April 30, 2010

Countdown

The consecrations of the Rev. Canon Mary Douglas Glasspool and the Rev. Canon Diane Jardine Bruce as suffragan bishops in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles are scheduled to take place on May 15, 2010. In many ways, the paths these two women have taken to episcopal consecration have been routine. That is not to deny their talent, commitment, or hard work, but priests elected bishop in The Episcopal Church usually have impressive résumés.

Save the date
Of course, many Anglicans, in the U.S. and elsewhere, see the upcoming consecration of Canon Glasspool as extraordinary and tragic. I have been struck, however, by how unremarkable her election and the subsequent consent process have been. To be sure, Canon Bruce received the necessary consents from standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction before Canon Glasspool, but it quickly became obvious that both elections would be endorsed by the church and that Glasspool’s quest for consents would lack the drama of, say, Mark Lawrence’s first try at becoming Bishop of South Carolina.

Canon Glasspool will become the second Episcopal Church bishop with a same-sex partner, proving that the Gene Robinson phenomenon was not a fluke. The May 15 consecration will send the message that our church is committed to a gospel of inclusion and an openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rather than tied to the spirit-numbing bibliolatry and reaction of so-called Anglican “orthodoxy.”

It is my hope that May 15 will be a kind of Independence Day for The Episcopal Church—the day that we challenge other Anglican churches to follow or be left behind, the day that we say we are never going backward, and the day that it becomes clear that adopting the proposed Anglican covenant would be to betray our understanding of the gospel and to sign a death warrant for our church.

In light of the importance of the service that begins at 1:30 PDT on the afternoon of May 15, 2010, this blog will count down the days to that event. Let this countdown be a reminder to pray for Canons Glasspool and Bruce, for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, for The Episcopal Church, and for the Anglican Communion.


Days to Glasspool consecration
Note: The graphic above does not change. For the life of the countdown, the number of days until the consecration will be shown at the right, below the No Anglican Covenant logo. If you want to link to this graphic, use the URL http://deimel.org/commentary/b_images/glasspoolcount.png.

5 comments:

  1. Yes Lionel, You say the truth!... Now +++RW and the Anglican Communion know your policy status... No question about it!...

    If they refuse TEC... You are plenty of opportunities... Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church of Sweden, or even to sign the Parvoo Agreement. I suppose you wont be abandonned!... ACoC, and other Churches anywhere will do the same!... But I suppose CofE will agree with you... And I suppose the pedophilia case in RC Church is really a great help for TEC!... Why?... Of course just becouse people in the UK are advised and +++RW wont go against them!!!...

    Good evening!!!...

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  2. Although we approach the situation from different sides of the field, Lionel, I may settle more or less in agreement with you on the question of TEC's adoption of the Covenant in the current environment. Thus:

    http://www.anglicanjournal.com/issues/2010/136/may/05/article/gs-2010-cant-approve-covenant/?cHash=00f83bac4b

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  3. well done, Lionel. TEC has chosen the Spirit led path. I wonder how the schismatics preached Acts and John this morning? It is clear that everyone is welcome in God's Kingdom. Perhaps Arizona reads a different Bible...

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  4. Hi, Lionel!

    Excuse me an off topic, but you asked me to update you with news from the adoption of gay marriage here in Portugal. Currently the status is that finally last Friday the paper from de Supreme Court was published in the official republic publication, and now the President has 20 work days to approve or reject the law. Now, it seems that he could approve, but the decision will only be made after the 14th of May, when finishes the visit of Pope B16.
    And what about religious adoption?... It seems that only the Hindu community will perform gay marriages.
    And what about Anglicans?... Chapels of CofE in Europe certainly not... And Igreja Lusitana (the national Anglican Brand for Native Portugueses)?... Of course with +++RW not exactly... First because they are an extra-provincial on his metropolitan authority... After, just because their Bishop will retire this year in the limit of regulatory age to retire... And after, just because they are a very small Church (less than 5000 Baptised and confirmed members), living with the trauma of a departure from an influent Priest in the 70's of last century that I suspect isn't well resolved between them, just because this Priest went to the RC Church with lots of atherents... Curiosly this Priest who died some mounths ago was my Parish in Charge Priest in RC Church... And now I am very unhappy with my Church and searching in what manner can I join Anglicanism... For now, I see the mass in Washington National Cathedral by the net... The LC Cathedral is not so near of my house... It is difficult to go there!!!... Fortunatly their now retiring Lusitanian Bishop did in my humble opinion a very good job, but it is difficult to restore the Church here in the capital... It seems that it requires a bit more time... On the other hand the relations between Lusitanian Church and RC Church is now as good as possible in those times... But yes... It seems that our Lusitanian Bishop is a TEC like Bishop!... Lets see!!!...

    Good evening!!!...

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  5. Pensamento positivo,

    Off-topic, yes, but interesting information. Let me know what the president does.

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