That's My Church! - Hammertime Edition

The Primates of the Anglican Communion call out the ECUSA:

The US Episcopal Church has been given seven months to change its ways or face being kicked out of the Anglican Communion. In an unexpectedly hard-hitting set of recommendations, Primates of the Anglican Communion demanded an "unequivocal common covenant" under which dioceses in The Episcopal Church agree not to authorise same-sex blessings. They also demanded that no more gay men or women in active relationships with a person of the same sex be consecrated bishop. The recommendations are so severe in demanding proper repentance and a turning back from The Episcopal Church that even arch-conservative Peter Akinola of Nigeria was prepared to sign up. Bishop Jefferts Schori also signed it, but there will be many in The Episcopal Church who will be angry at what they see as a sell-out of their liberal ideals.

Surfing through what information was available Sunday afternoon, I didn't see anything that would indicate the ECUSA wasn't going to be given a pass by the Primates meeting in Tanzania. Apparently, the hammer stroke fell Sunday night. Here's the communique. In addition to demanding that the ECUSA actually take the Windsor Report seriously, it also has language about the establishment of a Communion-wide Anglican Covenant, the provision of alternative pastoral oversight for Episcopal diocese and parishes unhappy with the current leadership, and a demand that the ECUSA call its legal dogs off seccessionist bodies. The ECUSA has until September 30 to respond appropriately.

Nasty, Brutish & Short has got a good synopsis, together with reaction from both sides.

So will the ECUSA swing back into line? I honestly don't know. The Communion itself doesn't seem to be betting the farm on such an outcome, as it is preparing for multiple possibilities - reform, schism or (what I think likely) some combination thereof.

YIPS from Steve-O: Did someone say.........Hammertime?

I didn't think so.

Yips! back from Robbo: Well, we're probably both going to hell now, but I'd just point out that the Vatican has its own Hammertime tradition as well....