WHY DO YOU THINK I CALL THEM SQUISHOPS?
It must be fun to be an Episcopal bishop. You get to wear a miter and carry a crozier on the job so people think your church is “apostolic” and stuff. Every three years, you get to meet in a big convention, have the national news media pay attention to you as if you still mattered in the slightest and vote on all kinds of Really Important
Resolutions about this or that social matter or news item.
But eventually, unless you’re Gene Robinson, you have to return to your diocese and explain yourself to the folks in the pews. Alabama’s Kee Sloan probably had a great time in Indy being all important since he voted for same-sex marriage in the Episcopal Organization but he’s back home in Birmingham now and you know how those necks are. Anyhoo, Sloan is not going to allow it in the Diocese of Alabama:
Bishop Kee Sloan, the head of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, voted in favor of a new ritual of blessing for same-sex unions that the Episcopal Church approved July 10 during its General Convention.
But he won’t allow priests in the Diocese of Alabama to perform it, he said.
“For the time being, I will not give permission,” Sloan said in an interview.
The blessing of same-gender unions is still too divisive an issue for Alabama, he said. “It’s not good at this time in this place,” Sloan said. “I’m trying to avoid any further division.”
The Rev. Frank F. Limehouse III, dean of the 3,400-member Cathedral Church of the Advent, Birmingham’s largest Episcopal Church, posted a response on the church’s website, www.adventbirmingham.org.
“We at the Advent will do our best to remain true to the teachings of the Bible,” Limehouse wrote. “We cannot bless any sexual activity outside of a marriage between one man and one woman. The Bible is clear about this. If anyone who declares the Bible teaches otherwise, then I wouldn’t doubt his or her sincerity, but I would have to question their training in biblical interpretation.”
While many Episcopalians defected from the Episcopal Church after the approval in 2003 of the consecration of the first openly gay bishop in New Hampshire, Limehouse said he plans to stay in the denomination but remain opposed to blessing same-sex unions.
Advocates for same-sex blessings were puzzled that Sloan supported the rites, but won’t allow them in his diocese.
“All of us striving for full inclusion are disappointed that he’s not allowing Alabama to move forward with the national church,” said Brad LaMonte, former Southeast regional vice president of Integrity, which promotes gay rights in the church.
“He worked on the committee that developed the rite,” LaMonte said. “It’s bizarre that he’s not allowing it in Alabama.”
That it is, Brad. A number of other Episcopal bishops have declared same-sex marriage dead-on-arrival in their diocese. Western Louisiana’s newly-consecrated Jake Owensby was one. Of the sitting bishops, Florida’sJohn Howard has said no while Georgia’s Scott Benhase gives a whole new depth of meaning to the term “Laodicean.”
Our Deputies already reported on the General Convention’s vote to authorize a provisional rite for the blessing of same-sex couples. In both orders our deputation voted 3-1 against the enabling resolution. As I explained before General Convention, I also voted against the resolution, not because I am opposed to a blessing rite for same-sex couples, but because the rite itself is problematic, poorly written, and confusing in terms of the Church’s teaching on Holy Matrimony. The rite, however, was approved by over 70% in both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops.
What will this mean in the Diocese of Georgia? Frankly, I do not know. Since this is a provisional rite and the resolution gives the Diocesan Bishop sole authority to determine its use in his/her diocese, I need more time to consult with our General Convention Deputation, our Standing Committee, and the priests of the Diocese. I plan on doing just that over the next few months. The provisional rite is not officially authorized until Advent, so I have the time needed to consult, pray, and decide. I expect to issue my decision sometime after the fall clergy conference in October.
When Robbie got his pointy hat and hooked stick in 2003, the left threw around the word “honesty” a lot. The Episcopal Organization has had LOTS of gay bishops, it was claimed, and at least Robbie is open about it.
There’s a lot to be said for that outlook. I mean, which would you prefer? Gene Robinson being open about who he likes to get it on with? Or Kee Sloan voting for an idea but banning it in his diocese because he wants the angry phone calls and e-mails to stop?
Resolutions about this or that social matter or news item.
But eventually, unless you’re Gene Robinson, you have to return to your diocese and explain yourself to the folks in the pews. Alabama’s Kee Sloan probably had a great time in Indy being all important since he voted for same-sex marriage in the Episcopal Organization but he’s back home in Birmingham now and you know how those necks are. Anyhoo, Sloan is not going to allow it in the Diocese of Alabama:
Bishop Kee Sloan, the head of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, voted in favor of a new ritual of blessing for same-sex unions that the Episcopal Church approved July 10 during its General Convention.
But he won’t allow priests in the Diocese of Alabama to perform it, he said.
“For the time being, I will not give permission,” Sloan said in an interview.
The blessing of same-gender unions is still too divisive an issue for Alabama, he said. “It’s not good at this time in this place,” Sloan said. “I’m trying to avoid any further division.”
The Rev. Frank F. Limehouse III, dean of the 3,400-member Cathedral Church of the Advent, Birmingham’s largest Episcopal Church, posted a response on the church’s website, www.adventbirmingham.org.
“We at the Advent will do our best to remain true to the teachings of the Bible,” Limehouse wrote. “We cannot bless any sexual activity outside of a marriage between one man and one woman. The Bible is clear about this. If anyone who declares the Bible teaches otherwise, then I wouldn’t doubt his or her sincerity, but I would have to question their training in biblical interpretation.”
While many Episcopalians defected from the Episcopal Church after the approval in 2003 of the consecration of the first openly gay bishop in New Hampshire, Limehouse said he plans to stay in the denomination but remain opposed to blessing same-sex unions.
Advocates for same-sex blessings were puzzled that Sloan supported the rites, but won’t allow them in his diocese.
“All of us striving for full inclusion are disappointed that he’s not allowing Alabama to move forward with the national church,” said Brad LaMonte, former Southeast regional vice president of Integrity, which promotes gay rights in the church.
“He worked on the committee that developed the rite,” LaMonte said. “It’s bizarre that he’s not allowing it in Alabama.”
That it is, Brad. A number of other Episcopal bishops have declared same-sex marriage dead-on-arrival in their diocese. Western Louisiana’s newly-consecrated Jake Owensby was one. Of the sitting bishops, Florida’sJohn Howard has said no while Georgia’s Scott Benhase gives a whole new depth of meaning to the term “Laodicean.”
Our Deputies already reported on the General Convention’s vote to authorize a provisional rite for the blessing of same-sex couples. In both orders our deputation voted 3-1 against the enabling resolution. As I explained before General Convention, I also voted against the resolution, not because I am opposed to a blessing rite for same-sex couples, but because the rite itself is problematic, poorly written, and confusing in terms of the Church’s teaching on Holy Matrimony. The rite, however, was approved by over 70% in both the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops.
What will this mean in the Diocese of Georgia? Frankly, I do not know. Since this is a provisional rite and the resolution gives the Diocesan Bishop sole authority to determine its use in his/her diocese, I need more time to consult with our General Convention Deputation, our Standing Committee, and the priests of the Diocese. I plan on doing just that over the next few months. The provisional rite is not officially authorized until Advent, so I have the time needed to consult, pray, and decide. I expect to issue my decision sometime after the fall clergy conference in October.
When Robbie got his pointy hat and hooked stick in 2003, the left threw around the word “honesty” a lot. The Episcopal Organization has had LOTS of gay bishops, it was claimed, and at least Robbie is open about it.
There’s a lot to be said for that outlook. I mean, which would you prefer? Gene Robinson being open about who he likes to get it on with? Or Kee Sloan voting for an idea but banning it in his diocese because he wants the angry phone calls and e-mails to stop?
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