another Great Divorce
For all the way we see ourselves as gracious and kind and loving and generous and Christlike, in dealing with ourselves in our inner conflicts, which is where we really prove ourselves to the watching world, we show ourselves quite other.
For decades the Episcopal Church and our key rival, who, with their conservative colleagues from the Anglican Church of Canada, have settled themselves as ACNA, the Anglican Church in North America, have been wracked with bitterness, fights over property, and lawsuits. Feeling was so intense that the Presiding Bishop at the time, I think it was Edmond Browning, called it "hate". It has been the most imaginable example of Satan at work within.
Even yet we hardly deign to speak, and the next Presiding Bishop was, to my uncertain recollection, adamant that no Episcopal jurisdiction, diocese or parish, accommodate the "enemy" with a property disposition, lease, gift, sale, even though former Episcopal church buildings have long, over the years, been acquired and used as churches by other denominations.
Judging by news reports, the situation, cost and greed in the South Carolina diocese have been indescribable. I am not aware that any but the Diocese of Virginia (Truro Parish and perhaps others) have tried to work with the conservative folks.
All this has been in contrast with what seems to be developing within the United Methodist Church, where they are recognizing their internal differences orderly, and moving to work together to separate with a Covenant and financial and property accommodations that seem respectful. I wish we could have separated in their manner of responsible stewardship and determined goodwill, though perhaps we served them as the bad example to avoid, IDK.
For anyone interested, here's the UMC covenant that's still in process.
y https://cdnsc.umc.org/-/media/umc-media/2020/01/03/15/48/Protocol-of-Reconciliation-and-Grace-through-Separation
The Great Divorce: C S Lewis would be proud. May the Lord bless their determination to work together.
T+
This blogpost was written yesterday, which I rarely do, and inadvertently posted instead of "saved". Not realizing that until arriving home from church last evening, I let it stand, it doesn't really matter, does it, and added the link to the UMC covenant proposal.
For decades the Episcopal Church and our key rival, who, with their conservative colleagues from the Anglican Church of Canada, have settled themselves as ACNA, the Anglican Church in North America, have been wracked with bitterness, fights over property, and lawsuits. Feeling was so intense that the Presiding Bishop at the time, I think it was Edmond Browning, called it "hate". It has been the most imaginable example of Satan at work within.
Even yet we hardly deign to speak, and the next Presiding Bishop was, to my uncertain recollection, adamant that no Episcopal jurisdiction, diocese or parish, accommodate the "enemy" with a property disposition, lease, gift, sale, even though former Episcopal church buildings have long, over the years, been acquired and used as churches by other denominations.
Judging by news reports, the situation, cost and greed in the South Carolina diocese have been indescribable. I am not aware that any but the Diocese of Virginia (Truro Parish and perhaps others) have tried to work with the conservative folks.
All this has been in contrast with what seems to be developing within the United Methodist Church, where they are recognizing their internal differences orderly, and moving to work together to separate with a Covenant and financial and property accommodations that seem respectful. I wish we could have separated in their manner of responsible stewardship and determined goodwill, though perhaps we served them as the bad example to avoid, IDK.
For anyone interested, here's the UMC covenant that's still in process.
y https://cdnsc.umc.org/-/media/umc-media/2020/01/03/15/48/Protocol-of-Reconciliation-and-Grace-through-Separation
The Great Divorce: C S Lewis would be proud. May the Lord bless their determination to work together.
T+
This blogpost was written yesterday, which I rarely do, and inadvertently posted instead of "saved". Not realizing that until arriving home from church last evening, I let it stand, it doesn't really matter, does it, and added the link to the UMC covenant proposal.