Saturday, July 16, 2011

How Nigeria elects bishops and archbishops

I know that this would never go over in pecusa, but the Church of Nigeria has a much different process for electing bishops. First, no dog and pony shows. No guys and gals who spend years in different bishop search processes. Not even a diocesan election. No, the House of Bishops spends an entire night in prayer and then proceeds to the election of bishops and archbishops the next day.

I can hear the objections from pecusa: it isn't democratic, what about a vetting process, what about matching needed abilities and spiritual gifts with what a diocese needs, what about making sure that there are a sufficient number of women and persons of color and homosexuals on the ballot...

How about this: wait on the Lord and allow Him to direct the elections.

I know. That would never work for pecusa. How many bishops would know how to spend a night in prayer? How many know how to listen to the Lord? Given the evidence from the decisions of the pecusa HoB over the last decade the answer to those two questions is plain. Frightfully few.

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