A Final Word

On August 9, 2006, when The Episcopal Majority blog came online we wrote the following:

It is clear that the heart of Anglicanism is under attack in America and it is time for a broad coalition of faithful Episcopalians to defend it. To that end, we have established this Web page to help continue the dialogue and to call for a national meeting to be held in Washington, D. C., on November 3 and 4, 2006. The purposes of this Internet gathering place and of our meeting will include the following:

• Affirming the orthodoxy of the Episcopal Church in the United States and its adherence to the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral
• Affirming the traditional Anglican value of national autonomy and toleration of views involving matters of church discipline
• Affirming the inclusive nature of the Episcopal Church where people actively work to get along
• Opposing all attempts at home and abroad to curb or demean this Church, dismember it or evict it from the Anglican Communion
• Establishing ties with national churches or groups abroad who are sympathetic to the Episcopal Church.

Since that dialogue began, many faithful Episcopalians have joined their voices to speak in defense of our beloved Church. At the national gathering in the fall of 2006, in Washington, D. C., representatives of nearly 50% of all dioceses gathered to show their support for our new Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and to consult with one another about developing strategies to respond to the charges being leveled at the Episcopal Church.

Much has happened over the past two years – most of which you will find chronicled on this blog. Our Presiding Bishop has shown wisdom and courage as she has decisively moved to defend the Church while offering the opportunity of reconciliation with those who have chosen to leave. The Episcopal News Service and other offices of The Episcopal Church are speaking out clearly on the issues confronting us.

Though there are still a relatively small number of parishes and dioceses who remain committed to schism, it is clear that the good heart of the Church is safe. Though the "strife is not o'er," it is becoming clearer that theirs is a dying cause; there is no groundswell for schism, and their numbers are not growing. We are no longer fearful, and certainly not fearful of a rightwing takeover of our Church.

We believe that the Rev. Lauren R. Stanley has beautifully summed up the condition of our Church in the previous and last posting on The Episcopal Majority blog:

News Flash: The majority of Episcopalians in the United States voted to stay in the Episcopal Church today.
They did so by going to church, by receiving Communion, by participating in God's mission and ministry, by praying, preaching and acting on God's holy word, by working with youth and the elderly, by doing all the myriad things that they have been doing through the history of the church, and by proclaiming, in many and varied ways, the love of God for all of God's beloved children.

With those words in mind, The Episcopal Majority will close its blog as of today. Though we do not intend to continue publishing, we will keep the blog online so that our friends may access the many fine articles to be found here.

We offer thanks to all who have contributed to this effort. You have made this a rich source of information for many people and have given a voice to those who felt they had no voice. Our deepest thanks are reserved for Lisa Fox who has presided over this blog from the beginning – who has written, edited, as well as patrolled the blogosphere for two years. And we thank our friend the Rev. Tom Woodward, who joined Lisa last winter.

As we close this venture, we continue to pray:

Gracious God, we pray for your holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strength it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior. Amen.

Faithfully yours,

The Rev. David K. Fly
& The Steering Committee of The Episcopal Majority

The Rev. George C. Bedell
Ms. Lisa Fox
The Rev. Mark Harris
Ms. Judy Wright Mathews
The Rev. Tom Woodward