Slow blogging

Family in town, blogging light!

Sunday Psalms

Psalm 131

My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.

Pope Benedict XVI biographer: Nazi genocide shaped his pro-life views

From LifeNews.com:

An author writing a new biography on Pope Benedict XVI says genocide during the Nazi regime in World War II played a key role in shaping the pro-life views of the Catholic leader. Author Brennan Pursell relates the story in his upcoming book Benedict of Bavaria.

Pursell learned of the tragic story while compiling material for the book.

He found out that, as a 14-year-old boy, Joseph Ratzinger had a cousin born with Down Syndrome who was just a couple years younger.

In 1941, German "therapists" arrived at the boy's home and took him away -- possibly telling his parents of the new governmental regulations against mentally disabled children living at home.

Despite pleas from the boy's family, German officials took him away and he very likely became a victim of the genocide that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives during the war.

"This was Joseph Ratzinger's first experience of a murderous philosophy that asserts that some people are disposable," Pursell explains.

Because of the terrible incident, Pope Benedicts presents a consistently pro-life worldview that opposes abortion as well as euthanasia and assisted suicide. . .

Read it all.

Seattle: Interview with the presiding bishop

From the Seattle Times, an interview with the presiding bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori - unfortunately, the questions are not very strong and there seems to be little follow-up to her answers:

. . . Q: You recently went to the San Joaquin Diocese in California (which voted to secede from the Episcopal Church) to speak with those who remain Episcopalian. You said that healing is possible. How, when the issues seem so intractable and the divide getting wider?

A: The experience of the people present at the convention in San Joaquin is that healing is happening there. In groups of people with a variety of opinions about some of these hot-button issues, it's remembering what it is that originally calls them together.

Q: Property disputes with breakaway churches are a big issue and getting bigger. What do you say to people who feel it's unbiblical to take fellow Christians to court over issues like property?

A: We have a fiduciary and a moral responsibility as leaders in this church to use and steward the gifts ... for the purposes for which they were given. ... Generations before us gave permission in the name of the Episcopal Church and intended them (gifts and properties) for the benefit of communities and generations to come. (The breakaway churches) are clearly saying they're no longer part of the Episcopal Church.

Q: What about the argument of the breakaway churches and diocese that the Episcopal Church left them?

A: The church has changed repeatedly throughout history. The church has struggled with the place of African Americans in the church, the place of slavery in the church, the place of children in the church, women in the church, immigrants in the church, and today, the place of gays and lesbians in the church.

Q: What do you think is the proper role for the Episcopal Church to play in the Anglican Communion on the issue of ordaining gay men and lesbians and same-gender unions?

A: It appears to be our vocation in this day and age to encourage conversation, to encourage theological reflection about how we're created, what the holiness of life looks like.

Q: Some people find it hypocritical that church members in some parts of the world who are so outspoken against ordaining gays are allowed to have multiple wives. Are they allowed to, and if so, what are your thoughts on that?

A: The (1988) Lambeth Convention (the once-a-decade gathering of the world's bishops) made pastoral provisions for polygamists to be received into the church. ... It seems to me that the church throughout history has made different provisions in different provinces for circumstances that aren't universal.

Q: Do you see the upcoming Lambeth Convention this year as settling any of these issues?

A: The Lambeth Convention's intent is to gather bishops in community and to meet each other as individual human beings. It's never been intended to settle issues.

Read it all.

L'Allegro: Laughter holding both his sides

". . . Come, and trip it, as you go,
On the light fantastic toe. . ."

John Milton
(English writer, poet, 1608-1674)
L'Allegro

Being in a good and bad spiritual place at the same time

From Drell's Descants, Brad Drell expresses well what I've been thinking:

. . . Yet, I sit here with trouble on my brow about what am I to be about in the Episcopal Church. Am I to be a reconciler, a partisan for Jesus Christ in territory occupied by the enemy, or am I, after much consternation and prayer, to finally shake dust off my feet?

As I sit here tonight, I am faced with all three paths at a crossroads.

Interestingly enough, God is challenging me to do all three. I just don’t know how to do it. I know from what I have been through I am to do all three, as I’ve done them at different times and different places. I just don’t know how to do all three at the same time in the situation I am in. . .

Read it all.

Question authority, says Bishop Jefferts Schori

From seattlepi.com [boldface mine]:

The chief symbol of authority in the Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, delivered an unusual message to a Seattle gathering of young churchgoers: Question authority.

In a setting that symbolizes entrenched local power -- the Washington Athletic Club -- Bishop Schori urged youthful listeners to "prod" the church, think about the Gospel "in new ways," and challenger their elders on the environment.

"I expect you to hold older generations' feet to the fire for the condition of Creation," Schori argued.

At another point, she told listeners:

"You are living reminders to the rest of us that God is constantly doing a new thing . . . Some people believe the church never changes. The only thing that never changes is a dead body, and that begins to rot."

Elected in 2006 by the Episcopal General Convention, Schori is the woman to hold the post of Presiding Bishop. She is a former oceanographer, with a PhD from Oregon State, and spent part of her girlhood in Lake City.

She is also a resolutely progressive voice in the church, to the dismay of some traditionalists. Schori supported the election of a non-celibate gay, the Rt. Rev. V Gene Robinson, as Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire.

Schori has taken a hard line toward dioceses and congregations seeking to sever ties with the Episcopal Church - insisting that property belongs to the parent church - and has shaken up the church's administration. She is moving parts of the Presiding Bishop's staff to four different cities, including Seattle. . .

Schori made clear her displeasure with the decision [of the Archbishop of Canterbury] not to invite the gay bishop.

"It's the archbishop's party and he issues the invitations," she said. "He (Robinson) is going to be there outside the meeting."

In answer to a question about cramped church facilities, Schori replied by saying: "Sometimes I think the (church) buildings are albatrosses." The Presiding Bishop praised what she called "the freedom that comes with simply gathering and being together."

She also urged young people to "think about the Gospel in new ways. It is the obligation of every generation to view God with new eyes."

A question-and-answer session saw the kind of blunt dialogue rarely heard on the visit of a religious dignitary.

Katrina Hamilton, a University of Washington student, talked about how many of her friends are removed from and ignorant of religion, and noted "an increase in the stereotyping of Christians."

"It is much more acceptable in my circle to be gay than to be Christian," said Hamilton.

"We don't live in Christendom anymore," replied Schori, "and that is both a challenge and opportunity." She urged people to ask the question: "How does the way we live proclaim our faith?". . .

Read it all.

Rio Grande: Another one shakes the dust. . .

From the Las Cruces Sun-News:

Congregation of Episcopal church in Cloudcroft leaves diocese

The clergy and congregation of the Episcopal mission Church of Ascension in Cloudcroft have split from the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande and joined the Anglican Province of Uganda.

The diocese said this week its trustees and standing committee were told of the decision last week.

"The prayers of the trustees and the standing committee go with those people of Ascension who feel they must leave the Episcopal Church," the diocese said in a news release. "We are saddened by their decision, but pray the Lord will bless their community with faith, hope and love."

The diocese said conversations between the two sides "were respectful, cordial and acknowledged respective positions."

The Cloudcroft congregation, which numbered between 20 and 30 people, held its last service at the church last Sunday, then vacated the premises for another location, the diocese said. . .

Read it all.
H/t to TitusOneNine.

Forward in Faith North America reacts to the inhibition of Bishop MacBurney

From Forward in Faith:

“It is a sad day when godly bishops are no longer free to provide pastoral care for those beyond our formal institutional boundaries.” FiF NA President

Today the Right Reverend Edward MacBurney, the bishop retired of the Diocese of Quincy (Episcopal) received a Letter of Inhibition from Katharine Jefferts Schori, the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church in the USA (TEC). The Inhibition forbids MacBurney from functioning as a bishop of TEC.

Last year MacBurney was invited by the Presiding Bishop & Primate of the Southern Cone, the Most Reverend Gregory Venables, to make a pastoral visit to a Southern Cone parish in San Diego, California, on his behalf. In a spirit of Anglican unity and Christian generosity, Bishop MacBurney agreed to respond to the pastoral needs of those outside TEC with whom TEC claims fellowship.

