The Geriatric Consecration of Gene Robinson
What do Tyrannosauruses, Allosauruses, and most Episcopal Bishops all have in common? They are all dinosaurs, except while the first two are extinct, the last example thrives in a kind of insulated, urban, upper-class habitat.
The photo on the left says it all. The grey hair bishops, many a part of the aging baby-boomer generation, have spoken. They have spoken much like they have spoken on many issues. And generally when they get too extreme on social issues (which they have as a whole since the early 1970s), Christians run en masse for the exits. Now, their era continued the Church's progess to positive social change, such as fighting poverty, stopping racism, and respecting the dignity of all human persons (however, an earlier generation really pioneered all of this). However, many of us younger Christians know that the mainlines have also embraced damaging trends, like the sexual revolution, that have ruined the lives of many of us in Generations X and Y. This alienation is evidenced by the large number of young people in non-mainline Churches, and the handful that bother to attend the mainlines. I can barely count how many baby-boomer clergy have come up to me saying, "boy do we need young clergy like you," and then in the next breath go mainline on me, going on about how exciting the progressive Rev. so-and-so down at the mainline seminary is, or how relevant Jack Spong is, expecting me to immediately light up, as if that stuff impresses me. It is amazing how just because I am young, many clergy assume I must be impressed with their views. Many Episcopal bishops seem to be doing just this with the whole world. As the mainlines, ECUSA included, shrink and lose any influence in our culture's life, they keep thinking they are the truly relevant ones. It is as if they think, "Okay, so we have hemorrhaged 30% of our members in the last decade, but we are the truly relevant ones, and those growing churches like the Charismatic Episcopal Church, they think they're relevant, but we know better."
Just so you know, I have no problem with older people, in fact I love them and cherish their insights. Most of my best friends are over 40/ However, I must say I have little sympathy for out-of-touch bishops who would rather split a global church family than give one inch on a predominantly Western agenda. But hey, these same bishops have been deeply supportive of the so-called "sexual revolution," proclaiming families don't really matter anyway. I guess we are seeing the results.
What do Tyrannosauruses, Allosauruses, and most Episcopal Bishops all have in common? They are all dinosaurs, except while the first two are extinct, the last example thrives in a kind of insulated, urban, upper-class habitat.
The photo on the left says it all. The grey hair bishops, many a part of the aging baby-boomer generation, have spoken. They have spoken much like they have spoken on many issues. And generally when they get too extreme on social issues (which they have as a whole since the early 1970s), Christians run en masse for the exits. Now, their era continued the Church's progess to positive social change, such as fighting poverty, stopping racism, and respecting the dignity of all human persons (however, an earlier generation really pioneered all of this). However, many of us younger Christians know that the mainlines have also embraced damaging trends, like the sexual revolution, that have ruined the lives of many of us in Generations X and Y. This alienation is evidenced by the large number of young people in non-mainline Churches, and the handful that bother to attend the mainlines. I can barely count how many baby-boomer clergy have come up to me saying, "boy do we need young clergy like you," and then in the next breath go mainline on me, going on about how exciting the progressive Rev. so-and-so down at the mainline seminary is, or how relevant Jack Spong is, expecting me to immediately light up, as if that stuff impresses me. It is amazing how just because I am young, many clergy assume I must be impressed with their views. Many Episcopal bishops seem to be doing just this with the whole world. As the mainlines, ECUSA included, shrink and lose any influence in our culture's life, they keep thinking they are the truly relevant ones. It is as if they think, "Okay, so we have hemorrhaged 30% of our members in the last decade, but we are the truly relevant ones, and those growing churches like the Charismatic Episcopal Church, they think they're relevant, but we know better."
Just so you know, I have no problem with older people, in fact I love them and cherish their insights. Most of my best friends are over 40/ However, I must say I have little sympathy for out-of-touch bishops who would rather split a global church family than give one inch on a predominantly Western agenda. But hey, these same bishops have been deeply supportive of the so-called "sexual revolution," proclaiming families don't really matter anyway. I guess we are seeing the results.
