Thursday, June 29, 2006

Frank Griswold has an interview with NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5518200

Although I am less than happy with the way he handled the resolution B033 (the one calling for a moratorium on bishops whose manner of life poses a challenge to the wider communion), I wish him a peaceful retirement. as he stated in the interview, there are some bishops who see him as evil incarnate for consecrating +Gene Robinson. indeed, like +Gene, ++Frank wore a bulletproof vest to the consecration.

++Frank seemed to ramrod the final resolution through the House of Bishops, and he and ++Katherine seemed to pressure the House of Deputies into ratifying it. indeed, it was more strict than a previous resolution, which was voted down. in his interview, among other things, he explains his reasoning. ++Frank definitely does support the LGBT community in the Episcopal Church, but one has to appreciate that he was faced with quite a dilemma. his reason for pressing us into adopting this resolution was so that we would be able to go to the 2008 Lambeth Conference, to be in dialog with other Anglicans. it matters less that we change their opinions on homosexuality, it matters more that we change their relationships with us. those relationships certainly need improvement. for example, the Diocese of Southeast Asia had this to say: "In view of ECUSA's action in proceeding with the consecration despite the warnings and pleas of a large majority of Anglican churches worldwide, the Province regrets that communion with the ECUSA as well as those who voted for the consecration and those who participated in the consecration service is now broken.
This means that the Province no longer treats those in ECUSA who carried out and supported the act of consecration as brothers and sisters in Christ until and unless they repent of their action and return to embrace Biblical truths. At the same time, the Province remains in fellowship with the faithful believers within ECUSA who rightly oppose and reject the erroneous actions of their house."

FYI, in Anglican parlance, a + before someone's name denotes that they're a priest or bishop. ++ denotes an archbishop; Presiding Bishop is equivalent to archbishop.

As for our new archbishop, check out this "it's a girl!" bumper sticker: http://www.cafepress.com/deangfx.63706632

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