>>Hi Jen,
>>
>>Best parts??? Let's the Episcopal Church ordains women, and if I recall correctly, there's a female Bishop somewhere in the northeast (I think). Now the Church of England, that's another story.
>It is indeed and it was the grand old CofE that I grew up in. Even though the Episcopal Church has moved forward a lot in the past 20 years or so, I still have a real hard time with the concept of a gendered god. I prefer them either beyond gender or one (at least) of each.

Strictly a personal viewpoint here, and not one I think that would be expounded by any Anglican theologians. I don't personaly believe that God has a gender. However, the concept of one provides a reference point for us mortals. I can't , in this context, resist the following joke:

An old man dies, goes to heaven, but miraculously is brought to life after an extended period of time. Naturally this makes for a sensational story, and the press flocks to his bedside.

Reporter: Did you meet God?

Old Man: Yes!

Reporter: What can you tell us?

Old Man: Well, first of all she was black...

>Still, we have freedom of religion (at the moment, at least in the US).

Thankfully!

>I strongly suspect that in the long run it's not so much the details of what you believe and how you worship that matter nearly so much as the fact that you have faith and do your best to live according to your religion.
>
>Either way --- time to party like it's 1999

At 12:00 AM tomorrow, but not before.:-)

>Happy new year

The same to you, Jen.