The Episcopalian Message: A Response

Thanks to Bill Cork for pointing this out.

Episcopalian Rev. Kendall Harmon delivered this speech to the House of Deputies of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church today (Not the American Anglican Council as previously reported, thanks to the correction of an astute reader!), raising the very same issues that have been concerning me.

I rise on behalf of many members of this House in response to the action to consent to the election a person sexually active outside of Holy Matrimony.

Though many of you are celebrating, many of us are mourning. Let me tell you what some of us experienced last night.

A 24-year old woman, married just 5 weeks ago in the Episcopal Church, sobbed uncontrollably over what she felt was a betrayal by her Church.

A 56-year old layman said, "I've been faithful to God's sexual standards all my life and now my bishop and my church tell me it doesn't matter."

An anguished GenX youth minister feels his church now offers no support to his teenagers struggling to maintain sexual purity.

A rector has already received numerous emails telling him that faithful parishioners have now left his parish and your church.

...By contravening the "historic faith and order" [Preamble to the Constitution], this Convention sets itself against its own Constitution. And in thus acting unconstitutionally, this Convention now separates itself from the orthodox faith and breaks the ties that bind us to the rest of the Anglican Communion.

Let us please pray for all who are struggling right now.