In anticipation of Salvatore Cordileone’s installation as Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco yesterday, Marc Andrus, the Episcopalian Bishop of California, issued what could be called a welcome letter. Here's how a friend characterized it:
Welcome to Super Gay San Francisco, Salvatore! I'll be civil toward you because we've worked together on the Millennium Development Goals, but I consider your theology about sex oppressive and will not sugar-coat that. Meanwhile, I trust you will never say anything critical of the Episcopal Church or of me. And hey, if anyone in your archdiocese's sexual left is reading this, life is great in the Episcopal Church. Come on over!
So imagine Andrus' surprise when he showed up to Cordileone's installation yesterday and was not treated as the most important guest of honor in the history of the world's installation services. Here's the AP:
Andrus said he was taken to a basement room with other invited guests, then left waiting as ushers showed everyone but him to their seats in the sanctuary, Joseph Mathews, an Episcopal spokesman said. He was still waiting when the mass had started, so he left, Mathews said.
San Francisco Archdiocese spokesman George Wesolek chalked it up to a misunderstanding. Andrus had arrived late and missed the procession of interfaith clergy who were to be seated up front. Church staff were looking for an opportunity to bring the bishop in without disrupting the service, according to Wesolek. When they went to retrieve him, he had already left.
And Andrus is livid. He's issued multiple press releases about his poor treatment and the Episcopal press has taken to their fainting couches.
I know this is because I'm a Missouri-Synod Lutheran, and our clergy have to prove their ability to win a bar fight before they are certified for ordination (or so I've heard), but Andrus needs to man up.
If he wants to use his big boy words, fine. But learn to deal with the consequences. Temper tantrums are unbecoming. And get to the church on time! Life doesn't need to be this difficult, Andrus.
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Comments:
Apr '11
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Karma
Apr '12
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
That would be a very cool qualification. And given theological discussions of the past, it's probably a good one. After all, it was in a theological discussion when St. Nicholas wound up with a broken nose.
Sep '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
I don't get it. What is the appeal of belonging to a church where a spiritual leader feels comfortable making a public statement like this?
Maybe I'm just too used to being an oppressed Catholic.
Sep '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
As King Henry VIII would say:
"Dear boy, you appear to be in danger of losing your head."
St. Thomas More was unavailable for comment.
Aug '12
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
... Clearly I belong to the wrong denomination. Southern Baptists just spread malicious rumors.
Jun '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Mormon here. Heck, we're thrilled if they let us sit in the Christian section.
Andrus seems to be confusing himself with the fellow he works for. Reminds me of the famous Churchill statement about a fellow member of parliament: "There, but for the grace of God, goes God."
Jun '12
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Bishop Andrus clearly needs to read more Proverbs.
(Prov 29:20 NASB)
Oct '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Don't make the mistake of thinking Episcopal bishops and the Anglican Communion are the same thing.
And on the basis of that letter, I'm amazed they let him out of the basement.
Aug '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.:
I know this is because I'm a Missouri-Synod Lutheran, and our clergy have to prove their ability to win a bar fight before they are certified for ordination...
That sounds almost as awesome as the Ottawa Bikers Church.
May '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
This is the problem with the Left in general. They're so hyper-self-righteous. A lot of it comes from a caricature that they have of us as being judgmental, when all we are saying is that there are standards of right and wrong-- we're not saying we will necessarily judge a person's worth based on it.
You get people saying "Well at least I'm not judgmental like So-and-so" as they stick their noses in the air and despise and judge that person for daring to have a different standard.
Jun '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Checked out the original letter from Andrus to his flock. This paragraph stood out:
Translation: the Catholic guy is a big-time hater, as is his church. I, on the other hand, love everyone, especially LBGT, the poor, the politically oppressed, and the Earth. Oh, and don't expect me to make "peace with oppression." (E.g., agreeing with the Catholic Church's oppression of all I hold dear).
Edited on October 5, 2012 at 6:06pmApr '12
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Is that anything like The Church of God on a Harley?
Jul '12
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Honestly Mr. Andrus should just be grateful he was even invited given that from the Roman Catholic perspective he's a prickly schismatic weirdo.
I'd called it theater of the absurd but it's more circus of the absurd.
Jun '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Chris Deleon:
You get people saying "Well at least I'm not judgmentallike So-and-so" as they stick their noses in the air and despise and judge that person for daring to have a different standard. · 2 minutes ago
Theodore Dalrymple wrote, “The only permissible judgment in polite society is that no judgment is permissible.” [Except when a self-righteous lefty assumes the high-ground in order to judge everyone else for failing to meet his standard of non-judgmentalism.]
Edited on October 5, 2012 at 6:12pmJun '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
--Luke 14 (RSV)
Jun '12
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Mel Foil
--Luke 14 (RSV) · 0 minutes ago
Another good one, Mel!
(James 4:6 NKJV)
Jun '12
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
From my Roman Catholic friend Mark:
Edited on October 5, 2012 at 6:23pmSep '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
tabula rasa:
Mormon here. Heck, we're thrilled if they let us sit in the Christian section.
Andrus seems to be confusing himself with the fellow he works for. Reminds me of the famous Churchill statement about a fellow member of parliament: "There, but for the grace of God, goes God."
Great quote.
The hypocrisy and sanctimoniousness of the Episcopalian Bishop is so extreme that it's funny. For a person who claims to occupy the moral high ground, Mr. Andrus is awfully intolerant. Why is it that the Left can be as nasty and hateful as they like, while conservatives must tip-toe around their delicate sensibilities?
Mar '11
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Quite the occupant of the Bishopric there. Normally we spell Bishopric without a "k", but I'm reconsidering.....
May '10
Re: Remember When You Could Call an Archbishop's Theology Oppressive and Still Expect a Warm Welcome?
Good to know Andrus has such a servant's heart.