“This is an alarming move against a godly man who, without publicity, rightly helped a brother bishop provide care for his people,” said the Right Reverend Keith Ackerman, President of Forward in Faith NA and current TEC Bishop of Quincy (IL). This move against Bishop MacBurney is a clear warning that the leadership of TEC is endeavouring to bring the days of the biblically orthodox within TEC to a close. “Schori clearly has no intention to ‘live in tension with people who don’t agree with you about everything’ as she was quoted in Saturday’s interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune reporter, Sandi Dolbee. “While Schori extolled the imperative to worship together, her Inhibition is to prevent others from worshipping with Bishop MacBurney,” said Father Keith Acker who was also interviewed by Dolbee on Schori’s weekend visit to San Diego.

Internationally this is an attack upon the many world leaders of Anglican Churches (Primates) who have responded to the “burning house” of the ever increasingly post-Christian theology of TEC and its abandonment of the Bible as the Word of God in any meaningful sense.

Bishop MacBurney welcomes the opportunity to defend his actions from the scandalous neglect of Christian charity led by Katharine Jefferts Schori and the leadership of TEC. Bishop MacBurney will have 90 days to respond to the charges.

The Right Revd Keith L. Ackerman
President of Forward in Faith North America

Of shame, there is none

My understanding is that Bishop Ackerman asked the presiding bishop not to undertake this action at this time because of Bishop MacBurney's family situation. From VirtueOnline:

Mrs. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, has formally inhibited The Rt. Rev. Edward H. MacBurney, retired Bishop of Quincy. Two days after the letter of inhibition was signed by the Presiding Bishop, MacBurney's son Page died.

Bishop Keith L. Ackerman SSC, Bishop of Quincy, said MacBurney was not aware of the inhibition. Ackerman had to read the inhibition to him over the phone.

"I am beside myself with grief over this unnecessary action taken against my predecessor especially at a time when he is mourning the death of his son this past Friday. I am particularly saddened that, with the exception of the Bishop who initiated this action, those involved in determining this course have never spoken with Bishop MacBurney directly. In the midst of this difficult time for Bishop MacBurney and his family, I am really much more concerned about the implications of St. Matthew 18:15-17 as it relates to how reconciliation is pursued than I am with Title IV, Canon 1, Section 6 as it relates to discipling my dear brother. In the meantime, we are ministering to the needs of the MacBurney family."

Mrs. Jefferts Schori said the presentment issued by the Title IV Review Committee was based on Title IV, canon 3, Section 43Copyright, 44, and 45 of The Episcopal Church. Bishop MacBurney is inhibited from exercising his gifts of ministry and will face a court trial.

Read it all. And the bishop who initiated this is San Diego's Bishop Mathes.
H/t to MCJ.

BREAKING from Stand Firm: Schori distributes email on deposing +Duncan

Check it out!

AnglicanTV interviews Jim Oakes, Virginia

From AnglicanTV, Jim Oakes speaks with Kevin Kallsen about the recent decision by Judge Bellows regarding the property dispute between CANA and the Diocese of Virginia (and The Episcopal Church).

Shoe Thursday is early this week (or maybe I'll do it twice!)

I think I just need a pick-me-up after reading the accounts of this weekend's visit to San Diego by the presiding bishop.

So, just for me, some pretty shoes!





There, I feel better already.

San Diego: An EpiscopalLife Online press release

More on San Diego from EpiscopalLife Online - and, you have to admit if you read this whole report, that this is really a press release, not a news report.

Here are some of the adjectives used to report the events, relay reaction to the presiding bishop, and describe her own persona:

• Bishop Mathes beamed with pride


• Her humility revealed itself in many moments throughout her visit


• The calm, intelligent way she handled the questions touched the audience.


• Jefferts Schori said thoughtfully


• Jefferts Schori's preaching was concise, thought-provoking and ended with a haunting question


• After the service, parishioners commented on her insightful message

Think there's any damage control going on here? Huummmm. . . .

Ohmigosh, they had access to the children. . . !

Yes, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was here in San Diego this past weekend. Sunday she was at St. James in La Jolla, where, according to EpiscopalLife Online (the opening paragraph so someone considered this uber important, or maybe just cute since it's about children),

"I met Bishop Katharine, and I'm ready to change the world." This message was printed on miniature globes that children received from their rector as they huddled around Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori on the final morning of her three-day visit to San Diego.

Just think about that for a minute. . . they printed a message on miniature globes that the rector then gave the children, who then "huddled" around the presiding bishop. And on these globes, was there a message of Christ's love for us? His sacrifice for us? A reminder of the Holy Spirit's presence with us?

Noooooo. . . instead, "I met Bishop Katharine, and I'm ready to change the world."

'Nuf said.

T-shirts!

Hey, check these out!

Talk about a collaborative effort. A timeline of events:

• Hills of the North posts "Blinking at reality" on Judge Bellows's decision re CANA and the Diocese of Virginia, highlighting one of the judge's most appropriate phrases [boldface mine]:

  [Bellows] said "it blinks at reality to characterize the ongoing division within the Diocese, ECUSA, and the Anglican Communion as anything but a division of the first magnitude."
  
  "Blinking at reality" is perhaps the best expression that anyone's used to describe the mendacity of Episcopal Church leaders. First, it confirms there is a reality that exists--not just some pluriform truth that is nothing more than a function of clever word use and dictated perception by whomever is in power. Second, it suggests the reality is one that the Episcopal Church well knows--since a blink is but an interruption of sight, and a very brief one that rarely distorts perception. Finally, although a blink can be voluntary or involuntary (i.e., an attempt not to see or a conditioned reflex of closing one's eyes), it neither changes reality nor precludes one from truthfully reporting that reality. In short, one who blinks at reality is one who lies without any excuse.



• So, of course, this great post is linked to on Stand Firm.


• And in the comments, AnnieCOA says,

  "TEC: Blinking at Reality"
  Somebody better be making the T-Shirts! Profits could go to the ADV Defense Fund.



• To which Billy Ockham (also known as mousestalker) replies

  Check ‘em out! Any profits will go to the ADV fund.

And a t-shirt (and boxers, mugs, and magnets) is born! My favorite - the maternity t-shirt. We know this must be a "reasserter" site, since "reappraising" Episcopalians prefer to leave the business of propagation to others.

The power of communication. Go, buy, enjoy!

MCJ-TV: Christopher Johnson poses (in person!) THE question for reasserters

Christopher Johnson from The Midwest Conservative Journal finally makes TV! MCJ-TV that is. Watch it here!

Belgium: Teens need right to 'medically assisted suicide'

This is hard to fathom - how can anyone consider this? From the Telegraph (U.K.) [boldface mine]:

Teenagers should be given the right to medically assisted suicide and the parents of terminally ill younger children should be able to choose euthanasia under proposals from members of Belgium's coalition government.

The plans to extend rules allowing doctors to perform euthanasia on terminally ill people suffering "constant and unbearable physical or psychological pain" comes amid heated Belgian debate on the issue.

Under existing Belgian laws, in place since 2002, patients, other than newborn babies, must be over 18 to qualify for assisted suicide, a situation that Bart Tommelein, leader of Belgium Liberals, wants changed.

Mr Tommelein, whose party is a key member of Belgium's coalition government, has pledged to bring forward new legislative proposals extending euthanasia to children and old people suffering from such severe dementia that they are unable to choose for themselves.

"We will seek, as Liberals, parliamentary majorities," Mr Tommelein said. . .

There are more than 39 cases of euthanasia declared by doctors in Belgium every month, but the true figure is thought to be double that.

Euthanasia is currently permitted on infants and more than half of the Belgian babies who die before they are 12 months old have been killed by deliberate medical intervention.

In 16 per cent of cases parental consent was not considered.

Read it all.
H/t to TitusOneNine.

