Dear Jesus,

Sorry they chose Barabas instead. Those things happen, you know -- well of course you know, as 'Lord of the Universe!' Yet and still, I do hope you will not mind that we will auction your simple cloak to purchase the nails we'll have to use on you. Good government is terribly expensive these days.

Affectionately yours, Pontius the Pilot for ++Rowen, Cantaur

via Quean Lutibelle

Does anyone else think that ++Rowan's decision to refuse an invitation to two especially naughty Bishops (whatever we happen to think of those two Bishops) is perhaps one of the worst decisions of his episcopacy? It seems sophisticated and political without gaining anything thereby (who, exactly, is pleased with this decision? Is my liberal heart supposed to be made glad that that other naughty Bishop has also been turned away?).

Jesus' basic message, one that I am at pains week by week to share with those I minister with, seems to be "Y'all come." Meaning everybody, even those we don't like or who give us headaches. Exactly how does the ABC square that message with refusing hospitality and excluding people from his fancy party? ++Rowan, if you are reading this, I think a lot of us would like a fuller explanation of how you see these two things hanging together.

Jason Cox

Wow, after all these years the money changers are still in the temple! I know WWJD began as a conservative call to arms, but seriously, What Would Jesus Do? Judging by those chosen to be disciples, the Right Rev. of New Hampshire is in good company. Well, at least ++Rowan has succeeded in one area: Lambeth has become irrelevant to the mission of the Church and the Gospel of Christ.

Do we know if every bishop received this request? That amounts to a lot of money for a conference that no longer has the credibility it once had and a lot of money from a province that has continually been beat over the head with the tacit approval of the ABC. I hope none of our bishops will give 100% of whatever they're being asked. That would seem to be appropriate until at least *all* of our HoB is invited.

Enough of this foolishness.

Oh, Liz, I doubt, for example, that +Minns received such a request. Afterall, you'd have to be in the Anglican Communion in the first place for such a mistake to be made.

I imagine all dioceses in the Episcopal Church received such requests. Certainly, in Lambeths past Americans and other "Global North" Anglicans paid the costs to make it possible for Third World bishops to attend who could not afford it themselves.

I think we still need to do it, gladly, publicly, and loudly. That may be most true of New Hampshire. The phrase "heaping coals of fire" comes to mind.

Marshall Scott

I stand corrected. Minns did receive such a request! At the same time the article below suggests they could be part of a hoax.

http://geoconger.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/traditionalist-bishop-inadvertently-invited-to-conference-cen-22608/

A clerical error, or as one aide suggested-deliberate mischief - caused a flurry of excitement at Lambeth Palace this week after reports surfaced that Bishop Minns had been asked to pledge his financial support to assist overseas bishops to attend the conference.
...
The Lambeth Conference organizing committee stated it had not sent the letters, and suggested it might have been a hoax to create further mischief in the run up to the summer gathering.