MCJ: ALL IN MY BRAIN

From the Midwest Conservative Journal:

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

Purple Haze dropped by the Steel City recently:

Vested in a magenta and lavender miter, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church made her first official visit to Pittsburgh, where she had been unwelcome until the majority of congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh voted to secede from the denomination and join the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone in South America.

Yesterday, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was more than welcome at Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside, the flagship of the remnant she has recognized as the true Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. The crowd of at least 750 — triple normal size — applauded as the Rev. Harold Lewis gave her a voucher for her next flight to Pittsburgh.

When she makes you Fake Bishop, huh, Hal?

Although she later said she may sue for church property in the dispute with the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh (Anglican), her sermon urged charity toward those on the other side.

As long as they’ve handed over the keys and the deeds.

“There are saints among the folk who voted to leave the Episcopal Church. There are saints among those who have clearly stayed. There are saints who haven’t yet made up their minds. … We dishonor them and God when we refuse to see their blessedness,” she said.

Regarding litigation against those she called “the departed,” she said she had a responsibility to make sure that property donated to the Episcopal Church remains there. Five years ago Calvary filed suit against the diocese to try to prevent departing parishioners from retaining property.

Asked if she would also file suit, she said, “I think that depends on what happens in the coming days and months.”

Uh huh. Blessedness, I guess, depends on what your land is worth. This isn’t news but Kate’s not down with the whole way-truth-life blast of that first-century Jewish guy the fundies are so keen on.

During her sermon and in a later time for questions, Bishop Jefferts Schori addressed the divisive issue of whether Jesus is the only way to God.

She said she believes Jesus “is the vehicle of salvation for all those living and dead and those to come after us.”

But the Bible also recorded promises to Jews and others, she said.

“Those promises were not broken by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection,” she said. “Therefore, Jews have access to salvation without consciously saying ‘Jesus is my Lord and savior.’ I didn’t do that; God did it. I also see that God made promises to Hagar and Ishmael, who Muslims claim as their ancestor. I don’t think God broke those promises when Jesus came among us.”

So Christ died an agonizing death on the Cross to pay for your sins. That is, if you’re okay with that. But if you’re not, that’s cool too.