This report about the impending retirement of the Bishop of South Dakota shows up in today's Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
Yours truly was interviewed. Only my nicest comments appear, along with some comments that are kind of like things I said, only sweetened up.
Anyway, here is a comment I posted at the newspaper's site to include what the reporter left out:
The reporter did not include a number of key points from our interview:
1) The main issue dividing the Episcopal Church is the authority of the Bible. The gay and lesbian agenda is just one point in a much larger issue.
2) The diocese, like the national church, has suffered incredible losses in both membership and average Sunday attendance. Remaining members are aging and not bringing new people to Christ.
3) The National Church has made the local bishop's job all but impossible. In fact, the Episcopal Church's New York leaders are spending millions of dollars suing congregations and individuals all around the country - losing many of these cases including expensive appeals. The diocese is not disclosing this to the people here. The national church, despite requests, will not reveal the exact amount being spent or what budget items are being used.
8 comments:
Will you be able to get yourself and others with similar theology on the search committee for the new bishop? What is the selection process for the committee?
There is a "vetting" process in place... nobody from Good Shepherd is on any of the committees.
One of the problems here (and probably common around the country) is that many people have walked away from TEC in disgust. It is very hard to get them hopeful or organized for anything within TEC (and I don't think that's unreasonable, given their experiences).
The diocese takes over 1/2 its operational money from a General Convention Grant. It is unable to do much of anything that isn't subservient to New York. Consider that the Presiding Bishop just came out here to an ostensibly Native American gathering, and talked up gay and lesbian stuff. No discussion of two recent news items: a spike in violent crime on the Standing Rock Reservation and one of the highest suicide rates in the world on the Rosebud.
In other words, the Episcopal Church out here, as in other places, exists largely on paper and is whatever the Episcopal News Service and the dupes in the mainstream media say it is.
I've tried to be in touch with the Standing Committee and Gen Con Deputies here on some issues - they simply decline to respond. That's where things are.
Way to flag-plant!
As Sarah Hey told me, the flag-planters are the ones that get shot at.
Well, robroy is right (as usual). But keep flagplanting anyway.
Here in Southern Virginia, when the diocesan search commitee released its list of five nominees for the new bishop here, what do you know? All five were liberals (some more obnoxious or militant than others, but all are liberals). So the AAC chapter here went into high gear and used the petition process to nominate our own candidate, who will now be on the ballot. And we found a gem of a candidate willing to run, Dr. Ladson Mills from SC.
Even though he's an excellent candidate, I seriously doubt that he'll be elected, but at least the orthodox minority will be represented and we'll have a chance for bearing witness. And who knows? Maybe Dr. Mills will even get elected. Stranger things have happened in church history...
But I'd suggest you start preparing now for the very real possibility that the AAC chapter in SD may have to do something similar and nominate your own candidate.
Thanks, David+, for your advice and encouragement! You must be feeling more like the New Reformation is closer post-GAFCON!
Yes, Tim, I do indeed. I'm encouraged.
GAFCON represents a decisive turning of the tide at the international level. The leades of the orthodox majority of Anglicans have seized the initiative. The impasse is broken. The dithering and delaying tactics of the Archbishopof Canterbury will no longer be able to hold the AC hostage.
New wineskins will emerge. The New Reformation has already begun, and the majority of the world's practicing Anglicans are behind it. It is gaining momentum. By God's grace, it will prevail.
TLF+, it's a little difficult to buy your flip characterization of "talking up gay and lesbian stuff" over reports from those that were actually there themselves.
I understand some brought the issue forward in questions, and most of her time there was spent listening, not "talking up" anything.
Methinks that we would serve the Gospel better if both so-called "conservatives" and "liberals" followed her example and made more effort to develop their Christian discipline to (a) show up and (b) listen.
It's not listening when there is an outcome planned.
Again, I have written collegially to the Bishop, Standing Committee and Gen Con deputies about the lawsuit issue. Nobody responded. Why should I travel to "listen" with people who have mouths and no ears?
Post a Comment