Florida: Bishop Howard formally fires 22 priests

From VirtueOnline:

The Bishop of Florida, the Rt. Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard formally fired 22 priests from the Diocese of Florida on March 25, the largest single group of priests to be deposed in the history of the Episcopal Church at one time.

In a letter obtained by VirtueOnline, Howard wrote, "By my action today, with the advice and the consent of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Florida, and pursuant to Canon IV.10.2.ii, I hereby release from the obligations of priests (for causes which do not affect the person's moral character) and deprive of the right to exercise the gifts and spiritual authority conferred in ordination upon:

The Rev. David C. Allert, Priest
The Rev. Charles S. Bailey, Deacon
The Rev. Gary Blaylock, Priest
The Rev. Charles H. Colt, Priest
The Rev. Gilbert T. Crosby, Priest
The Rev. Mark Eldredge, Priest
The Rev. Travis Greenman, Priest
The Rev. Edwin C. Griswold, Priest
The Rev. George W. Hall, Jr., Priest
The Rev. Harald K. Haugan, Priest
The Rev. Dorothy Head, Deacon
The Rev. James L. Hobby, Priest
The Rev. Sharon S. Hobby, Priest
The Rev W. Hall Hunt, Priest
The Rev. Neil G. Lebhar, Priest
The Rev. Petrina A. McCarty, Deacon
The Rev. Lawrence E. O'Connell, Priest
The Rev. William Earl Palmer, Priest
The Rev. James M. Parker, Priest
The Rev. Shawn E. Porter, Priest
The Rev. Leonard Eugene Strickland,Priest
The Rev. George W. Stockhowe, Jr., Priest

Neither Strickland nor Porter were ever inhibited, a source told VOL.

This action is taken after expiration of the six month period of inhibition for abandonment of the communion of this church and failure of either of the above named individuals to communicate any retraction of any declaration of act relied upon in the determination that the above individuals have abandoned the communion of this church.

The letter was dated March 25, 2008 And signed by the Rt. Rev Samuel Johnson Howard VII Bishop of Florida.

The letter was signed in the presence of two witnesses the Rev. Gayanne Silver and the Rev. Sandra K. Moyle. . .

Read it all.

San Diego: Bishop delivers a message of unity (but may have denied the Resurrection)

From the North County [San Diego] Times [boldface mine] (I think the Presiding Bishop just denied the Resurrection, if the quote attributed to her below is correct):

While media attention on the Episcopal Church has focused on a schism in recent years, unity and optimism were the messages Saturday when Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori spoke in San Diego to hundreds of congregants from throughout the county.

"I see a glorious future," Jefferts Schori said, when asked about the Episcopal Church during an afternoon talk at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in University City. . .

Oceanside, Fallbrook and Rancho Penasquitos also saw congregations leave the San Diego Episcopal diocese, while churches in San Marcos and Vista lost priests who left to join churches aligned with foreign-based Anglican dioceses.

Nationwide, however, the schism has only affected about 1 percent of 7,600 Episcopal congregations, Jefferts Schori said. . . .

Bishop James Mathes of the San Diego Diocese noted that since Grace Episcopal Church in San Marcos lost its priest and some congregants in September 2006, it has grown by 70 percent to 80 percent, making it the fastest-growing congregation in the diocese. . .

The United States-based Episcopal Church is a member of worldwide Anglican Communion, and disagreements about the direction of the church's leadership in recent years have led to some churches leaving their American diocese to align with conservative foreign dioceses.

While some of those differences were theological arguments, the most widely cited objection came when the General Convention of the Anglican Church voted in 2003 to allow an openly gay priest, the Rev. Gene Robinson, to become a bishop. . .

Jefferts Schori received a hero's welcome when entering Good Samaritan Episcopal Church on Saturday, with a packed auditorium giving her a rousing standing ovation.

Speaking to a crowd that included Episcopalians from throughout the county, the bishop hardly seemed a leader at the center of a firestorm, but rather was soft-spoken, reflective and at times humorous as she shared the story of her spiritual journey from oceanographer to presiding bishop.

"I am still fishing, and I am still working in new depths," she said. . .

In response to a question, Jefferts Schori said some people have interpreted a Bible passage as a condemnation of homosexuality, but she sees it as addressing abuse, such as a soldier sleeping with a slave or cult prostitution, which are things she said are not associated with homosexual relationships today.

Asked about the literal story of Easter and the Resurrection, Jefferts Schori said, "I think Easter is most profoundly about meaning, not mechanism."

Sharing a favorite quote that drew applause, Jefferts Schori said, "Jesus died to take away your sins, not your mind."

The former oceanographer also quoted Albert Einstein: "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

Among the people in attendance was the Rev. Wayne Sanders of St. John's Episcopal Church in Fallbrook and about 20 people from his church. The St. John's congregation of about 60 people has been meeting in a community center since losing their church building after a majority voted to leave the denomination two years ago. The rights to the church building still are the subject of a pending lawsuit.

Gail Jones of St. John's Episcopal said after the talk that she appreciated Jefferts Schori's visit and comments.

"I think it was what we were all looking for," she said. "In a time when people are trying to split the church, she keeps us focused on the positive."

Read it all, but all I can say is "Wow, I'm glad I didn't give up my afternoon. Did she just deny the Resurrection?"

"The quality of mercy is not strained. . ."

. . . It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of God himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God's
When mercy seasons justice.

William Shakespeare
The Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene 1

Unfortunately, we're not seeing this "attribute of God himself" in today's Episcopal Church. Perhaps a quote from Julius Caesar is more appropriate: "Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war."

From the Living Church [boldface mine]:

Diocese of Ohio Litigation Ends 'Peaceful Way to Coexist'

The Diocese of Ohio recently filed a declaratory judgment with the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas in Cleveland, asking that it, the diocesan trustees, and a minority of members at five dissident congregations be declared the rightful owners of church properties where the congregations voted overwhelmingly to leave in 2005.

The March 26 filing came just a month after an article in the Akron Beacon Journal described how the relationship between the five dissenting congregations and the diocese was an exception to the personal acrimony and litigation prevalent throughout many other dioceses of The Episcopal Church. In another break with standard practice in most other dioceses, Bishop Mark Hollingsworth, Jr., of Ohio did not depose the clergy when they requested transfer of their canonical license to the Anglican Church of Nigeria.

In the Beacon Journal article, Martha Wright, communications officer for the Diocese of Ohio, had said, “We are looking for a faithful resolution to the property issue involving the congregations that have elected to leave the diocese. The priests in those congregations have asked to be released from their orders and their requests have been granted, but we have not taken any action where property is concerned.”

Ms. Wright told The Living Church she was not aware in February of any plans to file legal papers at the time of her interview with the Beacon Journal. But she denied that the decision to pursue litigation at this time represents a new approach in dealing with the five congregations.

“The Episcopal Diocese of Ohio is seeking to resolve issues of property ownership and use with respect to five of its parishes in a mutually respectful manner,” she said in a written statement. “In order to move toward a long-term resolution, the Diocese of Ohio has asked the Court of Common Pleas to decide the parties’ respective rights with respect to the property.”

Bishop Hollingsworth declined to elaborate on the statement provided by Ms. Wright. . .

What, is Bishop Hollingworth in hiding?

Someone please explain to me what hold the presiding bishop has over these bishops. I think of Bishop Lee in Virginia who seemed so close to an amicable agreement. What could other bishops possibly say or do to make a bishop change his mind like that? Is it fear of presentment? Or no longer getting the spiritual and emotional support from other bishops? Or blackmail of some kind? Really, I just do not get it.

Read it all.

San Diego: Church leader battles division

You know, I thought about going to the open meeting this afternoon to hear what +KJS might say, but then I really didn't want to give up a Saturday afternoon with my family only to "listen" to whatever might be said. I'm sure I'll get a report later, and that's fine with me.

