Elections

This Saturday has been big for Episcopal elections. The one getting the most media attention has been the vote in the Diocese of California, but I think the vote in the Diocese of Tennessee has turned out to be more interesting. The other two elections are Northern California and Eastern Michigan both of which elected priests from within their diocese although they considered priests from the broader church.

California's election had the potential to have huge consequences for the position of TEC with respect to the rest of the Communion, but the election of Bishop Andrus, previously suffragen of Alabama, removes that worry. Other than the potential to precipitate a blow up, that election was really very well run and pretty boring to watch from the outside. The best person won, and part of being the best was a concideration of what the rest of TEC and the AC is thinking at this time.

The election in TN, on the other hand, went through 36 ballots before giving up. At this point they have to do another search process and hope that someone in the next set of candidates will be acceptable. Part of their trouble is that they require a 2/3rds majority in each order, but I think the division between the clergy and the laity points to something more at work. The two front runners in the third day of balloting are possibly instructive on this point. The Rev. Canon Magness is, so I hear, a moderate who may support the direction TEC moved on blessings at the last GC, while the Rev. Mitchell is a conservative from Texas who opposes the direction TEC has gone. Mitchell is also quite possibly a member of the AAC, since he comes from the Diocese of Dallas while Magness is not. The few news reports I've seen about that situation confirm that there is a strong divide between liberal and moderate Episcopalians on one side, and conservative Episcopalians on the other.

I hate to say anything bad about an organization, but I strongly suspect that the AAC's advocacy has been detrimental to efforts to hold everything together. Part of this is because of the very insulting DVD's they have distributed in which they described TEC as a pagan religion. Part of it is the continuing possibility that they will follow the lead of some of the other "Continuing Anglican" bodies and break with TEC and the a major chunk of the rest of the AC. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for supporting political advocacy within TEC, but there are some directions which go to far and work to break the church down rather than build it up. This last is rather important, St. Paul in his letters was clear about how important it is to work to build up the church, and it looks like much of the work of the AAC as well as that of the more extreme liberal advocates is going against this important teaching.

This, then, is my call to TEC and particularly those of the AAC who remain part of TEC, respect the bonds of our polity. Do not set your position in the position of infallible truth. God being God will ensure that the truth is not destroyed, trust him to do his job. Work with those you disagree with wherever possible, especially on mission priorities like prison ministry, feeding the hungry, and advocating for the poor and oppressed here in the US and abroad. Continue to talk about the disagreement off and on, and try to see the best in those you oppose. Remember, they are your brothers and sisters even if they are terribly mistaken. Strive to understand the disagreement in the clearest and most accurate terms you can find. In the end remember that God is God and everything depends on His grace so you can relax and try not let frustrations get to you. They're quite possibly not as important as they seem, and your role in them may well be less significant than you imagine.

Jon