Rats flee sinking ship.

Another "what the Hell is going on?" moment, reported in the Colorado Springs Gazette's coverage of Armstrong's Grace Church question and answer session this morning:

"The vote, according to Armstrong, will determine who gets the church building ........ If congregants loyal to the Episcopal Church win the vote, Armstrong hinted that a vestry member — whose Nebraska bank loaned the church nearly $2.5 million — might call the loan. "

http://www.gazette.com/articles/armstrong_21250___article.html/church_grace.html

It is inspiring to see how many of the commentators on titusonenine realised at once that these developments prove the vile iniquity of the liberals.

What does shock me, a little, is that the broad outline of the charges against Don Armstrong -- that he stole around half a million dollars from the diocese and/or his parishioners, and withheld about the same amount in taxes -- must have been knowable to interested parties for some months. If the ACI people had wanted to find out what Armstrong was supposed to have done, they could have done.

Nothing that I have seen has happened since the charges were made public to affect the question of Armstrong's guilt or innocence. So this sudden rat-like scuttling by the ACI board can only be for fear of looking bad. Still, they can now take their place with those other giants of contemporary thought, the Poor Man Institute for Freedom, Democracy, and a Pony.

So the grandly named Anglican Communion Institute didn't exist after all? it was just some over-exalted people on a trumped-up phone-list.

Not a trade mark, not a brand, not even a label; just a cover up for various goings on - different goings on in different places.

;=)

The Colorado Springs Gazette link posted by me above and by daibhead on another page, no longer works. The report can be accessed at

http://www.gazette.com/articles/armstrong_21257___article.html/church_grace.html

How on earth did a "Senior Fellow" of a non-entity end up on the ABC's Covenant drafting committée?

It must have substance if the previous Archbishop of Canterbury is the figurehead of this ecclesiologically and doctrinal project. They have been at pains to point out false doctrine, sexual immorality and fallen standards in TEC and elsewhere.

They should not have panicked liked this, but hung on for the exoneration of their friend and colleague.

Innocent until shown to be otherwise.

So that's Armstrong, TEC and Nigeria to be given the benefit of the doubt pro tem ...

"How on earth did a "Senior Fellow" of a non-entity end up on the ABC's Covenant drafting committée?"

Possibly this is one of several questions the ABC will not have to answer by not meeting with TEC. I hope someone in Canada asks him - on the record.

Göran wrote, "So the grandly named Anglican Communion Institute didn't exist after all? it was just some over-exalted people on a trumped-up phone-list."

Heh. So, as it happens, I'm part of a church organization that includes a steering committee and editorial board of about 6-8 people. And we *also* have a website.

I'm going to immediately petition the steering committee to add "Institute" to our name and to change my job title from "webmaster" to "Senior Fellow."

Oooo... impressive! ;)