Thinking Anglicans

heterosexual male elected in California

There is extensive news coverage this morning of the election by the Diocese of California of a heterosexual male as its diocesan bishop.

The BBC Sunday radio programme has an interview (about 3 minutes duration) with Craig Martin of the diocesan nominating committee.
Go 16 minutes into the recording, available here (Real Audio). (Better link on Monday).

Episcopal News Service California diocese elects Mark Andrus as bishop
Living Church Alabama Suffragan Elected Bishop of California

Reactions came from:
The Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes A Statement by Bishop Duncan on the California Election
The American Anglican Council The American Anglican Council (AAC) Comments on the Episcopal Election in the Diocese of California
Integrity html copy here of PDF original here
The Bishop of Upper South Carolina, Dorsey Henderson and Canon Kendall Harmon, S.C. bishop reacts to California election

Newspaper reports:
New York Times Neela Bannerjee Election of Episcopal Bishop Avoids Inflaming a Crisis
Washington Post John Pomfret Episcopalians Reject Gay Candidates
San Francisco Chronicle Episcopalians avoid rift in picking bishop
San Jose Mercury News Episcopalians avoid schism
Chicago Tribune All Saints keeps its pastor
Los Angeles Times Episcopalians Elect Straight Bishop in S.F.

Update
Here is a eyewitness description of the election by Karen on Kinesis Habemus episcopam!

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Merseymike
Merseymike
17 years ago

Bizarre. What matters is what the person believes in and their suitability for the role, not their sexual orientation. Given the results I am sure that many gay Anglicans and supporters of change voted for the eventual winner(who, from what I have read of his outlook, is a Matthew Fox-influenced Christian Universalist!)

mumcat
17 years ago

I would have hoped Thinking Anglicans would have done better than to repeat a Reuters headline that indicates a person’s gender and orientation is more important than the person themselves and the job.

Sorry, Simon. You struck out on this one.

dancingphil
dancingphil
17 years ago

Mumcat: In this case, the person’s gender and sexuality is relevant. The only reason Reuters would carry this story is because of the relevance to the wider church–and it is relevant because of the gay nominees.

Göran Koch-Swahne
17 years ago

No Mumcat, it’s absolutely spot on!

Whether we like it or not, this is what the combined leadership of the Careys, Rowans, Akinolas and Duncans of this World has reduced the Anglican Communion of churches to.

It makes one long for the not so distant days, when sexual ethics were about chastity and marriage was a lesser celibacy for those week in the flesh…

(and no one dreamt that Christianity was soon to become a heterosexism cum fertility cult, obsessed with bits ;=)

Justin Lewis-Anthony
Justin Lewis-Anthony
17 years ago

Well done Simon. Far from having struck out on this one, you showed a fine sense of irony in the use of that headline (a necessary quality for a follower of the one who told us to pluck out our eyes and to follow camels through needles!)

Andrew Brown
17 years ago

Oh, no, mumcat. That is the most important thing about this election and the only reason it is interesting to non-Californians.

Cynthia Gilliatt
Cynthia Gilliatt
17 years ago

Oh I think the Reuters headline is funny, and probably intended to be. What’s the old saw? “Dog bites man.” Not news. “Man bites dog.” News. Maybe Reuters is in a mood of gentle self-mockery after joining the chorus of press voices from afar that had decided California ‘had to’ elect a gay or lesbian bishop. Or maybe Reuters is not indulging in humor or irony and just has a tin ear. All that I have heard about Mark Andrus is encouraging for everyone in that diocese. The fundagelicals will still find reason to disapprove and lift the hems of… Read more »

GA Dean
GA Dean
17 years ago

“the only reason it is interesting to non-Californians” Therein lies the source of many of our troubles. The complete disconnect between the thoughts and motivations of the electors and the interest of the rest of the world leads to enourmous misunderstanding and, eventually, trouble. I spoke with some of the electors this morning. There is a lot of important work to do in this diocese. There seemed broad agreement that any of the candidates would have been an effective leader for that work, but Bishop Andrus, besides his experience and obvious personal gifts, has one important characteristic. He does not… Read more »

drdanfee
drdanfee
17 years ago

Are We Really All Anglicans In Deep Crisis? The realignment folks feel free to disrupt and impose upon others because they alone are correct in their doctrines or beliefs. The life they burden or break is little important to them: alternative witness, service, or discipleship simply merits no recognition according to their preferred codes or definitions. It is easy to see this as yet another bald example of that sophomore Ethics 101 class fallacy: The Ends Justifies The Means. The realignment folks have such a deep sense of their own exclusive rightness that they feel they simply must interrupt anything… Read more »

Bob in Pittsburgh
Bob in Pittsburgh
17 years ago

Cynthia: The conservatives are certainly trying to tiptoe out of ECUSA with all the silver they can carry. As a former member of a very Pro-Duncan Parish, I learned first hand how conservatives are underminding anyone who does not affirm their orthodox theology. They will even attack you as you worship. I once was true Via Media, now I want my church back from the bullies.

Bob

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