Episcopal Gay Rift Widens

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/03/030705episcopal.htm

The largest parish in the Episcopal Diocese of eastern Kansas has agreed in principle to separate from the diocese and the national Episcopal Church USA because of disagreements over several issues, including the ordination of an openly gay Episcopal bishop in New Hampshire.

The proposed separation of the Christ Episcopal Church of Overland Park was announced Sunday by the church and Kansas diocese.

The Overland Park church's governing board voted Feb. 28 to recommend approval of the agreement, and parish members will vote April 3 on the separation. The Council of Trustees of the diocese approved the agreement Tuesday.

[phantom power]

1. I'm rooting for a Schism.

Hasn't it been centuries, since we've had a good Schism? It's about time.

[beyurslf]

2. Yawn... who cares :)

[Tux]

3. As Theoden said in ROTK film

"Bring it down! Bring it down! Bring it down!"

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. This kind of thing happened over women's ordination, too

However, most parishes stayed in the denomination.

Depending on the diocese, though, the diocese, not the parish, may own the property that the church stands on. In that case, the parishioners may either have to vacate or buy the property from the diocese.

[JerseygirlCT]

5. Funny how financial implications may provide some of the unity

that is threatened in the church right now...

[arwalden]

6. So Is Each Faction Is Equally Convinced That The Other Is Going To Hell?

for 1) being bigoted and intolerant of normal human sexuality, or b) being tolerant of the abominable perversion of HOMOSEX?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. More talk of hellfire on the bigots' side, actually

Episcopalians aren't big on condemning people to hell compared to other denominations.

[arwalden]

9. That's So Sad...

... that they have to be that way. But, in a way... maybe it's a positive thing that they choose to isolate themselves. On the other hand... by not having progressives in their midst, does that lack of any rational opinions allow their hatred and bigotry to fester and become even more vitriolic?

[trotsky]

10. If the Southern Baptists are any example...

yes. Hell yes.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. My one experience occurred when I was "church shopping" in Portland

after deciding that I no longer liked the Lutheran church I had been attending. There was an Episcopal church in a neighborhood that I liked, so I decided to try it. The liturgy and music were beautiful, but two things really turned me off. One was that the bulletin contained an announcement that no one could take Communion unless they had been confirmed by a bishop in apostolic succession. (I did not qualify at the time, because I was still officially a Lutheran, but I had been attending Episcopal churches on and off for about fifteen years, and I had never seen such an announcement before.)

The second came during the sermon, which consisted entirely of "We're right, and the majority of Episcopalians are wrong (about the question of women's ordination)." I never realized that there were so many ways to express that sentiment. That was the whole sermon.

I decided that these people were defining themselves entirely by what they were against, which was something that I was for. I left immediately after the sermon and never went back, except on one occasion years later when the church was the site of concert that a friend was participating in.

The parish later seceded from the mainstream Episcopal Church, but the property was in dispute for a while. Eventually, that parish had to buy its property from the diocese, which held legal title.

[kwassa]

8. The majority of Episcopals support the gay bishop

and I have yet to hear where any congregation that leaves gets to keep the property.

The seminarian at our church went to a church in Tennessee and became priest in a record time, as most of the congregation had split, and moved down the street to meet in a restaurant ballroom. Our seminarian was from the area, is very talented, and is in the process of re-building the congregation. He has the great advantage of the church property, of course.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. Right, that's my impression, too

I think most people realize that there are already lots of gay and lesbian clergy, most of whom are doing a great job. The people who act as if ordaining gay men and lesbians is a radical new idea are in deep denial.

The Third World churches are a different matter, and I've already addressed their situation in other threads.