Thinking Anglicans

yet another bishop for North America

Well, more than one. Making in fact a total of eleven twelve (including retired bishop Bill Cox – Southern Cone).

First, this press release:

FROM THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF KENYA PROVINCIAL SYNOD

The Province now provides Episcopal oversight to several dozen congregations in the USA through a number of Kenyan Bishops. By a unanimous vote, the Provincial Synod of the Anglican Church of Kenya endorsed the selection of The Revd. Canon Bill Atwood as Suffragan Bishop of All Saints Cathedral Diocese (Nairobi) to serve the international interests of the ACK including taking responsibility for care for the congregations and clergy in the USA under Kenyan jurisdiction. The synod also unanimously approved the consecration of The Revd. Bill Murdoch as Suffragan Bishop of All Saints Cathedral Diocese to assist with providing that oversight and Episcopal care. Consecrations are scheduled for August 30th in Nairobi. They will collaborate with others in the Common Cause network, chaired by The Rt Revd Robert Duncan (Pittsburgh) to provide orthodox Episcopal care and oversight, strategically uniting a broad conservative coalition that shares historic Anglican faith and practice.

The Anglican Communion Network has its statement here.

Second, this press release from Uganda:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from the Church of Uganda

At the request of the Rt. Rev. Andrew (Andy) H. Fairfield, retired Bishop of North Dakota, the House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda voted to receive Bishop Fairfield as a member of its House at its 21st June meeting. Bishop Fairfield will assist Bishop-elect John Guernsey in providing episcopal care and oversight to the 26 congregations in America that are part of the Church of Uganda.

Read the whole text here.

And then, there is also this this resolution from Forward in Faith North America:

5. A reaffirmation of the 2002 request that a bishop be consecrated for the constituency of FiFNA…

…Be it resolved that this 2007 FIFNA Assembly reaffirm the recommendation of the Reverend William Ilgenfritz to orthodox Primates for consideration for consecration as bishop for our constituency.

He was first recommended in 2002. Will any primate agree to do so five years later?

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JCF
JCF
17 years ago

I was trying to think what this all reminded me of— “Be our primate, and make me your bishop, and I will be loyal to you”. What do these bishop-wannabes think might happen, under their new leader(s)?

Then, I remembered:

“Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’ “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’ (Judges 9: 14-15)

Lord have mercy!

David Wilson
David Wilson
17 years ago

It’s a even dozen —Anglican Mainstream forgot one, Rt Rev Bill Cox is now a bishop of the Southern Cone

Leonardo Ricardo
Leonardo Ricardo
17 years ago

Bishopites:

I can’t tell if it’s RUSH to get a piece of whatever non-humble anti-LGBT Christian pie is left or simply a RUSH to be important sounding as in your “Grace” or simply a RUSH as in stampede which is a giant orgi of mass impulse among herd animals or a crowd of religious zealots acting like herd animals.

It’s seems to me these “gents” seem less valuable as there are more of them “minted!”

Lapinbizarre
Lapinbizarre
17 years ago

Elements of a mirror-image of the late-19th century, colonial “Rush for Africa”. Part a question of status (everyone else had two “cuckoo-in-the-nest” bishops and Kenya had to maintain face); part cold, hard cash. “There’s gold in them thar hills.”

Rob
Rob
17 years ago

Has it occured to any of you that these global south primates are simply and after much waiting on the instruments of our communion responding to the expressed need of those parishes seeking episcopal oversight in good faith and conscience?

The motivations you attribute to primates of our Anglican Communion seems to say a lot more about you than them.

badman
badman
17 years ago

The “Anglican Mainstream” text linked to concludes: “The Province of Wales has six bishops, the Scottish Episcopal Church has seven.” Obviously, this is supposed to justify such a profusion of bishops and suggest that the so-called “orthodox” and “faithful” (as if no-one else in the US Episcopal church is orthodox or faithful) have enough bishops to be a proper province. Trouble is, these are not full time bishops with big enough flocks to justify themselves. Several of them are full time clergy in parishes. The significant statistic is that Wales has ONLY 6 bishops and Scotland ONLY 7, whereas the… Read more »

Pluralist
17 years ago

Can we have one? Oh I think we’ve got one, sort of. No thanks.

George Conger
George Conger
17 years ago

Back to 11, John Rodgers retired. Starting in August he will come out of retirement to serve as interim dean of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry.

