Posted on 10/26/2011 9:26:04 AM PDT by Cronos
Before returning to New England for the second time, I served two African American Presbyterian Churches. And during that time I never thought, two decades ago, that the entire church body would change its position on LGBTQ worshippers.
But a historic yet bittersweet moment happened on October 8th in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
And the moment didn’t happened without a long and arduous struggle against the church’s ecclesiastical heterosexism.
After decades of open struggle with the church’s recalcitrant attitude and discrimination against its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) worshippers who wanted to serve as pastors, elders or deacons, the Presbyterian Church (USA), known as the more liberal and tolerant branch of the denomination, finally conducted its first openly gay ordination.
...As a church that is borne out of a liberal Protestant Christian tradition, the Presbyterian Church’s problem with its LGBTQ worshippers is a history of how it not only broke the backs and souls of the many who wanted to serve, but also how the church recklessly discarded the gifts we bring.
...as a church that proudly touts itself as “reformed and always reforming,” when it came to all things LGBTQ prior to this recent Amendment, the church was not only losing its theological ground of being one that affirms diversity without divisiveness, but it was also losing its public face of inclusion.
(Excerpt) Read more at ukprogressive.co.uk ...
true — expect the pinkmafia to twist everything, like statements that there is no such thing as a “church” in the bible.
Ping to #17.
You did not read my original post, either. The answer is, “None.” No denominations left which are biblical. Further, there are no “denominations” described or prescribed in the Scriptures. As noted, the word “church” is simply a made-up term to brand organizations which claim to be representations of the Body of Christ. I find no support for this in the Scriptures (NT), and thus find no reason to manufacture a group out of whole cloth.
And, no, Paul was often sent out from believers in Antioch. Check the text. And, nothing resembles physical Israel in the New Covenant, my FRiend. That is, unless you wish to add sacraficial animals, the priesthood (the RCC morphing), Holy Days, certain cloth, food restrictions (7th Day), and other Mosaic Law matters. Jer. 31. A new day has dawned and Organizations are not part of the story.
Catholics are still standing firm but I don’t expect you to report this.
And when Protestant do the same thing in reverse, what does that reveal about them?
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
Look for those Evelyn Woods Reading Dynamics courses in your stocking this year.
Thanks but don’t need them. Perhaps we can send you an encyclopedia to check facts before posting?
I'm actually not reporting anything here. I was commenting on a report that some kind of debauched Presbyterian cult ordained homosexuals. The question was raised, are there any denoms left, and I answered "no".
The RCC has long ago disqualified itself for reasons other than embracing homosexuality, but this might be coming soon to a town near you. This from "On Faith" website: This new analysis paints a clear portrait of Catholics that may be surprising to some: across a range of issues regarding rights for gay and lesbian Americans, Catholics are more supportive than the general population and are more supportive than any other Christian group.
Yes, standing firm, my FRiend...in the mud.
“You are so insecure about your faith in Rome, Cronos, that you are always on the attack. That you take glee in pointing out the heresy of churches other than your own reveals your lack of faith in Christ, and your abundance of faith in Rome.”
You think he’s happy? I see no problem with him reporting apostasy where it erupts. This way those who are a member of this church are aware of the changes that are happening to them.
Waiting for the errors you found.
Thank you. And I expect you to rebuke Roman Catholics when they attack me personally. It happens all too often.
Return to the issues.
Simple — your post saying “ekklesia” isn’t in scripture. And of course, if anyone runs through all your posts, there are plenty. btw, Encyclopedia Britannica is also online — do refer there if you wish.
Alternatively, you could go to the closed threads (which one, the "anything but Christianity caucus"?) -- thin-skinned folks are urged to go there. Enjoy.
good point, please could you delete the posts by Theo and responses — namely 22, 28, 34? Thank you!
sexual perversion by any label is still sexual perversion, period
Yes, ALL denominations are the result of break-offs from the original church. At some point, somebody thought "hey, these guys are wrong" are were unable to achieve a satisfactory correction. Are denominations scriptural, per se? No, but I'll bet that every one of them believed at the outset that they were trying to reform the main body they broke away from, and regretted having to do so. You could argue that Christ himself was such a reformer as he railed against the corruption of the Jewish leadership of the day (Matt. 23).
Paul was indeed originally sent out from the church at Jerusalem (Acts 11:22 - sent to Antioch). Never did I say (or even imply) a Judaism connection. Please do not put words onto my post that are not there.
My PCA denomination often actually has signs posted in front of their main local buildings reading something like "Meeting place of the _____ (name of church body)". We do understand what the 'church' is: a group of believers, and not a building or organization.
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