Episcopalians in My Backyard

I remember 27 years ago talking to an Episcopal priest in Chicago, an Anglo-Catholic, asking him about the future of ECUSA (I was personally interested). He described the then-current bishop as a "totalitarian liberal" and predicted that the future for orthodox Anglicans would end in some sort of separate "province" at safe arm's-length from the liberal bishops of ECUSA.

In some ways his prediction came true, though not on the timetable nor through the means he expected. There was no coordinated, effective move en masse of "conservative" Episcopalians into another province or any other kind of clear cut separation, but now we see "orthodox Anglican" parishes hither and yon under the oversight, in communion with, certain African and other "third world" Anglican provinces. There are American "Anglicans" in communion with most of the world's Anglicans who wouldn't darken the door of an ESUA parish.

I heard Episcopalians in Chicago complain for a long time that there were few if any choices if you wanted to attend an orthodox parish in the diocese. There now are a number of the African-affiliates in the area, however.

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What's become of the Chicago ECUSA diocese? Well, there's now an Episcopal vacancy, reports the Chicago Tribune, and of the (so far) 5 candidates for the cathedra, three are women, and one of those is Tracey Lind, a lesbian who has an open "relationship" with a partner. The current bishop, William Persell, thinks this is all fine:

"My hope is that people get beyond that," Persell said. "It would be unfortunate if the focus becomes 'lesbian for bishop.' ... The focus really should be on the diocese and the candidate as a whole."

Lind has this to say:

"Since the day last winter when I was asked to make myself available to this nominating process, my discernment prayer has been that God would continue to lead me to serve God's new creation in the church."

Yep, there is definitely a new thing going on in the Episcopal diocese in my backyard--has been for some time--only I have to attribute the source of it to someone else.