Imposing an alien ecclesiology :: VirtueOnline

David W. Virtue assembles some interesting quotes:

The most recent strident outburst occurred when Sergio Carranza, Bishop Assistant in the Diocese of Los Angeles launched into a tirade about what he called a "subversive movement" going on in the communion, "that pretends to alter the character and essence of this unique body of Christians by imposing on it an alien ecclesiology redolent of an institution set across the Tiber."

The Mexican bishop, whose own province, before he left it, was one of the most corrupt in modern ecclesiastical history with millions of ECUSA dollars disappearing with a former archbishop and bishop, now accuses unnamed persons of waging a "guerrilla warfare, fostered and nurtured by unhappy Episcopalians intent on sabotaging General Convention and destroying the polity of ECUSA."

He says their tactics include the encouragement of uncanonical visits to carefully selected dioceses, by some bishops and Primates from the Global South, as well as some domestic retired bishops, with the purpose of disrupting the life and ministry of said dioceses.

"The excuse for violating the boundaries of diocesan jurisdictions is that tender consciences have to be protected from "revisionist" bishops and that the provision for Delegated Episcopal Pastoral Oversight is inadequate."

Carranza then said that another tactic has been to ascribe constitutional authority to the Lambeth Conference, and to attribute exaggerated power to the Primates Meeting. "This is wishful thinking at best or devious manipulation at worst."

He then says that some of the Primates themselves are involved in the conspiracy; otherwise it is difficult to explain their venomous assault on the Episcopal Church; unless they just do not understand our polity. "Their groping for undue power is an indication of their participation in the seditious maneuvers to change the face of Anglicanism."

He then rips the orthodox by saying, "if the ultras cannot coerce the Archbishop of Canterbury to expel the Episcopal Church - which he cannot do anyway - some of the Global South Primates will attempt to carry out a coup d'etat that would substitute one of them for the Archbishop of Canterbury as head of the Anglican Communion, thus "successfully escalating an ongoing family fight into an international schism," as Susan Russell says.

"Let the probable emerging evangelical denomination, if it desires, turn its primates' meeting into a sort of college of cardinals under an omnipotent prelate empowered to speak for the whole body and to impose a single interpretation of what pertains to the faith and practice of the Christian faith."

Virtue's retort:

For Carranza to say that the orthodox in the ECUSA are "imposing an alien ecclesiology" is so laughably absurd as to be not worthy of comment. It is the orthodox that want to maintain the 'faith once delivered' and a goodly number would like to see the Episcopal Church go back to using the '28 Prayer Book or at least be given the option of doing so.

To argue that uncanonical visits to carefully selected dioceses...disrupts the life and ministry of said dioceses, begs the question as why these would be even necessary if revisionist bishops proclaimed the historic faith they swore to uphold when they became bishops!

They haven't and that is why orthodox priests are begging for orthodox oversight. They don't want to compromise their souls and those of their parishioners by having a bishop come into their parish who does not believe the historic faith and disrupt the faithful, many of whom are new babes in Christ. Why wouldn't such a priest want alternative pastoral oversight?

Via UnGodly Rant whose own reflections on life today at the pew level in The Episcopal Church are suggested reading.