The Rt. Honourable and Obtuse Rowan WIlliams

You must go and read Ruth Gledhill's small post today. She reports that Rowan

Told General Synod today that he 'regrets' the decision by The Episcopal Church house of deputies to overturn the moratorium on the ordination of gay bishops.

Now, where on earth did he get that. Could it be that he is incapable of reading the American English language? There is not one word in D025 that overturns the egregious B033. Yes, it sort of nullifies it, but it does not overturn it.

This is just another example of how the man cannot hear, read, mark, or inwardly digest. What he really means is, "those bloody colonials didn't do what I told them to do!". Ruth is correct in that the vote was really a snub to Williams who has shown nothing but contempt for TEC and its polity. And I say, the snub didn't go far enough.

Rowan went on to say

As for General Convention it remains to be seen I think whether the vote of the House of Deputies will be endorsed by the House of Bishops. If the House of Bishops chooses to block then the moratorium remains. I regret the fact that there is not the will to observe the moratorium in such a significant part of the Church in North America but I can't say more about that as I have no details.

Why is it he is still so concerned about TEC upholding the "moratorium" while he says absolutely nothing about the Global South continually breaking that same moratorium? TEC has not consecrated a single out, partnered bishop.

The so called "Global South" flagrantly breaks the moratoriums terms and has even fully embraced an organization that claims to be the Anglican Church in North America, something it is not. Yet Rowan is a silent as the tomb on that subject. He continues to try to placate former Anglicans who've left the communion for bigoted pastures. He will not get them back. But he is so bloody minded he cannot see the daylight.

George Conger reports that Bishop Sauls has called the ABC for his intentiaonl obtuseness. (And yes, that's the word I meant.)

The Archbishop of Canterbury has been misinformed about the purpose and import of Resolution D025, the Bishop of Lexington told The Living Church at a July 13 press conference at the 76th General Convention in Anaheim, California

On July 12, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams urged the House of Bishops to reject Resolution D025, saying “I regret the fact that there is not the will to observe the moratorium in such a significant part of the Church in North America but I can't say more about that as I have no details.”

Bishop Sauls said Archbishop Williams was “laboring under a misconception,” about D025 and had been misled by the “sensational headlines” surrounding the resolution, which circumvents B033’s ban on consecrating gay clergy by affirming that “God has called and may call such individuals to any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.”

He said he could “not get into Archbishop of Canterbury’s head” but if Archbishop Williams believed D025 offered anything new, he was mistaken. It simply “states the reality of this church.”

Minnesota Deputy Sally Johnson noted that D025 “does not repeal B033,” as it contained no language expressly overturning the 2006 resolution. General Convention was engaged “in a conversation on this controversial issue.”

The Rt. Rev. Michael Smith, Bishop of North Dakota, however stated that D025 was a “very serious issue in the life of the church,” and the bishops were “very sensitive” to the concerns of the wider church.

“We are aware of the gravity of the situation,” he said.

I really believe that Rowan is one of the worst ABCs in the history of the Church of England and certainly one of the two worst in the history of the AC.

C056 clears committee

According to my sources, the Prayer Book Committee approved C056 from the Diocese of Missouri. The vote was almost unanimous: B: 6-0, D: 26-1.

I provided a link to the resolution last week, so here is the text that has been approved.

Resolved, the House of _______ concurring, That the 76th General Convention charge the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music with development of liturgies of blessing for same-gender commitments to be presented to the next triennial General Convention in 2012 for inclusion in "Book of Occasional Services"; and. be it further

Resolved, That in the meantime the Ecclesiastical Authority of each diocese may authorize for use in the diocese liturgies for blessing same-gender committed relationships of enduring love, mutuality, and fidelity; and be it further

Resolved, That, with respect to such blessings, no bishop or clergy of this Church or any other person acting on behalf of this Church shall be required or expected to perform an act contrary to a deeply-held position of conscience.


Resolved, that the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops Theology Committee, collect and develop theological resources and liturgies of blessing for same-gender holy unions, to be presented to the 77th General Convention for formal consideration; and be it further

Resolved, that the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops Theology Committee, devise an open process for the conduct of its work in this matter, inviting participation from dioceses, congregations, and individuals who are or have already engaged in the study or design of such rites throughout the Anglican Communion; and be it further.

Resolved, that all bishops, noting particularly those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships’ are legal, may provide generous pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this Church; and be it further

Resolved, that honoring the theological diversity of this Church, no bishop or other member of the clergy shall be compelled to authorize or officiate at such liturgies; and be it further

Resolved, that the Anglican Consultative Council be invited to conversation regarding this resolution and the work that proceeds from it, together with other churches in the Anglican Communion engaged in similar processes.

Keep in mind that this resolution is not for this convention, but for consideration at GC12.

