I really don’t have time to write on this at length, but various bits and pieces from the House of Bishops meeting in New Orleans this week.
First off, their public statement, which basically restates the status quo:
- A promise to “exercise restraint” in future consecration of bishops that would torque off the rest of the Anglican Communion (e.g., gays, though in fact women would probably qualify as such in some quarters, and in others anyone not willing to sign off on a checklist of theological positions).
- A pledge to not authorize public rites for same-sex unions (while acknowledging that local options may exist).
- The Presiding Bishop’s plan for dealing with alternate episcopal oversight for conservative parishes without turning them over to foreign provinces is peachy-keen.
- Foreign provinces: no soliciting allowed. Please.
- The Presiding Bishop should continue talking things over with the rest of the Communion, without giving away the store or violating our canons.
- The Anglican Communion should, per Lambeth, keep listening to gay people. Really, truly. No, actually, it’s written there in the last Lambeth report. It’s just that the conservatives seem to stop reading after the earlier conclusion that gay stuff is a bit dodgy.
- The Archbishop of Canterbury really should find a way to invite Bp Gene Robinson to Lambeth. Please.
- Gay folks are full members of the church and “We call for unequivocal and active commitment to the civil rights, safety, and dignity of gay and lesbian persons.” Isn’t that nice?
Since nobody was particularly happy with the status quo, nobody’s particular happy with the HoB statement. Gay groups are hurt by the hypocrisy of saying that gays are full members of the church — but can’t get married or have their committed relationships blessed or become bishops. Conservatives are torqued that the Episcopal Church hasn’t groveled sufficiently or suggested auto-de-fes for homosexuals or abdicated in favor of Abp. Akinola or something.
I tend more toward the former attitude than the latter, obviously. I could have wished the HoB had spoken boldly and prophetically on the subject — but it’s important to remember that despite the conservative/schismatic painting of the Episcopal Church as a bunch of lunatic radicals, the bishops are “liberal” to the same extent that mainstream America is “liberal,” at least viz gay rights. I.e., “gay bashing is wrong, discrimination is distasteful and socially sketchy, but, boy, that whole gay marriage thing makes us really uncomfortable.”
With luck, the schismatics will use this as the trigger for their Big Departure, and we can get over it and move on. Sad, but less sad than dragging this out much further. And maybe with their leave-taking, the Episcopal Church will realize that they don’t have to pander to them for fear of causing schism.