Schism

A group of 700 clergy of the Episcopal Church voted to create the Anglican Church of the U.S. It is a break, a schism, within the Episcopal Church in the U.S., and thus the world-wide Anglican communion:

From the Washington Post:

Conservatives from the Episcopal Church voted yesterday to form their own branch of Anglicanism in the United States and said they would seek new recognition in the worldwide church because of their growing disenchantment over the ordination of an openly gay bishop and other liberal developments.

In the past five years, a small but growing number of Episcopal parishes and dioceses have voted to leave the church, but yesterday's vote, at a meeting in Wheaton, Ill., represents the biggest split for Anglicans and presents a new challenge to U.S. church leaders and the denomination's world spiritual leader, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

The conservatives remain upset about the 2003 ordination of Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the role of female clergy, the church's definition of salvation and changes to the main book of prayer.

Click here for more.

The ripple effects will be felt by all Christians in all our denominations and gatherings, including those of us in the PCUSA, as well as UCC, UMC, ELCA, to name but a few. All of our churches are going to probably go through such a split, if it hasn't already.

History lesson: there was a similar split of people when it came to slavery in the US in the 19th century. Some churches, like the UMC and Southern Baptists, only made peace within its respective bodies in the latter part of the 20th century.

This is not a way of peace.

But this is what is true: God is moving in the church. And God moves in ways of love. That two people can find each other, and love each other, must drive some people absolutely crazy.

Pace!

B