Canon Gary L'Hommedieu: The Historical Fiction of the Episcopal Church

Commentary
9/17/08

There's a lot of pressure on Episcopal middle-of-the-roaders these days.

With traditionalist dioceses lining up like planes on the tarmac waiting for takeoff, the pressure is on the Left Behinds to define their own Episcopal identity. Because doctrine is off limits, the only thing left to rally around is the church as institution. Not an institution with a purpose or even a variety of purposes, but simply as an institution pursuing its own survival.

A faithful Episcopalian is no longer one who faithfully stands by the creeds, the Prayer Book and (heaven forbid!) the scriptures. A faithful Episcopalian is now one who stands behind the Presiding Bishop and the General Convention. To paraphrase the jingoist sentiment of another era, "My church, right or wrong!"

It is troubling to note the shift of TEC from an institution centered around a long religious tradition to one centered around rules, regulations, and real estate. Even more troubling is watching the leadership of the Episcopal Church act more and more like this is the way it ought to be--the way it has always been--and to watch them feign indignation at those who cling to an historic faith as the proper object of Christian loyalty. There is no one "faith", they retort. And even if there is, to make demands about it is to be divisive and exclusive. Today's loyalists have no stomach for standing on principle.

It is sobering to watch the bishops and clergy of TEC pretend a new history into existence and then equate conformity to this fabrication with faithfulness to the gospel. the rest at Virtueonline