Sandi Dolbee, who has written about ECUSA/Anglican Communion issues before, seems here to primarily attribute the split to the sexuality issue, and not the underlying issue of scriptural authority - I am disappointed in that because I think she knows better. From the San Diego Union-Tribune [boldface mine]:

From the time Anglican pilgrims arrived in Jamestown, it's as if America and the Episcopal Church have been soul mates – for better or for worse. Now come the country's culture wars over sexuality, conservative versus liberal, change versus tradition. And the 2.4-million-member denomination that has given us more U.S. presidents than any other, along with its first-ever woman leader, is not being spared.

Nearly five years after a gay priest was elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, the fallout continues. One diocese has seceded from the U.S. branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Dozens of congregations, including nine of the 50 churches in the San Diego diocese, also have broken apart.

“I think we live in an increasingly polarized society and these particular actions in the church echo that,” said Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who in 2006 was elected the presiding bishop – chief spiritual leader – of the U.S. church.

Jefferts Schori argues the number of congregations leaving the church is not large – roughly 1 percent of the 7,600 congregations, by her count. “It gets a lot of press and a lot of play, but it's a relatively small portion of the church,” said Jefferts Schori, who is in San Diego this weekend for a pair of public talks. . .

“Voting to leave is the denial of the ability to live in tension with people who don't agree with you about everything,” she said.

“You don't all have to profess exactly the same understandings of the central tenets of the faith,” she added. “What's important is to worship together.” . . .

Jefferts Schori is not a biblical literalist. Take the six-day story of Creation in Genesis, for example. “It's too good a story to believe it literally,” she said. “It's got too much meaning to be boxed up in that small of an understanding.”

Seeing Jesus as the only way to redemption also “puts God in a very small box,” she said.

“Most Christians believe that Jesus died for the whole world. If you believe that, then to say that some people are beyond redemption would appear to deny that,” she said.

Either way, she adds, “I think it is up to God, not for us, to judge.”

She advocates for the inclusion of gays and lesbians. “If we were focused on what holy living looks like, generally, without focusing on the gender of the people involved, I think we would be a lot farther down the road,” she said.

And she maintains news outlets are way too focused on the threat of schism. “The media loves conflict,” she said. “Feeding people in a soup kitchen or building a school in Haiti ranks at a lower priority in much of the public interest.”

Still, the attention is not expected to fade soon. . .

The presiding bishop's schedule this weekend:

Today (Saturday): Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will talk about her spiritual journey at 4 p.m., at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, 4321 Eastgate Mall, University City. Information: goodsamchurch.org

Tomorrow (Sunday): Jefferts Schori will preach at the 10 a.m. service at St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 743 Prospect St., La Jolla. Information: stjamesbythesea.org

Read it all.

AAC weekly message from Bishop David Anderson

Via email [boldface mine]:

Beloved in Christ,

This week I want to start with the good news. Judge Bellows, who is trying the Virginia litigation between the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia (EDV) and the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV), has issued a ruling, finding in favor of the departing parishes with regard to the Virginia 1867 Division Statute. As one of our readers commented, "...the Court found that a division within the meaning of the Virginia Division Statute occurred in a church or religious society to which the CANA Congregations were attached. It is now a court finding that there is a division within the worldwide Anglican Communion, The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia." This is a most important and favorable ruling for the orthodox Anglicans in Virginia, and if it holds up through the Appeals Court process, important for the orthodox in many other states as well.

When other judges read the opinion, even though the overall statute at stake may not be directly relevant to another state, the body of evidence and findings within the case and the 88 page ruling are informative and useful. You can find the full ruling on our AAC website. The next stage of the same trial will deal with a second challenge that the Episcopal Church (TEC) has raised, and that is the constitutionality of the Virginia statute - whether it unconstitutionally interferes with the right of churches to order their own internal affairs. This right of churches is not absolute, however, for obvious reasons. An organization calling itself a church could decide to do things internally that violate public safety or contravene reasonable state law. You cannot, for example, reconstitute the Old Order Aztec Church, complete with daily human sacrifice, even if the victims are willing.

If churches and religious denominations wish to own property which is tax exempt because it is used for religious purposes, and have their offering income be tax exempt, and their donors receive tax exemption for those donations, then churches have already intertwined themselves to a degree with the government. This is seen as permissible because no one church is favored, and the benefits are available to all of the organizations which are formed as churches. In the same vein, it would seem that the Virginia statute, which is applicable to all churches and denominations that might find themselves in this situation, does not encroach on the U.S. Constitution's non-establishment clause, because it does not favor any one church. We will follow the development of the arguments in this case with great interest.

One of the sad things is that the litigation - initiated by the EDV under pressure from Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori - is not only using up valuable EDV mission dollars but is also forcing the ADV to spend corresponding amounts. Although the ADV has been raising its money as the case proceeds, the EDV has been borrowing the money for its legal offensive, and has now gone through approximately two million dollars. If there were promises of financial aid made to Virginia to push them into the litigation battle, apparently they have not materialized. Other TEC dioceses take note: it's not what she says, it's whether she gives you the money to litigate up front and lets you bank it in advance - otherwise you might wind up like Virginia and Los Angeles, paying for it all yourself. For those dioceses which haven't yet commenced litigation against departing parishes, you may wish to seriously consider mediation, and make some money instead of spending huge amounts you don't have.

While we are speaking of legal issues, Katharine Jefferts Schori and her chancellor, David Booth Beers, have been put on notice by an attorney representing Bishop William J. Cox, with a letter demanding that she publish a correction of her announcement concerning his deposition. Since she failed to achieve the canonically required majority of "the whole number of bishops entitled to vote," the vote was invalid. In legal terms, it was null and void. The letter goes on to require several things: first that Schori cease defamation of character of Bishop Cox by saying and distributing assertions that are not true and are injurious to him; and then right the wrong by withdrawing the pronouncement of deposition and publishing it in the same manner that she did the deposition. If she doesn't (or perhaps, when she doesn't), the implications are clear. The letter was a legal demand letter which precedes further action. This is one to watch also.

On the West Coast of the USA, the battle of San Joaquin is still in the formation stage. There appear to be three Standing Committees: the one that belongs with the Diocese of San Joaquin/Southern Cone; the Standing Committee that claims it never resigned and never left TEC; and the Standing Committee that Schori cobbled together as part of her "rump" Diocesan Convention of San Joaquin/TEC reconstituted. To our knowledge, Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori is the first Presiding Bishop to run roughshod over Canons, both diocesan and national, yet at the same time invoking them as gospel whenever she finds one that is useful to her. Since eventually the orthodox will leave TEC, become revisionists themselves, or die of old age, those who will eventually be left to enjoy this legacy of tyranny are the revisionist bishops, clergy and laity themselves. Pity them, for they shall finally inherit the poisoned fruit of their labor, and it will be bitter unto them.

Not only have Schori and her TEC assistants set up a Potemkin Village San Joaquin Diocese, claiming it to be the real thing, but they have now taken over the website of the real Diocese of San Joaquin/Southern Cone. Since the website was hosted by an Anglican organization, the Society of Archbishop Justus, which is friendly to TEC, they reassigned the address to Schori's group. Can they really do this? They did. If your website is hosted by any group friendly to either TEC or the Anglican Communion Office (ACO), you might wish to investigate moving to an orthodox-friendly site, or to a neutral independent provider. It is a nasty thing to wake up and discover that your internet identity has been stolen.

Adding insult to injury, the London Anglican Communion Office (ACO), which operates hand in glove with the TEC top leadership, is quite naturally listing the Diocese of San Joaquin as VACANT, to underscore Schori's contention of a deposition. It is understandable when one considers how much money flows from TEC to the ACO to keep their doors open and the lights on. Previously when we checked, one of the major ACO staffers, Fr. James Rosenthal, is actually being funded by TEC using Missionary dollars. If Jim is a missionary, we might inquire what is his message, and who is his target for conversions? Is this what TEC Mission Dollars were intended for? It appears in many ways that the Anglican Communion Office is 'TEC East'.

