While I know that many of our brothers and sisters cannot rejoice at the news of her election as a matter of conscience – seeing it as a moral issue and not a ‘rights’ issue – I do pray that the whole Church will be open to the Spirit’s guidance as we all move forward together in light of this historic event…”

Two observations:  #1 Interesting use of language here ....separating what is ‘moral’ from what are ‘rights’.  So from his perspective those who deny ‘rights’ are immoral?  This makes his flacid recognition of those who disagree pretty empty. 

#2 What a patronizing thing to say that he prays for those who disagree to become as enlightened to the ‘Spirit’ as he and TEC have become apparently.

Suppose there is conviction and a call to repentance. Would he still rejoice?

I had been ruminating on exactly what a “ministry of reconciliation” could mean when I came across this Saul Alinsky quote in a different, but not entirely unrelated, context:

It is a world not of angels but of angles, where men speak of moral principles but act on power principles; a world where we are always moral and our enemies always immoral; a world where “reconciliation” means that when one side gets the power and the other side gets reconciled to it, then we have reconciliation[.]

It’s in its original context here.

What of interdependence, mutuality, bonds of affection, and consiliarity?  Ah, well, some things just have to give way to reconciliation and progress and “justice”, don’t they?

I’m sorry, Rev. Hale, but I don’t think that the comment was any more patronizing than anything I have read from those of you who disagree with Canon Glasspool’s election.  That’s a big part of the problem - seeing people who differ from one’s own position as having lesser motives than oneself.  It is truly possible to be sincerely attentive to the Word of God and the Episcopal tradition and still have radically different stances.

Tobit3-  If only we were still talking about differing interpretations of Scripture!  The pleasant image of Christians who differ yet respectfully getting along is a nice one.  Unfortunately, it’s not the reality of how TEC is functioning.  It’s certainly not my experience as a traditionalist in my Diocese.  What is at work among us is not a sincere attentiveness to Scripture, but the assertion of power.  How long will it be before Sutton’s understanding of the ‘Spirit’ will be THE position that represents the Epis. Church?  In fact, are we not there already?  So stating, as he does, that he will be praying for people who disagree with the election sounds hollow.  I do not think I have misunderstood his statement.