First, the assumption was made that I was attacking York, and this is patently not so. I was encouraging York to look and listen harder to what the American Church was saying.

Second, the assumption was made that anyone who is retired from a major position has lost influence and fallen out of importance in the shaping of the American Church mind.

The action MacIyalla and others are urging is clearly intended to punish Nigeria, and is also directly linked to the stance of the Church of Nigeria. Far from distancing itself from this approach and urging 'listening', it seems that Changing Attitude in Nigeria is at the forefront. And, of course, Davis MacIyalla has the full support and encouragement of Changing Attitude in England, as can be seen from their website.

For instance, if my local grocery store runs out of duck confit, there is no doubt in my mind that this is because Bush has allowed the store's employees to live in deplorable conditions without universal health care-thereby causing them all to call in sick last Wednesday. Do I even need to mention the effects of global warming on ducks?

You and I are both senior priests and theologians of the Episcopal Church with experience of the wider Anglican Communion. That grants us a certain standing to be heard, but obviously not as the voice of God. I agree with you that at the end of the day discerning God's will is our common aim and prayer. But it is also the case, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, that the prayers of all cannot not be equally answered.