Responding to the "Steadfast Episcopalians"

It appears that virtually all members, lay and clerical, of the Episcopal diocese of Fort Worth received a letter in the mail from a group calling itself "Steadfast Episcopalians" during the last week. It seems the Steadfast Episcopalians, whomever they may be, have taken our addresses from old member directories of the parishes of the diocese, as mine was addressed to "Mr. Randall W. Foster" (n.b., the most recent directory from St. Vincent's was printed before I was ordained last year).

The content of the letter was largely unobjectionable, indeed some of it was even laudable. This moderately conservative tone was clearly intended to make the Steadfast Episcopalians' goal of remaining within TEC seem reasonable to orthodox fence-sitters in our diocese who are still unsure about which way to turn during and after our upcoming November vote on disaffiliation from General Convention and the leadership at 815. It seems the letter's author or authors wanted to convey the idea that since there are plenty of "orthodox" Episcopalians left in our diocese the leftward drift of the national TEC over the last few decades shouldn't trouble us enough to make us want to bolt for another province. "Jesus wants us all to be one. Besides, since things are more or less OK around here locally in Fort Worth why should we risk taking any decisive action that might get us into trouble?," they seems to be saying.

The Very Rev. Ryan S. Reed, dean of St. Vincent's Cathedral here, has written a crystal clear response to the Steadfast Episcopalians' letter. I commend it for your reading.