A little more than a year ago, I wrote these words, about the Episcopal Church, which had just ordained Gene Robinson as a bishop.
I don't think this is the point where the ship has hit the iceberg. I think the iceberg was hit many years ago when bishops like John Shelby Spong were allowed to become spokesmen for the Episcopal church, men who do not believe in Christ's divinity, nor the Resurrection, nor the Atonement, and who find no relevance in the Bible. So the church hit the iceberg a long time ago. In my view, it's probably at the point where the ship is just about vertical and about to snap in two. People are jumping ship, and the ship will sink. The Episcopal Church will soon no longer be recognizable as a Christian Church, as heterodox as the Unitarian Universalist Association, which took action similar to this way back in 1984.
The Episcopal Church is now promoting a ritual honoring "The Queen of Heaven". As heterodox as the UUs? You bet. The Unitarian Universalist Association has had a Cakes for the Queen of Heaven Religious Education program for a long time (my former UU congregation does it). In fact, the book by that title was written by a UU minister, Shirley Ranck, back in 1986. About the only difference I can find between the Episcopalians and the UUs is that the UUs are much bolder in admitting that this is a spit in the eye to orthodox Christian faith.
Hat tips to Jason Steffens (Antioch Road) and Amy Welborn (Open Book)