Saturday, September 08, 2007

John W. Howe writes to Rowan Williams

BB UPDATE: Have been doing some more thinking about this fine letter. It is a fine letter. It's written, though, by an orthodox bishop who has made it quite clear that he's put all his apples in the TEC basket. Spong's letter must be most-difficult for TEC institutionalists like Bishop Howe.

This is a very difficult moment for institutionalists in The Episcopal Church, who's identity as leaders is defined by the institution, rather than by constituency. Those whose leadership blends both constituency and formal office are rare. It is not always easy to know who they are - an institution can be a compelling force, but sometimes it is - as Ronald Reagan once said - a paper castle. Ronald Reagan is a good example of someone who had both office and constituency - to the astonishment of his adversaries.

The institution will have ways to keep itself reinforced - not only with the obvious legal actions, but also by mustering its communication and marketing strategies. But it also means tapping into the constituencies themselves, mustering those forces in defense of the institution. That, in fact, may be what Spong's letter is attempting to do (and why the TEC leadership remains strangely silent over it).

John Howe is in a unique position to attack the letter, as someone who is strongly opposed to Spong's theological innovations, at the same time he is a fierce defender of the institution, as he continually demonstrates to his own constituency's dismay. Howe has the institution nailed down, but has not (except for perhaps in this letter) reinforced his constituency. That places him in a very vulnerable place - his allies then become other institutionalists, but they have very different constituencies and while he may find some at his table, those institutionalists will never trust him because they do not share the same constituencies. Their hearts lay elsewhere.

Bishop Howe will have to create a new constituency and though he appeals to a remnant that would remain in the Episcopal Church no matter what the House of Bishops do later this month, that view fails to take into account the ecumenical orthodox realignment. This isn't just about Episcopalians, as we are learning.

As I have said before, I do believe God does and will call a remnant to remain in The Episcopal Church. It's biblically defensible. John Howe may be one of those people. He is defending that institution in this letter to Rowan Williams, but he will have to rebuild his constituency and while he has been very mindful of the price tag associated with the legal actions of The Episcopal Church, rebuilding a constituency inside The Episcopal Church will be a monumental task. He has the preaching skills to do it, but will he?

How will we know? Does Spong speak for the constituency of leadership The Episcopal Church? To his credit, he does not play the "nice game." He's not very nice at all - blunt, in the most American sort of way. What's missing from Spong's letter to make it truly American is humor. The humorlessness of Spong's letter may be what is most shocking. What pours out of it is wretched bitterness and rage at feeling betrayed. He is right - people fought for Rowan Williams appointment because it was believed he was one of them, that he held the same political (if not theological) views of the progressives. But in the Episcopal Church, we have no robust politically liberal though orthodox Anglo Catholic wing. We don't have a robust liberal, though evangelical, wing. England has both.

Rowan Williams may have shared the political views of Bishop Spong, but he did not share his theology. Bishop Spong comes from a low church tradition (whatever his theological views). Rowan Williams does not - and that has turned out to be crucial in this crisis. The catholicity of the church has become paramount for many in the Anglican Communion. In America the "catholicity" is seen politically, even legally, but not theologically.

John Howe comes from a low church tradition (he's a former baptist), but he operates in a high church diocese. He has an evangelical outlook, but is inside an Anglo Catholic structure. In a rather odd way, this puts him more on the same keel with Rowan Williams. They both share - whether by choice or design - the same catholicity when approaching the integrity of the structures of the church. Both seem willing to set aside their own personal outlooks to save the institution. Well, we'll see.

Will The Episcopal Church choose to do the same? Will the House of Bishops be overwhelmed at preserving the Anglican Communion over the desires of the constituency to keep TEC on the track it is on? We will find out come September 30 who has both the office and the constituency - that is how institutions are run.

Then of course, there is the Holy Spirit. He does have a history of showing up and turning everything upside down.

Come, Holy Spirit.

Via e-mail. It is great letter from the Rt. Rev'd John. W Howe, Bishop of Central Florida. Read it all:


Saturday, September 8, 2007

My Dear Archbishop Rowan,

I have just seen the preposterous diatribe sent to you by Bishop Jack Spong, and, as one of his fellow Bishops, I send my deepest apology.

I am saddened that in his very first sentences he has disparaged you for "not coming alone" to the meeting of the American House of Bishops later this month The invitation, which I personally composed, was, of course, to you AND the members of the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates.

