July 16, 2009
Dear Archbishop Williams:
As you are well aware our General Convention has recently passed several resolutions that are stirring controversy within our wider and global Church.
Given the actions of the General Convention it seemed important for you to hear directly from me and for the people of this diocese to know that I have communicated directly to you. In the interest of full transparency, I have copied this letter to the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori.
As the Bishop of the Diocese of Texas, I want to confirm to you my commitment and the commitment of this diocese to continue the process begun with the Windsor Report. I also want to assure you of our continued support of the Covenant Process.
We as a Diocese have affirmed our desire to continue as a constituent member of the Anglican Communion, even though the Diocese of Texas is a diverse one, and some are in favor of the recent actions of General Convention. I am committed to listening and shepherding the entire Diocese of Texas.
As I have made a firm commitment to “continue in the apostle’s teaching and fellowship,” I am of course dedicated to living within the structures of The Episcopal Church.
I am praying for the Communion in the days ahead. Moreover, my prayers will be supported by both my words and my actions.
Faithfully yours,
The Right Reverend C. Andrew Doyle
IX Bishop of Texas
cad/set
cc: The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
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Bp Doyle, your letter seems based upon several errant premises. You suppose that "some [in the Diocese of Texas] are in favor of the recent actions of General Convention" somehow this contradicts what you identify as our desire to continue as a constituent member of the Anglican Communion." To suppose that being in favor of inclusion of gay and lesbian Christians in the full life and ministry of this Church is somehow antithetical to remaining constituent to the Communion is simply a false contrast. In addition, to suppose that a diocese is able to remain constituent of the Communion independently of the Church of which it is a dependent part, as your letter presumes, is descriptive of an ecclesiology that is not compatible with either our Episcopal Church or Anglicanism as a whole. The Archbishop himself has dismissed this errant reading of his own words, lifted from a letter he wrote to a bishop in Florida. Furthermore, while you claim to represent with your letter the entire Diocese of Texas, the fact is, you represent only yourself. As an example, I refer to your notion that you are somehow able to "assure" the Archbishop "of our continued support of the Covenant Process." The reality is that this diocese has not taken any action on committing itself to the Covenant Process. I am aware that you are a so-called "Communion Partners bishop" and that perhaps you have confused the commitment of the "Partners" to the Covenant as a means to punish those who reject any further bigotry in this Church against gay and lesbian persons. However, your claim and assumption that you are able to speak to the Archbishop for this diocese is simply an expression of an ecclesiology that is incompatible with that of the Episcopal Church and Anglicanism as a whole. Please know that you are in my prayers for progress and healing. I offer God these prayers for you alongside my thanksgiving to God for the bicameral wisdom of our Church and its progress at this General Convention in moving toward ending our participation in hypocrisy, prejudice, bigotry, and ignorance. Alleluia!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you, Bishop Doyle, voted against these monstrous resolutions that violate the orthodoxy of not only the Anglican Communion but the Christian church throuhout history. I hope you are planning to sign the document that I noted Bishop Wimberly and most of the other orthodox bishops signed. I am a member of the Diocese of Texas and a cradle Episcopalian, but also hold orthodox biblical and theological beliefs, and this whole situation puts me and my family in a conscience-troubling situation. Orhodoxy is not determined by votes, but by the revealed Word of God and the sense of the whole church throughout the centuries and throughout the world. We would like to be lead by our sheperds. Don von Dohlen
ReplyDeleteIt’s not clear to me that this letter says anything that Presiding Bishop Schori wouldn’t say (and for the most part has said), with the exception of things relating to the author’s being Bishop of Texas.
ReplyDeleteMike Watson
Just as the hierarchy of the church supported slavery and segregation, using the same faulty, received theology, Bishop Doyle appears to be ready to refuse full sacramental equality to GLBT Episcopalians. Just as the prior arguments failed, so will Bishop Doyle's efforts fail, because efforts based on error, bigotry and discrimination will always ultimately fail. Such failure to extend sacramental equality is spiritual violence against our brothers and sisters.
ReplyDeleteThis is simply a poor layman’s view, but I see nothing in the letter written by Bishop Doyle that denies or refuses full sacramental equality to GLBT Episcopalians. At the same time I have to take very serious exception to the "monstrous" language used in another response; this is simply not helpful. I see a diocese that is quite diverse, as I see a leadership that is committed to listening with loving hearts, while responding and ministering to us all with great compassion and loving-kindness. What will ultimately frustrate me I'm sure, is how these issues may once again lead us away from the "mission & ministry" that God calls us too daily.
ReplyDeleteAs many of us review more and more the issues that divide the Anglican Communion and why, and they are terrible in their complexity. I personally hope and pray that each of us may also be struck to our knees again and again by the power of God’s grace and acceptance, and in that process learn to listen more and more to one another.
Within in this context, I see each parish as a point of hope filled with the Holy Spirit by accepting God’s gift of grace and love and celebrating the wonderful diversity found in and amongst our many faces. And it seems that each parish may also serve as a “still point” in the center of this spinning wheel known as the Anglican Communion. May we each come to know that the work of the Holy Spirit begins here first, within all of us, within and amongst our own communities of faith. This is where we must learn to listen to and love one another. This in a very profound and real way is God’s gift to us, the church itself. Consider it a test if you must, otherwise we may never come to see that the “Kingdom of God” is right in front of us, in how we care for one another.
May we continue to grow even closer by listening to one another with the "ears of our heart" and to truly see one another through the “eyes of Christ” our Savior. May we also remember that Ubuntu is an African word that means the essence of being human, of interconnectedness. Each Sunday in our celebration of the Eucharist, we celebrate this interconnectedness, this interbeing where God is at work within each of our hearts. Where Christ comes to dwell within us each, let us truly see each other as Christ. -- Ron Starbuck, Houston, Texas, http://ronstarbuck-poet.blogspot.com/
Our clergy and lay deputies split 2 to 2 on the same sex blessing and bishop resolutions, reflecting the God-given diversity of thought and experience in our Diocese. Let's keep our ears and hearts open to one another. The One who holds us together is bigger than the things that pull us apart. Jim Cowan, Trinity, Houston
ReplyDeletePS I think GC did the right thing. But, I know that some may now feel unwelcome in their own Church. I know what that feels like, and my heart breaks for them.