Brownwood Episcopal Priests: All "Closed minds and closed hearts" are local.

Posted on Fri, Jan. 26, 2007

'Closed minds and closed hearts'
Star-Telegram

I wish that the reality of the Episcopal Church's "Dallas Plan" matched the positive tone of reporter Terry Lee Goodrich's Jan. 9 article ("Panel backs diocese's gender policy"). But such is not the case.

True, the Fort Worth Diocese sends women who wish to become priests to Dallas to go through the ordination process, but Goodrich should have asked how many have been ordained priests. The answer is two -- and both of those were ordained about 10 years ago, and none since the push to divide the Episcopal Church.

Doesn't it seem a bit strange that only two women out of about 16,000 communicants in Fort Worth have been led to seek ordination in more than 10 years? The record of the Diocese of Dallas is no better -- only two women ordained in recent memory.

According to Goodrich's story, the international Panel of Reference said that women "ought to be able to find a place within the Episcopal Church of the United States without a sense of isolation or victimization." That's precisely how many women in these two dioceses feel -- isolated and victimized.

Liz Oliphant, Addison

The Episcopal Church lately has made much of the "authority of Scripture." Try this one: Galatians 3:27-28 says: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

God gives equality and abundance to all in Christ Jesus. Oh, if we all could live accepting this scriptural passage, we would rejoice in celebrating the gifts that God has given to all people! We would welcome and encourage all those who give glory to God.

But there are still those with closed minds and closed hearts who, in their craving for power and control, wish to discriminate and put down others whom Christ has given equality. They can't accept the equality and abundance given to all through Christ. Their closed minds won't wrap around such a big idea.

I'm reminded of the TV cartoon program A Charlie Brown Christmas, in which Lucy asks Schroeder to play Jingle Bells. He offers her a full, abundant rendition. She refuses to accept it. He then gives a different version. She still isn't satisfied. Finally, when he produces a one-fingered version played in toy-piano tones, she says: "That's it!"

There are too many closed minds and closed hearts in the Anglican Communion. To have the Panel of Reference endorse Fort Worth's refusal to ordain women after 30 years of demonstrated capability of women's ministry is absurd. It makes apparent the refusal of some to accept the equality that Christ has given to all people and the gifts they have to offer for the betterment for all humankind.

Thus, we have closed minds feeding the egos of other closed minds. This needs to be exposed for what it is! And, indeed, we need to pray that God will open the hearts and minds of us all to accept the equality of all people and the abundance of life that he gives to all of us.

George Komechak, Fort Worth

source: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/opinion/local2/16551859.htm
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Note from Steve, After the recent letter to the editor and the performance on Brownwood Talk Radio by a Brownwood Episcopal Priest, I would have to agree with Liz and George ! It appears that alligning oneself in Brownwood Texas with Nigeria's Anglican Church, and its leader Archbishop Peter Akinola, is "Politically Correct" and predictable !