Après moi, le déluge.

Friends, I'm worried about Virginia. The Diocese of Virginia is the largest diocese in The United States and one of the richest --historically and financially. It was also my first diocese and will in some way always be my spiritual home. It was where I first discerned my call to ministry.

Now it's probable that eight Virginia parishes, including two extremely wealthy and historic (George Washington served on their vestry) parishes, will be leaving The Episcopal Church for the extremely conservative Anglican Church in Nigeria, Rwanda or Bolivia. Dozens --at least-- of other parishes are watching what happens to Virginia. If and when they do leave, I suspect many others will follow their lead and the Episcopal Church will be split forever.

The title of this post, for those of you who don't know, is paraphrased from King Louis XV of France who, foretelling the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy said "après moi, le déluge"

"After me, the flood."