Anglican Mainstream

From AAC

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

This last week I was "on the road" in southern California for the consecration of a new bishop for the Diocese of Western Anglicans, a part of the Anglican Church in North America(AC-NA). The Saturday service in a huge borrowed church, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian, had the main floor filled. I am pleased to report that my long-time friend and fellow AAC board member, Fr. Bill Thompson of Long Beach, was consecrated by the Archbishop and Primate, Robert Duncan, together with co-consecrators and a host of fellow bishops (including myself) who all laid hands upon our brother in Christ.

The current model for dioceses in formation in the AC-NA is for the bishop to continue as rector of his parish, and divide his time between his responsibilities. This was the model used in The Episcopal Church in its earlier years, and provides for a financial basis for the episcopacy as a diocese grows and enlarges. The weakness in the system is that the parish church of the bishop expects to see him at least half of the time, and yet as a diocese grows, Sundays spent on parish visitations and Confirmations take more and more time. This is a growing and maturing time for the Anglican Church in North America, and it may be that as dioceses grow larger it will become more expedient to finance the work of the bishop differently so that the needs of the parish and the diocese are evenly provided for.

Next week there will be AC-NA consecrations of three bishops-elect in Niagara Falls, Canada. This will provide better episcopal coverage for the great expanse of Canada, and will allow the present Canadian AC-NA "retired" bishops to slow down a little. That is the theory and the prayer.

Speaking of prayers, many were answered in the United States elections this past week as the state of Maine had an important issue before voters. The state legislature had passed and the governor John Baldacci had signed into law a "same-sex marriage" statute. As is often the case, legislatures and politicians, emerging from smoke filled rooms packed with pressure groups for the gay agenda, vote against their constituents’ desire and pass things like "same-sex marriage." Liberal governors sensitive to the impact of their gay supporters and the liberal news media, sign such legislation. In this case the Episcopal Bishop of Maine, Stephen T. Lane, lobbied hard for "same-sex marriage" and had begun work on preparing diocesan guidelines for how "same-sex marriages" would be handled in the church.

If the legislatures don’t push unpopular gay legislation through, then liberal judges may rule that "same-sex marriage" is a right. When this happens, it is up to the people, acting in their own best interest and the best interest of all, to overturn such contrived outcomes. The voters in Maine were heard from, and they said emphatically, "No!" Mary Frances Schjonberg, writing for the Episcopal News Service, commented on how hard Bishop Lane had worked for the passing of this legislation, and how ‘grieved’ he was over the state electorate overturning it. As other states face similar situations, it may be up to the electorate to discipline their legislators.

There seem to be a number of "rights" that have just recently been discovered by both legislatures and jurists, and while most of the populace is in favor of legitimate and historical rights being preserved and enabled, they are not in favor of inventing new rights, or extending old rights in new and bizarre ways. Traditional marriage is a bedrock foundation for culture and society. People need to know who their children are, and children need to know who their parents are, and a boy needs a father and a mother if at all possible. Likewise a girl needs a mother and a father if at all possible. Single moms and single dads try hard to cover both bases, and many do a heroic job, but in the end, it is a task that can’t completely be done even by the best.

Recently I flew across the country, and traveling near me were two young men who appeared to be a couple, and with them was a lovely little boy about two years of age. They both were fully engaged in trying to deal with their two year old, but two year old little boys being, well, two years old, are a handful of energy, and he pronounced his objection to their every request. I can’t fault the way they were trying to deal with him, but I thought what a blessing a feminine, motherly presence would have added. I remembered when MaryAnne and I traveled and our children were young. I could bring the fatherly, masculine presence to our parenting, but thank God for her motherly, feminine presence. In our case it took both of us, trying our hardest, to cope with raising our children, who were all good children. I do believe that the ideal and the Biblically encouraged model is marriage between a man and a woman, for life, and into this stable relationship comes the gift of children, if the Lord wills, and nurturing by both parents.

We can all think of situations where the ideal isn’t realized: when death of a spouse occurs or divorce divides a family, or a birth occurs out of wedlock, and one parent is left to provide all or most of the parenting, and often to work and provide the financial support at the same time. Today many families face this difficult situation, and any practical support that we can lend them is welcome and needed.

Marriage is founded upon the ancient traditions of cultures all around the world, and is based on the command of God for man and woman to join together such that the two become one flesh in marriage (Genesis 2:24). It provides for stability in the husband-wife relationship, binding them together with their children, and it provides the stable relationship for the children to grow up, having a model for both the masculine and the feminine. Parents aren’t perfect no matter how hard they try, but as I grew up and had a chance to look back at how my parents were themselves raised by their parents, I have been able to conclude that mom and dad didn’t do too badly; I know they did their best. I hope that as our adult children reflect back on growing up with MaryAnne and me as mom and dad, even though there are many things I would do differently, or not do at all, they would conclude that we didn’t do too badly, and in fact did our best.

I am a firm believer in marriage between a man and a woman, original recipe, and I pray that my grandchildren, if they marry, will find the spouse that God intends for each of them, and that they may have happy, fulfilled and blessed marriages as well. Perhaps you would join me in this prayer for your children and grandchildren.

Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ,

The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr.
President and CEO, American Anglican Council
 

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