The Silence Speaks Volumes

When we allow ourselves to go quiet, we can actually hear in the silence the voice of God guiding us.

And perhaps listening for that "still, small voice" was what Canon Kenneth Kearon was attempting to do as he proceeded to further infuriate the representatives of the Episcopal Church during a question and answer session at the Executive Council meeting. In case you've forgotten, Canon Kearon is the "Enforcer" for his Holiness, Pope Rowan I. Canon Kearon wrote to the Episcopal members of various standing committees in the Anglican Communion informing them that the Pope had declared a "New Pentecost" and that TEC was being cast into the outer darkness (OK, that isn't exactly how it was worded, but I'm not exaggerating the way the Canon responded to the Archbishop's letter). You can read council member Katie Sherrod's excellent reporting on the event at the church's Executive Council meeting HERE.

The paragraph that stands out for me in this report:

Then Bishop Wendell Gibbs, Bishop of Michigan, asked the stumper, “The Church of England remains in full communion and ecumenical dialogue with the Old Catholic Church, which blesses same-sex unions, and the Church of Sweden, which has a partnered lesbian bishop and blesses same-sex marriages. Given this fact, how are we to reconcile the removal of Episcopal Church members from ecumenical bodies?

LONG silence ensued. He looked at Wendell like a calf looks at a new gate. He clearly didn't know where to go.

Canon Kearon hemmed and hawed and finally said that there are different types of full communion and that the sticking point is being able to represent the Communion vis a vis faith & order. Wendell stressed the point of who the Church of England is in communion with, but Canon Kearon had nothing more of substance to say.

Listen for it, Canon. In your silence, listen for what the spirit is saying to the Church. I have a feeling it will NOT come with the lilt of a Welsh accent!