Interesting update from the official Anglican Communion News Service today. Now before we go on, we might want to pause here a moment and be reminded that in the trial we learned that the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church asserted in court that the Anglican Communion is only just a dream - but this particular dream apparently has a news service. It's what gives Jim Rosenthal something to do.Today - on Thanksgiving while most of America is preoccupied with turkey - the Anglican Communion News Service released what it purports to be - in a matter of speaking - Rowan Williams Handy Dandy Check List. It's a list of who he's heard from, who he hasn't, and then groups the responses into different categories with commentary in narrative form (a subjective way to write, by the way - where are the footnotes?) regarding the Kearon Maneuver (KM), er, the report by the illustriously called "Joint Standing Committee" as though the report was endorsed by all the members of this so-called "Joint Standing Committee" when, of course, some did not.
Some, as we know, made very public statements that they did not support the report - while others recognized the maneuver for what it was and refused to participate, including one primate who overseas the pastoral care of over ten million Anglicans, ah, but nevermind.
Let's just remember that this "Joint Standing Committee" report was organized by the TEC-funded Anglican Communion Office (which of course, if the Anglican Communion is just a dream - how does it have an office, unless there is a certain province that pays the light bill and a whole lot more - oops). Funny too that neither the Anglican Communion News Service nor Rowan's Check List mention that there is this report as well. Did it get lost in the mail?
We do wonder at the timing of the release of Rowan's Check List and wonder if perhaps it was put out today became American Episcopalians and Anglicans are quite busy with the turkey not so inclined to read reports from the office of a Dream Within a Dream. If you are reading this right now, please check your oven.
The report invites parody which - being Thanksgiving - we'll spare everyone. Why would the dreamy Anglican Communion News Service and Jim Rosenthall (who is an American, by the way) be releasing Rowan Williams funny little notes? Why are they so busy subjectively categorizing written responses rather than just call a meeting and pray together, reason together, and come out with it?
Perhaps this is how we should run the US Congress and the Houses of Parliament. Everyone can just stay home with their butter biscuits and cream, just knitting the hours away and when questions of impending crisis come up (oh, say, something like schism), just type up little reports, e-mail little questionnaires, tally everyone's results and then - what? Hang the Tally on the Wall and play Pin the Tail on the Donkey?
Or is that Pin the Tail on the Turkey?
Read it all here. What this may be called is a paper bomb. It's a very American tactic - perhaps we even invited it (someone get Xerox on the phone). You overwhelm your opponent with a subjective paper bomb and by the time they are done wading through the mire the result is resignation. Or not.
2 comments:
BB wrote..
(...) TEC-funded Anglican Communion Office (which of course, if the Anglican Communion is just a dream - how does it have an office, unless there is a certain province that pays the light bill and a whole lot more - oops)...
In the world of blogs -- as in the real world -- there are lies, half-truths, and spins. May I chalk your comment to the spin category? Hope so.
FYI, the Episcopal Church supports about 30% of the ACC (and ACO) budget. Another 30% comes from England, about 20% from Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong (A Church that in 2005 [or 2006?] sent an offering of 500,000 BP), Nigeria (1,6%), Wales, and Japan. And about 20% from the other Anglican Provinces. So it cannot be said that without the EC contribution the ACO would disappear into thin air. There may be a budget crisis; but disappear, no. There are many folks around the world that would come up to the plate, because they know that even if they no agree on the issues of the day, there is a lot of good being accomplished by the ACO.
And, do please remember, that even when +++Carey was the incumbent, the EC continued ponying up the fair share. However, I can't remember if at the time such support was considered just a contribution to "a dream." Or was it?
Thomas+
Aye, it's a chunk of TEC change - not only of course in financial resources but also as a network - for something that is described by the TEC leaders as a dream, an ethos, an idea, theory.
And yes, there would be a lot of people who would come up to the plate if TEC cut off the funds to the dream, the ethos, the idea, the theory. And that is the precisely TEC's other problem. It's not just money, Thomas, it's the power that comes with it. The office is financed strategically - shame that it's only a dream, an ethos, an idea, a theory.
Thanks, for posting, though. It does remind us that there are a few others besides TEC shelling out the dough. And we haven't even mentioned the ACC (which gets really strange since TEC lost it's voice and vote in that body for the present time). As I recall, teh TEC reps put up quite a protest, arriving at the Nottingham conference in their chauffeur-driven townecars and one half-expected them to assert as Ronald Reagan famously did during a debate "sir, we paid for those microphones" - and the Xerox machine, and your name tags you won't give us, and Kenneth's salary, and Jim's salary too, and that pen your using right now. The money comes with expectations and when those expectations aren't realized - well, suddenly it all becomes a dream ...
bb
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