Asking your questions and voicing your views

In the post below, Greff Griffith of Stand Firm reports on his encounter with the Presiding Bishop in Mississippi. On here visit there she had a question and answer session at a parish and Griffith was there. For those of you still in pecusa, I find Griffith's report and assessment encouraging, and I will explain why.

I want to affirm what Griffith suggests, which is that it is important for us to bring our questions and views to these kinds of sessions in our dioceses. I remember a few years back when Bishop Clayton Matthews came and led a day of inquiry with the clergy of the DCNY. This was at the early stage of the discernment process that led up to the election and consecration of Skip Adams.

During that day, there were break-out groups led by lay leaders in the diocese. The person that led our group was surprised (dare I say shocked?) that the clergy were not all of one mind on the human sexuality issues of the day. Even though I was treated like a cave man in a private conversation on the break, it was important to let the powers who were organizing (or manipulating, if that's your perspective) the process understand that all issues have not been fully decided for all people.

As Griffith points out, in these kinds of sessions, it can be that we have an opportunity to both enlighten and educate those who are not as informed as we are on the crisin in Anglicanism. I agree with Griffith - we should be prepared to use these opportunities to broaden the understandings of those present.