Our diocese and congregation are "liberal Episcopalians", which would not be in the same group as the "conservative Episcopalians" that are mentioned in this article. Ever since Aug'03, when Gene Robinson (aka "the gay bishop") was made bishop, churches in Africa have threatened to leave the Anglican Communican if the Episcopal Church (the US Anglican Church) did not. I'm guessing that the conservative Episcopalians have been discussing how awful the liberal Episcopalians have been . . .
From Religions & Ethics Newsweekly:
News Feature: Anglican Communion Network Meeting
This week, the Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes is hosting a special conference in Pittsburgh that brings together conservative Episcopalians from the U.S. Church and primates from Africa, South America and Asia.
The conference, entitled "Hope and a Future," represents an historical effort to forge an alliance between American evangelical mainstream and the Anglican Churches of the Global South in response to the current crisis faced by the Church over the issue of homosexuality. Relationships in the 77-million-member global Communion have been severely strained since the Episcopal Church USA consecrated an openly gay bishop -- Gene Robinson of New Hampshire -- and permitted the blessing of same-sex unions. Leaders of more conservative Anglican churches in Africa, Asia, and South America called these actions a violation of Scripture and Church teaching, and many American conservatives expressed their desire to no longer be a part of the U.S. Church. In February 2005, the primates formally rebuked the Episcopal Church USA for consecrating Robinson and allowing the blessing of same sex unions.
Kim Lawton reports from Pittsburgh on the conference and how this gathering could impact the future direction of the Anglican Communion.
Read the full story
2 comments:
James Madison:
Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other sects?
Memorial and Remonstrance
definitely - I read recently, in an "American Christianity" book, that it is the end of the Constantine era (Constantine having started the first organized christian church - Catholicism - by instituting it as a state religion).
With liberal and freethinking folks sharing their wisdom, it is clear to me that it is time for "spirituality" to be better recognized, and less emphasis placed on "traditions".
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