Saturday, January 19, 2008

More Convention: quotable quotes by Bishop Michael Curry

Previous posts on Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina:

Here and (briefly) here.

Disclaimer: this is not an official report or even a complete one. It is a set of snapshots. Bear in mind everyone has particular filters, biases, lenses, hermeneutics, whatever you want to call 'em.

A few notes from Bishop Michael Curry's Convention Address:

[Anything in brackets is something I didn't exactly hear or that I can't read clearly in my scribbles. If it is not in italics, then it's my statement and not the bishop's. Ellipses indicate that I am skipping words -- mostly because I didn't have time to write them down. There is a written text of Bishop Curry's address available, but he always departs from his text, and I mean always.]

It's time for this individualized sectarianism [to stop]. We are one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. We are not Congregationalists. We are not Baptists. We are Episcopalians!

[I plan to be at] Lambeth. I don't have to agree with the Archbishop of Canterbury. He's my brother. I don't agree with my brother. I don't agree with my wife! [That one was the quote of the day. We howled with laughter in agreement.]

Agreement does not constitute the church. Being bonded in Christ does!

The work of abolishing poverty... stopping the desecration of the environment... is not "secular work!" [Goes on to reference Matthew 25.] Working to end poverty, end suffering... we do it because we walk in the footsteps of Jesus.... [though] y'all know I believe in the Creed and I want you to say it every Sunday.

[Reflecting on his stock-taking during his recent three-month sabbatical.] [The Church must be] a house of prayer for all people. All of us... God including those who have been excluded.... that's what I believe and that's what I would give my life for.

[Talks about being the] descendant of slaves who worked the fields here in North Carolina.

The Church is characterized by being a welcoming people, leaving all judgments to God.

[So] roll up your sleeves, put your "Welcome" buttons on [We had all been given buttons with the Episcopal shield and the single word "Welcome"].

... You are a child of God. You are safe here. [Encourages everyone to read Stephanie Spellers' book Radical Welcome.]

He also spoke movingly of Thomas Atkinson, third bishop of North Carolina. See here for a little something on Atkinson.

More Convention things shortly.

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