[Bumped] Diocese of Georgia Under Benhase Continues Slow Meltdown

As far as I know, his departure has been amicable, and I’m not aware of any statements he’s made regarding diocesan leadership, or the Bishop.

All eyes are on Christ Church, of course.

There’s a good deal of sadness that the Bishop, so early in his tenure, voted for the Glasspool farce when the Standing Committee had voted no, and a certain degree of astonishment at the rather academically lame justification he sent out for doing so, after Stand Firm had leaked news of the vote. Many wonder how long he will last.

Other than that, it’s my understanding that things are quiet in the Peanut State. The real fireworks right now are at the cathedral in Columbia.

The Reverend Dr. Robert Lefavi of Saint Patrick’s Episcopal Church is leaving the faith…

Uhhh, no, my guess is he is keeping “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”, which TEO denies even exists.

Fr. Lefavi preaches the gospel and has been in churches that grow. He is in a minority in the DGA.

Interesting this connection between the ACNA and a traditional Lutheran church.  I don’t know what exactly is going on, but you keep seeing these connections popping up.

#4 Yep. In case folks missed it last month, “...the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod has lined up four meetings with ACNA representatives at seminaries later this year as the two denominations explore potential for Eucharistic sharing.”

What’s an “independent Lutheran congregation” (per the linked article, above) have to do with the ACNA?  I know there have been talks with the Missouri Synod Lutherans but this feels like the article—which says he’s “leaving the faith” (sic!)—did not get its facts straight.

... leaving the faith ...

That looks accurate to me.  Whatever steaming pile of “the faith” is that the Episcopalians are shoveling around these days, this guy has managed to extricate himself from it.

“The Reverend Dr. Robert Lefavi…is joining the Anglican Church in North America. ...Lefavi has ... accepted a call to serve as pastor of an independent Lutheran congregation. ”

Can someone explain the nature of the congregation that he is going to lead?

How did you find out how the Standing Committee voted?  Apparently it is secret in Alabama!  I called the Bishop’s office and they wouldn’t tell me!  Does anyone know about Alabama?

Georgia on my mind:

Georgia: Graduate Student Sues University After Professors Threaten to Expel Her From Program Unless She Agreed to Undergo “Remediation Plan” to Change Her Views on Homosexuality…

I wonder where Benhase stands?

More meltdown in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, too.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100727/NEWS01/7280331/Priest-quits-over-gay-issues

Well now there is an idea…if the Orthodox priests would resign, what’s left of them, I wonder what would happen.  Hmmmm…

If anyone has any information on the connection between this priest and/or ACNA with an “independent” Lutheran congregation or Lutherans in general, please let me know.

At the recent Provincial Council of the ACNA, it was reported that perhaps as many as 150 former ELCA congregations were seeking some kind of affiliation with the ACNA.  It could well be that the “independent” Lutheran congregation getting Fr. Lefavi is one of those. 

On the other hand, I suppose it’s remotely possible that the reporter got the facts mixed up, or at least the letters in the denominational acronym, and that Dr. Lefavi has joined not the ACNA, but the new NALC, the North American Lutheran Church.  Not likely, but theoretically possible.

But I note that this brief report (and a Google search turned up nothing more) only says that he himself is leaving TEC.  There’s no indication (yet) that St. Patrick’s as a church has voted to leave as well.

I’m sure these mysteries will soon be cleared up.

David Handy+