Albany Via Media

July 27, 2010

To the Editor:

I am just an ordinary Episcopalian who loves my (traditional) way of worship in the Episcopal Church. I hold no academic degrees, titles, or particular areas of expertise, but just a long, long, history of being a very, very active member of my parish: Church School Teacher, Directress of the Altar Guild, Choir Member, Bulletin producer, Vestry Member, Vestry Clerk, Treasurer, Organist, Lay Reader, Member/Co-president of Episcopal Woman's Guild, and member of the Daughters of the King.

My concern is, as I read all the elaborate, professional, learned, theologically grounded, etc., language filtered into the letters submitted on various topics, or actually regarding the last Diocesan Convention and the Anglican Covenant that was adopted, my concern, filtering through all the higher-education verbiage … bottom line, in my opinion … I was born in the United States of America, I was baptized in an Episcopal Church, I was confirmed in an Episcopal Church, I was married in an Episcopal Church, my children were all baptized, confirmed, and married in an Episcopal Church.

WHY or WHAT is the obsession with the “Anglican Covenant”? If I am not mistaken, in the Book of Common Prayer (remember that?), each Sunday when we pray the Prayers of the People, we Pray for “our President, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority”. Nowhere do I see that we specifically pray for the Queen of England or the rulers of foreign countries. We/I am an American, and I belong to the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, according to the Ratification of the Book of Common Prayer (1789). I do realize, acknowledge, and am grateful that I am also a part of the world-wide Anglican Communion. However, I will not accept the dictates of countries who denounce the American arm of the Anglican Communion because we have the decency, love, and grace to appreciate and accept people who have different life styles that other countries don't recognize — especially when such countries, in particular, mutilate young women because of some “tribal belief”, and then from the other side of their brain proclaim they are Christian. At least I am part of a Christian Communion that supports a loving relationship between two people, not the mutilation of a young woman which will damage her mind and life forever.

The bottom line is, I am an Episcopalian, a part of the Anglican Communion. I am not an Anglican — I don't live in Canada, nor in England, or any other country. So, why is the Diocese trying to change our way of worship? I am not, and will not accept platitude responses to this declaration of my allegiance to the Episcopal Church of the United States. We are who we are; don't try to force something on us that we are not, and don't want.

And, again, we are who we are because of the ability to be intelligent about our religion and our belief in God, and to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being” (BCP pg 305 — Holy Baptism, The Baptismal Covenant). This is my belief, that this commitment to Christ through our baptismal covenant, has not been honored in many ways, in my opinion, by our diocesan leaders. I, on the other hand, believe and live this baptismal vow every day of my life.

Karen T. Morgan