VOL. 63, NO. 10 OCTOBER, 1980 Married Clergy, Separated Churches • Robert L. Dewitt on the Ordination of Gays • Louie Crew T
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publication. and reuse for required Permission DFMS. / Church Episcopal the of Archives 2020. Copyright VOL. 63, NO. 10 OCTOBER, 1980 Married Clergy, Separated Churches • Robert L. DeWitt On the Ordination of Gays • Louie Crew The Spirit of Anglicanism • William J. Wolf agrees that both Matthew and Mark as would start that way — and I know quite well as Luke say thaf'only Jesus and the a few who are serious about their life in Twelve sat or recli ned at the table." Were the church. I think they would they lying to back up some chauvinistic acknowledge their limited under- idea? standing of church politics and get on No, Miss Piccard, you may have a D.D. with proposing a working agenda. Even but you also have a clouded mind unable more to the point, they understand that to accept the facts as they are, and not they have a lot of work to do inside their what you would like them to be. own limited, human institutions The Rev. Brian J. Stych, L.Th. (unions) and assume that other people Northcote, Auckland have the same task. New Zealand What is it that causes Christian liberals and progressives to be so preachy about the labor movement? We Challenges Piccard Piccard Responds know very little about the best work that publication. I was doubtful about writing to you, but I would like to thank the Rev. Brian J. they do among the poor and and my wife feels I should, so I must reply to Stych, L.Th. for bringing out another unorganized. We have an image of labor Jeannette Piccard's article, "Was Mary refutation of Pope John Paul M's leaders but we don't know enough of reuse Present at the Last Supper," (March reported argument for refusing them personally to be able to assess for WITNESS). First, she says, "None of the ordination to women; i.e., that there their pluses and their minuses. We have four Gospels says explicitly that any were no women at the Last Supper. a very limited understanding of the women were present." This says nothing Whether women were present or not is, factors that cause them to make the required except that the writers were not as the Rev. Stych insinuates, basically decisions they do. Are we so engaged concerned with Women's Lib, Gentiles, irrelevant. We must all agree, I think, that with the struggles of the working class Africans, Arabs, etc. Are we to arg ue that there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that we can judge the role of unions and they were present, too? that there were any Gentiles, Africans, Permission their leaders? To argue as she does, that two Arabs, etc. present at the Last Supper. It My central point is this: Why don't we disciples went to "prepare the is also evident that their absence has work on reforming our own institutions, DFMS. never been used as a reason to refuse / passover," and got bogged down with shut our mouths about what we know details of cooking is nonsense. I am the them ordination. (and don't know) about labor unions and President of our Theological College The Rev. Jeannette Piccard, start working with unions and their Church Association, and as such have prepared Ph.D., D.D., D.H.L. leaders on issues we can work together for a meal for 40-50 people. I have Minneapolis, Minn. on — e.g., unemployment, plant arranged a hall (a room) and for caterers closings, the farm workers' boycott of Episcopal to cook and deliver the meal. This does Red Coach lettuce, the struggles of the the not make the caterers a part of the 'Glass Houses' Approach J. P. Stevens workers, the Coors of association, nor does it make them I have just read Henry Morrison's boycott, labor law reform, national partakers of the meal or included in the interesting and informative article health insurance, etc. after meal speeches, etc. Miss Piccard entitled "Time for a New Church, Labor Wayne C. Hartmire, Jr., Director Archives concludes that because "the Cup" was Alliance" in the July WITNESS. What National Farm Worker Ministry distributed to "all" after the meal, others bothers me about the article is its basic 2020. Los Angeles, Cal. were brought in. The writers of both approach. Morrison uses quite a bit of Matthew's and Mark's Gospels made it space making value judgments about quite clear that only "the twelve" sat the labor movement and giving his Morrison Responds Copyright down to that Supper. Only members of blessing to "rank and file" actions within Chris Hartmire rebukes me for allegedly our Association will partake of our unions and then has the gall at the end to holding precisely the concept of a dinner and of the ceremonies associated tell us we should not preach to or conservative labor movement and labor with it. interfere in the internal