Thursday, July 16, 2009

What to Say?

In all likelihood, C056, the resolution on rites for blessing same-sex relationships passed by the House of Bishops yesterday, will show up on the HOD legislative calendar sometime today (which will probably include an evening session), and certainly by tomorrow morning. Debate time is already limited to one minute per speaker, and there will be lots who want to speak, so I don't know whether I'll even get the chance. But if I do, here's what I plan to say:

Madam President, if I had a dollar for every person who has come up to me during this convention and said something like, "I don't usually agree with you, but I'm sure glad you're here; we need your voice," I could finance a day at Disneyland. So...you want my voice? Here's my voice: If there was any ambiguity in D025--and I have contended that there is, at some cost to my credibility--then there is absolutely none in this resolution. When we pass it, we will in that moment be undoing every shred of work that this church has done over the last four years in response to the Windsor Report. Time does not permit me to enumerate all the work that will be nullified by this action. We are utterly rejecting Windsor and the hope for life in communion that it represents. On this day my church is covering itself with shame, and I am profoundly sorrowful. What you are about to do, do quickly.

Jesus is Lord and God is good. But my next post will be from the bottom of a well. May the holy prophet Jeremiah pray for us.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Blessings on you as you approach your St. Thomas Moore moment. Luckily the earthly consequences are not as harsh these days.

-miserable sinner

Unknown said...

Fr. Dan,

You are not alone at the well bottom! Neither were the first century Christians alone as they were crucified, burned alive and feed to wild beasts.

As painful as it is to see what our magnificant Episcopal Church has become, at least we now have clarity. Let those with eyes see.

Though the night is dark, our Lord will light our way and tomorrow will dawn a new day, a new beginning.

God's peace.

Joe Roberts (Cotton Country Anglican)
Diocese of Western Louisiana

Randy Muller said...

Welcome to the bottom of the well!

Our faith in human institutions, like the Episcopal Church, is misplaced. God is not fooled, and God does not abandon us. Jesus is with us!

I've seen it posted elsewhere within the last week, but it bears repeating, Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Anonymous said...

Dear Fr. DAn,

You have courage! I have the greatest respect for you.

You are in my prayers as you face the next round of your personal and professional decisions.

Yours in Christ,

Louise

Unknown said...

Dan,
I have a great deal or respect and admiration for you. Blessed Jeremiah the prophet pray for us.

JamesW said...

Dan: One of my favorite lines from the Lord of the Rings movies is this one, just before Theoden and Rohan ride off to aid Gondor:

Gamling: Too few have come. We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor.
Theoden: No, we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless.

Fr. Darin Lovelace+ said...

Fr. Martins+,

From a computer keyboard in Iowa - may the peace of the risen Lord be with you! I do so hope you get a chance to speak your voice in the debate over C056. May your voice in the wilderness provide hope for others in the chamber who are seeking to stand firm for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I pray you will indulge my prayers for you, even though I have departed TEC for ACNA. We are each, surely, paying our respective costs for the sake of Christ. I admire your willingness to stand where you are right now and speak for Truth.

Your brother in Christ,
Darin+

Fr. Darin Lovelace+
St. David's Anglican Church (ACNA)
Durant, Iowa

Anonymous said...

Dan, WG here.

I can certainly sense your pain and frustration over these issues. If you were asking for advice, I think I would recommend leaving out the last two lines of your statement, esp. the reference to Jesus/Judas. It might be high drama and even close to what you feel, but TEC isn't crucifying the Lord even with this shoddy piece of legislation.

RE: Shoddy. Why not ask the chair to explain just what theological and liturgical resources is the SCLM being asked to collect and develop? GO read the text of c056 again. The second resolve gives no description of these resources. Asked another way, read the second resolve first and you'll see how poorly drafted it is. It is akin to the shoddy draftwomanship in D025's talk of not being all on the same page theologically. In general? Duh. But they meant "on the issue of homosexually active priests and bishops."

Try to amend the second resolve to be clear what is being asked and see what that gets you. Good luck.

Widening Gyre

Townsend said...

Well said, Fr. Dan. I hope you get a chance to say it.

There's only one thing I can say about our (shared) place at the bottom of the well. No place to go but UP!

Tom Sramek, Jr. said...

Considering the many, many, many times The Episcopal Church has been brought to the moment of schism and survived, I have little doubt it will do so again. We may be in Communion with only some of the provinces in the Anglican Communion, but the mission of the church goes on.

P.S. Considering that other provinces of the Anglican Communion violated the Windsor Report's prohibition on border crossing almost as soon as the ink was dry, I have little sympathy for the "undoing of four years of work."

Canon Herrmann, SSC said...

Fr. Dano - your thoughts on Communion Partners and the "Anaheim Statement" by HOB at this juncture?

robroy said...

Tom Sramek, that is foolish. There could not have been a worst time to pursue the "prophetic vision." You need to read Mark Harris+'s budget discussion. Ms Schori who had only talked about the "vibrancy of the church" and "it's only a noisy minority" then starts talking about "crisis" and "death", some bad juju is coming. And the budget was crafted before the lemmings decided to run off the cliff.
---
It will be luck of the draw whether Dan+ speaks. We have such weighty matters and speakers have 2 minutes to talk. The system guarantees inanity and superficiality. Truly insane way to decide theological decisions. Oh, the precious polity of the Episcopal denomination!

Phil said...

Tom,

I thought the Windsor Report was "just a report?"

RB said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RB said...

Thank God for those provinces who knew this day was coming, and have helped provide a church for those who believe as Christians have always believed concerning chastity and most Christians still believe. Unfortunately, there are far too few Dan+'s left, and we need somewhere to worship, and churches that understand what the church's mission really is. The mission of the church is to make disciples of Christ, not gay bishops. It never should have been our mission conform to our culture's expectations, not to call our culture to conform with God's.

robroy said...

I saw the video. Good job. But I can't help but think, "What an insane way to decide theological issues - thirty seconds sound bites. It is reduced to political sloganeering, "Ask me about, Gene". Sad.