We reference the AAC & TAC often in this journal. The letters stand for the American Anglican Council and its new Tennessee progeny. Perhaps it is not widely known that this schismatic organization professes a verbally inerrant scripture and a confessional church; it also practices Donatism, a heresy condemned in 411 AD that claims the character of the celebrant affects the validity of the sacrament. The AAC requires its adherents to subscribe by signature to these principles which are alien to our tradition and to the Baptismal Covenant, as well.

Several TAC clergy have publicly renounced their Episcopal orders, labeled ECUSA a "cult," and given us a time certain in which to "repent" of the action of the recent General Convention. The Bishop of Tennessee has served as a consultant to the AAC and is signatory to its tenets. He has also enabled its flourishing in Tennessee since its inception and refused to admonish or inhibit its followers.

We've not the space to list the ordination vows for bishops and priests. They are listed in the Ordinal (BCP pp. 510-555). We urgently commend your attention to them and to the AAC and TAC web pages before the forthcoming January Diocesan Convention

A friend was at mass one recent Sunday in his local Roman Catholic parish. At a rather delicate moment in the liturgy, a cell phone among the congregation chimed its presence. The priest stopped, slowly turned, and quite casually remarked, "If that's my wife, tell her I'm busy."

In a Washington cemetery on the gravestone of a Vietnam veteran, it is written: "When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and discharged me for loving one."

Two of my fellow clergy and I attended a recent "service for unity" held at St Bartholomew Church, Nashville. As we were exiting the nave following the service, we were confronted by an enraged woman who accused us of "malice, arrogance, and disrespect" and of deliberately trying to "intimidate the preacher" by our presence. She said we had no right to be there and were not welcome. While I admit that I wanted my presence noted, the intensity of her anger was troubling. I do not think we intimidated the preacher one bit. There's an unconfirmed rumor about, however, that we three have been banned from that parish.

At a recent luncheon, the Bishop of Tennessee was the guest of a number of us fellow presbyters. A candid conversation concerning a number of current divisive issues ensued. Following the gathering, the Bishop openly accused Covenant and me for causing the current severe divisions in the Diocese. I invited him to make that claim in our letter-to-the-editor column or in a separate article. He refused. -- JLD