++KJS on B033

How did this one slip past me? I thought I was catching all the news surrounding the investiture of Bishop Jefferts Schori. But I flat missed this story in the Washington Post. Maybe it's because reading this segment of the interview with her would have been too heartbreaking:

"I'm clear about this role involving the entire breadth of the Episcopal Church," Jefferts Schori said. "But at some level, I don't think it's appropriate for me to disguise what my own theological understanding is. I'm someone who believes transparency is incredibly important. It's part of integrity."

Yet the bishop also is aware that compromise is necessary to heal the rift with overseas Anglicans -- a goal she says is important to her. She believes Episcopalians should fulfill the request of Anglican leaders that the U.S. church stop consecrating gay bishops for now and refrain from developing an official prayer service to bless same-sex couples.

"There's a piece of me that is very sad that we need to do that," she said, "but there's a piece of me that understands that for the health of the larger body, we might have to do that for a season."

So there we have it. She truly does intend to support the insidious, invidious B033. Bishop Bruno, speaking at The Episcopal Majority's meeting Saturday, said the same thing, according to this story in The Living Church. And my own bishop said the same thing at a recent meeting with the Oasis and Integrity members of our diocese. I had hoped they would have found a way to repent of the violence and manipulation they committed on that last morning of General Convention. But, no. They have not.

On an emotional level, I find this heart-breaking. But then the brain kicks in.

Folks like me have argued since GC03 that our church spoke – under the guidance of the Holy Spirit – in consenting to the consecration of Gene Robinson as a bishop, and that all Episcopalians should honor that decision. And some of us have railed, publicly or privately, against those dioceses that continue to flout the decisions of General Convention over the past three decades.

I suppose what's sauce for the goose is sauce (however bitter) for the gander. Intellectually, I do not see how we can pick and choose among the actions and resolutions of General Convention. If we believe that the polity of our church assembled in Convention acts under the guidance of the Spirit, then we probably have to swallow hard and accept even those actions and decisions with which we disagree most profoundly. I think we have to accept all of them, or just head down the slippery slope of puritanical "individual conscience" that the Network folks have deified.

Tonight, perhaps still affected by the incredible experience of +KJS's investiture Saturday, I'm inclined to support her – much as I hate what she said here. And Bishop Bruno. And my own bishop. I believe it is unjust. Profoundly unjust! I can only hope that – while they sell-out to the Windsor Report – they will take every possible opportunity to note the very high cost that our church and individual and partnered Episcopalians are paying for this compliance.

And I return to a thought I had on the ugly day when B033 was passed in the House of Deputies. I posted it on the House of Bishops/Deputies listserv, and Louie Crew has kindly captured it here, on his Do Justice! page. If we are to reject those whose "manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church," then let us not only reject those who may be gay men or lesbians. Let us reject those who have violated Jesus' own words about divorce. Let us reject those who seem to be unrepentant in their gluttony. Let us reject those who violate any of the Levitical admonitions. In a word, let us say "no" to all episcopal elections. Not forever. Merely "for a season," as the Most Rev. Katharine suggested regarding the queers in her church.

Am I angry tonight? You bet! This one is going to take a while to accommodate.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.