The Beat Goes On...

So, the Presiding Bishop has at last inhibited John-David Schofield, the putative "Southern Cone" Bishop of San Joaquin. In response, Schofield thunders that "[t]he Episcopal Church’s assertion that Bishop Schofield has abandoned the communion of this Church is an admission that TEC rejects the historical Anglican faith."

Well, no. It's an assertion--not an admission--that a bishop cannot unilaterally remove himself from TEC while asserting that he remains a bishop within it--but not under its canons and constitution. Now, a claim could be made that Schofield's action does not violate the Canons (although I am highly skeptical), but the inhibition does not turn on any alleged deviance from faith, doctrine or dogma--it's about purporting to secede. Thus, Schofield's claim is simply false, and as an intelligent man, he must surely know it.

Which raises my earlier point: those who conflate their own personal and political agendas with the Will of God place little to no value on Truth, or, all too often, on charity (read the other comments on the second link!).

Update: In the few hours since I posted this, Schofield's patron has denied that Schofield can be a bishop in TEC, leading to a rewriting of the post originally linked above. Schofield, who had previously asserted that he "is currently a member of both the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church and the House of Bishops of the Southern Cone, a position not prohibited by either house" now "clarifies" that "The fact is that neither the Diocese nor Bishop John-David Schofield are part of The Episcopal Church. The Bishop is a member of the House of Bishops of the Southern Cone as of December 8th, 2007. The Diocese is a part of the Southern Cone. Neither the Presiding Bishop or the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church have any further jurisdiction. Bishop Schofield is no longer a member of the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church." (Hat Tip: Father Jake).

In a crowning instance of "reasserter" doublethink, the T19 and SF crowd, in the links above, now claim that all the confusion is on TEC's part--this after comments supporting Schofield's dual membership in both the TEC and SC Houses of Bishops, and then questioning our sanity in thinking Schofield intended to claim membership in both houses. Truth--we have all the truth we need in the "faith once delivered to the saints"; reappraisers don't desreve the truth, and, apparently, all things are justified when performed for the good of their vision of the Church, to paraphrase the onetime Jesuit slogan.

My previous point seems, if anything, strengthened by this ability on Schofield's part to assert the "thing-which-is-not" and on his supporters' part to believe six impossible things before breakfast.

Meanwhile, the veneration of the world's leading advocate of government power to control ideas, as well as persecute gays and their families and supporters continues. And, forgive me, with the incredible lengths his supporters and Schofield's go to win, I can't help but believe that this need to demonize, to win at all costs, is fundamental.

Second update: I have, on reflection, redacted certain portions of this post, which I felt were inflammatory, and which would spur not useful discussion but only acrimony.