Back in Texas after journalistic foray to California and TEC's triennial General Convention. So what was it all about? Something called "gender identity expression" apparently, which means:
Lifting a self-imposed ban on consecrating "LGBT" persons as bishops
"Developing" same sex blessing rituals
Suing any Episcopalians who disagree and want to get out
Telling the rest of the Anglican world to get with the program or get lost
At least that's the way the world's media saw it, which prompted Jefferts Schori, pictured above, to accuse the press of "so much misinformation". Perhaps she didn't like headlines such as "House of Deputies Goes Gay", or "Retired Bishop Denies Sacrament of Marriage". Maybe she didn't appreciate attention being drawn to the fact that TEC's new budget earmarks $4 million for lawyers to sue parishes and dioceses that are busy leaving her pansexual union - at a rate of around a thousand people a week.
Anyway, as a simple country priest who likes horses and guns I don't think you have to be a genius like St. Thomas Aquinas to work out the fact that some changes in doctrine are valid developments and some aren't. The criterion, I suppose, is consistency and what TEC's been up to in Anaheim is the opposite of around 2000 years worth of teaching and scriptural warrant on Faith and Morals.
Except for a minority of Provinces on TEC's declining payroll, the vast majority of the Anglican Communion knows this and looks set to break off an already tenuous relationship with Jefferts Schori's denomination. My feeling is that she knows this and simply doesn't care.
Why? I'll stick with earlier thoughts about aliens - some say they have a large base on the dark side of the moon, I'd recommend looking a little closer to home, at 815 2nd Ave. NYC and The Episcopal Church Center.
Cheers,
LSP