See the Who’s Who page on the AMiA website for a list of their current and retired bishops …
http://www.theamia.org/amia/index.cfm?ID=DF1ECBB6-6013-4CC2-8829278CB13B8544

Curtis
Curtis
17 years ago

We like to think of ourselves as a supermarket of Anglicanism here in Murka. The plan is to shop around for the bishop that suits your whim and swear allegiance to him. It’s an American tradition. Southern Baptists have perfected the art. But a wikipedia read on PURITANS will let you see that Anglicans have been here before. I guess those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.

Simon Sarmiento
17 years ago

But George, several others are technically retired, i.e. they are now in receipt of their pensions. And this funny American-only concept of retired bishops not instantly losing all their rights of membership of a house of bishops surely allows those who want to do so to count Rodgers in, at least as much as Bena and Fairfield.

Marshall Scott
17 years ago

Query: is Bishop Cox officially translated/received? I know he’s acting on behalf of Southern Cone (an annoyance in this part of the central US), but I’m not aware he’s formally changed provinces.

Cheryl Clough
17 years ago

Church culture often becomes a fractal representation of the culture from which it comes. When there was the big Live8 concerts and push to honor the millenium development goals, there were a lot of quandry questions as to how the African continent had managed to degenerate to such a level for such a long time. One thing that strikes me in this current phenomenom is that we are seeing an inability to cooperate with those we don’t like or flatter us. So, if the powers that be aren’t going to give us what we want, we stage a coup to… Read more »

Tobias Haller
17 years ago

Just what kind of episcopal oversight is actually needed or wanted by these various parishes? Most parishes I’ve known are quite happy to see their bishop once a year or less often. I know we are an Episcopal church, but the clamoring for prelates does seem a bit disproportional. As many of our conservative dioceses have been able to have as little as possible to do with our past two primates, their sudden need for Primatial Oversight also rings a bit hollow… or convenient.

Aaron
17 years ago

At this rate the breakaway church won’t have any priests left. Too many cooks in that kitchen…the soup is bound to be spoiled.

NP
NP
17 years ago

“Thinking” Anglicans may see the possibility that the new AC presence in the US is being set up….ready for the post September launch of “TEC Global” – but then one would have to think rather than just attack “enemies” to see that.

Rob+
Rob+
17 years ago

Tobias, for the bulk of the people in the typical sleepy Church I might agree with you. But those asking for oversight believe (even if you disagree with it) that it is a question of being under holy authority. They are concerned for their own spiritual welfare if they continue to remain under episcopal leadership that disregards the commands of God for the teachings of men. As hard as this is for those on the left to believe it, those seeking oversight are actually afraid of coming further under God’s judgment for being in communion with brothers in Christ who… Read more »

Ford Elms
Ford Elms
17 years ago

“The motivations you attribute to primates of our Anglican Communion seems to say a lot more about you than them.” And +Akinola’s shameless powerlust is what exactly? Surely you’re not suggesting he’s motivated by some lofty ideals about protecting the people of God? “episcopal leadership that disregards the commands of God for the teachings of men.” But they do the same thing, so why should I choose the teachings of some men over the teachings of other men just because some fundie screams “It’s in the Bible” and denies the obvious truth that he is as guilty of this as… Read more »

NP
NP
17 years ago

Ford – you are right, when we see false teaching, we do no respect the false teachers – just like St Paul told us (for very good reasons, not for our own fun or power or whatever)

Pluralist
17 years ago

_ready for the post September launch of “TEC Global”_ NP

Blimey, NP, I thought that one had gone to the back of your collection.

There is no launch date. Once again, as someone else said (his record collection), it is more like waiting for the first day of 2000.

Ford Elms
Ford Elms
17 years ago

“when we see false teaching, we do no respect the false teachers”

Sanctimonious bull! You have no trouble with remarried divorcees being priests and bishops and when challenged on that come out with the weak little “They’re not my direct leaders” and this from someone who believes that if Spong denies the Resurrection, all liberals do! You are quite content with false teachers as long as alos teach obedience to the Law as you interpret it.

NP
NP
17 years ago

Ford says “You have no trouble with remarried divorcees being priests and bishops “…… not true. Pls do not misrepresent me.

Ford Elms
Ford Elms
17 years ago

“Pls do not misrepresent me.” NP, when confronted with the fact that the remarriage of divorcees is an innovation in Church teaching, and that it is a trifle hypocritical to claim that you are observing Biblical morality while having no problem with divorced and remarried clergy, your only response was that such people are not your “direct leaders”. This despite the fact that you have no trouble attributing to liberals in general the extreme heterodox statements of a few who are NOT the “direct leaders” of most “liberals”. You do not suggest that those remarried divorced clergy who are as… Read more »

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