In the international scene the issue of free speech and freedom of religion are becoming issues in the Western world. Who would ever have thought that an English bishop would be convicted by a court for REFUSING to employ a practicing homosexual in his diocese's youth services? The Bishop of Hereford was fined 47,000 GBP (a bit over 90,000 USD) and made to attend a re-education course. We might wonder how long we can read the Bible out loud in church, especially certain passages that deal with sinful conduct. How long can we preach the 2000-year-old message from the pulpit before we are handcuffed and dragged away?

Maybe not as long as you think. Bob Unruh, writing in WorldnetDaily, reports that the Canadian government has ordered a Christian ministry which teaches doctrine and the differences between Christians and cults shut down because its reference materials were "critical" of the beliefs of those who are not Christian. The organization, MacGregor Ministries, has had to move to the USA and be re-created under the name MM Outreach Media Ministries.

With the European and British governments passing onerous legislation supposedly banning "hate speech" (but in reality banning Christian free speech about sin and its consequences), it becomes illegal not only to say certain things, but to write them, publish them, post them on the internet, etc. Is it now possible that something written in one country halfway around the world, where it is protected and legal, may be read in another far distant country and cause someone to be offended, and thus become an infraction of the law? Is the law broken where something is done or where it is received, or both? Are you ready to go to jail over free speech and free expression of the Christian religion?

And across the pond in England we are aware that the General Synod will be meeting just before the mini-Lambeths, and Lambeth itself. We have heard rumors that the Presiding Bishop of TEC and a few other liberal USA bishops might "independently" be planning trips to "accidentally" be in the neighborhood of the General Synod. Not on purpose of course, but then things being what they are, if any of them might bump into an English bishop that they know... well it would, under those circumstances, only be neighborly to ask her or them to say a word or two, to bring greetings from TEC-land to the Synod. Are these rumors true? In the past we have found that their reliability is better than half, but we shall have to wait and see. Any volunteers for Katharine spotters?

Now finally, the American Anglican Council has been assisting the Global Anglican Future Conference and Pilgrimage (GAFCON) with registration and other administrative tasks that need some attention, and we are pleased to see the number of paid registrations adding up, hotel reservations filling up, and planning shaping up. Nigeria has checked in already with its full allotment paid for by monies raised within Nigeria. Scholarships are being sought for bishops in other provinces who can only raise part of their costs to attend, and if you are able we encourage you to assist this gathering of orthodox bishops, clergy and laity who will help shape the future of Anglicanism in the century ahead. You can do this on the AAC website or at this link.

Blessings and Peace in Christ Jesus,

The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President & CEO of the AAC

Refresher on stewardship and such

From Billy Ockham [boldface mine]:

In the year of my birth the population of the United States was 180,671,158. The membership of the Episcopal Church was 3,444,000. In 2006 (the last year we have current figures for) the population of the United States was 296,410,404. The membership of the Episcopal Church was 2,205,376.

I know most Episcopalian loyalists are going, "Ok, we lost 1,200,000 people in 45 years." That is where you are wrong. The population of the US grew by 64% in that time. The membership of the Episcopal Church ought to be 5,650,000. We lost 3,444,000 members. We lost 3/5's of our numbers. Where did they go? In a church that says everyone is special, everyone is important, everyone has a place, why are they not missed? . . .

Read it all.
H/t to Still on Patrol.

From office of the Presiding Bishop: A statement in response to the Virginia ruling

From EpiscopalLife Online [boldface mine]:

Statement from the Office of the Presiding Bishop follows:

We are obviously disappointed in yesterday's ruling by the trial judge against the Episcopal Church and the Diocese that involved one Virginia statutory issue in the case. While we believe that the Court's conclusion that Virginia's unusual "division" statute applies to the current situation in the Diocese, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion is incorrect, there will time enough in the future to seek review of that decision if it becomes necessary. In the meantime, we shall present to the Court at the scheduled argument in May our contention that if the statute means what the Court has held, it plainly deprives the Episcopal Church and the Diocese, as well as all hierarchical churches, of their historic constitutional rights to structure their polity free from governmental interference and thus violates the First Amendment and cannot be enforced.

We also note that this decision does not bar the contentions of the Episcopal Church and the Diocese regarding control over the property of the departing congregations that will be presented to the Court in the fall.

Virginia judge issues preliminary ruling on application of state statute

Don't ya know ECUSA hated to acknowledge this! From EpiscopalLife Online [boldface mine]:

Constitutional challenges, conflicting claims to Episcopal Church property remain unresolved

A judge ruled April 3 that it was appropriate for 11 Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) congregations to file property claims under a portion of Virginia state law that is triggered when there is a so-called "division" of a church or religious society.

Fairfax County Judge Randy I. Bellows did not rule on the property issues themselves or whether the Virginia statute violates the Episcopal Church's or the Diocese's First Amendment rights. He said only that the CANA congregations, some of which include former members of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, could file their claims under Section 57-9(A) the so-called “Division Statute” of the Code of Virginia.

"We are obviously disappointed in yesterday's ruling by the trial judge against the Episcopal Church and the Diocese that involved one Virginia statutory issue in the case," the office of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in a statement.

"While we believe that the Court's conclusion that Virginia's unusual 'division' statute applies to the current situation in the Diocese, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion is incorrect, there will time enough in the future to seek review of that decision if it becomes necessary."

Jefferts Schori's office noted that "this decision does not bar the contentions of the Episcopal Church and the Diocese regarding control over the property of the departing congregations that will be presented to the Court in [October]."

The Diocese of Virginia said in a statement posted on its website that "it is simply wrong" to allow those who have left the Episcopal Church "continue to occupy Episcopal Church property while loyal Episcopalians are forced to worship elsewhere."

Bellows held in his 88-page letter of opinion and order that the conflict constitutes a "division" in a "'church or religious society'" within the meaning of Section 57-9(A). . .

Read it all.

Shoe Thursday: Virginia victory boots

These are for BabyBlue and all others in Virginia who have worked and prayed so hard in the on-going battle with the Episcopal Church.

Yes, today's ruling by Judge Bellows is not the end of the litigation (that's why these boots have a steel shin plate in case the fighting continues), but remember to take the time to savor the victories when they happen. (And besides, can't you see some Harry Potter character wearing these? Not sure who it would be, but these boots definitely look Hogwartian, if that's the right word.)

Judge rules in favor of the Virginia churches: A division has occurred; statute applies

I have no idea if this ruling helps the case in California at all - I hope it does. I know these property issues are state issues, but I'm sure the lawyers look at how other states interpret the structure of the Episcopal Church.

From BabyBlue Online:

Here is a brief summary of the conclusions from the Letter Order:

Findings and Conclusions:

A. As used in 57-9(A), the term "church" or "religious society" does apply to the Diocese, the ECUSA, and the Anglican Communion.

B. As used in 57-9(A), the term "attached" applies to the CANA Congregations, in that they are "attached" to the Diocese, the ECUSA, and the Anglican Communion.

C. As used in 57-9(A), CANA, the American Arm of the Church of Uganda, the Church of Nigeria, ADV, ECUSA, and the Diocese are all "branches" of the Anglican Communion, and CANA and ADV are "branches" of ECUSA and the Diocese.

D. As used in 57-9(A), a "division" has occurred in a church or religious society to which the CANA Congregations were attached, at all three levels of the Diocese, the ECUSA, and the Anglican Communion.

VI.) Conclusion:
ECUSA/Diocese argue that the historical evidence demonstrates that it is only the "major" or "great" divisions within 19th-century churches that prompted the passage of 57-9, such as those within the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches. ECUSA/Diocese argue that the current "dispute" before this Court is not such a "great" division, and, therefore, this is yet another reason why 57-9(A) should not apply. The Court agrees that it was major divisions such as those within the Methodist and Presbyterian churches that prompted the passage of 57-9. However, it blinks at reality to characterize the ongoing division within the Diocese, ECUSA, and the Anglican Communion as anything but a division of the first magnitude, especially given the involvement of numerous churches in states across the country, the participation of hundreds of church leaders, both lay and pastoral, who have found themselves "taking sides" against their brethren, the determination by thousands of church members in Virginia and elsewhere to "walk apart" in the language of the Church, the creation of new and substantial religious entities, such as CANA, with their own structures and disciplines, the rapidity with which the ECUSA's problems became that of the Anglican Communion, and the consequent impact-in some cases the extraordinary impact-on its provinces around the world, and, perhaps most importantly, the creation of a level of distress among many church members so profound and wrenching as to lead them to cast votes in an attempt to disaffiliate from a church which has been their home and heritage throughout their lives, and often back for generations.

