Read it all. Here is an excerpt:
Some conservative voices do not see as their vocation the reformation of TEC. Rather, the call is recognized as to stand as a witness to the truth in the midst of the theological chaos. They are called simply to be the Church and provide an alternative model of doing church within TEC. In this way these parishes can provide a witness to what the Church is meant to be so that TEC might have the opportunity to see what it has become.
So, the new inside strategy is no longer reformation of TEC, but to remain as a witness. A witness to what and to whom? A witness of Christ to folks who have abandoned the faith? So that “TEc might have the opportunity to see what it has become?” Comon’ they know what they are becoming.
With all due respect to Father Alley, this is all starting to seem like a big waste of time, a grasping at straws to find a reason not to leave the Episcopal Church and thereby hold onto buildings and pension funds. Now, I am being a bit harsh to Fr. Alley, here, inasmuch as understand that church is supposed to be a safe place in the world and not another war zone in the culture wars. But, we didn’t turn the church into a cultural war zone – they did – and staying in TEC is staying in the war zone.
Moreover, the Common Cause Partnership is not going to respect the position of the Communion Partners movement for selling out the goal of reforming TEC. As I read Fr. Alley’s statement, he’s essentially telling conservatives like me that, well, TEC is unreformable, but we aren’t going to do anything about it. We’re just going to go about being the church in TEC as much as we can. This is the new “inside strategy.” The problem is that this isn’t a strategy; it is a capitulation.
I think the Communion Partner rectors need to go back to the drawing board, aka, doing everything they can to get TEC reformed or disciplined by the Communion. I can understand not wanting to leave TEC until a new Anglican Province is sanctioned by the Anglican Communion. But to say you aren’t leaving TEC if a new one is formed and sanctioned, well, you’ve lost me there.
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