On hearing the news that he had won the top spot to be the next Bishop of California, Bishop Mark Andrus cried with a loud voice: "My commitment to Jesus Christ's own mission of inclusion is resolute." He was speaking for tens of thousands of Episcopalians who have bought into this simplistic, faith undermining, notion.
Read moreA spokesman for the diocese, Canon Neal Michell, told VirtueOnline that Bishop Stanton's request differs from the other six dioceses that have sought "alternative primatial oversight" in that he is asking for direct oversight from Dr. Williams and not to "pick a primate".
Read moreThese are the toughest and harshest words to date to come from any primate of the Anglican Communion and it bodes ill for the titular head of the Anglican Communion, Dr. Rowan Williams. They also carry special weight because of the size of the African province - 18 million strong and climbing with aggressive evangelistic efforts expected to double the church in three years.
Read moreMany parishes did leave, most walking away from their buildings and leaving them to the local bishop, and with 90 percent or more of the parishioners in tow, started anew down the road. Only in California have the courts been in favor of properties going to the parish priest.
Read moreAt the very minimum he understands that we now have two religions in The Episcopal Church and one of them has nothing to do with historic Christianity.
Within days five other bishops joined him in seeking 'alternative pastoral oversight.' They include the dioceses of Pittsburgh, Central Florida, San Joaquin, South Carolina, and Springfield. You can be sure more will come. This fracture of The Episcopal Church has not yet morphed into full blown schism, but these are early days.
Read moreBarlowe, a former Wall Street banker, is Congregational Development Officer for the Diocese of California. He is a native of North Carolina and has been living with his homosexual partner for 23 years.
Read moreRESOLVED FURTHER, that the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, pending final ratification by its 141st Annual Convention, withdraws its consent, pursuant to Article VII of the Constitution of the Episcopal Church, to be included in the Third Province of the Episcopal Church, seeking emergence of a new Tenth Province of the Episcopal Church which is fully Windsor compliant, positioned with that part of the Episcopal Church determined to maintain constituent status in the Anglican Communion.
Read moreA letter from Canon Roseberry said that, in the coming weeks, Christ Church leaders would "explore the ways that [the parish's] separation will be best realized," though he assured that Christ Church will "always be within the great historic family of the Anglican Communion."
Read moreI'm feeling self-conscious about my name appearing as the sponsor when, in truth, I was not the sole--not even the primary--author; I can only imagine that some exhausted person in a backroom of dispatch needed a name and chose mine as chair of the HOB Committee, from which the resolution at least seemed to emerge.
Read moreMost readers will have heard that the U.S. Episcopal Church has now decided to be simply The Episcopal Church (TEC, instead of ECUSA). Add to this the 16 flags that formed the backdrop of the dais in the House of Deputies, and things start to become clearer. (There was no cross as at previous conventions - geography trumps the faith).
Read more