Its A Deep Cliff For The Episcopal Church

In a previous post, I lamented the Episcopal Church choosing the wrong woman for the post of presiding bishop. The lament continues.
Today at General Convention, the church leadership voted to reject a moratorium on promoting gay and lesbians to diocesan bishops to preserve Anglican unity.
No matter how one feels on the issue, a moratorium is not a bad thing while good people on both sides find a way to get to a compromise-the traditional Anglican/Episcopal way.
But like the cliff divers in Mazlatan, Mexico, the liberal dominated House of Bishops and House of Deputies keep going off the cliff thinking that the opinion and thought of the pew sitter does not matter. Like all good liberals, they know what is the best for the rest of us and are just moving us along in their way.
Well, I think the pew sitter may move another way-out the door.
Why this seems to be the route the liberals, who claim that they are following Anglican ethos is baffling.
As late as 1960, the Episcopal Church had nearly 4,000,000 members. Today, we struggle around 2,000,000, give or take. Forty-six years, a solid 50 percent decline in members. No one on any side can say that this is a good thing.
Because of this, both sides are pointing fingers as to why this precipitous decline has occurred. The liberal side is firmly entrenched and they need to take responsibility.
But alas, they do not. They are blaming genuine moderates and traditionalists as being divisive-typical M.O. But they do not see what this kind of rejection does to be divisive.
So, why does someone like me stay, despite the seemingly obvious?
Because eventually the liberals will run their course and will need to genuinely reach out to those moderates and traditionalists who do stay and work together for the great commission. To take Jesus Christ to the world.
I am an optimist, but these divisive events do take me aback-but more determined to be there to pick up the pieces and renew the church.