The Lead

During Christmastide the Presiding Bishop made two appearances via podcast and radio. One with State of Belief on Air America is available now on podcast and the other is available on BBC Radio 4. [The PB's segment of the BBC program is available here.]

The State of Belief interview featured questions for the Presiding Bishop on the current state of the Episcopal Church, religious liberty, and the future.

Notes from the interview:

Why are we where we are?
The immediate background is the ordination of women and emphasis on ministry of all the baptized in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Looking at the history of the church - decisions about inclusion from Peter and Paul's debate about the Gentiles to today.
Another factor is the current polarization of society politically and reflected in the church impatience with diverse ideas plus external groups set to undermine and polarize in all mainline denominations.
The current division seems to be between those who believe their salvation is at stake if they don't separate and those who believe an inclusive body expresses the reign of God.

What about the Diocese of San Joaquin?
We are in a between time, limbo -- as soon as the status of the bishop is determined then the status of clergy can be determined.

Will we resolve our current divisions?
Not in our lifetime -- so we need to learn to live together.

Why keep going?
There is work to be done - plant churches, preach the gospel, help healing of world.

What would you tell people about The Episcopal Church?
It is multi-national, multi-cultural, values diversity and finds hope in diversity, believes in the Incarnation - which means life in this world is important - justice, peace, mission of solace, feeding, comfort, healing; offering a challenge to those who are more comfortable, there is work to be done.

Thinking Anglicans reports on the BBC interview here.

The BBC news reports that "The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katherine Jefferts Schori, told the BBC her church is paying the price for its honesty over sexuality."

Link to State of Belief interview here

The easiest way to download the interview with State of Belief is through the iTunes store online - free. Search "State of Belief".

Link to BBC Radio 4 interview here

Lisa Fox comments at her blog, "This is one of the very finest interviews I've heard or seen with our Presiding Bishop."

Update: The AP adds,

"Those services [blessing of same sex unions] are happening in various places, including in the Church of England, where my understanding is that there are far more of them happening than there are in the Episcopal Church," Jefferts Schori said.

A link to just the Presiding Bishop's BBC interview here. No waiting 45 minutes to her part.

Comments (6)

I found the Presiding Bishop's comments about partnered gay bishops in other provinces of the Anglican Communion tacky at best and, as gossip in public, close to "conduct unbecoming" her office.

Posted by TomRightmyer | January 1, 2008 7:51 PM

As others have noted, contrary to what the BBC wrote ("The US church appointed an openly gay man Gene Robinson as a bishop in 2003") Robinson was elected, not appointed.

Posted by John B. Chilton | January 1, 2008 8:10 PM

Oh, pshaw, TomRightmyer. The fact that there are gay clergy, and even gay bishops, in other provinces is about the worst-guarded secret in Anglicandom! And some of them have been ordained by the most foaming-at-the-mouth "conservatives" in the communion is also a "secret in plan view."

Posted by Lisa Fox | January 1, 2008 8:57 PM

Bishop Terry Brown, of Malaita has reported that he is gay.

Posted by Ann Fontaine | January 1, 2008 9:11 PM

Well, now we know that the PB thinks we're in limbo with San Joachin. So as soon as she knows the status of the bishop, then she'll know the status of the clergy. In the meantime, what are the laity to do? What about their status? And who are we depending on to let her know the status of +JDS?

I wish she had made this statement to the church in general and especially to the Episcopalians in the Diocese of San Joachin. There must be some legal or canonical reason that she can make this statement in an interview but cannot make it to the people who are directly affected.

Perhaps the last question about what she would tell the people of the world about TEC should have been followed by a question of what she would tell the people of TEC since JDS announced his allegiance to the Southern Cone.

When even part of the flock is anxious, it makes sense for the shepherd to attend to the anxiety so it doesn't spread. It's a simple systems theory concept that the non-anxious presence can restore some level of stability. I fear that we are experiencing the non-anxious absence of the shepherd.

I guess I just don't get it.

Posted by Liz Zivanov | January 1, 2008 11:01 PM

I thought it was one of her best moments. She articulated truths that, until now, the leadership have been reluctant to acknowledge. Good for her.

"Tacky", "Conduct unbecoming"? I don't think so.

June Butler

Posted by GrandmèreMimi | January 2, 2008 1:14 AM

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