Most of us learned years ago that when a disagreeable playmate threatened to take his toys and go home if we did not play the game his way, the best policy to was ignore him, and let him go home. When a person grows up however, this sort of recalcitrance becomes something far worse: it becomes blackmail, or even terrorism.
Now we have the deplorable spectacle of a small group of bishops attempting to hold the church hostage by the same means. Bishop Schofield and twenty-five conservative colleagues have vowed to break communion with the church if any resolution accepting homosexuality is adopted (Episcopal Life, June, 2000), including one that would let dioceses decide the question locally.
This shows a deplorable willingness to disregard the integrity of the prayers and meditations of their colleagues. It violates the vows of a bishop. It is un-Anglican. It is also un-Christian, for it denies the ability of the Holy Spirit to work through the democratic process of convention. There is an ugly word for this, but it is an ugly thing to do. That word is schism.
I care deeply which way this debate goes. But that is not the issue. Nor is the issue whether the convention votes for or against same-sex liturgy, or -perhaps wisely - decides to listen, to share experiences, to continue the debate. The issue here is that a small group are saying, "We don't care what you say. Do it our way - or else."
I care deeply about the fears of conservative Episcopalians. I believe that some of these fears are ill-founded, just as I believe that many of them are shared by all of us. But only through free debate and the free exercise of conscience will we find a way to live together in love, as the whole body of Christ. This may not be comfortable, but we are not called to comfort, we are called to practice love. This is impossible when there is a gun pointed at your head.
This is a serious threat to the unity of the church. But unity is not so precious as doing the right thing. Perhaps what we all learned years ago in the playground is true: disagreeable children should be allowed to leave, rather than permit them to dictate to all the rest.
The international community long ago decided that there would be no negotiation with terrorists who threaten to blow up an airplane if they do not get their way. This is no different. These bishops are nothing more than ecclesiastical terrorists attempting to hold a gun to the head of the church. We can only hope that the rest of the delegates will have the courage to vote according to what they believe to be right and just - whatever that may be - and not give in to blackmail and terrorism. Only by doing so will they preserve a church worth preserving.
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