You couldn't make it up dept. no.39: High theology

[fpb]

The American Episcopal Church is currently holding a convention which is, by all appearances, being used to lay the bases of a schism from the worldwide Anglican Communion. So it must have been with considerable surprise that the delgates heard that the first vote would be: “The Cucumber Sandwich is the official food of The Episcopal Church.” Incidentally, according to journalist Ruth Gledhill, there was nothing like a cucumber shandwich available. The vote was to test out the new electronic voting system which is coming soon to a General Synod near you. It was lost, 335 or 41.9 per cent for and 464 or 58.1 per cent against.

Comments

Re: "High theology"? Yeah, they must be high.

[patchworkmind.livejournal.com]

I agree with wholeheartedly with the notion that if the status quo isn't working that it's time to change the status quo. What's going on is the same internal, only spoken of in whispers rot that is taking place in so many governments all over the place -- where it's somehow better to overfund and prolong ineffective and often harmful programs than it is to admit error (or worse, willful addiction to power) and move on to something new that should work better.

I came to the conclusion long ago that many people want change only because they have a burning desire, for some strange reason, to fix what's not broken. If not that, then they'd rather co-opt something already in existence and then change it to suit than work to start something from the ground up, because let's face it: those people are also inveterate lazy bastards. It's these people, preaching change and revolution for all (but for the most selfish of reasons), that attract and then become addicted to "leading" that portion of the population who long to follow.

That's the situation as I see it.

Yeah. I'm something of a cynic.

Re: "High theology"? Yeah, they must be high.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I came to the conclusion long ago that many people want change only because they have a burning desire, for some strange reason, to fix what's not broken. If not that, then they'd rather co-opt something already in existence and then change it to suit than work to start something from the ground up, because let's face it: those people are also inveterate lazy bastards.
You've got a point there. On the other hand, I'm a great believer in giving people exactly what they claim to want. So you want your church to be progressive, diverse, etc. etc.? Great. You've got it. Get on with it and stop bothering us. It's not as though the schismatics would have to even build up anything out of nothing: they have a massive, long-established church structure (one reason to call the new church Episcopal is that it probably would have more bishops than parish members) with flourishing upper-class contacts and a vast endowment. It is the loyal Anglicans who will have to rebuild a church from the foundations. But as for anyone who does not want to take part in the umpteenth great experiment - quitcherwhinin', either stay in or get out, but show some consistency. Now that you have your Episcopal Church and your Metropolitan Churchs and your United Church of Christ, there really is no excuse for you to hang around Catholic or Lutheran or Anglican porches any more.

Re: "High theology"? Yeah, they must be high.

[patchworkmind.livejournal.com]

Now that you have your Episcopal Church and your Metropolitan Churchs and your United Church of Christ, there really is no excuse for you to hang around Catholic or Lutheran or Anglican porches any more.

I've made that unpopular point quite a few times with several of the more liberal members of the local parish, and -- like most members of any denomination -- they view the Episcopal Church as "theirs". It turns into some kind of possessive thing about the Church, the Faith, and even of God Himself. Pardon me for being so blunt, but it's all fucked up now, the Episcopal Church. For the sake (if you'll pardon the play on word and phrase) of all that is holy, they really need to go ahead and make the split, call it a day, and get up tomorrow morning and start their respective new church anew.

I grow weary of the hand-wringing, especially since it isn't like no one didn't see this coming a mile away.