels as if we’ve been left to our own devices. What is there to be learned in that time?

In our collect for this feast day of the Ascension, we recite that “our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all the heavens that He might fill all things.”

We may have thought that Jesus came just for some of us, to redeem only a portion of God’s creation. Those who first followed Jesus and were blessed to be personally reconciled with the Risen Lord, face to face, and who returned to rejoin the fold – they probably believed that at first.

But in this magnificent mystery of Jesus’ Ascension, the glory shared so far with but a few radiates out to fill every corner of creation – including those places we had presumed were irredeemable.

The Ascension is essentially a festival of the future. By it, we see that the life we receive by faith has a destiny, and that destiny includes far more than we have yet asked or imagined.

We are called to move with God in the power of the Spirit as it is being given, to move outside our usual circle to seek and serve God’s presence and life in every corner of creation. This will be for us both a struggle and a delight.

Of course, we need to believe we share this calling and give ourselves to be lifted up by Christ and with Christ, allowing God to forgive and heal us, to send us forth empowered, just as Jesus was sent into the world. With Jesus, we are to be incarnate in daily life, to speak truth to power, to extend a healing touch to those from whom others would flee, and to be ready to take up the cross we are given daily. We are to follow Jesus, even through death, into new life.

Are we ready to embrace so full a calling for ourselves?

There is a wonderful mystery play from the Middle Ages about the Ascension. It is said that after Jesus was lifted up from the earth and was ascending to heaven, the two men dressed in white follow after, straining to catch up with Him. These angels cry out: “Jesus! Jesus! Wait for us!”

Jesus turns to greet them, and as they continue to ascend together, says: “Yes, my friends! Well done!”

One of the angels replies: “That is what we should say to you, dear Lord, for you have done all that has been asked of you! But what will happen next? Isn’t there more to be done?”

Jesus answers: “Well, of course! There is always more to be done! But weren’t you paying attention down there? Didn’t you hear me give them what they will come to call ‘the Great Commission’? Now they will go forth and baptize all people into my continuing life and work, reconciling the whole world to myself!”

The two angels look at one another somewhat hesitantly, and then look back at Jesus. One of them cautiously says: “Well, certainly we heard all that. But haven’t you been paying attention to them? Do you really think you can count on that lot?”

“He’s right, you know,” the other angel says. “Honestly, what’s your back-up plan? What will you do if those you have left behind don’t continue your work?”

Jesus pauses for a moment and then says, simply, “There is no back-up plan.”

There is no back-up plan because the grace set free by the Resurrection, the Ascension, and ultimately the gift of the Holy Spirit is sufficient to affect God’s plan of salvation. The abiding question is whether and how we will choose to join in that work. Will we participate fully in the mending of creation, or will we choose to stand back and watch from a comfortable distance? And what a tragedy that would be, a choice to refuse the invitation to be fully alive.

It is a gift of love, this calling we have received to be as Jesus was and do as Jesus did, as members of Christ’s body. By baptism, we are embraced and challenged to receive the love God offers us in Jesus, and then to move out to share that love unconditionally.

We can choose not to move with God as the life of God radiates out to fill all of creation. We can choose to turn inward and cling to what we have previously recognized as signs of God’s presence among us. Or we can turn in our circles of faith and face outward, rejoicing to recognize and celebrate where God is present and active, even with many who will continue to serve God’s purpose while totally unaware of it.

There is a word in this for each of us personally. Most of us gravitate toward a limited circle of acquaintances, a comfort zone, to which we stay near. So much of our life energy goes into maintaining the borders of that comfort zone, and keeping close to that safe place. And that is a shame. For we know in our hearts that when fully alive, we will find ourselves stepping out of that circle again and again, to discover the Reign of God in ever new ways.

There is a word in this for us as a church and as congregations as well. In these most challenging and difficult times, with great change underway in our finances, our culture, and our global relationships, most will try to keep steering church life back to our personal comfort zones, to hold on dearly to church life as we’ve always known it. But the Risen and Ascended Lord, who is filling all things, beckons us to step out of our comfort zone and discover new ways to celebrate life and love, and to share boldly in the work of reconciling the whole world to God.

All of creation is being filled with the life and healing power of God. When we remember this, it changes how we experience everything. For then we will have confidence that whatever we are called to endure now will lead us in God’s time and in God’s way to be raised and lifted up with Jesus to draw the whole world into deeper companionship with God and one another in Christ.

This truly is grace.

A wonderful prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book, is born of this very moment in our salvation history:

Lord,
it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.
The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world
and of our own lives rest in you.
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us, and all who have no peace.
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day.
new joys,
new possibilities.
In your name we pray.
Amen.

Steve Kelsey is missioner of the Greater Hartford Regional Ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. Over the years he has been privileged to minister primarily with smaller, more remote congregations in New England, Alaska, New York, and Northern Michigan. E-Mail: steve.kelsey@juno.com.