A Heads Up to the Media Reporting on San Joaquin

epiScope offers us a number of press reports regarding the deposed Bishop of San Joaquin. The links are prefaced by a timely clarification that should be mandatory reading for any reporter who values their credibility:

Let’s just get some housekeeping out of the way first.

1. We’re Episcopalians, not “Episcopals.” (Just like those folks down the street are Methodists, not Methods.)
2. The ecclesiastical body known as the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin hasn’t left the Episcopal Church just because some of its members have.
3. +Gene Robinson isn’t the first gay bishop, or the first openly gay bishop, in the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, or Christendom. He’s the first openly gay man to be consecrated bishop. (That we know of. 1,980 years--plus or minus a few--is a long, long time to go without the Internet.)
4. Deposed clergy are not "stripped." They may retain their frocks, along with other contents of their closets. It's the title and the property they can't keep.

Let's strive to not perpetuate these common errors in our comments here at Jake's place.

J.