Whatever may be the precise threshold for a dispute to constitute a division under 57-9(A), what occurred here qualifies. . .

Read it all. And from Stand Firm, a link to Judge Bellows' ruling.

The MCJ: Taking off the gloves

From Christopher Johnson at the Midwest Conservative Journal:

Whine all you care to, Jake. That won't change the fact that Mrs. Schori was busted and you know it. The people who claim to believe that the Episcopal Organization's canons must be obeyed above everything else on earth and in heaven will quite happily use the canons as so much toilet paper when the need arises.

Thing was, all you had to do was admit that Living Church had a point. All you had to say was, "Let's try this again and get it right." You know, just like many on the Episcopal left urged South Carolina to do the first time it elected Mark Lawrence as its bishop and Mrs. Schori was more of a canonical fundamentalist than she is now.

But you had to have your trophy. In this case, an 86-year-old man whose wife has Alzheimer's. So Mrs. Schori and her sycophants not only look like bullies, they look like particularly sadistic bullies. Guess you can’t make a universalist omelet without breaking a few orthodox eggs.

I wonder if Episcopalians realize what a sick joke their "church" has become. James Pike was allowed to deny the Christian faith without sanction. John Shelby Spong was never deposed even though he is not a Christian. But an old man who has never denied the Faith MUST NOT cross a line drawn by the Episcopal Organization without suffering the most severe penalty TEO can impose.

Absolutely disgraceful.

Preach it, brother!

Read it all.

Claim: Atheist matrimony outlasts Christian marriage

From the Bible Belt Blogger:

A new poll by the Barna Group finds that born again Christians are as likely as non-Christians to get divorced. In fact, atheists are slightly less likely than born again Christians to get divorced, if the poll is accurate. [The difference is within the margin of error.]

And from the Barna Group report itself [boldface mine]:

Marriage Is the Norm

In addition to finding that four out of every five adults (78%) have been married at least once, the Barna study revealed that an even higher proportion of born again Christians (84%) tie the knot. That eclipses the proportion among people aligned with non-Christian faiths (74%) and among atheists and agnostics (65%).

Divorce Is Widespread

Among adults who have been married, the study discovered that one-third (33%) have experienced at least one divorce. That means that among all Americans 18 years of age or older, whether they have been married or not, 25% have gone through a marital split.

The study showed that the percentage of adults who have been married and divorced varies from segment to segment. For instance, the groups with the most prolific experience of marriage ending in divorce are downscale adults (39%), Baby Boomers (38%), those aligned with a non-Christian faith (38%), African-Americans (36%), and people who consider themselves to be liberal on social and political matters (37%).

Among the population segments with the lowest likelihood of having been divorced subsequent to marriage are Catholics (28%), evangelicals (26%), upscale adults (22%), Asians (20%) and those who deem themselves to be conservative on social and political matters (28%).

Born again Christians who are not evangelical were indistinguishable from the national average on the matter of divorce: 33% have been married and divorced. The survey did not determine if the divorce occurred before or after the person had become born again. However, previous research by Barna has shown that less than two out of every ten people who accept Christ as their savior do so after their first marriage.

In fact, when evangelicals and non-evangelical born again Christians are combined into an aggregate class of born again adults, their divorce figure is statistically identical to that of non-born again adults: 32% versus 33%, respectively.

Thirty percent of atheists and agnostics had been married and subsequently divorced. However, the three-point difference from the national average was within the range of sampling error, suggesting that their likelihood of experiencing a dissolved marriage is the same as that of the population at-large. A representative from Barna also pointed out the atheists and agnostics have lower rates of marriage and a higher likelihood of cohabitation, a combination of behaviors that distort comparisons with other segments. . .

Reflections on Marriage and Divorce

George Barna, who directed the study, noted that Americans have grown comfortable with divorce as a natural part of life.

"There no longer seems to be much of a stigma attached to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of passage," the researcher indicated. "Interviews with young adults suggest that they want their initial marriage to last, but are not particularly optimistic about that possibility. There is also evidence that many young people are moving toward embracing the idea of serial marriage, in which a person gets married two or three times, seeking a different partner for each phase of their adult life.". . .

Check it out.

If you text in class, this prof will leave

Hey, I like this guy. I think he's right that texting during class shows a basic disrespectful attitude to the professor and the rest of the class. From Inside Higher Ed [boldface mine]:

Some professors threaten to confiscate students’ cell phones if they go off during class. Laurence Thomas has his own approach to classroom distractions. If the philosopher at Syracuse University catches a student sending text messages or reading a newspaper in class, he’ll end the class on the spot and walk out. It doesn’t matter if there is but one texter in a large lecture of hundreds of students. If you text, he will leave.

Last week, when a student in a large lecture — in the front row no less — sent a text message, Thomas followed through on his threat (as he had done just a few days earlier). And he then sent the university’s chancellor, his dean, and all of the students an e-mail message explaining his actions and his frustration at the “brazen” disrespect he had received in class. In the e-mail, he noted that the student who sent the text message is Cuban, and that last year, two Latino students had started to play tic-tac-toe during his class.

While Thomas noted that white students are also rude, he expressed frustration that — especially as a minority scholar himself — he would be treated in this way. “One might have thought that for all the talk about racism and the good of social equality, non-white students would be particularly committed to respecting a black professor,” Thomas wrote.

Thomas followed up with a second e-mail, noting that at least one parent of a student had complained about two classes being called off. “Everyone has to understand that respect is a two-way street. I respect you, as I endeavor to do and you respect me. My experience has been that confronting students directly and asking them to stop has virtually no effect. I walk out to underscore the importance of what this means to me,” he wrote.

The e-mail went on: “Now, I do not know how this will unfold. But I will either not teach the course PHI 191 in the future or I will simply resign from Syracuse University. But what I will not do is tolerate such brazen disrespect for me. I am an old fashion individual in that I believe in principles of right and wrong that transcend every race/ethnicity and sexual identity. Ethnic diversity has become the gospel of Syracuse University. I maintain that ethnic diversity shorn of respect is utterly vapid. The respect that I demand of you stems not from arrogance or any sense of self-importance but from my unfailing commitment to your excellence. And when talk about all else blinds us to this reality, then the classroom becomes empty and meaningless.”

The incident has set off a debate at Syracuse — and multiple e-mail messages from the professor to his class, which have since been forwarded widely at the university — about what steps are appropriate for a professor to assure respect during a class, and when the mention of race is appropriate. Thomas, who has published widely and won awards for his teaching, has many fans on the campus. But many are disturbed by last week’s events and the opinions posted on the Web site of The Daily Orange run all over the place. . .

In an interview with Inside Higher Ed, Thomas described his perspective on what happened — and why he responded as he did. First, he stressed that he warns students of his policies at the beginning of his courses (and comments in the Syracuse student newspaper confirm this). He also said that he feels he has no choice but to go with a group response. He also said that he carefully prepares every class session, even picking out appropriate music to play to go with his lectures. He doesn’t take his responsibilities lightly, he said.

“Back in the day, a professor could have gotten into a student’s face and said ‘don’t do such and such.’ You would be up for a lawsuit if you did that today, and if student says no, there is a stalemate, and I look like a fool.” With a female student, he added, a professor could be accused of sexual harassment.

“If you walk out, you make a statement,” he said. And in the past, the statement has generally made the point, he said.

Thomas said he applies his policy to text messaging or opening a newspaper in class. He is more tolerant than some professors of a cell phone going off, saying that he realizes that everyone forgets to turn off the phone sometimes. . .

