Dearly beloved in Christ,
As I examine the state of The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the weeks left before General Convention 2009, a paraphrase of a question from a previous presidential campaign comes to mind: is The Episcopal Church better off today than it was six years ago in July of 2003? And to the laity, clergy and bishops of TEC, are you better off today than you were six years ago?
Why do I ask about six years ago? At the 2003 General Convention in Minneapolis, The Rev. V. Gene Robinson, bishop-elect of New Hampshire, was confirmed by the General Convention, and became the first openly homosexual partnered cleric to be approved for consecration as an Episcopal bishop. As the issue was discussed prior to the voting, representatives of the American Anglican Council present at the Convention told the deputies and bishops that if they voted 'yes,' it would be like the Titanic hitting the iceberg. We were told that we would all get over it. Since we had "gotten over" the 1979 Prayer Book and women's ordination, we'd get over this too. We argued that this was an entirely different issue, and would split the church, but the juggernaut was not to be slowed, let alone stopped.
The Anglican Communion warned TEC not to proceed with the consecration of bishop-elect Robinson because it would tear the Communion, but with flagrant disregard then-Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and a coterie of attending bishops laid hands upon The Rev. Robinson, and ran the Titanic straight into the iceberg. Although the sexuality issues were not the deepest part of the problems within TEC, it was a presenting symptom that mom and pop Episcopalian, sitting in their living room, listening to CNN, suddenly had to confront, and many were not at all happy. Explaining to mom and pop that the Episcopal Church was moving away from Jesus Christ as our unique savior, and moving toward inclusion of other religions into their faith, and denying the authority of Holy Scripture was difficult; things at their local church had appeared fairly normal to them up to that point.
Although some Episcopalians left in the 1980's over women's ordination to the priesthood and/or the Prayer Book revisions, other Episcopalians, sensing the deeper malaise in TEC, formed the Anglican Mission in the Americas in 2000. After the Gene Robinson fiasco, mom and pop Episcopalian were finally aware of what was really going on in the back rooms of their denomination. A homosexual bishop being joyfully ordained by their own church leaders - this they could see and recognize. It was about that time that more and more Episcopalians began to move, some to Rome, some to Eastern Orthodoxy, some to community churches, and many to new Anglican churches being set up and authorized by overseas orthodox Anglican provinces.
This next week, many of those former Episcopalians will come together in Bedford, Texas for the Anglican Church in North America's inaugural Assembly to vote on a Constitution and Canons for the new church. Within TEC, there are still thousands of orthodox laity, and many priests and bishops, who will face the increasingly overt disdain of the revisionist TEC leadership. The American Anglican Council has as its vision to work with those in the new province, and at the same time to support and work with those orthodox who are still in TEC. The recent formation of The Episcopal Desk of the AAC is specifically structured for this ministry, and will be present at the General Convention in Anaheim, to support those orthodox deputies and bishops who are defending the faith from inside TEC.
Some of those who are outside of TEC believe that things are hopeless for TEC, and that the AAC is wasting its time and effort. We disagree, because we care about those orthodox still in TEC, and want to help them in the difficult days that lie ahead. Clearly the top leadership of TEC is moving at flank speed to pass legislation and overreach in its enforcement to eradicate the remaining faithful.
The long arm of the Episcopal Church USA, which prefers today to call itself TEC, since it has a multinational diocesan membership, is reaching out to take a more firm grasp of the entire communion. The Jamaica Anglican Consultative Council meeting suddenly was presented with a surprise gift of Indaba enablement from the Rev. Marta Weeks, a retired TEC priest, and the gift was accepted. Now the full scope of this Trojan Horse gift is exposed by Ralinda Gregor of the AAC in an article on the AAC website, and posted elsewhere in the world. It bears reading, and copying and handing out to all Anglicans, so the truth can shine a bright light on the nefarious deception that TEC's top leaders have launched on the Communion. The role of the Anglican Communion Office in London, and indeed Lambeth Palace itself is yet to be determined. So far, they aren't talking.
In closing, I must say that in July of 2003 I could never have foreseen the scope of the realignment that we now have within the American and Canadian churches and also the entire Anglican Communion. Are we better off or worse off? Probably some of both, but the issues are crystal clear now and the battle is fully enjoined. So how would you personally answer the question: regarding your church life, are you better off today than you were in July of 2003?
Blessings and peace in Christ Jesus,
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President and CEO, American Anglican Council
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