Comments on: On African Bishops

By: The young fogey

The young fogey — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:19:02 +0000

Thanks - could be Central, or mildly Broad. Definitely centrist in TEC today.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 23:54:11 +0000

My parish is a mixture of high and low church elements; traditional in theology and accept women priests. Not willing to separate from TEC over the current issues.

By: The young fogey

The young fogey — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 23:22:45 +0000

Hmm… would you like to describe your parish?

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 23:19:45 +0000

Interesting, none of these seems to fit my parish. I thought that Broad church is merely a mixture of high and low church elements, ie the broad center of the church.

By: The young fogey

The young fogey — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:13:43 +0000

Thanks for asking. I hope this is an accurate, non-offensive description.

It’s ironic that the Central Churchmen are so often overlooked as they are quintessential Anglicans.

By: The young fogey

The young fogey — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:09:15 +0000

Thanks for asking. I hope this is an accurate, non-offensive description.

It’s ironic that Central Churchmen are so often overlooked because they are quintessential Anglicans.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 13:51:15 +0000

So how would you define Catholic, central, evangelical, and broad? I have never heard of central.

By: The young fogey

The young fogey — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:28:30 +0000

The sun is setting on the British Empire (which covered more or less the same lands as the Anglican Communion): without the force of the English state artificially keeping them together (even if only indirectly like in the United States) the four Anglicanisms, Catholic, Central, Evangelical and Broad, fly apart.

By: bls

bls — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 19:48:23 +0000

I don’t think it’s unfair at all, Anastasia. It’s been less than 4 years, total, since the overthrow attempt began - and there are those panting for it publicly, every day, and working diligently to make it happen. That’s even faster than “instantaneous” when it comes to Church time.

Peter Akinola is an excellent example of this, in fact. So are the others involved in trying to eject TEC and/or create flying Bishoprics - both American and otherwise.

By: Anastasia

Anastasia — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 18:17:30 +0000

while I’ll admit there’s a congregationalist streak to many of the conservatives I know, I don’t think this can be reduced to picking and choosing the *instant* things aren’t exactly to our liking. I think that’s an unfair characterization.

I’d also point out that there are a lot of conservative folks still in the episcopal church who haven’t left for precisely the reasons you cite.

moreover, someone has to keep bishops and primates accountable. They are accountable to one another….or aren’t they? No one has the last work in anglicanism but we do exist in communion with one another.

I get that Derek is inferring what the situation could potentially be for the laity (this episcopal church…or that one? let’s see…which bishop do I like better?). i get that. and you know what, that’s the nature of protestantism. and some of us episcopalians may like to pretend we aren’t protestants but we are.

and that brings me to my last point which is primates holding one another accountable. We aren’t talking about a massive lay movement to have choice in terms of what bishops we all serve. We’re talking primates in Africa trying to hold primates (or presiding bishops as it were) accountable to what they believe is the correct scriptural interpretation.

I’m enough of a protestant to think holding leaders on either side of the conservative/liberal divide accountable to something is a good idea.