The Simple Country Bishop has been focused like a TV camera on (his) mission, gathering with his apostles and evangelizing the infidels, according to his latest post. First up, hangin’ with the faithful:
Every few hours or so, I check in with all the people involved with advocacy for inclusion -- the hard working folks from our own Integrity, Claiming the Blessing and the Chicago Consultation, and the hospitable English groups, Inclusive Church and Changing Attitudes. If only you could witness the long hours and blessed devotion these people are giving, it would inspire all of you -- especially lgbt people around the world.
And we even have a Nicodemus moment:
During one of those confidential and necessarily private meetings with an African cleric yesterday, I had one of the miraculous moments that are provided when two people who disagree, sit down and discover not only one another's humanity, but brotherhood in Christ.
In other words, the “African cleric” saw it The Simple Country Bishop’s way. And who is this New Nicodemus? Here’s a clue:
He was and continues to be the target of distortion, lies and misinformation from those who see his openness to listening to those of us working for inclusion as an affront to God.
Can’t say who he is for sure, but my money is on this guy.
And then the Simple Country Bishop chronicles “your common, ordinary, everyday miracle” or two. “Change” is in the air:
I was approached by one man, a youngish English priest whose parishes are near Canterbury. He timidly asked if I had just a minute to talk. Of course I did. It is precisely why I'm here. (emphasis mine. -ed.) He described himself as an evangelical, having had a powerful conversion experience as a young adult. Upon moving to his new parishes, he discovered that he had a few gay couples in his congregations -- and this sent him back to the scriptures to study and pray, to ask if what he had always been taught about homosexuals was really what the scriptures meant, in an effort to be a better pastor. He has newly come to an accepting attitude toward those gay communicants, but was feeling guilty about leaving his old understandings behind, and wondering if he was moving in the right direction. He has come to believe that God's love is far more expansive than he first imagined, and wondered aloud if there were really two Gods being worshipped in the Church. I told him what I believe -- that no, there is only one God, but our ability to comprehend that God goes through lots of stages, becoming ever more expansive as God reveals God's self to us, directly and through others. Here was a young priest, open to change and growth, open to God's patient teaching and open to the notion that God's love might be more profoundly extravagant than he ever thought possible. Just your common, ordinary, everyday miracle.
See. If you do not comprehend God like the Simple Country Bishop and his disciples, God must not like you enough to reveal “God’s self” to a dim-wit like you. Become expansive, or become a Roman Catholic.
And another sure miracle – an Episcopal pro-gay musical. Imagine that:
Yesterday, my spirits were once again lifted by young people. A theatre troup from Western Michigan is here to present a drama, called "Seven Passages" (about those seven dreaded verses of scripture that purport to relate to homosexuality), which will be performed tonight and tomorrow night. I met with them during one of their rehearsals. It was a magical and delightful time, meeting with these young people who have struggled with scripture and what it means for them and for their gay and lesbian friends. These are kids who love the Church and are so distressed at the harm they have endured at its hands.
HARM?? Bishop, here is a picture of real harm to gays. And at the hands of Bishop John Chane’s buddies, too.
Our Simple Country Bishop wants everyone to know he doesn’t want to do away with the Law, he wants to fulfill it. Sort of:
It reminded me of the 1998 Lambeth Conference, whose working group (they labored for three weeks!) on human sexuality produced a brilliant statement -- which did not seek to SOLVE the problems and differences between us on the issues of sexuality, but rather merely DESCRIBED where we are, with several different approaches held by large groups within the Communion. We now know that the 1998 Lambeth Conference swept aside this measured and fine report, and replaced it with the draconian Resolution 1.10, which has plagued us ever since, declaring homosexuality to be incompatible with Scripture. That conference gave in to the temptation to try to settle these complex issues by fiat, once and for all, rather than merely acknowledging, and offering to God, our different perceptions of the mystery of sexuality and its ramifications for Christian life.
Oh, the polity! Actually, Resolution 1.10 says homosexual practice is incompatible with Scripture, not homosexuality. A small, but rather significant, change of meaning that the Simple Country Bishop conveniently omits.
So let’s recap today’s post: Preaching to disciples and evangelizing the ignorant. A Pharisee secretly converted. Explaining how we should see God. Miracles. The Law.
Remind you of anyone??
(Note: I don't have time right now to run today's Simple Country Bishop drinking game stats, but I'll try to post them tonight. Or, if one of you, my dear readers, would run them and email them to me, I would be most appreciative.)
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