Newsy Views and ++Katharine's message to us

Newsy Views that run the gamut of good and not so great news and information. There is so much that has happened in TEC and beyond and that it is veritably a challenge to keep up on the latest breaking information. That is why I haven't posted much in the way of "news" because I was so overwhelmed by its rush and tumble, and spin.

So let's get this sound bite started…as only Episcopalians and Anglicans can:

Here is some truly progressive news that shows that not all Third World Anglican provinces are backward. In a province of India, women--for the very first time in the Church's history there--have been ordained as Anglican priests. And doesn't it make you wonder why, in our country and some other First and Second World countries, women are still be denied this calling and privilege, including some dioceses in our very own United States of America. One need only to look to the former diocese of the old Fort Worth, Quincy, San Joaquin and so forth to see the backwardness of the Church there, where women are denied the fulfillment of their calling to the Episcopal priesthood or diaconate by supposed forward-thinking good ol' boys. Congratulations to the province--who's name I cannot for the life of me find--in India for being more First World in the Church than our own country and others like us.

The newly freed dioceses of Fort Worth and Quincy are reorganizing and carrying on the true ministry of Christ's church in Texas and Penn state. The beat indeed does go on there, and now women can fulfill there callings where they were denied that freedom and right within TEC in their old dioceses that are now, for the lack of a better word, Cone-related.

Most recently the former bishop of Fort Worth, Jack Iker, was inhibited--by our Presiding Bishop Katharine--from engaging in ministerial business since he and his cronies had supposedly led the diocese out of TEC to the Southern Cone. You can read a first-hand account of the steps to transition at Desert's Child where Katie Sherrod fills us in, and Feathers and Faith lends its own perspective thanks to Barbi Click. Of course Jack would huff back that she has not and never has had any jurisdiction over him. And yet yesterday, he renounced his vows and ordination in the Episcopal Church USA to our joy and relief. Thankfully this saves the Church a lot of time, money and progress in reconstituting the new diocese of Fort Worth on behalf of the faithful. What a nice parting favor. Thank you, Jack.

On top of all this reconstituting business is the news that the defective ones have--all on their misled own--created a new province for the disaffected and allegedly orthodox Anglicans in North America. It cannot be found geographically because it doesn't exist geographically. Only on paper and in the limited minds of those who think it is a good and fun idea does it truly exist. They think they can just wish it into existence, but that is not so. Looking for details? I recommend a visit to The Episcopal Cafe's "The Lead". There are rules and protocols to be followed according to the Anglican Consultative Council, and that process could take up to 10 years before this alleged new province is even considered for recognition in the World Wide Anglican Communion. The real versus the imaginary Church. You pick the one you wish to know as concrete and tangible. I choose TEC because it is real, legitimate, follows the true apostolic succession, and is the majority of Anglicans in America. And it has a real, officially and constitutionally elected Presiding Bishop, ++Katharine. Not an archbishop, as Bob Duncan and the other miscreant bishops and priests of the Cone pretends he is in this imaginary province of their own invention.

On a lighter and Advent-oriented note, ++Katharine has issued her Christmas Address to TEC:

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:5).

The world settles into winter, at least in the northern hemisphere, and life to many seems increasingly bleak. Foreclosures, layoffs, government bailouts and financial failures, continuing war on two fronts, terrorist attacks, murders of some identified only by their faith -- this world is in abundant need of light. We know light that is not overcome by darkness, for God has come among us in human flesh. Born in poverty to a homeless couple, to a people long under occupation, Jesus is human and divine evidence that God is with us in the midst of the world's darkness...You can read the rest of her message here.

And on her hopeful and meaningful message, I close this entry.