A Conference of Anglican Leaders Confronts Deeply Divisive Issues
Actions by the U.S. Episcopal Church test the durability of the Anglican Communion
Reader Comments
Division in the Anglican Church
The issue here is God's sovereignty and the Bible as his word. Do we believe that it is inerrant and the only standard of living on this world? If we do, and we study it from Genesis to Revelation, we will find the answer to all of these issues within the total context, without cherrypicking certain scriptures out of context to make it mean whatever we want it to mean. Most of these issues have been settled according to the word of God for centuries, and it is certain groups with political and immoral agendas that are questioning the orthodoxy of Christianity at this late date. Ultimately, you have to convince God he is wrong if your position is different than what is clearly illustrated in the Bible in toto.
Anglicans Angst
As a practicing ecumenical Methodist, I feel for my Anglican brothers/sisters in their time of testing. But a believing Christian cannot 'cherry pick' the Bible, or use Christ's message to re-order society. No church, Catholic or Protestant would ever deny the basic sacraments to it's member, whatever their lifestyle. But Christianity historically, as with the other major religions has condemned homosexuality, period. There is NO scientific explanation for this problem as yet. Until one surfaces, I feel only pity for those whose affliction prevents them from full contact with the other half of humanity, like a person born with only one leg. But their disability, preference, whatever cannot be held religiously as equal to a hetereosexul couple. Civil unions, yes, marriage and tax benefits, no.
Some things are not negotiable.
First, I am not an Anglican.
However, some things are not negotiable, regardless of demonination, such as basics like how we are saved (by faith and REPENTANCE) and morality, and we should have learned that (Hebrews 5:12-6:1).
Read the letters to Pergamum and Thyatira(Rev 2:12-29). These, and the other five letters as well, were written to the church, not to Anglicans, Baptists, Episcopalians, Catholics, Methodists, or any other denomination. God's Word applies to ALL of us.
Some want to justify their errant lifestyle by using their own interpretation of the Bible. Might get by with that in this world, but definitely will not in the next.
Unitarians that like to wear the pointy hat
semantics of liturgy is one thing, having basic theology turned upside down on its head is another. we orthodox are being pushed out and punished for following the Bible. we see it as simple as this 'you either believe the Bible is God's word given to man or you don't'. if you don't then we really have nothing in common theologically speaking at this point, and orthodox no longer wish to associate with or be ruled by whom we believe to be heretics. we also believe that our ancestors who built and paid for churches to reflect God's glory and allow us to worship Him should be left to us. however the liberals must fund their social justice projects somehow and the endowments left by departed members are just too juicy to be let go. so they show their christian love not by negotiation and allowing us buy the buildings, but by suing the dioceses and parishes. we are left feeling very bitter indeed. sometimes divorce is necessary and unfortunately this is becoming a nasty one.
We are a Church
We are a Church not a political or social network. We just have been taught to approach deep theological and spiritual questions using the 'Three Legged Stool'...Reason, Scripture and Tradition. This is why to to outsider we seem at times to be a little indecisive, we place a great emphasis on discernment at all levels of the communion.
What is saddest to me is the fact that many Episcopal Churches and many of the churches in the Southern Cone have had working missional relationships for decades. What I also find interesting especially when it comes to some Bishops in the Southern Cone, for instance Bishop Akinola is that they are hung up on human sexuality and the burgeoning stance of TEC in regards to it. When in his own country they sell women as sex slaves, brides, and practice in some cases genital mutilation of young girls.
What I am saying is why break up the entire Communion, the entire family because the cousins can't all agree. What is also appalling to me is the fact that the people who want to break up the Communion did not even have the decency to show up at Lambeth and go one on one with the other Provence's that they have a beef with. If the Communion fails it is not because of one gay bishop it is because of the pride of a few bishops and as the bible says 'Pride comes before the fall'
The Unusual Anglicans
The Anglicans (Episcopalians in the US) have a unique history that has resulted in two oddities. First, due to the progress of the Protestant Reformation in Britain, they are a church that includes widely varying beliefs. "Low Church" Anglicans seem to outsiders (I'm not Anglican) to be Protestants, while "High Church" Anglicans look more like Catholics. Their most liberal members (e.g., Bishop Spong) sound a lot like Unitarians. It's surprising that they haven't split into two or more denominations long before now! Second, due to missionary activities in the erstwhile global British Empire, a kind of fundamentalist Anglicanism has taken root around the world (especially in Africa). Although I personally don't agree with the theological conservatives like Bishop Akinola of Nigeria, their claim that non-white Anglicans now form the majority of the denomination is probably true. It'll take a miracle to hold this church together, and maybe it's time for them to split as other churches have done before them. Isn't being true to your beliefs more important than being a big denomination?
