The Anglican Communion: totally emo
May. 22nd, 2007 | 06:42 pm
I'm going to assume that all y'all who read my blog are basically familiar with the ongoing Anglican brouhaha.
So next year is the every-ten-years Lambeth Conference, to which in principle all bishops in the Anglican Communion are invited. (Actually all bishops with jurisdiction, I'm told, so retired bishops, suffragan bishops, etc. don't get to come.) The Lambeth Conference discusses, resolves, networks, points with pride and views with alarm. Invitations are issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury, since it's his hizzouse that the party is held in.
The preliminary invitation list is out. Bishop Gene Robinson -- the openly gay bishop whose consecration back in 2003 caused much of this to hit the fan in the first place -- has not been invited. Bishop Martyn Minns -- the former priest of Truro parish, who was consecrated Bishop of the Nigerian Church's "mission" to the U.S. after Truro seceded from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia over the issue -- was not invited either.
Reaction from both sides came swiftly; for instance, here, here, here, here, and here.
Now, there are serious issues of ecclesiology underlying this. But let's take a moment for some perspective here: much of the Anglican world is in a complete tizzy over who didn't get invited to a party.
So. Totally. Emo.
So next year is the every-ten-years Lambeth Conference, to which in principle all bishops in the Anglican Communion are invited. (Actually all bishops with jurisdiction, I'm told, so retired bishops, suffragan bishops, etc. don't get to come.) The Lambeth Conference discusses, resolves, networks, points with pride and views with alarm. Invitations are issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury, since it's his hizzouse that the party is held in.
The preliminary invitation list is out. Bishop Gene Robinson -- the openly gay bishop whose consecration back in 2003 caused much of this to hit the fan in the first place -- has not been invited. Bishop Martyn Minns -- the former priest of Truro parish, who was consecrated Bishop of the Nigerian Church's "mission" to the U.S. after Truro seceded from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia over the issue -- was not invited either.
Reaction from both sides came swiftly; for instance, here, here, here, here, and here.
Now, there are serious issues of ecclesiology underlying this. But let's take a moment for some perspective here: much of the Anglican world is in a complete tizzy over who didn't get invited to a party.
So. Totally. Emo.