+Rowan burns bridges instead of building them...

On Facebook today, Diana Butler Bass, author, commented in her status line about the ABC of Canterbury's Pentecost letter punishing American Anglicans for neglecting to fall in line with "moratoria",

Diana Butler Bass: "Does anyone think it a little odd that ABC Rowan Williams issues a Pentecost letter essentially kicking American Anglicans off all ecumenical commissions while he was in DC attending a conference called "Building Bridges"? So many layers of inconsistency and irony that it leaves me breathless..."

Here's the letter in it's entirety [and I cannot seem to get the font to behave on blogspot!]:

Canterbury proposes resignation of ecumenical commission members

By Matthew Davies, May 28, 2010

[Episcopal News Service] Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams is proposing that representatives currently serving on some of the Anglican Communion's ecumenical dialogues should resign their membership if they are from a province that has not complied with moratoria on same-gender blessings, cross-border interventions and the ordination of gay and lesbian people to the episcopate. Williams made his proposal in a May 28 Pentecost letter to the Anglican Communion, in which he specifically refers to the May 15 consecration of Los Angeles Bishop Suffragan Mary Douglas Glasspool and the ongoing activity across provincial boundaries. Glasspool is the Episcopal Church's second openly gay, partnered bishop.

Two Episcopal Church members serving on the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue and one on the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order are expected to be affected by the proposal.

Sadly enough, read the rest here.

Catching Up

Hi everyone, I'm back on an even keel now.

Well, things have been hopping a bit in the TEC and AC [The Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion respectively] since I checked in last. It seems that Big Pete Akinola doesn't listen to ++Rowan no matter what now, nor to anyone else for that matter.

As you may already know, ++Rowan wrote +Peter to ask him to reconsider coming to America to install Martyn Minns as his Bishop of CANA in the USA. +Peter summarily ignored ++Rowan [and yes, he did get Rowan's letter before he left Nigeria] and transgressed our boundaries, both physical and ecclesiastical anyway. Of course, before ++Rowan's letter there was ++Our Kate's letter asking +Peter to reconsider as well and not create greater division withing the AC. Of course, he answered her in a condescending and patriarchal tone to the tune of no way, no how an I gonna stay out of this whole shebang, lady! Obviously he feels threatened by her calm and intelligent demeanor, as well as her wise and mature spirituality.

I think we are all getting weary of this game that the supposed orthodox are playing. And we have to remember that they are such a tiny percentage of the Episcopal/Anglican mix here in the US that they are essentially a gnat, longing for any attention they can get, regardless of how that attention is obtained or who it denigrates--Christ.

Our House of Bishops has spoken and the September 3oth "deadline" that the Tanzanian Communique imposes is dead in the proverbial water. They have put on the armor of God and nothing, not even Big Pete, can prevail against it. The AC does not own us. We choose to be a part of the AC and wish to remain within it, but I say, hey, if they are going to condemn us for loving our neighbor as ourselves, then we are leaps and bounds over +Peter's sanctimonious drivel and that of Minns, Duncan, Iker, Stanton and the rest of the boys who are fuming because they cannot get their way; that they cannot play kings and rule over us and the Church.

I have only one King and Ruler, and it is Christ. The Episcopal Church is living proof of Christ's endless and unequivocal love and grace. I have no fear of these Pharisees because they will get nowhere with their twisted fundamentalism and legalistic dogma.

There, I'm through for now.