Episcopal Sausage Making

It's virtually impossible for me to keep up on this blog with everything happening in Indianapolis, especially from Tallahassee.

But in a convention center far, far away from here, the discussion is underway on the Anglican Covenant. The No Anglican Covenant Coalition has its Episcopal convenor, Lionel Deimel, and our moderator from the Anglican Church of Canada, Revd. Malcolm French, at the convention. Both of them are providing on-the-ground perspective on their blogs which can be found in the "Brilliance in the Blogosphere" to the right. You can also check in on the NACC blog "Comprehensive Unity."  There really is only one acceptable stance on the Anglican Covenant: "No!"  Apparently, there is still hand-wringing among some who worry that a "No" vote will result in the Episcopal Church being relegated to a second-tier status.  Well, at this point, we'll have some excellent company because the Scots have rejected it along with the Philippines.  And, let's face it: the Scottish Church helped us create an Anglican Communion when they gave us our first bishop in the States with Richard Seabury.  The majority of English dioceses have rejected the document which sets up a system of rules and punishment that simply have never been part of Anglican doctrine.  What makes us the lovable, frustrating, fractious people of God that we are is that we don't have a lock-step approach to church, but we do share a common love of God as embodied in Christ and breathed as the Holy Spirit.  If we can please just accept that we are never going to agree on everything, but we do agree on the essential truths, then we can put this nonsense to rest and get on with being agents of Love in a world that sorely needs that.

There is, of course, lots more happening at General Convention. Things seem to be proceeding apace on the full inclusion of transgender people in the church and more movement on the marriage front... beyond just simply allowing the blessing of same-sex marriages. Today, a committee in the House of Deputies moved forward a resolution that would create a task force to study and report to the 78th General Convention on giving priests the opportunity to marry same-sex couples, not just bless them. For serious church wonks, this same discussion is happening simultaneously with the Presbyterian Church USA.

And yes--there's even more happening in Indianapolis. The Episcopal Church has set up a feed that will let those not in attendance tune in to watch what's happening.

Please keep all at the Convention in your prayers, especially if they step outside into the unusually hot and humid weather they're having in Indiana right now!