Here's an article from the New York Times about the brew-ha-ha that's going on with the American Episcopal church. With the ordination of the first openly gay priest a few years back, and the following installment of the first woman bishop of the entire Episcopal church in America, many of the more conservative churches and dioceses have felt jilted, and now they are leaving.Not too long ago, several other members of the Anglican communion in some of the poorer parts of the world including Bolivia, Rwanda, and Nigeria got together to send missionaries over to help save the day. Now, many of the conservative Episcopal churches and dioceses are leaving the Episcopal church and joining up with these foreign branches of the Anglican communion because of irreconcilable differences.
So, what do you do? The Anglican communion has historically been very broad as far as the scope of doctrine professed, but for many it seems that now a line has been crossed. For me, of course, I think a line has definitely been crossed, at least with regards to homosexuality, if not also with the ordination of women. Is that cause for secession? What is cause for the breaking of fellowship? From what Paul the apostle said, and maybe Jesus too, it seems to be unrepenant sin is cause for breaking fellowship. But of course, that begs the questions, what kind of sin, who defines it, is it possible to really let the Scripture settle the issue, etc. I think so. I want to believe that it is, or we might as well just go in any old direction we want.Several years ago J.I. Packer commented in Christianity Today about why he walked out of the meeting in which a decision was made to bless same-sex unions by saying that
"this decision, taken in its context, falsifies the gospel of Christ, abandons the authority of Scripture, jeopardizes the salvation of fellow human beings, and betrays the church in its God-appointed role as the bastion and bulwark of divine truth. My primary authority is a Bible writer named Paul. For many decades now, I have asked myself at every turn of my theological road: Would Paul be with me in this? What would he say if he were in my shoes? I have never dared to offer a view on anything that I did not have good reason to think he would endorse."
It's not an uncomplicated situation, and it won't be a quick fix, but someone somewhere at some point in time has to draw the line. And this time it might just be time for a change. I pray that it would not include division, but if it must, then let it be for the truth of Christ and the Scriptures and the glory of God, the only foundation for Christian love.
3 comments:
Well said, Kerby. My pastor, Dennis Newkirk, talked about a subject similiar to this one just this morning! He was referring to Ephesians 5 and how we as 'children of the Light' should be living as such (as we *are*) but we aren't (because we're living as we *were*). He continued to say that the current state of our society is has nothing to do with our declining ethics/morality, the government, the economy, etc, but it has everything to do with the lifestyle and culture of the Church. Dennis made a good point that I think sums it up nicely:
"Society is intolerant of those who are intolerant."
This issue of "mix n' match" Christianity is running rampant in the modern Church. Something sinister has found its way into the Body, and I pray that it is contained (or triumphed over, rather) before it is too late.
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Definitely a hot topic. We had a two-hour debate about legalizing same-sex marriages in my Bible study a few months ago, and I was shocked at some of the viewpoints held by some of my Christian brothers and sisters. While I was completely black and white on this issue, and expected them to be as well, there were definite gray areas that cropped up that I didn't even stop to think about. While I still don't agree with their arguments, it was definitely interesting to listen to their thoughts and reasoning.
I find that one of my biggest obstacles to overcome on issues like this is the accusation of passing judgement. How do you share your viewpoints without coming across as judgemental? That word is so subjective anyway.
Kerby-
Thanks for bringing this ECUSA issue to the forefront. Amazingly, I went to college with Suzy Yates Anderson, the daughter of Rev. John Yates who heads up the great Falls Church. It is a special Episcopalian church that proclaims the Gospel in both Word and deed. When the issues arose my attention was brought to the situation through Common Grounds Online.
I found reading about what was going on to be INCREDIBLY encouraging. Rev. Yates and his colleagues have exuded Christ, while confronting with grace and truth. I have rarely seen in my short 25 years, a group of men take a stand while doing it in a manner that honors and blesses the Body.
One of the interesting things that I found about the Body's that are voting to seperate is that their voting percentages are massively in favor of seperation. Being Southern Baptist, by membership, I have seen many votes. Rarely are they 90% or more in one direction or the other. Most of the congregations have seen these numbers hold.
You are right Kerby, it is complicated. However, there has been a line drawn in the sand. These ECUSA churches can no longer align themselves, therefore they are rightly leaving. As Packer said, it FALSIFIES THE GOSPEL.
Some have said that "seperatists" rhetoric is harsh...rightly so! It is a drastic, heavy time for Anglicans worldwide. US based bishops have not reaffirmed Scripture, rather weakened it. They have not affirmed the Lordship of Christ, rather rejected it. As Yates and Guiness write, it is no longer sola scriptura, but sola cultura...by culture alone. This denomination will be nothing more than the current day Salvation Army...only with less cool clothes.
I suggest two articles be read
1) By Rev. John Yates and Os Guiness:http://www.thefallschurch.org/clientimages/29455/realignment/statements/01082007_washpost_whyweleft_yates_guiness.pdf
2) An article by Dr. Sanders on why they left: http://www.thefallschurch.org/templates/custhefalls/details.asp?id=29455&PID=387449&Style=
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