Presiding Bishop appoints new "ecumenical and interreligious officer" to support her ministry following Canterbury's removal of TEC reps

from BabyBlueOnline by BabyBlue

In light of the Archbishop of Canterbury's decision to remove Episcopal Church representation from ecumenical positions representing the Anglican Communion, the Presiding Bishop has apparently responded by appointinga position called "ecumenical and interreligious relations officer" whose job is to "develop strategies and actions supporting Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's ministry as chief ecumenical officer of the Episcopal Church." One does wonder if even moderates and some true-liberals will pop their corks over that one.

Is it really all about "supporting Bishop Schori's ministry" now? Is she taking the discipline personally? And when did she become the official "chief ecumenical officer of the Episcopal Church?" She a presiding bishop - not an archbishop. As I recall back in 2006, the Roman Catholic Church sent their official letter from now Pope Benedict directly to the gathering at Plano Dallas and missed stopping at 815 along the way. Oops. Got to wonder how diocesan bishops are feeling these days as well. They seem to continue to have the rug pulled up from under them - or is it over them?

Why create bureaucratic self-promoting positions rather than deal with the crisis at hand? What will it take to say, gosh darn it, this isn't looking so good? At the same time, it's hard not to recall General Convention 2006 when the House of Deputies found hastily hung flags tacked to the blue curtain backdrop that even back then seemed to mark the building of a "new communion" centered on 815. With the Presiding Bishop now fashioning her own personal chief ecumenical officer to promote herself does not seem to bode well for the future of TEC as the only Anglican show in town.

What say ye? Read more about it here.