Remarks overheard at closed meeting of EpiscoPolitburo: “See! See!” I told you something like this might happen! Are you happy now? First we let THEM learn how to read, then we let THEM use the Internet without limits so THEY could communicate with each other and now we have THEM poking their unenlightened noses into EVERYTHING! This is just one more reason why strict regulation of this Internet thing is needed. We need to get back to letting THEM know things when WE think it is necessary for THEM to know. Oh, and are you SURE he isn’t gay? If he isn’t, would he be willing to change teams if it guarantees a pointy hat? Get back to me on that – soon!”

Thomas Jefferson noted that a free press was necessary to check government in its excesses. He may have rotated a few times in his grave to have his sentiments applied to the descendant of the state church/new church he was involved with, but the principle is sound.

Does anyone know how Gene Robinson has voted? You’re right, Chris; this gives TEC bishops a way to pretend they’re “orthodox.”

Voting No for a Buddhist hardly makes one orthodox. If we’ve learned anything from reading the Anglican blogs, we’ve learned that postures, gestures, slogans and labels are mostly subterfuge. We learned to ask questions and maintain an a level of skepticism, even suspicion.

Alice C. Linsley, you are correct. I checked the ongoing scorecard at StandFirm. Bishop Curry of North Carolina has voted no, and he is far out on the revisionist limb, actively pushing conservative clergy out of his diocese. This just gives them an excuse to pretend they’re not radical, at least until this summer’s Convention.

No Buddhists as bishops?? Wait till the Dali Lama runs in Michigan. It will be a shoo in.

Has anyone any notion of what the people of Northern Michigan think?

Are they aware that so far, it looks like their bishop-elect will never be enthroned? Do they realise what the objections are? Have they any opinions, or did they all think Kevin was marvellous?

I am interested to know how this will turn out for the ordinary people in the pews.

As much as I admire Greg and his work at Stand Firm, I must disagree.

The “faith once delivered to the saints” will not be protected and defended just because blogs like Stand Firm exist. That Faith will, and must, be defended by disciples who are steeped in the doctrines and teachings of the Church Catholic. Informed readers will not be sufficient to defend the Church. It will take faithful disciples who are willing to deny their own desires to follow their Lord and Master. Mary Ann Glendon (see here) is a very good example of what it takes to do this. She denied herself and honor – which was probably richly deserved – in order to be faithful to the principles laid down by her bishops. That is a costly act of discipleship.

It is that kind of costly discipleship that will preserve and defend the Church, not a bunch of politically activated bloggers. Yes, we need the information in order to make proper decisions. But in the long run we need more transparency in our institutions so that investigative blogging will not be needed. Politics can be fun, but it is not how the Gospel of Christ was spread initially. It will not be how the Gospel of Christ will be defended now.

I will take well-catechized disciples over informed pew potatoes any day.

Fuinseoig -

You ask a good question. I am aware of a few Upper Michiganders(?) who were most unhappy at Thew Forrester’s nomination in the first place (that is from reading some posts on Stand Firm).

Forrester’s nomination looks as if it was pushed through by a progressive/revisionist clique that controls the power in the Diocese of Upper Michigan. Whether the rank and file members of the diocese were glad of the prospect is anybody’s guess. I would say that those who really care about the Church were totally dismayed at the search process outcome. But I suspect they were also powerless to do anything about it.

Another perspective: the denial of consent to the election of Genpo Forrester may be a tactical victory for the orthodox in the TEC, but a strategic defeat. By denying consent, many revisionist bishops can claim some sort of orthodox “cover.” However, most of the objections seems to be along the lines that he has changed the Prayer Book rites of Baptism. (It’s good to know that the actual words of the Prayer Book are so sacrosanct – I’d hate to see anyone change the words of the, ahem, Marriage Service…)

What would have happened had the consents to Genpo gone through? Even the secular press would not have been able to pass on the headline “Episcopalians elect first Buddhist bishop.” That would have been proof positive that there are, in fact, two distinct religions within TEC: one Christian, the other not so much. As it stands now, TEC can still claim some measure of orthodoxy.

Upper Michiganders(?)

That would be “Youppers”; Upper or Lower Peninsula folks are all “Michiganders”.

The key to this is that the liberals will look orthodox. They needed actually be orthodox.

I am interested to know how this will turn out for the ordinary people in the pews.

There aren’t any “people in the pews”. Have you seen the ASA?
In any other Anglican jurisdiction in the world, this wouldn’t be a diocese – it would be a parish!

TEC had far far too many bishops for the number of lay people.
And – sadly – APNA is following right along in TEC’s bad example!

Sinner, I know it looked like everyone in the diocese was a friend of/married to/student of Kevin, but surely there must be at least a couple of plain ordinary layfolk who attend infrequently at some obscure church way out in the sticks?

Are they going to have any say in what happens? Will someone be imposed on them from above? They must be anxious at being without a bishop for all this length of time, and even if the dissemination of news is tightly controlled (what with Kevin’s missus running the diocesan newspaper), is there no way the laity have heard about the problems and opposition?

Does anyone know anyone there? Should we start up Radio Free Youpers?

Dat’s Yooper, with two ‘o’s.

As opposed to us Trolls (because we live under the Bridge.

“TEC had far far too many bishops for the number of lay people. And – sadly – APNA is following right along in TEC’s bad example!”

Would that APNA be:
American Psychiatric Nurses Association;
Academy of the Punjab in North America; or
Association of Premier Nanny Agencies?

See here.

Allen Lewis, Thank you. Terrific comment!