Now that the Episcopalians have their first openly gay bishop, everyone is wondering if a schism is down the road. I don’t know enough about Anglican politics to speculate much, but I imagine the following scenario is plausible:
(1) The global Anglican fellowship declares the appointment of a gay bishop heretical, or something similar. (2) Several liberal US Episcopal congregations leave and/or are forced out, taking enough liberal bishops with them to begin forming a fledgling denomination on their own. (3) With conservative hesitations removed, the new Liberal Episcopal Church explores more rapid unification with the more liberal member denominations of Churches Uniting in Christ. (3) Inspired and encouraged by the newfound independence of the their liberal Episcopal counterparts, liberal partisans in CUI churches begin to plan for a split. (4) The splintered churches unite to form a new liberal Christian denomination, uniting around something resembling the creed of the United Church of Canada. (5) Because of doctrinal issues and the loss of their more ecumenically minded leaders, the remaining denominations are unable to unite themselves to form a conservative counter-denomination.
I think what the right wing desires is that Rowan Williams would allow the creation of a second anglican church in the US which could be rightwing. But given Episcopal polity and given Williams own leanings, I have a hard time thinking that he’s going to allow for such a thing. The reason I don’t think your scenario is as plausible is that the majority of Episcopalians, bishops, dioceses are decidely liberal or moderate. So if there is any leaving of the church, it’d be the right wing. But how Williams is able to at least prevent the situation of other countries not recognizing the US church is a tough question. Not sure how he’ll respond.
But I do like the United Church of Canada creed. And there is some plausibility to the idea of a United sort of church, especially with the Disciples and the UCC. The old idea of a federation of liberal churches, that many Unitarians and Universalists circulated in the early part of the 20th century might have a chance.
On a side note, blogger.com won’t let me post my posts anymore. There’s some technical difficulty and so I’ve decided to jump ship. I’m now located at
http://www.blogstudio.com/religiousliberal/