Albany Via Media

September 21, 2011

To the Editor:

When Albany Via Media was created in 2003, we had no idea that it would still be around eight years later. Indeed, John Sorensen+, one of our founders, said then, “With luck, we'll be out of business next summer.” John+ hoped, as we all did, that we could persuade the 2004 Convention not to link Albany to the then new Anglican Communion Network. Although 40% of parish delegations and a quarter of the clergy voted against the Network, Albany joined it. In doing so, it allied itself with dioceses (Pittsburgh, San Joaquin, Fort Worth, and Quincy) that have since left¹ the Episcopal Church and others (e.g. South Carolina) that may yet leave it.

In eight years, we have won no votes or elections at Convention, nor have we made much headway in our efforts to engage Albany's present and past Bishops. Yet, like others who swim against the tide — think Dennis Kucinich on the left and Ron Paul on the right —, we persist because many others in this diocese share our commitment to a thoughtful, inclusive Episcopal Church and a collegial Anglican Communion.

Will AVM still be here eight years hence? I hope not. I hope that Bishop Love or whoever succeeds him will serve all Albany Episcopalians, not just those who share his views.

Until then, Happy Anniversary, AVM-ers. May your numbers increase!

Bob Dodd

¹Editor's note: Actually a diocese of The Episcopal Church is a subsidiary of The Episcopal Church that cannot separate intact from The Episcopal Church. A more precise description of what happened with the four named dioceses is that their governance arms decided to “leave” The Episcopal Church. In each case many individuals, including the bishops and most diocesan leaders of the time, chose to leave The Episcopal Church and to affiliate extra-legally, if not illegally, with a different province of The Anglican Communion and subsequently with a successor organization of the Anglican Communion Network that continues to aspire to be recognized as a legitimate province of The Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church reconstituted those dioceses of The Episcopal Church for the loyal Episcopalians who chose to remain.