Whats the big deal?

Why is there such a fuss in the Anglican church over the issue of the ordination of Bishop Robinson by the Episcopal Church of the USA (EPUSA)? After all, the Anglican church has embraced all sorts of liberalizing ideas over the last 50 years. So why is this issue different?

Two reasons. First, the average layman can understand this issue. Any issue that is in the least bit theological will cause most people to glaze over. But this is an issue that the average person can understand, an issue that seems intensely practical, and an issue which seems quite clear from a Biblical sense.

The second reason is that the Anglican churches in Africa and Asia cannot afford to let this issue slide. In Africa and Asia, the Anglican church is in intense competition with Muslims for converts. The Muslims have been criticising decadent Western influences for years, and so the Anglican churches in these areas absolutely cannot be seen as siding with the ECUSA. Ultimately, the Anglican churches of Africa and Asia value local converts a lot more than ECUSA money (as well any church should!).

The latest news is that the Anglican church of Zambia has impaired fellowship with both the ECUSA and the Church of England.