Desperately Seeking Schism

Reactions to the Executive Council Statement

"There they go again."

AP Reporter Rachel Zoll has a June 14 story entitled " Episcopal Panel Rejects Anglican Demand" which begins:

A key Episcopal panel defied conservatives Thursday, saying that Episcopal leaders should not cede authority to overseas Anglicans who want the church to halt its march toward full acceptance of gays.

The Episcopal Executive Council said that Anglican leaders, called primates, cannot make decisions for the American denomination, which is the Anglican body in the United States.

Did she read the Executive Council statement? The Executive Council did not "defy" anyone. In fact, their statement was humble and pastoral. If you want defiance, look to the statements of the dissidents within and outside the Episcopal Church, in which they label us "heretics" or "apostate" or call some of us "worse than dogs." That is defiance. What the Executive Council did was to express our fervent desire that we can maintain communion with other Anglicans throughout the world.

But I suppose reporters are desperate for conflict.

And Michael Conlon's Reuters report ("U.S. move on gay bishops may widen Anglican split") is no better.