Editorial

The seventh bishop of Tennessee anguished often over what he sensed as the increasing presence of the laity (men and especially women) in both the liturgy and the polity of the Church. He called it the "creeping gangrene of participatory democracy." He called the ordination of women "apostolic suicide." He was a real phrase-maker, obviously handy with terminal metaphors, ecclesiastically speaking, and he was very clear and refreshingly "out front" on all these issues.

Nevertheless, this bishop at his ordination, like all of us in orders, vowed to be loyal to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the church. And, by God, he was. If there was to be any change, it was to be the disciplined canonical way, even if it was, for him, the hard and sometimes disappointing way. He never publicly entertained any idea of leaving or placing his loyalty elsewhere.

This "participatory democracy" of the Episcopal Church in the USA (aka TEC) is conspicuously unique among the provinces of the Anglican Communion. Nowhere else do the laity have so prominent a role in making policy at every level as they do here, all the way from the vestries, the executive councils, the standing committees (which do not even exist in any of the other provinces), the diocesan conventions, the elections of bishops, and the House of Deputies of the bicameral General Convention.

The presidency of the House of Deputies alternates by terms between a lay person and a presbyter. Both the lay and the clergy halves of that House are called deputies (not delegates) precisely to make it clear that they are elected to vote their conscience, not necessarily that of their electorate. This altogether indigenous system has worked well for centuries. Many, especially the laity, deserve to be proud of the stewardship with which they have led it. The laity of the Diocese of Tennessee are no exception.

There are now in these times, however, those here and elsewhere who disagree with this system and certain decisions it has made. Rather than assume their ordination responsibilities and vows with integrity and use for change the very system through which they have received their orders in the first place, they have instead become canonically loose cannons currently slamming across the decks of TEC. Many have had the courage to renounce their orders. Most, however, continue to enjoy every privilege -- including that of the franchise -- while they simultaneously abandon and betray their vows by association and membership in breakaway organizations.

In response to this, there has arisen recently in the diocese a laity-led association known as the Continuing Episcopalians of Tennessee (aka CET). Its threefold purpose is to take every step to remain loyal to TEC and the Anglican Communion, to prevent the diocese from associating with or joining any of the breakaway movements currently working to defer our allegiance to another province, and to elect a new bishop in March 2006 who is loyal to the church, will keep her (or his) vows, and will be a faithful pastor toward healing and reconciliation in the Diocese of Tennessee.

CET will hold its second plenary meeting Sunday, October 9, 2005, at Christ Church Cathedral Parish, Nashville, and at Otey Parish, Sewanee, from 4:00-5:30 pm. These meetings will offer continuing opportunities to inform the laity and clergy better to lead the way through these times and to make decisions faithful to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the church.

[COVENANT, Number 21, September 2005]