Jim Naughton of the Diocese of Washington has an interesting post about the apparent failure of Bishop-elect Kevin G. Thew Forrester to gain consent. The comments are also worth reading. They point out that the coalition opposing Thew Forrester disagree about a lot things, but they shared a commitment to guarding the discipline, faith and worship of the church as articulated in the Book of Common Prayer.

Bryan Owen of Creedal Christian also has a thoughtworthy piece on what this vote “means.”

Among other things, he says:
“Many have noted the way in which this case has united Episcopalians across the theological spectrum. Given the depths of division on so many other issues, I consider that a hopeful sign that there remains a background of agreement behind our disagreements. I pray that we will continue to find ways to build on that background of agreement, and not just in cases like this in which we are united in what we oppose.

But I’m not naïve enough to think that everything is hunky-dory. For the agendas espoused by the far-left and the far-right on the theological spectrum continue to advocate for departures from the generous orthodoxy espoused by the mainstream of the Anglican tradition. The Forrester case is, indeed, a wake-up call that the Episcopal Church has been infiltrated by both bad and heretical theology. It may not be as pervasive as the more stringent doomsayers cry, but it’s there and, left unchecked, will spread and come to seem more and more ‘normal.’ It’s up to the ‘diverse center’ of the Episcopal Church to remain vigilant and to have the courage to say ‘no’ to those agendas.”

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