Just Whose Church do They Think It Is?

And yes the fast from the chaos of contention has continued, as my silence in this space bares witness.
There is only so much toxicity one can suffer and still carry on with day-to-day commitments.
And unfortunately our dear Communion has been awash with it of late- with not enough shining exceptions

Which makes me wonder?
Do these vitriolic voices of 'dark ages' Christianity ever ask themselves just what a message they are sending to the church and equally to those outside the church?
Likewise, does even one of them ever consider the lived-consequences of their enraged pronouncements & threats?
I have yet to hear or see any collective act of repentance for Christianity's role in supporting slavery and rascist regimes; for the suppression, objectification and exploitation of women, for countless antisemetic pogroms and the Shoah; so I'm not expecting an apology any time soon for the Churchs' role in the countless teenage scuicides of LGBT youth, and the violence and discrimination which continues daily against my LGBT sisters & brothers.
But do they ever stop- even if only to take a breath and wonder how they sound, what message they are sending to the world at large and to the future Church?

http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/213177 is a recent article from the Toronto Star about the current tour of Charlie+ Masters, the head of 'Anglican Essentials', the Canadian reactionary lobby of fear and now violence.... I add 'violence ' because of some of the material contained in this article... and I quote

If that happens (The Bishop's Recomendations for Pastoral Care) Masters says Essentials will petition Archbishop of Cantebury Rowan Williams, spiritual head of the church, to recognize his group as the official Anglican Church in Canada. 'It's possible that by the end of June, the face of Anglicanism in Canada will change.

Those of you with better memories than I will be able to recall the infamous memo, quoted several months ago on several inclusive sites; written by the conservative lobby in the Episcopal Church, more than seven years ago.... strategizing the violence to the Communion and attempted scism they have carried out in the Episcopal Church.

And here we go again- the 'bullies' threatening to break what they are unable to dominate.
And before anyone jumps down my throat for using that word let me simply ask..... which quarter has resorted to threats, name-calling, walking away from the celebration of the Blessed Sacrament, breaking the conditions of the Tanzania Communique, and when one deadline wasn't enough, turned around and issued another- to ++Cantebury himself to 'return'.

Of course the glorious truth is that the bullies have not been the only ones who have stepped up to the plate in these very sad and trying times... Our dear Church and the larger communion of faith has been so mightily blessed by so many courageous, articulate, grace-filled witness to the limitless inclusivity of Christ's love and passion for humanity. And nothing has moved me more deeply ( except perhaps the consecration of dear +Gene) than so see so many LGBT brothers and sisters of faith for the first time claiming their place in this discussion.

Personally, the closer we get to the ACC National Synod in June I become more concerned that the Canadian Church may falter in responding to what I believe to be Christ's call to lives of faith beyond fear, patriarchy and the limits the patriarchy imposes on God and man alike.
Wether or not the ACC fails to act with the same radiant courage as TEC, I would ask for prayers for the meeting in June.

As one very dear and oft-quoted brother-in-faith reminded me 'we are a people of hope-' no matter how battered and tried that hope might be at times.

In the long haul I have no doubt that we will live to see the Church be joyously overcome with the inclusive renewal we are being called to. But it's like my answer to a gay brother the other day, when he asked why I even care what's going on in our beloved Communion.... In the long run it's really got very little to do with the 'bullies of the patriarchy' it's all about Christ- His call, His promises... and yes His vision for His church. So that's why ...

AMEN!