"Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo, woo, woo)
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)"
VIRTUEONLINE'S Choices for Top Twelve Episcopal/Anglican Stories of the Year
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
December 29, 2010
1. Lesbian Bishop Mary Glasspool elected Bishop Suffragan in Diocese of Los Angeles. Action rocks Anglican world. ABC issues warning of consequences.
2. Continuing court rulings in VA, CA, Ft. Worth, Quincy and Colorado.
3. The flight of more parishes, clergy and laity from The Episcopal Church. ASA shows continued decline.
4. Proposed Anglican Covenant: Nobody wants it, but ABC insists it will work if everyone signs on.
5. Church of England Synod: Mitregate and issues surrounding an Ordinariate for fleeing Anglo-Catholics.
6. Fr. Dan Martins an orthodox priest's election and consents.
7. Anglican and Episcopal Blogs go viral.
8. The return of PA Bishop Charles Bennison - the bishop nobody wants.
9. Episcopal seminaries in decline. Episcopal cathedrals face uncertain future: Washington National Cathedral layoffs.
10. Haiti earthquake. Rebuilding Episcopal presence.
11. Revision of Title IV Canons. TEC more hierarchical. Sovereign rights of dioceses now in jeopardy.
12. Diocese of South Carolina stands up to National Church over property issues.
***
GJ - At Yale, where the divinity school was merged with the Episcopalian seminary, the students said: "Episcopalian priests fall apart over the three B's: booze, broads, and boys in the choir."
ELCA and the Episcopal Church began living together in sin a few years ago. They did not form a legal, legitimate merger, but invented a way in which Episcopalian polity could be forced upon Lutherans. One example was the sudden necessity to have an Anglican bishop present at all confirmations and ordinations. Why not at Holy Communion too?
Both denominations fell all over each other in affirming homosexual ordination. The Episcopalians got the upper hand by enthroning a homosexual bishop, previously married, who posed with his partner for the press. That was the last straw for many congregations, and even for bishops.
ELCA and the Episcopal Church latched onto the same fad, used the same Stalinistic terror tactics, and reaped the same rewards. The Episcopal response, like ELCA's, is to be even more radical.
Both denominations illustrate the hot air balloon effect. When a hot air balloon starts rising up, out of control, the only escape is to jump. Every person who jumps will make the balloon rise even faster.
