Daily Archives: January 16, 2007

South American Developments

I note recent events in South America, specifically the regime arising in Venezuela. This from CNN:

 

But, how modern really is the socialism that Chavez proposes for Venezuela?

Given the announcements made last week, when he was inaugurated for a new term and named a new Cabinet, we can say that Venezuela is heading towards the old communism of the last century, and more in the Cuban or North Korean style than the Chinese.

The decisions announced by Chavez are very similar to those taken in the early years of the Cuban Revolution.

And what’s paying for all of this? American SUV’s… Our fourth biggest supplier of oil is Venezuela. For those keeping track—Nigeria is number five. (data from here)

The Non-Episcopal Anglican Future in America

…looks a lot like the present.

This just in from Memphis (h/t Jim Naughton): “Delegates from a dozen churches in Memphis and across the South will ask the Anglican Church of Kenya to form a diocese and appoint a bishop for them in America.”

So, we have active presences of bishops from Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Peru, the Southern Cone in the geographical area of TEC without “permission” (and oversight from a former American bishop who is now part of the Canadian church with permission)…

The Network’s attempt at creating a parallel body in America will not succeed. Why? Two reasons I can see. The first is that it is fundamentally organized and active on a congregational level and the congregations are not united in what they are for—only in what they are against. (Even the potential break-away diocese are operating with the same mentality.) Rather than all joining the same alternate structure, they pick and choose who fits best (at the moment). It’s consumer Christianity in a global market. The second is just starting to make sense to me—because it is not in the best interest of the Global South Primates who are receiving American congregations into their folds.