The Lead

From this morning's New Orleans Times-Picayune

[Bishop Charles] Jenkins said he and 10 co-signers will offer a resolution that tracks the overseas primates' wishes: banning same-sex rites, ending ordination of gay bishops, and establishing some kind of alternative Episcopal leadership for conservative congregations.

But he said his highest priority is to hold the communion together even with its divisions.

"The most devastating thing, and the thing I do not want to see happen, is that there becomes two Anglican communions in North America," he said. "It is a sickness unto death. If we claim to be a catholic body, this is a temptation to which we cannot give in.

"On a more pragmatic level, those who will be hurt the most by this are the poor," he said. "We are involved heavily around the world in ministries of relief and development. And I don't think we have the luxury of giving in to our self-absorption on this issue, and taking that energy and those resources away from the poor."

He said he and other bishops have informally discussed new forms of keeping conservatives and liberals inside the church.

He said two models might take off on slight measures of diversity in Roman Catholicism: one in which religious orders with their own governance run certain Catholic parishes, and another in which Eastern-rite Catholics conduct their own forms of worship and governance while remaining in full communion with Rome.

And there's also this:

Bishop Charles Jenkins of the Diocese of Louisiana asked each to bring a gift of $10,000 to be divided between Louisiana and Mississippi.

Many will, he said Tuesday -- and [Bishop-elect] Mark Lawrence of South Carolina has pledged to arrive with a gift of $100,000, Jenkins said.

Comments (5)

I wish my bishop luck.
Ormonde Plater

Posted by Ormonde Plater | September 19, 2007 10:57 AM

"[Bishop Charles] Jenkins said he and 10 co-signers will offer a resolution that tracks the overseas primates' wishes: banning same-sex rites, ending ordination of gay bishops, and establishing some kind of alternative Episcopal leadership for conservative congregations."

The good bishop ought to know that none of the three proposals he offers can be effected without action of the General Convention. Individual bishops may refuse permission for same-sex blessings, individual bishops may choose not to confirm the election of a gay bishop, and individual bishops (with the cooperation of the Presiding Bishop may work out a solid DEPO process, but none of these can be codifed as law without the General Convention.

The very best the HoB can do is to say, basically, "We'll go on with things as they are without further innovation...."

Posted by John-Julian,OJN | September 19, 2007 12:02 PM

At the end of the day this is what is important: "The most devastating thing, and the thing I do not want to see happen, is that there becomes two Anglican communions in North America," he said. "It is a sickness unto death. If we claim to be a catholic body, this is a temptation to which we cannot give in. On a more pragmatic level, those who will be hurt the most by this are the poor," he said. "We are involved heavily around the world in ministries of relief and development. And I don't think we have the luxury of giving in to our self-absorption on this issue, and taking that energy and those resources away from the poor."

Posted by John B. Chilton | September 19, 2007 1:01 PM

Well, sort of, John. Certainly, they can't do anything constitutional or permanent. They can, however (as they have in the past), say, "We commit to one another not to participate in any of these things." I think that's the kind of action that Bishop Henderson speaks of when he suggests one point where he disagrees with the recent document from five bishops on constitutional structures in the Communion.

Of course, as history has shown, such a decision is not impermeable, and certainly not permanent - changeable at any meeting of the House, each of which has a slightly changed membership; and it certainly won't satisfy the commited dividers. On the other hand, it might keep the participation and presence of the "Windsor bishops" who do not want to divide. And, as always, the angels will be in the details: much will depend on how it's phrased and presented.

Marshall Scott

Posted by mscottsail | September 19, 2007 1:34 PM

Well, here's another example that timing is, if not everything, at least a lot.

I was responding to John-Julian, and not to John Chilton (for all his obvious merits).

Posted by mscottsail | September 19, 2007 1:36 PM

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