Kevin Basil

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I’m following with detached interest the recently convened General Convention of the Episcopal Church, USA. As many Christians in the U.S. know by now, the major issue to be decided by this General Convention is sexuality, as it has been at every General Convention for the past decade. This time, it appears that any decision will split the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion in twain, as it has so appeared at each General Convention for the past decade. Yet perhaps the conservative bishops have finally realized that the line — that “this far, and no further” divide — which they continually allow to be eroded is a precipice which, in its erosion, continues to rush at them at breakneck speed. As they watch their faithful flock, like the Gerasene herd, plummet over the edge, perhaps now they begin to finally realize the eternal cost of their compromised consensus.

There are two issues on the table:

• Confirm an openly gay man as the next bishop of the Diocese of Connecticut.
• Resolve to prepare rites blessing same sex unions, to be discussed at the next General Convention, three years hence.

There are also other issues, but they are being forgotten in the fuss over sex. It seems right that the public is focusing attention on the latest battle in the war for the soul of the Anglican Communion. It is the same war that is being fought in the public square.

In the Episcopal Church — and probably in the Church of England, too — the war was won long ago by the progressives; the orthodox position has no hope of regaining ground. Perhaps this is why the bishops keep negotiating truces with the enemy.

Stop negotiating. End the war. Cut your losses and retreat. Barricade yourself against the continued onslaught. Ally yourself with a force that can keep the opposition at bay. Perhaps the Africans and the Asians will be enough. Or perhaps you should look to Moscow and Constantinople for support. If you hold your ground, they may at least be able to provide arms and materiel; the safer and more sure path to victory, however, will be to accept exile from your thoroughly infiltrated homeland and take refuge in theirs.

But you have lost the war. Your church is theirs now. Face this sad, tragic fact with dignity and find the redemption in what remains.

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