Shiflett goes on to visit with Orthodox, Catholics, Southern Baptists, and other traditionalists who still believe in the unchanging, omnipotent God who revealed Himself in infallible Scripture. The same God who was preached in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. "Such old-fashioned, rigid beliefs should marginalize their adherents in our open-minded, indulgent culture. But people are flocking to such churches, even if they don't agree with everything that is preached there.

It was a move that took everybody by surprise, except an inner circle of friends, but the implications of his departure are devastating not only on the diocese but nationally.

For the Rev. Eric D. Dudley the reasons were obvious, the choices few: an unrepentant church that he saw no chance of changing; disillusionment with his own bishop John Howard; and no hope for the future for an orthodox rector or bishop in the Episcopal Church.

Thems fightin' words.

"As a champion of moving issues from the devil’s playground of secrecy into the light, surely you were troubled in your spirit by this omission. I believe it is your duty as presiding bishop to supplement your Nottingham message by publishing - to every parishioner in ECUSA - and to the Anglican Provinces - estimates of the number of Episcopal clergy who are living with HIV or AIDS, and the number who have died of AIDS," wrote Brown.

He denounced as speculation reports that an upcoming meeting in Egypt would decide the future of the 80 million-strong Anglican Communion.

Now it is important to understand that while this is not a matter of semantics one needs to understand how deeply nuanced such a statement is.