Bishop Spong has systematically denied virtually every tenet of the Christian Faith, and he presided over the near-destruction of the Diocese of Newark. During his tenure (1978 - 2000) the number of baptized members in the Diocese of Newark declined from 64,323 to 36,674, a loss of 27,649 or 43 percent. Eighteen congregations were closed between 1978 and 1997, and a further nine in 2000.

His sarcasm, his disrespect, and his arrogance are simply stunning. But then this is the same Bishop Spong who stated at the last Lambeth Conference that the African Bishops had "moved out of animism into a very superstitious kind of Christianity. They've yet to face the intellectual revolution of Copernicus and Einstein that we've had to face in the developing world. That's just not on their radar screen."

Your commitment to the Primates, and to all the members of the Communion, to uphold the teaching of Lambeth 1998 has been a spectacular gift, one that we all understand has been costly to you, personally.

Bishop Spong dares to say that you have become a "miserable failure." Shame on him. It is Bishop Spong who has consistently repudiated the teachings of the Holy Scriptures in favor of the latest cultural innovations, and he has inflicted tremendous damage on the Church of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Spong has the hubris to say of the orthodox, "We are espousing a position about homosexuality that is dated, uninformed, inhumane and frankly embarrassing. No learned person stands there today."

Actually, it is his position that is embarrassing! Study after study, from Masters and Johnson to Charles Socarides has shown that for a remarkably high percentage of homosexual persons a change of orientation is possible.

But the deeper question is not whether or not a given person's orientation has changed, but whether or not that person is willing (often at great personal sacrifice!) to conform his/her conduct to the teaching of Scripture that sexual intimacy is for marriage (one man, one woman, in Christ).

For Bishop Spong to lecture you as he has done is beyond belief. Please know that he speaks for himself alone, and that the Bishops who are gathering in New Orleans in just two weeks will greet you with great eagerness and affection.

Warmest regards in our Lord,

The Right Rev. John W. Howe
Episcopal Bishop of Central Florida

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bishop Spong's letter was another wonderful example of the inlcusive nature of the Church's theology. Inclusive so long as you do not cross a line, but not very inclusive after that.

As a long time Anglo-Catholic, Orthodox priest I have found myself increasingly sitting in clergy meetings, regional councils, Seminary forums, and Diocesan connferences where to share what I believe, as politely as I can, opens me up to receiving diatribes and scoldings. I find myself becoming withdrawn in public clergy gatherings. When I hear statements made in these situations as if no one would ever think differently, I realize I am not only in a minority, I am not welcome to contradict the accepted wisdom of those whoa re speaking. Over the last few years, it seems other members of the clergy have found we have little in common and so I am not welcome to join in gatherings, serve on committees, offer further comments ... which I must admit, does leave me substantially more time for things I actually prefer to do. But it hardly makes me feel like I have been, or will ever be, on the receiving end of the effects of a gospel of radical inclusion.

On the other hand, in defense of the other clergy, my wife has suggested a change in mouthwash on my part.

Anonymous said...

rschllnbrg,

Perhaps it's time to examine whether your present home is truly where your heart lies....

RalphM

Anonymous said...

And yet that's the whole point my brother.

What's so inclusive about being pushed out the door of my church home and told I'd probably be happier somewhere else? Don't you see the irony in your suggestion? The way I see it, I'm not the one who changed the rules (theology, perspective, practices, etc) here.

The radically inclusive people are the ones who'd rather include me out. I'm not kicking them out am I?

It was a famous reformer who once said, "It is not by leaving the churfch that you can change it." Of course you haver to chuckle at the irony of that one too, since it comes from Martin Luther before he left the RC Church ... Oh well.

Are you suggesting there is no place for an orthodox theologian in TEC? That would be a real interesting suggestion, wouldn't it?

Kevin said...

+Howe can be really perplexing with some of his recent communications, but here I think he hits it out of the park!

Anonymous said...

True, Kevin. A home run. One more point on the scoreboard. Now, if we can just figure out which team gets the point he just scored. ?

Unknown said...

Aye, br_er rabbit, that is question.

bb

Anonymous said...

Always trying to make it us vs. them.

Rather than "orthodox" vs "liberal", I propose setting up a church for "the childish, must have their own way" and "the grown-ups", who accept each others point of view and agree to dwell in the same tent, despite our differences.

