Understanding the current controversy in the Episcopal church became easier after I read this article. It was long, and difficult until I got rid of most of my distractions. My earlier simplistic analysis was correct, it boils down to the differences within the church regarding scriptural authority. Entitled "A Church Asunder" by Peter Boyer, it can be found at this (in the April 10 edition) website:

http://www.newyorker.com

When you add to that the dispute over property that occurs whenever a parish withdraws from its diocese, then, it seems, some sort of split is inevitable.

I like what Bishop Griswold said, “I’m struck by the fact that in the Gospel, in John, Jesus says, ‘I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, the Spirit will draw from what is mine, and reveal it to you.’ Now, when we look at how we have come to understand the cosmos over the centuries, how we’ve come to understand the complexities of our physicality, and have seen advances in surgery and medicine and all the rest of it, we can say to ourselves, ‘Why didn’t God simply plant the fullness of this knowledge in us at the beginning? Why has it taken us centuries to be able to cure fatal diseases that existed in the Middle Ages? How unkind and thoughtless of God not to give us all the information at the outset.’ And yet, we’ve been structured in a universe in such a way that truth is progressive.”

A progressive theology is required to receive the truth that has been revealed progressively. To assume all truth for all time has been encapsulated in The Holy Bible, as we know it, goes against everything a Spirit-filled Christian should advocate, or so it seems to me.

Mike wants me to read the article to him. If he lasts through the whole reading, I'll be very surprised.