A Good Show

There are times when loyal Anglicans wish that Catherine of Aragon had had twin sons. The General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Louisville was, happily, not one of those times.

A church convention is defined as much by its mood as its legislation. The mood of the two previous General Conventions had been noisy, belligerent, and almost threatening. The atmosphere in Louisville was different: quiet, with an appeal to healing. The crazy antics of yesteryear were gone. One had become accustomed to seeing the heirs of Cranmer, Laud, and Seabury clad in the garb of ranters and dancing by moonlight. In Louisville, the bishops acted like . . . bishops! Take, for example, the election of John Maury Allin as Presiding Bishop.

SS

About the Author

Sheldon Moody Smith

Featured Tags

There are times when loyal Anglicans wish that Catherine of Aragon had had twin sons. The General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Louisville was, happily, not one of those times.

A church convention is defined as much by its mood as its legislation. The mood of the two previous General Conventions had been noisy, belligerent, and almost threatening. The atmosphere in Louisville was different: quiet, with an appeal to healing. The crazy antics of yesteryear were gone. One had become accustomed to seeing the heirs of Cranmer, Laud, and Seabury clad in the garb of ranters and dancing by moonlight. In Louisville, the bishops acted like . . . bishops! Take, for example, the election of John Maury Allin as Presiding Bishop.