This Sunday we said a special prayer for our bishop, Steve Wood, who was elected Archbishop of the ACNA. I first heard about Steve Wood several years ago during the Episcopal war of secession when his large church decided to leave the Episcopal organization. I was friends with him on Facebook at the time. After a while he deactivated that Facebook profile and became a bishop in ANCA. He then became my bishop when I joined an ACNA parish.
I have been reading some negative comments about him from those who are strongly opposed to women's ordination (W.O.). I do consider the issue of W.O. to be an important unresolved question for the ACNA. I understand the concern that by ordaining women into the priesthood, the door is open for women to be rectors and then for them to demand to be bishops. We shall see if that happens, but I think that as long as ACNA leadership follows biblical principles, we are not going to go down that slippery slope.
I do not think that anyone has to worry that W.O. will be imposed upon them by the new Archbishop given the current structure of ACNA.
So, pray for Steve Wood as he takes on his new role in ACNA.
To better understand the W.O. problem and Steve Wood's election please listen to the Stand Firm podcast from this past Sunday.
Posts
I thought he might be your bishop, Pewster. I wish him well and he will have my prayers during his tenure.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the ACNA will impose female ordination on any diocese, but while the issue is still in question, we aren't fully a church. Any ACNA worship service in which the celebrant is a woman will cause some people to refrain from receiving communion. Plus, this unsettled issue prevents reunion with the original ECUSA-departees, the Continuers, who left because of WO in the late 1970s.
What I hope is that the no-WO dioceses will have full respect.