The website of the lobby group, Episcopal Majority now contains two major articles that taken together explain what the stance of this new group is:
Christopher Wilkins has written Still Remaining Faithful.
Mark Harris has written Necessary but not Sufficient.
Finally, the “Sensible Center” of TEC–the majority of Episcopalians–are beginning to get better organized and to assert themselves againt the extremes that are holding the church hostage.
Memo to Duncan, Iker, Akinola and Co.–The free ride is over. Either work within the system to achieve the change you desire, accommodate yourselves to the decisions of General Convention, or leave. You won’t get to blow up TEC and keep property that doesn’t belong to you. I hope the PBs will deliver this message loud and clear to the Rebels next month.
I am extraordinarily heartened by The Episcopal Majority’s site. As Pete mentions, we’re finally hearing from the “Sensible Center” of TEC in a firm and unambiguous fashion.
I had hoped that either the national church or the various Via Media USA affiliates would have taken on this role, but for the most part they seem to be caught up in a “why can’t we all just get along ?” miasma while the extremist neo-orthodox walk all over them.
“You won’t get to blow up TEC and keep property that doesn’t belong to you.” Pete
And, you won’t get to keep denying the existance and integrity of fellow LGBT Christians and Women just because you are Scripturally “selective” and push for/encourage fear, hate, discrimination and damnation at all levels of OUR Church life.
Minority bigots in TEC insisting on their “immoral” obligation to “defend” the “Body of Christ” are different than the loving welcoming/inclusive and faithful “Episcopal Majority.”
No means no.
“Finally, the “Sensible Center” of TEC–the majority of Episcopalians–are beginning to get better organized and to assert themselves againt the extremes that are holding the church hostage.” Hmmm. The quoted language speaks of extremes (i.e., plural, more than one). The term “center” also assumes a position intermediate two other positions. However, everything I have heard from the prior posters and the site indicates that this group is just another liberal and/or homosexual lobbying group. Nice name and possibly an accurate name as TEC has mostly purged itself of its conservative members. However, a “sensible center”?–I think not. That’s probably closer… Read more »
The name of the organization may be Episcopal Majority, but I wouldn’t bet money on it being an expression of the mind of a majority of Episcopalians. The majority of Episcopalians in some areas, quite probably, but most Episcopalians seem more tunnel visioned and parochial than Episcopal Majority.
Jon
“I am extraordinarily heartened by The Episcopal Majority’s site. As Pete mentions, we’re finally hearing from the “Sensible Center” of TEC in a firm and unambiguous fashion.”
Just because an organization calls itself “majority” or “mainstream” or even “orthodox” dosn’t mean that it really is. An organization reflects its membership. A new organization reflects its organizaers.
He who rends and divides the church of Christ cannot possess the clothing of Christ. – Cyprian of Carthage (?200-258) Council of Hertford, 673, Canon II: That no bishop intrude into the diocese of another, but be satisfied with the government of the people committed to him. (Hertford was the first council of all the bishops of the Church in England) I pray that none will be offended if I seek to make the Christian Religion an inn where all are received joyously, rather than a cottage where some few friends of the family are to be received. – Richard… Read more »
At long last the Episcopal Majority are standing up to the bullies. The sooner the AC Network dioceses are declared vacant the better. ‘Drama queens’ +Iker, + Duncan, +Schofield et al. have pushed the envelope too far. It is time for presentments and inhibitions. Bishops Mathes, Bruno, Swing and Lamb are to be commended for having filed a presentment against +San Joaquin after its diocesan allowed his convention to change its canons governing the election of a succesor bishop, making the bishop-elect eligible to serve as the bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin without the consent of the HoB,… Read more »
I have always been uneasy with the terminology of democracy (majority/minority) in the Church. It can easily spill over into a ‘might is right’ mindset and may even stifle critique of a position that is deemed to be held by the ‘majority’. Furthermore, such terms are meaningless depending on how one draws the boundaries. From across the pond, ECUSA/TEC looks like an out of step minority within the Anglican Communion. One could easily set up an organisation called ‘Anglican Majority’ and so on…. (And yet you have made your decisions in properly consituted synods and Conventions so one hesitates to… Read more »
Steve Lusk – thankyou. Wonderful quotes.