UPDATE: Make sure to read Sharon Sheridan's Episcopal Life Online press release on this subject.

Gunfight at the GC Corral

Three years ago the House of Bishops forced an unwelcome and dishonest resolution on the house of deputies. Since that time, it has been arguably the biggest heartache in TEC. It has strained the bonds of communion within TEC to nearly a breaking point.

Sunday, the house of deputies nullified B033. I congratulate the house for doing so. But, by rightly doing so they have set the stage for the gunfight at the justice corral. And it's going to be ugly.

The bishops will not pass D025; we can be rather safe on that presumption. Although there will be some sparks there, that is not the gunfight that I'm talking about.

When the bishops refuse to recognize the will of the deputies - no, the will of the majority of the people who actually run this church, that's when the shooting will begin. The bishops will have drawn the line in the sand that says, "We do not care what you think; we are bishops, dammit."

The standing of bishops in TEC is very tarnished after GC06 and then allowing the insult to Bishop Robinson at Lambeth. I believe their standing and credibility, with few exceptions, is practically zed. They can now either redeem themselves or they can put another nail in the coffin of TEC having bishops at all.

If TEC does in fact become an relic, it won't because the church chose equal rights for all members; it will be because a bunch of spineless and dishonest bishops killed TEC.

When the moment of decision comes, we have to do what is right, regardless of the cost, for the extension of freedom, equality, and justice. James Lowell wrote

Once to every man and nation,
comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood,
for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision,
offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever,
’twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble,
when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
and ’tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses
while the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue
of the faith they had denied.

Will the bishops be cowards or brave Christians?

After I wrote the above last night, Bishop Robinson wrote on his blog this morning

Many people, including our own deputies, said: "We've done OUR part. Now you bishops do YOURS!" That is the task we will set our minds and hearts to today (although we are not sure whether this deputies' action will make it to our House today (Monday) or tomorrow.

Pray for us, my friends, and pray especially for the Bishops as we determine whether we will remain the church of yesterday, or whether, by God's grace, we will embrace the future of a fully-inclusive church.

On another topic, I was sorry to see that the HOB could not continue to fund the missionaries of the church because of the expect shortfall of fourteen million dollars due to the economy:

Measures funding the eighty missionaries we have ($24,000 per year each) have been up until more information can be presented. The missionaries cost the church 5.5 million each year. But, what is the return? Enormous in my estimation. How about we ask the bishops to donate five-percent of their salaries to the mission department.

D025 Passes HOD

It's not a surprise, but the HOD passed D025. Here is the text of the current version. The "straw poll" report to me was that it is 2:1 in both orders of the HOD.

Regardless of what some people wish to think, the passage of D025 is clearly a renunciation and nullification of B033. The laity has spoken.

However, this will be very hard sell in the HOB. The bishops will explain their "no" votes many ways but it will still mean the same thing -they value tea and biscuits far more than they value their diocesan flock.

UPDATE: Fr. Terry Martin reports on the passage here.

UPDATE II: Jim Naughton reports that the vote was 77-31 in the lay order and 74-35 in the clerical order.

For those who are "non-link-clickers" here it is:

Resolution: D025
Title: Commitment and Witness to Anglican Communion
Topic: Anglican Communion
Committee: 08 - World Mission
House of Initial Action: Deputies
Proposer: Ms. D. Rebecca Snow

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm the continued participation of The Episcopal Church in the Anglican Communion; give thanks for the work of the bishops at the Lambeth Conference of 2008; reaffirm the abiding commitment of The Episcopal Church to the fellowship of churches that constitute the Anglican Communion and seek to live into the highest degree of communion possible; and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention encourage dioceses, congregations, and members of The Episcopal Church to participate to the fullest extent possible in the many instruments, networks and relationships of the Anglican Communion; and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention reaffirm its financial commitment to the Anglican Communion and pledge to participate fully in the Inter-Anglican Budget; and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm the value of "listening to the experience of homosexual persons," as called for by the Lambeth Conferences of 1978, 1988, and 1998, and acknowledge that through our own listening the General Convention has come to recognize that the baptized membership of The Episcopal Church includes same-sex couples living in lifelong committed relationships "characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, careful, honest communication, and the holy love which enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of God" (2000-D039); and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention recognize that gay and lesbian persons who are part of such relationships have responded to God's call and have exercised various ministries in and on behalf of God's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and are currently doing so in our midst; and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention affirm that God has called and may call such individuals to any ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, which call through our discernment processes acting in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church; and be it further

Resolved, That the 76th General Convention acknowledge that members of The Episcopal Church, as of the Anglican Communion, based on careful study of the Holy Scriptures, and in light of tradition and reason, are not of one mind, and Christians of good conscience,disagree about some of these matters.