Could the Anglican Communion be headed for a split?

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has urged for calm after a majority of Anglican primates have told their American and Canadian couterparts to, in the most Anglican way, sod off.

Well, not exactly. The heads of the American and Canadian branches of the Communion have simply been "put on probation" as it were, according to the orthodox Episcopalian blogger David Virtue.

I love David's new website. I've been a subscriber to his listserv for years, and he's definitely a thorn in the side of the PTB in the ECUSA. He's there to make sure that the PTB know darn well that there are still conservative, orthodox Episcopalians out there.

My question is, why? Or rather, why are they still in the ECUSA, given where it has been going the past 40 years? I know they say they just want to try to "rescue" the ECUSA and bring it back to where it used to be.

I say, just let it go.

There are so many other choices for orthodox Anglicans in America, not least of which is the Reformed Episcopal Church. Then there's the Anglican Mission in America. These and other continuing Anglican churches can provide what the ECUSA can no longer: preaching the gospel of Christ, not the gospel of man.

The ECUSA has gotten so bloated with "social justice" clergy and generally liberal, culturally assimilationist claptrap that its hard to call it a church anymore. They have tried so hard not to offend anyone (except the remaining orthodox members) that it can't really preach the gospel of Christ because there would be something there to offend someone. Can't preach against Christ's proscription against divorce. We have too many divorced parishoners, priests and bishops. That might make them feel bad. Can't preach about how, as we recite from the tradition Anglican prayerbook, that we are "miserable offenders." That's definitely not part of the "I'm OK, You're OK" theology. Basically, all the ECUSA has left is a kind of warmed over, "Gee, isn't it swell to be so swell" kind of mush. Anything else would definitely offend someone.

If I'm one of the dozen or so orthodox Episcopalians left, I would look my priest dead in the eye and say, "I say it's spinach and I say it stinks," and go. Both sides probably would be happier (unless you contribute lots of money, then the priest might be a wee bit sad, not over you, necessarily, but over the loss of your nice money).

Just do it.