And, as it is, the “Sensible Center” has invited President Mohammed Khatami (retired) of Iran to ‘preach’ on human rights issues. This true champion of human, and gay, rights has all of a sudden become the center of ECUSA’s “mission” to the rest of the world. I wonder what world view you must have to believe that you somehow belong to the “Sensible Center” or the “Majority” do act like this. (Perhaps only members of structures that are soo utterly well rooted within the “Empire’s” (read the USA’s) nomenclatura as ECUSA is, will be naive enough to produce this kind… Read more »
Aargh! that dubious Hooker quote that nobody seems to be able to provide provenance for.
I wonder if Steve can?
It seems that the rising swell of dissatisfaction in TEC/ECUSA has passed the tipping point. Formerly quiet, dutiful and accommodating people have dug in their heals and are crying: “Enough!” The Episcopal Majority is a manifestation of our anger toward those who think nothing of destroying what they don’t understand; and the love we feel for the beauty of our church, however imperfect it may be. As one who has been priviledged to have an insider’s view, I can say that we have long since passed the tipping point and are approaching critical mass. We will not be silenced, we… Read more »
Ordinand said: “And, as it is, the “Sensible Center” has invited President Mohammed Khatami (retired) of Iran to ‘preach’ on human rights issues.” Oh, puh-leeze! It continues to amuse me when some folks draw out unusual — perhaps even unpopular — statements or actions and say, “Aha! See, this is what they *all* believe.” It’s just a pitiful ruse. Worse, it’s a lie. Tom Woodward did a good analysis of such tactics in a piece called “Falsely Accused” at http://episcopalmajority.blogspot.com/2006/08/falsely-accused.html. As most probably know, the National Cathedral has a delicate position between religion and politics. I have no idea who… Read more »
I am still a few posts back wondering why God cannot work as well through the admittedly peripatetic and fallible processes of modern democracy or citizenship in the 21st century, at least as well as God was supposed to be able to work through the divine right of Kings to Rule over us? What is this deep, continuing conservative modern love affair with domination arrangements? Why do conservatives always gush so, about how the top levels are uniquely called and blessed and endowed (by special orthodoxist presuppositions and definitions) with pure, undefiled truth or godliness or rights to opportunities and… Read more »
Drdanfee wrote: I’d rather be here, now, than way back in, say, C. E. 1122, any day of the week, probably. Especially when I get a toothache. Though I recently acquired the excavation report of the C7 AS cemetery a few metres from our back garden, and agree that the various agues, plagues, poxes, hexes, etc which afflicted the residents were unpleasant, at least they were all good conservative flat-earthers who are guaranteed a place in heaven. Oops, silly me, they were all pagans, so it’s the red-hot poker up the wotsit for all eternity after all. I wonder whether… Read more »
There is maybe a certain spirit of luxury and self-indulgence in the schemes and plots of realignment campaigns and realignment campaigners, just to the extent that the new conservative leaders will probably bear few of the deprivations or other burdens which their new conservative beliefs strictly impose upon other people. Other peoples’ suffering is not important to them, maybe, until and unless they have steered it, twisted the knobs and levers that lessen or heighten it, and generally gained as much from that suffering as it can be made to yield, in an S&M dungeon master sort of way. Ah,… Read more »
P.S. In our current century, we probably have great levellers, too. Global warming, ODC’s. Mass extinctions of species. But, these cannot be headed off, except through large scale efforts at changed living, and money is only one part of that political, social, religious, and economic equation.
After the dinosaurs bought the farm, the mammals got their heydey. Who might be next? If we fall silent, God will speak through the stones.
Ooooooooooooooh, John Henry! Such angry words!
That Tom Woodward and Lisa Fox are two of the founders of the ‘sensible’ center of the Episcopal Church speaks volumes for the liberal extreme that this site really represents. Orthodox Christians may be in the minority, but I rather think that man, many people in the moderate camp of ECUSA would not be too excited to be represented here.
“…ay, C. E. 1122, …”. David , aren’t you referring towant to 1122 A.D. (Anno Domini), the year of our Lord?