Our President (Great Email) Bush in Church

Email | 3/11/2004 | Email/Laura Lefler - Office of Senator Lamar Alexander

[newgeezer]

I just don't think this President would be the kind to go to a church of a faith other than his and not observe their rules.

I would be surprised if he didn't observe their rules. It may be that the Episcopalians are like the Lutherans where, as long as one agrees with their beliefs about the communion elements, one is welcome to participate.

[AnAmericanMother]

As a matter of fact (as a 3rd or 6th generation Episcopalian, depending on how you count) I have direct knowledge of this one!

The Episcopal Church admits to communion all those who are (1) baptized Christians and (2) eligible to receive communion in their own denomination. So Methodists clearly qualify. And Methodists do not so far as I know forbid their members from receiving in the Episcopal Church. My grandfather-in-law the Methodist minister had no qualms - he attended our wedding and read the lessons and assisted the priest.

Many Episcopalians (mostly the High wing) recognize the Real Presence, but do not enforce the issue as the Catholics do because the Low wing is fuzzy on the question.

And, as I told the sweet blue-haired lady who asked me when I got engaged to my Methodist husband "when I was going to convert" . . . if Charles and John Wesley lived and died Episcopalians, it's probably o.k. for me to, too.

Of course, as it turns out both my husband and I have now left the Episcopal Church for the local Catholics, who don't suffer from the current Episcopal confusion re scriptural and traditional authority, etc.

[txlurker]

Thanks so much for the additional information!

[biblewonk]

Yer not making me feel better about my vote.

[newgeezer]

Sometimes the truth bites.

[MegaSilver]

Also, I don't know what the Episcopalian position about non-Episcoplains receiving communion, but I know that the Catholic church frowns on it.

I'm not Anglican, but I've been to an Episcopal church several times, and the Priest told us that non-Anglicans/non-Episcopalians were welcome to participate in Communion. I suspect the main difference is that the Anglican Church--along with other Protestant denominations--believes that the Church is the body of believers as a whole, whereas the Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is the one Church and that Christians of other denominations may receive salvation, but are not a part of the Church and thus cannot receive Communion.

[Melpomene]

Thanks for the information! I still don't believe this story, though. It just doesn't ring true, regardless of what snopes says.

[AnAmericanMother]

Well, the circumstantial evidence in the story is strong - the Peace usually unfolds more or less as described, and I can't see making up that sort of detail out of whole cloth just for the sake of making up a story.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if parts of it were exaggerated a little. After all, my Irish family has never let the truth stand in the way of a good story . . . but there's usually a good strong substratum of truth there!

[LucyJo]

"If it were true he would have been video taped leaving the church holding his bible.

Do you mean a "ten pound bible" (Ann Coulter's description of Clinton's bible) that would show up well in a photo op? :)

[jla]

fyi

[mdmathis6]

He needs to address the NAACP convention directly this election year go round...even if there is hostility...the contrast of the hatefulness of the left with his own peacefulness will speak volunes!