Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!!

Commentary by Robin G. Jordan

In response to the Windsor Report the liberal bishops of the Episcopal Church USA have adopted a policy of prevarication and procrastination. Following the lead of Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, they have chosen to "express regret" for the negative reaction of many Anglicans around the world to their consecration of a practicing homosexual as bishop of New Hampshire but not for the action itself. They claim that they cannot do anything to reverse the actions of the General Convention which confirmed the election of Gene Robinson and authorized the blessing of same sex unions as a local option. Their choice of language is reminiscent of what Griswold said when he insisted that he could not refuse to participate in the Robinson’ consecration because as Presiding Bishop he was expected to take part. In truth, Griswold could have decline to lay hands on Robinson, citing reasons of conscience. He chose not to do so. Why? Because he favored the consecration of a bishop involved in a homosexual relationship. Simply put, the Episcopal Church’s liberal bishops are unrepentant. They could have called for a temporary moratorium upon the consecration of bishops involved in homosexual relationships and the blessing of same sex unions while they gave further study to the recommendations of the Windsor report. They were not even willing to take this step which would have greatly eased tensions in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

Instead of repenting and leading the Episcopal Church in repentance, the liberal Episcopal bishops plan to present a defense of their consecration of Gene Robinson and their sanctioning of the blessing of same sex unions at the February Primates Meeting. They have chosen to hide behind the argument that the 2003 General Convention expressed the will of the Episcopal Church and therefore as the Episcopal Church is a "democratic" church, they cannot go against the will of the Church. How strange. Those of us who have been Episcopal Church watchers for the last few years know very well that to the liberal bishops the Episcopal Church is a "democratic" church when it suits their purposes. In their own dioceses they can be quite autocratic in the way that they respond to clergy and congregations that resist their liberal agenda. As for the delegates to the 2003 General Convention expressing the will of the Episcopal Church, I know of at least one parish to which two of the delegates returned, having voted for the confirmation of Gene Robinson and the authorization of the blessing of same sex unions, only to have their vote rejected by the vestry of the parish, which adopted a resolution distancing the parish from the actions of the 2003 General Convention and repudiating those actions. These delegates obviously did not represent the will of their local church. They had been swayed by the emotional appeals to confirm Robinson’s election and authorize same sex blessings. They had been led to believe that a vote for Robinson’s confirmation and the authorization of same sex blessings would not divide the Episcopal Church or create any division in the Anglican Communion.

A year later finds my diocese deeply divided over the issue of Robinson’s confirmation and subsequent consecration and the authorization of same sex blessings, with Louisiana Episcopalians withholding their giving from the diocese in protest of these actions. 22 of the provinces of the Anglican Communion have declared that in ignoring or discounting the teachings of the Bible and historical Christian faith and taking these actions, the 2003 General Convention abandoned classical orthodox Christianity and created a state of impaired or broken communion with these provinces. This state of impaired or broken communion continues to exist. The Episcopal Church has taken no action to repair the rent that the General Convention has caused in the fabric of communion between the Episcopal Church and these provinces.

How will the February Primates Meeting react to these developments? Do the global South primates have a plan of action for dealing with an obdurate Episcopal Church and its presiding bishop? Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams will come to the meeting with a mandate from the Church of England’s House of Bishops to support the recommendations of the Windsor Report. Will he be willing to give that report teeth? Or will his sympathy for some forms of homosexual relationships prove an obstacle to any plan for disciplinary action against the Episcopal Church? While the dissolution of the Anglican Communion may not be imminent, we are faced with more difficult days ahead.

What course are orthodox Episcopalians to take? Do they join the exodus from the Episcopal Church to other Anglican bodies in the United States? Or do they stick it out – wait and see what happens? I cannot offer much advise. This is a choice that each orthodox Episcopalian must make for himself or herself after much prayer and weighing of the alternatives. He or she must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Some of you God may be calling to establish an orthodox Anglican witness in the United States outside the Episcopal Church. Others of you God may be calling to maintain an orthodox Anglican witness in the Episcopal Church. What is important is that whatever you choose to do, you sense that God wants you to do it. If you are sense that God is indeed calling you to maintain an orthodox Anglican witness in the Episcopal Church, you can expect Him to provide you with the spiritual power and grace to carry out that witness. If you stay simply because you just do not like the other options and God wants you to serve Him elsewhere, you will not flourish spiritually. Whatever choice you make, it must fit in with God’s plan and purpose for your life.