Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Letting the Dust Settle

I've taken a good bit of friendly fire over the last 24 hours (see comments on recent posts) over my ... shall we say ... "less than inflammatory" assessment of B025.

OK. It was an attempt at spin control. Not a very successful one, apparently. Far be it from me to argue with the Bishops of Sherborne and Durham and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Before I repent in dust and ashes, however, I'm going to let some of the dust settle. Even some "progressive" voices (see here and here)--those whom you would most expect to be driving the point home that we are in a "post-B033 era"--do not believe that this convention's action is tantamount to a lifting of the moratorium imposed by B033. The Presiding Bishop herself is quoted as saying that the call to "restraint" (remember: restraint in consent, not in election) remains in effect.

Let me reiterate: I voted against B025--twice, actually (since the Deputies had to concur with the Bishops' amended version)--and was lined up to speak against it on the floor when the time for debate expired. It is a lamentable piece of legislation. And it may indeed yet turn out to be the end of the world--at least the Anglican world as we know it and have grown comfortable with it.

But we don't know that yet.

Not yet.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Fr. Dan:
If your Nashotah training can reconcile D025 and Lambeth 1.10, I look forward to reading that.

With D025 and C056, the Dar moratoria are dead, dead, dead in the eyes of the official voice of TEC, the GC. I'm sure the PB will feel 'constrained' by their guidance in her future interactions with the Primates.

As for the Anglican Covenant . . . time will tell but, after Jamaica, the smart money is not on it having any teeth.

Peace,
-miserable sinner