Albany Bishop Says Episcopal Dioceses Should be Permitted to Vote on Covenant

Bishop Blasts Episcopal Leaders Who Deny Central Tenets of the Faith

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
6/10/2009

Breaking from the accepted dogma that only provinces be allowed to sign on to a Covenant holding the Anglican Communion together, the Bishop of Albany, The Rt. Rev. William Love told delegates to the 141st Annual Convention of the Diocese of Albany that he "believed strongly" that each diocese should be allowed to vote.

"That belief is based on my understanding of the true polity or organization and governance of The Episcopal Church, as outlined in its Constitution and Canons and as described in a recently published document entitled "Bishops' Statement On The Polity Of The Episcopal Church," signed by myself along with 14 other bishops in the Episcopal Church and three highly distinguished Episcopal theologians."

The evangelical catholic bishop said he signed the Bishops' Statement because he believed it accurately reflected the true polity of the Episcopal Church as described, again, in the Constitution and Canons of the Church.

"I came to that conclusion after reading and studying the document and consulting with several other bishops, theologians and canon lawyers. Fr. Charles King, our Diocesan Canon Theologian, also agrees with the accuracy of the Bishops' Statement. There is much confusion right now throughout the Church as well as the Courts concerning the true polity of The Episcopal Church and a diocese's constitutional and canonical relationship with other dioceses within the province, as well as with the Presiding Bishop. The Bishops' Statement is offered in an attempt to provide clarity in regard to these issues," he said.

Love said he has traveled widely throughout The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion and that he is deeply grieved by the growing division within The Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion. "I had hoped, and still do, that the proposed Anglican Covenant could help bring healing into the Communion."

He said The Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion is far from being at its "best", but he remains hopeful that the most recent version - the Ridley Cambridge Draft - which has been put on hold, due to concerns raised by some members of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) over Section 4, which deals with the possible disciplinary actions, could be worked out.

Love said he is greatly troubled by rampant biblical illiteracy and the resulting ongoing struggle amongst so many to recognize the Bible as the living Word of God -- that continues to speak to us today and has authority over our lives, containing all things necessary to salvation.

He urged daily Bible reading, study and memorization and blasted those called to leadership positions in the Church who fail to recognize, or stand up and proclaim the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the Son of God incarnate, "The Way, The Truth, The Life," the ONLY ONE through whom salvation and entrance into eternal life with God the Father is possible.

"While very cognizant of the politically correct society in which we live, and the belief by some, that to promote Christianity above other world religions would be regarded as offensive, yet as Christians we have a responsibility, given by Christ, himself, to share our faith. We cannot, nor should we force our faith on anyone, but we are commanded by our Lord in the Great Commission to share our faith with all people throughout the world."

Taking his cue from C.S. Lewis, Bishop Love said either Jesus truly is the Son of God as proclaimed by God the Father at Jesus' baptism in the river Jordon and on the Mount of Transfiguration, or He isn't. "Either Jesus truly died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of all the world, or He didn't. Either Jesus truly rose bodily from the dead, conquering the power of sin and death, or He didn't. Either Jesus Christ truly is who He proclaims Himself to be, the one pointed to by the prophets, attested to by the apostles, and proclaimed by God the Father and revealed by the Holy Spirit -- or He isn't. There can be no area of gray as to the true identity and uniqueness of Jesus Christ."

"If Jesus truly is who the Holy Scriptures proclaim Him to be, then may God have mercy on us if we fail to acknowledge and receive Him as Lord and Savior of our lives and do everything we can through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with all who will receive Him."

"If Jesus isn't who the Holy Scriptures proclaim Him to be, than as St. Paul stated in I Corinthians 15, "...Our preaching is useless and so is your faith...If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied above all men." (I Cor. 15:14, 19). Ultimately every person must decide for themselves who Jesus truly is and how we will respond to Him. Just as Jesus asked Peter and the other apostles, He asks each of us as well, "Who do you say I am?" (Matt. 16:15) Our eternal destiny is dependent on the answer to that question."

"The broken and hurting world in which we live is in desperate need of hearing the Gospel, and experiencing the love, mercy, healing grace that can only be found in our Lord Jesus Christ.

"The Lord has put a real urgency upon my heart. Time is running out for millions of people in our own country and throughout the world who are dying never having heard or come to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Untold numbers of people are living in deplorable conditions and literally starving to death while hardened hearts turn a blind eye to their suffering. Countless souls are withering away with spiritual thirst, never having tasted the "living water" that the Lord has promised to all who believe in Him. It is not good enough to simply talk about or give lip service to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission - we must live them. They are not simply suggestions, but rather commands from our Lord himself, the one in whom "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given."

Love said that far too many diocesan parishes remain stuck in a survival or maintenance mode, focusing all of their time and attention inside the four walls of the Church building or on trying to keep a roof on the Church, rather than taking the Gospel into the world. "In many cases we have become enslaved by our buildings and in some cases, they are on the verge of becoming idols."

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