father thorpus: still more-more on day 5

Resolution A095 commits us to full civil rights for
GLBT people. What's bad about this resolution is that
it commits us to an understanding of sexuality that
leads to the conclusion that it's all about 'civil
rights.' I don't agree at all that sexuality is a
civil rights issue, nor do many in the church, and I
dont' appreciate the attempt to make that the official
view of the Episcopal Church.

Resolution A053 commits us to joining Christian
Churches Together in the USA, or CCT-USA, the largest
group of churches ever to enter an ecumenical
dialogue. I like this, but it will be interesting to
see the fruit of it in the upcoming years.

Resolution A054 gives guidelines for bishops and
priests participating in ordinations for other
denominations, and them in ours. Why can we
acknowledge that ordination is an act that 'belongs
[only] in ecclesial communion" but we can't
acknowledge that sex is an act that belongs only in
marriage? Go figure.

Resolution A159-166 These are the ones everyone is
watching, that deal with our response to the Windsor
Rept. and the Anglican Communion. So far all are
still in committee or pending for future action.

Resolution D049 -- the canos "are to be completely
rewritten so as to change the institution of marriage
to a civil event presided over by an agent of the
state and requiring that members of the clergy be
responsible solely for the blessing of the union as a
Holy Act and thus no longer be authorized by the
church to act as agents of the state for any kind of
civil marriage or civil union." Hmm.. I don't quite
know whether I like this or not. I'd love to hear
Whitehall's readers on this resolution.

Resolution B023 -- The Episcopal notes that it "may be
in systemic decline" and wants to respond to this by
"initiating. . . a national consultation on methods
and strategies to reverse the decline in [all?]
mainline denominations." Yet we can't let the
Resolution reaffirming Jesus as the only way out of
committee. Wonder why we're in decline?

And from our beloved Youth Presence comes this tidbit
of wisdom, reported in Episcopal Life's Convention
Daily (winner of the feel-good paper of the year award
for journalistic optimism): Our prayer book is already
outdated and it is hard for my generation to relate to
everything in it," said Hannah Anderson, from Northern
California. She guestured to seven young adults who
joined her at the podium. "Standing behind me is the
future of the church," she said. "I dont' think you
want to lose that. Revise the prayer book and next
time there might be more of us here."

Ok, so first of all, they cant' relate to the BCP
because they can't read, because the schools suck. If
it's outdated after 25 years, that's because these
kids can't remember back more than 5 or 10, and Star
Wars Episode II is outdated to them. I note that the
1662 book in England lasted longer, as has the KJV,
oddly enough, even without teenagers supporting it.
Whaddya know? Second, she's asking for a BCP revision
by next Gen con? What the heck? That takes decades.
These kids don't know what the heck is going on.
Listen to the lauded 'wisdom' of the youth presence
and we'll be including spongebob liturgies and prayers
to the Creator of Xmen. Think we're 'trendier than
thou' now? Third, the youth weren't elected, they
were appointed. Them being there has absolutely
nothing to do with whether youth are connecting to our
liturgies. But this kid doesn't know that. And
everybody says, Awwww, claps, and marvels at the
'mouths of babes.' Lord, have mercy.