affairs of unions. leadership that my article was intended Miss Piccard says that the Passover I wondered to myself: "If a labor leader to demolish. My whole point was to meal is always shared with the women were proposing' an effective, new demonstrate that the labor movement folk. She says, "It is inconceivable that church-labor alliance would he/she and labor leaders are not the mass of Jesus or any of the Twelve . would spend a major part of the article conservative and corrupt bureaucrats have sat down. withoutthe members analyzing the weaknesses, foibles, that some people still unfortunately of their families." This she says was trivialities and internal battles of the consider them to be. Jewish practice only. Luke, a Greek major denominations, religious orders In answer to Mr. Hartmire's rhetorical would have thought otherwise, but she and their leaders?" I don't know any who Continued on page 18 Robert L DeWitt. Editor; Mary Lou Suhor. Managing Editor; Kay Atwater, Robert Eckersley. Richard W Gillett. Ann Hunter, Susan Small. Lisa K Whelan, Hugh C White, Jr. Editorial and Business IHE WITNESS Office: P.O. Box 359, Ambler. PA 19002. Telephone (215) 643-7067. Subscription rates: $9 00 per year. $1 00 per copy The Witness is published monthly by the Episcopal Church Publishing Company. Board ol Directors: Wesley Frensdorff. Steven Guerra. Barbara Harris. Suzanne Hiatt. John E Hines. Mattie Hopkins. Joan Howarth, James Lewis. H. Coieman McGehee. Joseph A. Pelham, Robert S. Potter, and Helen Seager Copyright 1980 by the Episcopal Church Publishing Company. Printed in USA Married Clergy, Separated Churches publication. by Robert L. DeWitt and Anglicans have fresh reason to ponder both their short term. Further, the statement that the cases will be reuse traditional closeness to and their deep divergences considered "on an individual basis" makes it clear that for from the Roman Catholic Church. In August the U.S. the clergy are not being dealt with as a group, although Catholic hierarchy announced that the Vatican was it does not make clear the questions involved in open to receiving a number of clergy who recently left considering the individuals. required the Episcopal Church in protest over the ordination of In short, the meaning of Rome's gesture toward women and the adoption of a new prayer book. These these clergy is uncertain and ambiguous. And, clergy, some of them married, had petitioned Rome to needless to say, the move abounds with the Permission be allowed to serve in that church as priests. The inscrutability and confusion associated with any answer, with qualifications, is affirmative. massive bureaucracy. The venerable Roman Catholic DFMS. Several reasons could be posed for this response by communion will have to negotiate the passage of these / the Vatican to the dissident Episcopal clergy. First, current problems as best it may. there is an acute shortage of Roman Catholic clergy, A quite different question is the reaction of the Church and any acceptable male priests, though small in Episcopal Church, since the publicity surrounding this number, would be welcome. Second, it could provide a move has made it by no means a disinterested test of Rome's using married clergy. A departure from bystander. Rome has sent a message — indistinct but Episcopal the celibacy requirement could make a significant discernible — that Anglicans who object to the the change in its clergy shortage, and Rome has been ordination of women are to be commended, and of under increasing pressure on this issue. Most received (albeit with less than open arms). How should significantly, the Episcopal priests involved, like the Episcopal Church react to this message? Archives Rome, reject the ordination of women. This move is This event recalls the Lambeth Conference of therefore seen as a rebuke to the Episcopal Church for Anglican bishops in 1958, at which Bishop Stephen 2020. having "broken rank" with the other two major Bayne presented a report on "The Family and churches in the Catholic tradition — the Roman Contemporary Society." This report said that it had Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox — by ordaining been common in Christian theology to place the Copyright women. procreative function of marriage first. The report then That Rome, however, has not made much more than proceeded to displace procreation as the number one a gesture toward these clergy is evident from the purpose of marital sex by placing it alongside mutual strictures which hedge the announcement. There is love and support, and other concerns as well. The nothing exceptional in Rome's accepting a convert report went on to stress the importance of wise family who fully accepts Roman Catholic doctrine and the planning and endorsed the responsible use of authority of the Pope and bishops.