Asked about the idea of walking out on a class when a student sends text messages, [Gerald] Amada [author of Coping With the Disruptive College Student: A Practical Model and Coping With Misconduct in the College Classroom: A Practical Model] said: “It’s a horrible strategy. There is something inherently wrong from a moral standpoint with collective punishment. It’s punitive. It’s unreasonable because it holds all students responsible for the behavior of all other students. It’s not legitimate.”

Amada said that while he understands the frustration professors feel, “there’s only one person in that room who has the bureaucratic, legal, and moral authority to establish discipline — and that’s the instructor.” He said that he would have no problem with an instructor telling a student who is texting to leave the class. If the student refuses (or even if the student complies), the instructor should write up notes with the student’s name and report the student (assuming the instructor has made this a clear rule at the beginning of the semester). . .

I totally disagree with this author that group punishment is "inherently wrong."

I agree it's not fair (neither is life), but it can be very effective. My son's P.E. teacher a few years ago had a problem with some girls in the class constantly talking and he finally had the entire class sit out P.E. Needless to say, that did not go over too well. My son was very upset that they had missed P.E. and complained to me that it wasn't fair. I let him know that of course it wasn't fair, but the teacher had to teach the class as a whole and needed everyone's attention.

I then asked, did the girls talk in the next P.E. class, and he said, no, because the rest of the class leaned on them not to so that they wouldn't miss P.E. again. Bingo, I said, that's why he did it. Now, whether missing a college philosophy class is the same as missing P.E., I don't know, but collective pressure works.

Read it all.

Because the product is never the problem

From EpiscopalLife Online, an opinion piece by the Rev. Tom Ehrich on the recent Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey on the U.S. religious landscape [boldface mine]:

My first reaction to the much-publicized U.S. Religious Landscape Survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life was, "Hooray for common sense!"

In finding that 44 percent of Americans change their religious affiliation as they grow up, the survey proved that religious life isn't an exercise in brand loyalty but rather a dynamic process of making adult decisions about life and God.

In fact, I would find it discouraging if children passed through the ferment of adolescence and into the challenges of adulthood without rethinking their faith. After all, a primary work of adolescence is pulling away from one's parents and claiming one's own identity. Failure to differentiate tends to stunt one's adulthood. And if faith has any central place in one's childhood experiences, then faith must be part of that pulling-away. Otherwise, faith is just an unexamined habit of childhood.

The Pew findings that religious behavior is marked by "fluidity," not consistency, might frustrate institutional managers who had hoped brand loyalty would last a lifetime. But it strikes me as good news that people take their faith seriously enough to examine it and to go in search of real bread. . .

If "none of the above" is the fastest-growing American religious affiliation, then we need to ask: What do adults in America find missing? What movement of the human spirit are we in the religious world failing to sense? What matrix of needs are we ignoring in our stubborn insistence on tradition? What questions are we unable to hear?. . .

If, as the Pew study found, mainline Protestantism is a dwindling flock, I'd suggest mainline leaders visit growing congregations, learn from them and discern what methods can be appropriated without abandoning their progressive theology. In my opinion, our mainline worship tends to be dull, our music lifeless, our ranks too dominated by warriors in theologically insignificant causes, and our openness to new ideas and new personalities dangerously small. . .

Read it all.

Deadly trend: The infanticide protocol

From Chuck Colson at Breakpoint [boldface mine]:

Sociologist Stefan Timmerman has observed that “Humans in every society studied to date are more likely to be murdered on the day they are born than on any other day of their lives.” Timmerman was quoted recently by bioethicist Wesley J. Smith in the online publication To the Source.

Smith rightly claims that while infanticide was commonly accepted in ancient times, only the Jews and the Christians actively opposed it. The strength of their opposition paid off “when infanticide was outlawed by Emperor Valentinian, a Christian, in the 4th century.”

So, as Western culture abandons its Christian roots, we ought not to be surprised that infanticide is making a comeback.

Take a look at what is already happening in the Netherlands. In 2004, doctors from Groningen University Medical Center admitted to killing, or “euthanizing,” to use the euphemism, dying or profoundly disabled babies. That practice came to be known as the Groningen Protocol.

Under those guidelines, not only are dying infants killed, but so are disabled infants who do not even require intensive care. The criteria for euthanizing a baby are subjective: Either the baby is judged to have no chance of survival; may survive after intensive treatment but with a grim future; or endures “suffering [that] is severe, sustained, and cannot be alleviated.” These criteria depend on the doctor’s whim.

So much for the Hippocratic Oath.

By judging which life is valuable or not, doctors are doing precisely what the Nazis did over 60 years ago. The Nazis even had a phrase for this, which translated means “life not worth living”—and not because of the individuals’ suffering, but because of their burden and cost to society.

“As the West loses some of its Biblical moral footing,” writes Smith, “there is a new effort to decriminalize infanticide.” In fact, he asserts, “the notion is ‘positively trendy’.” Most notably, of course, is Princeton Professor Peter Singer who has advocated for some time killing disabled infants. But he is not the only one. When the Groningen Protocol was revealed, others began—not condemning it—but, sadly enough, defending it.

Smith noted a New York Times feature and a New England Journal of Medicine report, both giving credence and sympathy to Dutch infanticide proponents. And now the Hastings Center Report, the most respected journal on bioethics, has published another pro-Groningen Protocol article in which the authors not only “support lethally injecting dying babies, but also those who are disabled.”

“The article assumes that guidelines will protect against abuse,” writes Smith, but, as he points out, “infanticide is by definition abuse.” And, as Smith reminds readers, Dutch euthanasia guidelines for adults and teens have been “violated for decades,” so why should we expect anything different with infanticide guidelines?

“[W]e are moving toward a medical system,” says Smith, “in which babies are put down like dogs and killing is redefined as a caring act.”. . .

Read it all.
H/t to Judith L.

More racist Planned Parenthood clinics exposed

A press release from the LA Advocate (see earlier story here) [boldface mine]:

“This new video demonstrates a disturbing trend of racism at Planned Parenthood,” said Lila Rose, editor of The Advocate. “Planned Parenthood has no shame in accepting donations intended to purposely abort minority populations. People have forgotten the organization was founded on these principles and has continued to operate under these same racist views for decades.”

Irene Gray of Planned Parenthood in Albuquerque, New Mexico took the call from O’Keefe last summer when he wanted to make a donation to abort a black baby. In sympathetic tones, Gray_ replied “yes, yes, it’s a strange time for sure” to the caller’s rant about affirmative action and how there is a need for less black people because they compete with whites for admission to schools.

When asked if the organization takes donations specifically to abort black babies, another Planned Parenthood staffer from Tulsa Susan Riggs answered, “We can definitely designate it for an African-American.”

“Clearly, Planned Parenthood has absolutely no shame in using funds to target and abort black children from racist donors. It’s a jolting reminder that abortion is a big business, regardless of what the politicians and the special interest groups say and given that Planned Parenthood receives over $300 million in federal funding every year, it’s time Congress investigate these extremely disturbing business practices,” continued Rose. “Planned Parenthood must be held accountable for their actions. No one is calling them out - including supposedly minority civil rights groups like the ACLU and NAACP - for their despicable actions.”

Go here to hear the phone conversations that the Advocate had with Planned Parenthood.

San Joaquin; Episcopalians greet their bishop

From the Union-Democrat:

"This is an historic day," the Rev. John Shumaker of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in San Andreas said Sunday. "Presiding bishops just don't go to churches this size."

Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the National Episcopal Church, officiated at an evensong service in San Andreas, then stayed for a reception afterward, visiting personally with the nearly 150 people in attendance.

"I always come to the small congregations," she said. "That's who the Episcopal Church really is."

And that's really all the Episcopal Church will be, too.

It was larger than normal Sunday, however, with people from both Tuolumne and Calaveras counties packing the pews. . .

Read it all.

Angry journalists vent their frustrations to the world

From Breitbart.com:

They're angry at their demanding editors. They're angry about the mushrooming workload in shrinking newsrooms. They're even angry about other angry journalists.

