January 16, 2008

I don't know how many of you have heard of the ongoing disputes between the Episcopal diocese of San Joaquin (CA) and the Episcopal Church of the USA (ECUSA). I think it was a few months ago when most of the members of that conservative diocese voted to leave the ECUSA and join the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone (South America). This is the first time a whole diocese has left the ECUSA, and it should not be surprising if a few others follow. Previously, only individual churches decided to leave.

This is only a symptom of the big issue surrounding Biblical interpretation. ECUSA is more in favor of a less literal (even less in some passages) reading of the Holy Writ, and the Global South is more literal in its reading. What particularly disturbs me is that these discrepancies are spilling out into the priesthood and affecting the Church as a whole. I suppose I should not be surprised-- the Word of God is powerful, and when used incorrectly, can be dangerous and misleading. Perhaps that is why teachers of the Word (which includes Sunday School teachers) were warned by J.C. himself that if they lead others astray, deliberately drowning would pale in comparison to God's wrath.

The ECUSA's focus is more on the social justice side of things. This is not bad. Christians are called to be just people in all they do. ECUSA, on the other hand, has done so at a dear cost-- the rest of the communion. In some communions, ECUSA's approval of homosexuality can endanger congregations (e.g. Nigeria, where homosexuality is very taboo; and Singapore, where homosexuality is officially considered a "social problem"). The approval of Gene Robinson as bishop despite calls from almost all communions of the Anglican Communion not to do so is seen not just as a breach of Biblical truth, but trademark American arrogance.

In a way, the ECUSA is getting a taste of its own medicine from people like the Most Reverend Peter Akinola, who essentially says, "You screw us? Well, we'll screw you!" As a result, conservative dioceses and churches are breaking away to ally themselves with conservative provinces.

Caught in the middle of all this is the Most Reverend Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. The Global South gave him a lot more flak than he really needed, accusing him of being too sympathetic to the ECUSA. I think Dr. Williams did the right thing-- pray and be nice as possible to all sides without caving in completely. It's easy for us to go, "Why don't you just excommunicate the ECUSA?" We need to understand that he's entrusted to lead a Communion, not just some individual church. My only hope is that somehow, by the grace of God, he will be able to keep the communion together.