Conservative Episcopal Bishops kiss up to Bush (and vice-versa)...

[regnaD kciN]

This news release comes from the Episcopal News Service, and thus is freely redistributable:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Bishops meet President Bush, discuss leadership issues

At the invitation of the White House, a group of 20 religious leaders, including Bishops James Stanton of Dallas, Keith Ackerman of Quincy, Peter Beckwith of Springfield, and Daniel Herzog of Albany, met with President George W. Bush on May 3 in Washington, D.C.

Other Episcopalians present were: the Rev. Canon David Anderson, president of the American Anglican Council; Sharon Stockdale of the Episcopal Church Missionary Community; and Georgette Forney, president of NOEL, formerly known as the National Organization of Episcopalians for Life. Also present were leaders from the Methodist, United Church of Christ, Baptist and Lutheran denominations.

Bush led a discussion that included abortion, challenges in Iraq and the Middle East, Social Security, and the value of faith-based initiatives for the American people. Stanton commended Bush for his work against AIDS in Africa. NOEL President Forney said, "As a woman who regrets her abortion and works with many others who feel the same, I worry about the emotional and spiritual consequences for those who choose euthanasia for a loved one or support the destruction of embryos. We especially need to help women so they can choose to have their babies and care for them."

As Marine One landed outside to take Bush to Air Force One for a commitment in Mississippi, Ackerman asked Bush if they could pray for him before he left. The President accepted his offer and those on either side of him, Ackerman and Forney, laid their hands on him as all prayed.

This makes me want to :puke: . Bush, who has spent his entire tenure ignoring the leaders of mainstream denominations who were telling him what he didn't want to hear, plants a big sloppy wet kiss on the "usual suspects" from the group that is trying to get the Episcopal Church kicked out of the Anglican Communion (and themselves named to replace it with a new, "Biblical" denomination steadfast in its opposition to gays -- and, probably, women clergy as well), and gets their blessing for his efforts througout the world.

Mark my words...this is an early blow in a war, heavily funded by the religious right, to "rescue" mainstream Christianity from liberalism and return it to "traditional values." I can only guess that the Methodist, UCC, and Lutheran representatives were, similarly, the conservative dissidents in those denominations as well.

:argh:

[RevCheesehead]

1. Actually, the United Methodist Bishops were a pretty diverse group.

WASHINGTON (UMNS)—Five United Methodist bishops made a pastoral visit to President George W. Bush on May 3 in a meeting that they said opened the door for future conversations and work with the White House.

The bishops had a private, 10-minute meeting with the president and some of his staff, then joined a larger group of religious leaders meeting with Bush at the White House.

During their private session, the bishops presented Bush, a fellow United Methodist, with a Bible signed by the Council of Bishops, and they shared a moment of prayer with him. They told the president they are praying for him, that they share his commitment to building a better world, and that they are committed to finding ways to work together on common concerns, said Bishop Peter Weaver, president of the council.

"We believe ... that some doors have been opened," Weaver reported later to the Council of Bishops, which is meeting May 1-6 in Washington.

Weaver led the delegation, which also included Bishop Janice Huie, president-designate of the council; Bishop Ernest Lyght, council secretary; and host bishops John Schol of the Washington (D.C.) Area and Charlene Kammerer of the Richmond (Va.) Area.

more... http://www.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=2&mid=7454

Charlene was my Bishop in NC, and she is no conservative. It would also be wrong to call Janice Huie "conservative."

My favorite line from the story: "They told the president they are praying for him, that they share his commitment to building a better world, and that they are committed to finding ways to work together on common concerns..." That is a polite dis, AFAIC. :)

[murielm99]

2. Rev,

Am I mistaken in thinking that this is the first time in shrub's presidency that he has met with United Methodist bishops?

One of the criticisms I have heard at my church is that he spoke at Bob Jones University, but ignored our bishops' request for a meeting for several years.

[polmaven]

4. The Rev. may have further info on this, muriel,

but it is my understanding that the UM Coucil of Bishops specifically requested to meet with him before the war, but, obviously because he knew they were not in favor of it (they had made that clear), he refused to consider even a short meeting.

Now, when his numbers are dropping like a stone, it's time to meet with the religious folk.

[RevCheesehead]

6. I think you're correct, polmaven.

I don't know if the bishops make such a request every year (it does seem unusual to do so - usually they work through the NCC, rather than as a delegation).

When shrub refused to meet with them before the war, the Council of Bishops wrote a letter in opposition, asking him to consider other options. To my knowledge, he never responded to that letter.

He's a MINO - Methodist In Name Only.

[regnaD kciN]

3. Well, every single Anglican invited to that meeting...

...is a prominent member of the conservative "dissidents" who are trying to replace ECUSA with a "traditional Anglican" denomination of their own design. I sincerely doubt that this was an accident.

Maybe he thinks the UMC leadership is more "winnable" than that of ECUSA.

[RevCheesehead]

5. More likely he'd be seen as "hypocrite extraordinaire" if he

refused to meet with the bishops of the church in which he is supposedly a member. "supposedly" because he never attends church except for political opportunity, and when he does in DC, it's at an Episcopal church. You sure wouldn't see him at Foundry St. UMC - that's about as liberal as they come! (and that's where Bill Clinton went, every Sunday)