But these angry journalists are happy they can now vent their frustrations to the rest of the world, courtesy of angryjournalist.com, a sort of online complaint board allowing ink-stained wretches to gripe anonymously.

Ironically, their anger is partly fueled by the Internet, which has forced newspapers and television networks to reinvent themselves with painful consequences for their staffs.

There's the veterans complaining about newsrooms stretched thin by executives requiring reporters to produce stories for old and new media.

"I'm angry because my company, just like the rest of the industry, wants me to do more with less. They've said, 'To hell with quality. Let's just fill the website with as much (expletive) as possible,'" gripes Angry Journalist #241.

There's also the young guns frustrated by the culture clash.

"I hate the fact that print and online can't work together! Come on, online is the future, so please have some respect for the webeditors!" says Angry Journalist #700.

The website contains gripes ranging from existential musings about one's career to expletive-laced diatribes that trigger heated exchanges.

Angry Journalist #2559 seems to think that his or her newspaper serves for other purposes than informing readers: "Whatever I write ulimately (sic) either ends up as cage lining or as blankets for bums."

As one would expect at any other job, bosses get the brunt of the gripes.

"Our executive editor, the man who's supposed to be leading our newsroom, wanders around the building like he forgot where he left his coffee cup," writes Angry Journalist #2570. . .

Wonder if it's a no whining, no freak-out zone? Read it all.

U.S. megachurch pastor supports Ugandan bishops' Lambeth boycott

From The Christian Post:

Popular American pastor Rick Warren said recently that he supports the decision made by Ugandan bishops to boycott the landmark Anglican conference to be held later this year in England.

Warren, who was in Uganda last week to launch the country’s first national Purpose Driven Living program, expressed his support last Thursday shortly after arriving in the country.

The influential pastor praised the Ugandan bishops who came across to him as “godly men who believe in the authority of Scripture, love Christ with all their hearts, and have a passion for taking the Good News to the entire world,” according to an email sent to The Christian [P]ost confirming Warren’s support.

Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, the archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda and bishop of Kampala, announced Uganda’s boycott of the Lambeth Conference in February. . .

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Bishop Cox demands correction of deposition announcement

From the Living Church [boldface mine]:

An attorney representing Bishop William J. Cox has accused Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of defaming the bishop, and has demanded that she publish a correction of her announcement concerning his deposition.

In a letter dated March 27, Wicks Stephens, a lawyer representing Bishop Cox, said that since the deposition failed to achieve the canonically required majority of “the whole number of bishops entitled to vote,” the deposition is “without effect and void.” The Presiding Bishop has previously been made aware of the canonical deficiencies in the vote deposing Bishop Cox, the retired Bishop Suffragan of Maryland and assisting bishop in Oklahoma. Therefore, Mr. Stephens said she may be guilty of defamation if she continues to make public statements to the contrary about his client.

“In light of the foregoing, demand is hereby made that you right the wrong by which you have defamed Bishop Cox by immediately withdrawing your pronouncement of deposition and that you publish your withdrawal in the same manner and to the same extent you have published your wrongful actions,” Mr. Stephens wrote. . .

Read it all.

We have created human-animal embryos already, say British team

From the Times Online:

Embryos containing human and animal material have been created in Britain for the first time, a month before the House of Commons votes on new laws to regulate the research.

A team at Newcastle University announced yesterday that it had successfully generated “admixed embryos” by adding human DNA to empty cow eggs in the first experiment of its kind in Britain.

The Commons is to debate the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill next month. MPs have been promised a free vote on clauses in the legislation that would permit admixed embryos. But their creation is already allowed, subject to the granting of a licence from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

The Newcastle group, led by Lyle Armstrong, was awarded one of the first two licences in January. The other went to a team at King’s College London, led by Professor Stephen Minger. The new Bill will formalise their legal status if it is passed by Parliament.

Admixed embryos are widely supported by scientists and patient groups as they provide an opportunity to produce powerful stem-cell models for investigating diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes, and for developing new drugs.

Their creation, however, has been opposed by some religious groups, particularly the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the head of the Catholic Church in Scotland, described the work last month as “experiments of Frankenstein proportion”.

The admixed embryos created by the Newcastle group are of a kind known as cytoplasmic hybrids, or cybrids, which are made by placing the nucleus from a human cell into an animal egg that has had its nucleus removed. The genetic material in the resulting embryos is 99.9 per cent human. . .

Read it all.
H/t to Anglican Mainstream.

Church of Nigeria prays for GAFCON

From the Church of Nigeria:

The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Most Revd. Peter Akinola has called on all God’s people throughout the Church of Nigeria for Massive Intercessory Movement for the forthcoming Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).

The prayer coordinator for this movement, Most Revd. Benjamin Kwashi asked that intensive prayer be made for the 2-week long conference and pilgrimage holding in Jordan and Jerusalem in June this year.

Specific areas to pray for include courage, strength, vision and wisdom for the Primate and other faithful Anglican leaders in the global church; that God may speak to His church, give clear direction for the Anglican Church worldwide and glorify His Name.

Archbishop Kwashi also requested that the Church intercede for the organizers of GAFCON and for God’s guidance in all practical arrangements and safety in travel.

H/t to Anglican Mainstream.

Proverbs 28:9

If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.

Proverbs 28:9

Irony abounds

From Captain Yips Secret Journal:

Back in the 1960s, a core of orthodox bishops variously exasperated by James Pike persisted in efforts to try him for heresy, to the point that Pike eventually demanded a trial. Pike was the prototype of the New Episcopal Bishop - personal life pretty much a mess, lover of publicity, seeker after the sensational, adopter of one cause after another - that is with us yet. In the long run, no trial occurred. Even some of the orthodox bishops felt that the cost of such an old fashioned thing as "heresy" would be bad for the church, so they managed to do the Episcopal thing - they referred the mess to committee, and the committee managed to speak out of both sides of its mouth by saying, "Yes, he says stupid things, but no, we're not going to remove him from office." And to be ever so slightly fair, we need to remember the temper of the time. 1967's summer of love (centered in Pike's San Francisco) was fast approaching, Viet Name protests were gaining massive publicity, and any publicity that the then-PECUSA would have gained from upholding Christian orthodoxy would have been negative - for a while. Yet Bishop Bayne was entirely wrong when he said that Pike's views "nowhere near threatening the church's jugular."

Those orthodox bishops could not have imagined that 40 years later the church that they sought to spare from scandal and notoriety would be engaging in bizarre (and definitely scandalous) manipulations of church law to silence and expel today's orthodox bishops. Whatever else may be said about them, today's revolutionaries have a zeal for ideological purity that accepts no compromise and does not shirk confrontation. . .

Read it all.

Episcopal diocese reorganizes in Lodi, might allow gay priests

From the Lodi News-Sentinel:

Pledging unity and inclusiveness to all of God's people, the Episcopal Church's San Joaquin Diocese elected Jerry Lamb as provisional bishop at a special convention Saturday before a crowd of about 300 at St. John's Episcopal Church in Lodi.

Lamb replaces John-David Schofield, the controversial conservative bishop who was deposed on March 12 by national church leaders, who ruled that he had "abandoned" his post as bishop. Due to a disagreement in biblical interpretation of homosexuality, Schofield took the diocese out of Episcopal Church USA and moved to the more conservative Southern Cone province of the Anglican Church based in Argentina. . .

The change in leadership means that St. John's, who is looking for a priest to replace Father Rick Matters, who left the Lodi parish in May 2007 for a church in Carmel, has the flexibility for the first time to appoint a woman as its priest.

In addition to opposing gays as priests and bishops in the Episcopal Church, Schofield forbid women from serving as priests in his diocese. Lamb supports woman priests. As for gays entering the priesthood, it will be a conversation that clergy and church members will need to have before a decision is made, Lamb said.

"At least these for these people in the diocese, we can talk about it," said John Ledbetter, senior warden at St. John's. "At least we can have an intelligent adult conversation.". . .

Of course, the paper's headline is not reflective of the article at all, but I guess the Lodi News-Sentinel is trying to grab reader interest, unfortunately. Read it all.