The conservative alphabet soup of continuing churches and ultra-liberal of whatever agenda can go off and unite, or not, and do their own thing. The rest of us will just carry on as we have for the last 500 years.

Anonymous said...

By the way, BB, each time I post a comment on SF with "R*wan W*lliams" in the text (and with my linkback included), I get a hit on my own blog identified by SiteMeter with its Location as "London, Lambeth".

Methinks we're being watched.

Kevin said...

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean somebody isn't out to get you ..."

;-)

Allen Lewis said...

Annonymous - '...and "the grown-ups", who accept each others point of view and agree to dwell in the same tent, despite our differences.'

That is precisely the problem. Heresy and orthodoxy cannot dwell in the same tent, no matter how long you hold your breath. The issue is not one of some minor disagreement, it is about where the authority lies within the Church - with God, or with men?

In my opinion, "childish" could certainly apply to the revisionists who seem hell-bent to get their way or else. But recognizing a profound error and refusing to countenance it is not the same thing as being "childish."

Allen Lewis

Anonymous said...

Amen, Allen.

Anonymous said...

yes, thank you Allen. I don't understand who the liberal side of the church can continue to insist--as the bishop of my diocese does--that we can all still get along and worship together, despite disagreement. In point of fact, TEC is moving in a particular direction and has been. For all their talk of diversity, they have continued to push left, leaving conservatives behind. the diversity is provisional: we'll put up with your position until you come around to ours.

Women's ordination is a case in point. It's no longer possible to be a member of TEC and not accept the authority of a female priest, not since the election of jefferts schori. And that's the point. Objecting to the ordination of woman was okay for a while and maybe we won't force one into your parish but eventually we expect that you'll come around to our position, once you've seen the light. Or leave.

That's what I hate--the manipulation and the dishonesty, the rhetoric of diversity coupled with a push toward a particular position. diversity in form is alright but not in content.

so in order to avoid the alphabet soup of the continuum, I have to accept the authority of people I think are invalidly ordained, even heretical. If I leave for the continuum, I'm being childish. If I stay and speak the truth, I'm being childish. I really can't win this one.

Anonymous said...

LocoOwl - "it is about where the authority lies within the Church - with God, or with men?"

No, it's about which man's interpretation of scripture will be taken as the voice of God.

Heresy and orthodoxy have always dwelled in the same tent, and no matter what the outcome of this schism, they still will.

Allen Lewis said...

Anonymous said: No, it's about which man's interpretation of scripture will be taken as the voice of God.

Heresy and orthodoxy have always dwelled in the same tent, and no matter what the outcome of this schism, they still will,


This is not about one man's interpretation vs another man's interpretation. This is about the Church's interpretation.. That is the entire point about Apostolic Succession. Bishops derive their authority from the "laying on of hands" beginning with the Apostles and those whom they appointed. This has been the case since the beginning and has been carried on through the Seven Ecumenical Councils.

The point is that without the Church and Tradition, there can be no Scripture; without Scripture, there can be no Church and Tradition. The two support and reinforce one another.

While heresy and orthodoxy may have existed together, it was never the Church's desire that they dwell together. That was the point about all of the Ecumencal Councils: to determine what the orthodox teaching was and then, when it was determined, to insure that heresy was rooted out and condemned. It is because of the sinfulness and willfulness of rebellious men (and women) that heresies keep reoccurring. but it was never God's will that the two should dwell together, no matter how many times you insist that is the case.

Allen Lewis

Anonymous said...

Allen Lewis tells us God's will.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous,

It's not merely, as you say: "... it's about which man's interpretation of scripture will be taken as the voice of God," for we are not the final arbiter. It is much more basic. As we finish our race, will we hear "Well done, good and faithful servant" [Mat 25:21] or "I do not know you" [Mat 25:12]? And the Lord's warning to one fence-straddling church is terrifying: Rev 3:16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth!

Ones personal opinion about "which man's interpretation of scripture will be taken as the voice of God" will not really be part of that equation. We are promised that man will not be the final decision maker.

Kevin said...

Anon --

Ohhh, ohh, ohh, pick me, pick me ...


"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life."

Pretty boring, huh? We want to know what job to take or who to marry but it seems God's will for us is different than we keep seeking.

Anonymous said...

Allen, are you capital "O" Orthodox? You certainly think like one.