Gay blogger on the Connecticut 7 - Out in Windsor

I say 7 instead of 6 because I see this struggle in Life of Pi terms.

A statement issued by the American Anglican Council claims a gathering of Episcopal clergy from across the state "had no heart" for supporting their bishop. The gay religion blog reports clergy who attended the Friday sessions say they were never asked to vote - or even reach a decision - on whether the six conservative clergymen should be allowed to remain at their posts despite refusing to support the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut or recognize the bishop's authority.

"It became clear quickly in the meeting that the assembled clergy had no heart for the bishop's proceeding with inhibition. The group urged Bishop Smith to refrain from inhibiting the six clergy, and one priest recommended that all discussion of such action be tabled in order to pursue a positive resolution," the ACC statement claimed.

"The fact is Bishop Smith received no mandate for his threatened action. He has no support from the primates, the canons of the church nor even the clergy of his diocese," said the Rev. Gil Wilkes, rector of Christ and the Epiphany, East Haven.

This is your understanding of the Episcopacy - it takes polls, it's democracy? Sounds like normative has been confused with positive.

Meanwhile, those gathered Friday are getting help in being hoisted on their own pitard:

But neither the primates nor bishops of the [ECUSA nor] the Episcopal clergy of Connecticut have taken a vote that supports the six conservative priests continued disobedience, the gay religion blog reported. More than a dozen retired conservative Episcopal bishops recently voiced support for these clergy, breaking again the Episcopal tradition of not interfering in other dioceses.

It is not thought that any of these retired bishops would, while in office, have tolerated it if liberal persists had taken the same actions as the six Connecticut clergy, the blog suggested.

Perhaps the concept "consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds" applies. But I doubt it. What is true is that we're engaged in a colossal diversion from mission, and both sides are contributing.

(Note: Several typographical errors in the original are corrected in quotes provided above. But deviations from Episcopalian terminological practice were left standing.)