Just Curious

Schism within the Episcopal Church

Three conservative Californian Episcopal parishes broke communion with the Episcopal Diocese of California three months ago, pledging allegiance instead to the Anglican Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Uganda, Fr. Luke Orombi.

The reasons for this schism is, you bet it, over homosexual marriage. Fr. Bruno, Episcopal Bishop of California decided to bless the union between two men, and lo and behold, three parishes are leaving his flock. They decided instead to join the theologically conservative/orthodox Church of Uganda.

Regardless of the merit of their case, I think it is interesting to note how ideology is quickly replacing ethnic, racial or cultural identity as what define our existence. Three predominantly middle class white churches leaving their diocese, pledging communion to a poverty-stricken African Province headed by a Ugandan Archbishop that share their faith.

The Bishop of California right now is filing lawsuits against these three churches, claiming property rights over all they possess, from their church buildihng, churchground to their last chalice and prayer-book. In short, he is trying to raze their parishes to ground.

Is he going to succeed? I seriously doubt it. Despite all the niceties of Anglican ecclesiastical laws of Bishopric oversight of clergy, etc., Courts in the U.S., basing on the principle of the separation of Church and State, simply would not give a darn to it. What really matters is whose name is on the deeds of the properties. To my knowledge, all three pieces of property belong to the Rector and Parishoners of the respective congregations. So the good Episcopal Bishop is essentially saying, "Due to my ecclesiastical authority over these anti-gay fanatics, I am going to issue a decree saying their property really belongs to me."

My response to the good Bishop, "Where do you think you are, 17th century England? Spain? My dear Bruno, this is America, this isn't Spain!" (to paraphrase Thomas Cromwell's character in A Man for All Seasons.)

posted by James Chang @ 4:31 PM