Duncan Do-nots

The Episcopal Church in America continues its long, slow, painful meltdown with the ousting of Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh. The bishop has now joined something called the Anglican Province of the South Cone, whose members are known, by mainstream Episcopalians, as “Coneheads”. Seriously, though, what it boils down to is a fairly simple question – is the Episcopal Church a real, bonafide church – i.e. an organization dedicated to the worship of God – or is it a combination social club and activist organization, not unlike a political action committee? Bishop Duncan and many in his flock have opted for the former model, whereas the bulk of the American church, including the local “Across the Aisle” group (call them “loyalists” if you like), have opted for the latter. There is nothing new about these fault lines. They were already present back in the day when I was an Episcopalian. The diocese of Washington, DC was, overall, liberal in spirit, but included at least one very traditional, “high church”, “Anglican”, “smells and bells”, etc. parish – the one I attended, of course. It also included charismatic parishes where the services were virtually indistinguishable from those at an Evangelical church, except for the vestments. And it included parishes which were, basically, socialist cells in quaint old red-brick buildings. Well, they would have some liturgical activity from time to time; it was typically some sort of modern dance around a bunch of flaming torches to celebrate "the mid-winter holiday" (the word "Christmas" could not be used because it was too "exclusionary"). This was the kind of diversity that quickly morphs into total chaos – except, apparently, not so much chaos that the “House of Bishops” can’t get together once in a while and decide to kick someone out. (It’s amazing how hierarchical and authoritarian liberals can get when the occasion calls for it.) And of course, it would also be very un-Episcopalian to ignore the money aspect of all this. If a parish leaves a diocese, do they get to keep their church building and grounds? It’s kind of like a divorce. Who gets what? Who gets the lovebirds? And of course it often winds up in court. Thus, the “spiritual life” of this one, admittedly small, body of the faithful in our time.