It's Andrus!

   On the third ballot, Mark Andrus, the suffragan bishop of Alabama received a majority of the votes from  both the clergy and the laity.  If the conservatives want to schism, they're going to have to keep looking for a provocation.  I'm sure it won't take long for them to find it.

I liked Bishop Andrus.  He's the one who spoke about the difference between worshiping Jesus and practicing the teachings of Jesus.  There was a lot of sympathy for him during the week.  More than one person saying it would be nice if he could be rescued from Alabama.  He took a lot of body blows from the conservatives in Alabama for his vote to consecrate Gene Robinson as a bishop.  He's a very bright and complex man. He was asked how he would be different as a bishop from retiring Bishop William Swing.  He said, "well, we're both married white guys from the South," but he went on to say that they were different in as many ways as they were similar.  I think he's a very worthy successor to Bishop Swing.

Jane Gould's support was thinner than I thought.  Eugene Sutton's support folded faster than I would have thought as well.  And the lay vote surrendered pretty fast.  One priest told me that traditionally the clergy folds and goes along with the laity.  But not every time.

Comments

[jaye]

I need to ask you--did you go to the SanFran film fest? You are usually on the scene at all the important cultural events and since I live through you, I want to hear all about that, too.