The former Bishop of South Carolina, The Rt. Rev. Dr. C. Fitzsimons Allison, told VOL that they should consecrate him anyway. Why should they have any respect for those [diocesan] Standing Committees? Clearly they are walking separately from the Anglican Communion and for the faith the bishops themselves swore to uphold when they were consecrated.
Read moreThe conversation was nothing less than disturbing, he recalls, and although not all the Deans took part in the labeling of conservatives as "polyester pants" or the issues as "stupid", no one stepped up to stop the hate-filled remarks as bigoted or offensive.
Read moreAs if that weren't enough to throttle the voice of Grace Church's outspoken rector, the bishop has also inhibited him severely, banning him from church property or any parish communication, that he is simply unable to mount a defense. This so frustrated one of his attorneys that the attorney withdrew from the case.
Read moreBishop Love lives up to his name. He is a humble, loving, pastoral soul; deeply concerned for every life he touches. His gentleness, though, should not be mistaken for weakness. He is thoroughly orthodox in faith and morals. He is a Nashotah House graduate, and sees himself as Anglo-Catholic (liturgically), Evangelical (gospel driven), and Charismatic - the gifts of the Spirit including healing are a big part of the diocese's outreach ministry.
Read moreThe Executive Council, which met in Portland, Oregon, also called for the establishment of a task force "to look at steps and strategies necessary to achieve a balanced budget in 2008 and 2009" without increasing the payout ratio or drawing down reserves.
Read moreThe Standing Committee, a majority of the Diocesan Council, and most priests in the diocese, now want Bennison gone. He has resisted all efforts to have him either resign or retire.
Read moreLaurie Goodstein, religion writer for The New York Times framed the issue on National Public Radio Tuesday, by saying that it is the "conservatives" who is pushing everyone else to adopt their "orthodoxy" that is threatening to split the communion.
Read moreTwo scenarios, however, do present themselves as possible options: One is that the Global South Primates, lead by Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola and eleven of his fellow archbishops, could decide to leave and form their own communion, by simply refusing to attend Canterbury in 2008 and setting up a parallel Lambeth style conference on African soil.
Read moreDespite these strong and solemn words, the future of the Anglican Communion still hangs precariously in the balance. Nothing is written in stone. Despite a time line and a paper thin agreement that the Episcopal Church must conform absolutely to the Windsor Report or face ecclesiastical retribution, the Anglican Communion could still come apart at the seams before the next Lambeth conference.
Read moreThe snub by Ihloff intensifies the sharp differences and highlights the ecclesiastical culture wars now being fought publicly and openly between Western heterodox Episcopal bishops and orthodox Global South bishops and archbishops.
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