The Bishop of Southwest Florida’s Diocesan Convention Address

Posted by Kendall Harmon

Now a word about the Anglican Communion. The bottom line is this: We are in the Anglican Communion. As you are perhaps aware, I have now been to two House of Bishops’ meetings both scheduled after the February Primates Communique.

I have also attended a consultation In Spain with both American and African bishops and which included six primates. In all cases I have heard and sensed a strong desire to remain together for the work of healthier global Anglican mission.
There are four instruments of communion in the Anglican Communion: The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Anglican Consultative Council, The Lambeth Conference, and the Primates. I am pleased to note that the report of the Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council was predominately positive regarding the September House of Bishops meeting. I have been invited to the 2008 Lambeth Conference and, in fact, just received a supplementary invitation two weeks ago.

Does this mean everything is resolved within our Communion? By no means. I think it does mean that there are many agreed-upon issues of mission on our global plate: poverty, the AIDS/HIV pandemic and other urgent disease problems, clean water, ongoing disaster relief and other issues . We are best situated to address them by working together in communion, in the Spirit.

I am pleased that our diocese is now a member of the Compass Rose Society. This is an organization that supports the work of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury. I do not know how the future will continue to unfold within Anglicanism but I do know God is working His purpose out. I like being an Episcopalian. I like being an Anglican. I fully expect to be both for the rest of my life.

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Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Bishops • TEC Diocesan Conventions/Diocesan Councils

16 Comments
Posted October 31, 2007 at 1:17 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. wildfire wrote:

“I have been invited to the 2008 Lambeth Conference and, in fact, just received a supplementary invitation two weeks ago.”

Say what?

October 31, 1:38 pm | [comment link]
2. Rolling Eyes wrote:

“I like being an Episcopalian. I like being an Anglican.”

Is it possible to be both anymore?

October 31, 1:53 pm | [comment link]
3. Phil wrote:

I think it does mean that there are many agreed-upon issues of mission on our global plate: poverty, the AIDS/HIV pandemic and other urgent disease problems, clean water, ongoing disaster relief ...

Hey, no question about it.  But these issues are probably agreed upon with Jews, the Rotary Club, the Southern Baptists and even the United Nations.  Is there a proposition that we have uniquely Christian issues that form a bond between ECUSA and the Anglican Communion?  The answer to that, and, therefore, the bishop’s thesis, is dicier.

October 31, 2:02 pm | [comment link]
4. Irenaeus wrote:

Mushy and complacent.

October 31, 2:44 pm | [comment link]
5. Enda wrote:

Rolling Eyes (#2), is it possible to be either?

October 31, 2:48 pm | [comment link]
6. anglicanhopeful wrote:

There’s a lot to pick apart in this address, but I’ll just mention one.  Personally I’m suspicious when bishops use the vacuous statement ‘live into’ (choose one: reality, the new work of the Spirit, role as bishop, our ‘calling’) as +Smith does here.  These are the new liberal TEC buzz words - indicating desire to ‘live into’ a new theology created from whole cloth.

October 31, 2:56 pm | [comment link]
7. William P. Sulik wrote:

I think it does mean that there are many agreed-upon issues of mission on our global plate: poverty, the AIDS/HIV pandemic and other urgent disease problems, clean water, ongoing disaster relief and other issues

If only proclaiming the Gospel were also on this list; making disciples of all Nations.  Baptizing in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

*lament*

October 31, 2:59 pm | [comment link]
8. Marcia wrote:

What is a supplementary invitation?  Has ABC acted again without consulting Primates or others except ACO (not an ‘instrument’)?  (ACO wrote the JSC statement.)  He seems to treat the AC as merely a CoE mission field.  Clearly, no person or group can overrule any decision he makes for the AC.

October 31, 3:03 pm | [comment link]
9. Cennydd wrote:

William, you are right on the mark!  Not a single thing mentioning God’s Word!

October 31, 3:05 pm | [comment link]
10. the snarkster wrote:

I have been invited to the 2008 Lambeth Conference and, in fact, just received a supplementary invitation two weeks ago.

Oh goody, another invitation category. Let’s see, so far we have:
1. Invited
2. Not Invited
3. Invited in a diminished capacity
4. Supplementarily Invited
What’s next, Double Secret Invited?

the snarkster

October 31, 3:16 pm | [comment link]
11. Randy Muller wrote:

My desire is to live into being the bishop of Southwest Florida.

This is almost griswoldian.  I am just hoping that he lives through being the bishop of that diocese.

“live into being the bishop of Southwest Florida” implies that somewhow he is not the bishop of Southwest Florida right now, but will be once he is “in it”.  Perhaps he should live out of being bishop, since he already is bishop.  Or maybe live up to his calling as bishop.

October 31, 4:03 pm | [comment link]
12. Athanasius Returns wrote:

Irenaeus, is “live into” in your wonderful dictionary?

October 31, 4:29 pm | [comment link]
13. Br_er Rabbit wrote:

Hey snark, how about this one?

5. Everyone-knows-he’ll-be-there-whether-he’s invited or not.

...on leave from the Briar Patch,

October 31, 5:04 pm | [comment link]
14. Irenaeus wrote:

“Irenaeus, is ‘live into’ in your wonderful dictionary?”—-Athanasius Returns

LIVE INTO: We “live into” a problem when we deal with it by disregarding traditional Christian norms. For example, if a Christian man and woman have qualms about premarital sexual intercourse, they “live into” this so-called problem by having sex anyway (and “wrestling with God” about any feelings of guilt). Thus we “live into” something by doing what we want and getting used to any negative feelings that ensue.

October 31, 5:33 pm | [comment link]
15. Little Cabbage wrote:

#14 Irenaeus:  LOL! Thanks for the insightful post!
A blessed All Hallows’ Eve to all!

October 31, 7:32 pm | [comment link]
16. Mike Bertaut wrote:

#14 Irenaeus, your new dictionary ROCKS!  IS there a compendium somewhere that I can get to?

KTF!...mrb

November 1, 12:13 pm | [comment link]
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