Some Thoughts from Lionel

As I sat down at the computer today, Lionel Deimel took the seat next to me. Lionel has written two essays previously discussed here at Jake's place. He has graciously offered a few of his thoughts regarding the current situation here in Columbus:

After being at General Convention for several days, I have a new appreciation for the wisdom of the old saying about not wanting to see either sausage or legislation being made. Making legislation is a messy and difficult process.

The legislative committee working on our response to the Anglican Communion is working hard (and overtime), but they seem focused on wording without having a consensus as to what they are trying to do. Pray for the committee.

Here is a better plan. The committee should develop its own consensus about

(1) what is the situation in which the church finds itself, and

(2) what the church is willing and not willing to do.

Answers to these questions should be in hand before deciding what the church should declare in its resolutions. Perhaps there should even be a third step in this process, namely, deciding where to introduce ambiguity to make the greatest number of readers, important ones anyway, as happy as we can conscientiously make them.

The above program is, I think, good advice, irrespective of the direction the legislative committee decides to go. Here, however, is what I might suggest for step 1. From what I have seen, it would not be step 1 for this committee. It is something to think about, however:

Although we do not regret what we did at the 74th General Convention, we regret that some have taken offense at our actions.

We are eager to do anything in our power to explain our actions and explain why we believe they were appropriate for our province in 2003.

Moreover, we are distressed by attempts by some elements of the Anglican Communion to change the nature of our relationship without discussion or agreement on the part of all provinces.

We are willing to discuss the nature of our Communion, but we believe that what affects all should be decided by all, and we therefore will consider the nature of the Anglican Communion to be unchanged from what it has always been until such time as there is a unanomous agreement that it is to be otherwise.

We stand where we do not simply for ourselves, but for all Anglican provinces and their members.

J.