Just received this ENS press release with the Presiding Bishop's statement on the "Virginia situation." Brava, Brava, Brava!Presiding Bishop's statement following property decisions in Virginia
[ENS] The Episcopal Church, in consultation with the Diocese of Virginia, regrets the recent votes by members of some congregations in Virginia to leave this Church. We wish to be clear, however, that while individuals have the right and privilege to depart or return at any time, congregations do not. Congregations exist because they are in communion with the bishop of a diocese, through recognition by diocesan governing bodies (diocesan synods, councils, or conventions).
Congregations cannot unilaterally disestablish themselves or remove themselves from a diocese. In addition, by canon law, property of all sorts held by parishes is held and must be used for the mission of the Episcopal Church through diocesan bishops and governing bodies. As a Church, we cannot abrogate our interest in such property, as it is a fiduciary and moral duty to preserve such property for generations to come and the ministries to be served both now and in the future.
The recent decisions by some members of congregations in Virginia to leave the Episcopal Church and ally with the Anglican Church of Nigeria have no cognizance in our polity. Ancient precedent (from as early as the fourth century) in the Church requires bishops to respect diocesan boundaries, and to refrain from crossing into or acting officially in dioceses other than their own. As a Church we cannot and will not work to subvert that ancient precedent by facilitating the establishment of congregations which are purportedly responsible to bishops in other parts of the Anglican Communion within the diocesan boundaries of the Episcopal Church.
The Episcopal Church continues to seek reconciliation with those who have decided to leave this Church, and reminds all parties that our doors are open to any who wish to return. Together with the Diocese of Virginia we seek to be clear about who we are as Episcopalians, and to continue to reach out in healing to this broken world. The overwhelming majority of the more than 7,600 congregations of the Episcopal Church are engaged in doing exactly that.
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
9 comments:
They wanted clarity.....and thanks be to God, here it is!!!! Hurray for our PB!!! What a wonderful gift to us and our church that we finally have leaders (Bonnie Anderson as well) who are willing to speak up and stand up to those trying to destroy this church.
Thanks, Fred. I couldn't have said it better myself!
My brother used to work in a huge corporation. He said that it was common to hear the following at meetings (though not in so many words, of course): "Be reasonable; do it my way."
I have a hard time understanding how those who believe what the Creeds say, what the Prayer Book says, & what the XXXIX Articles say can be told that they are not really Anglicans. We hold to the historic teachings and moral values of the Church as it has existed for 2000 years, yet those who have made changes in those teachings now seek to tell us that we are not authentic Anglicans. It really makes my head spin.
Pilgrim,
You are deliberately comparing apples to oranges and somehow coming up with lemons.
The ordination of women and GLBT as well as blessing/marriage of same-sex couples developed over many years of discernment and study and in conversation with many people of differing views. The crossing of diocesan borders was a knee jerk reaction.
One has to do with the social justice taught to us by Jesus in the gospels and by the prophets of Israel, coming out of years of study of the scriptures, augmented by science and experience, led by the Spirit. Out of this has come the realization of what we sincerely believe to be God's will for creation. It was done in dialogue with those who disagree, respect for their positions, and provisions made for their understanding of the faith. The other was forced without consultation.
I've noticed that when diocesan and provincial border crossing come up there is no defense of it other than "you did this, so we are going to do this." Whereas TEC had left open doors for conversation and dialogue, others have shut them.
Whereas the Presiding Bishop wouldn't dream of going into another province or diocese without speaking first with its primate or bishop, she has not been accorded the same respect. And when those Primates have come to the States, they have deliberately snubbed Katharine Jefferts Schori.
Susan, I too am delighted to see ++Her taking a firm stand. I do not know why our national church made the diocesans "go it alone" in previous litigation. But I trust we are now ready to put our entire voice and resources to support the Episcopalians throughout our church.
Hiram, I'll agree you and the other dissidents may be "Anglican" in some way. But folks who vote to leave the Episcopal Church are no longer Episcopalians, and have no right to leave with property of the Episcopal Church. It's just that simple.
Also, Hiram, do you literally believe every one of the 39 Articles? Are there any that you have to read with your fingers crossed?
You know what, Susan? I think the boys and girls like "Pilgrim" here have had more than their 15 minutes of fame on the issue of the ordination of women.
I don't think you have to feel compelled to give them any more air time on this.
Our ordinations are valid.
We are deacons, priests, bishops and now, thank you Jesus, we have Presiding Bishops and Primates who are women.
God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit love absolutely everyone and call each and every one to each and every vocation - lay and ordained - in the church
Yes, even you, Pilgrim.
Even you.
Lisa,
Yes, I believe all of the XXIX Articles, except for XXI, which has to do with the Church of England being an established Church; it was not adopted (see p. 872 of the BCP) by PECUSA when General Convention of 1801 established the Articles in PECUSA (p. 867, BCP).
Article XXV does give me pause, as it appears to be open to an "ex opere operato" interpretation, wherein full spiritual regeneration is said to occur in each and every ceremony, simply because the ceremony has been carried out. But that is far from the only way to interpret the article.
I am, by the way, an Episcopal priest in good standing. I haven't left, nor has my parish taken any steps to leave. I do not know what the future holds, however; to say that things are unsettled is a colossal understatement. It is not likely that I will still be an Episcopalian after 2008.
One reason that we are in the difficulty we are in is that the Episcopal Church has not officially reneged on historic doctrine -- even in the matter of ordaining those who engage in same-sex sexual relationships, the Episcopal Church simply went ahead and did it, in spite of the historic teachings of the Church and in spite of former resolutions of GC (the 1979 GC said that it was not right to ordain sexually active homosexual persons).
However, the Episcopal Church tolerates a vast diversity of opinions, teachings, and practices that depart in large and grave ways from historic Christian teaching and moral order.
Because these departures from received Christian teachings are so vast and so common, many of us who are upholding our ordination vows to believe and teach "the doctrine, discipline, and worship of Christ as this Church has received them" (p 526, BCP)have given up hope that the Episcopal Church can be reformed. Thus, many are leaving. Legally, the question of property will ahve to be settled in court, but the moral and theological position of departing congregations is that they have to leave the institution called the Episcopal Church because it so widely and broadly tolerates (and indeed, promotes) false teachings that the only way to carry out the historic puposes of the Christian Church in general, and of the Anglican heritage in particular, is to leave the institution and to form a new organization in North America.
Pilgrim, are you confusing the medium with the message, the container for the thing contained? Christianity, the message we recognize from the one true Spirit, moves through countless cultures in countless ages. Scripture shows its birth in a few specific cultures--ancient Hebrew, Philippian, Roman, Corinthian, for example. But the path to God doesn't require us to adhere to the moral dictates of Biblical cultures. St. Paul particularly recognized this by stating his willingness to be Greek to Greeks and the un-necessity of being circumcised to be Christian.
Down your path lie burkhas and sectarian interpretations that lead to violence. And, where do you stop with adherence to such cultural things? After excluding women from Christian clergy, would you next require clergy to be Jewish, and then members of one particular tribe?
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