Liberal Christianity is paying for its sins

LA Times ^ | 7/9/06 | Charlotte Allen

[Oshkalaboomboom]

The accelerating fragmentation of the strife-torn Episcopal Church USA, in which several parishes and even a few dioceses are opting out of the church, isn't simply about gay bishops, the blessing of same-sex unions or the election of a woman as presiding bishop. It also is about the meltdown of liberal Christianity.

Embraced by the leadership of all the mainline Protestant denominations, as well as large segments of American Catholicism, liberal Christianity has been hailed by its boosters for 40 years as the future of the Christian church.

Instead, as all but a few die-hards now admit, all the mainline churches and movements within churches that have blurred doctrine and softened moral precepts are demographically declining and, in the case of the Episcopal Church, disintegrating.

It is not entirely coincidental that at about the same time that Episcopalians, at their general convention in Columbus, Ohio, were thumbing their noses at a directive from the worldwide Anglican Communion that they "repent" of confirming the openly gay Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire three years ago, the Presbyterian Church USA, at its general assembly in Birmingham, Ala., was turning itself into the laughingstock of the blogosphere by tacitly approving alternative designations for the supposedly sexist Christian Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Among the suggested names were "Mother, Child and Womb" and "Rock, Redeemer and Friend." Moved by the spirit of the Presbyterian revisionists, Beliefnet blogger Rod Dreher held a "Name That Trinity" contest. Entries included "Rock, Scissors and Paper" and "Larry, Curly and Moe."

Following the Episcopalian lead, the Presbyterians also voted to give local congregations the freedom to ordain openly cohabiting gay and lesbian ministers and endorsed the legalization of medical marijuana.

[ladyinred]

My Episcopal Church is pulling out. It is not liberal in the least.

[RobbyS]

You talk about the Church as if she were a monolith. Yes, there ARE liberal Christians in high, middle and low positions in the Church, some rather famous. But unlike the Episcopal Church they are in the minority, and do not represent THE position of the Church. Back in the seventies, many in the Church became quite lax on the admission of homosexuals into the priesthood. More than that, some were avid to admit them. The claim was that a homosexual can be a good priest. The scandals undercut that assumption, but not before these false priests did great harm to the reputation of the Church. Yes, a homosexual can be a good priest but on the same terms as God admits the rich into heaven, that the camel can pass through the eye of a needle.

[RobbyS]

You probably will have to change the name to Anglican.

[RobbyS]

You probably will have to change the name to Anglican.

[dollars_for_dogma]

Here is your bigoted, anti-Catholic statement:

Until a Church absolutely condemns sinful behavior I have no respect for them or the leaders. You appear to be worshipping the Church instead of God.

and

I used to be a practicing Catholic until I became a Baptist.

So, as a former Catholic you knew darn well (or should have known) that the Church has always condemned homosexuallity, yet, you still had to take your parting shots.

And at no time have I ever condoned homosexual priests, nor their evil perversions.

As I posted, the homosexuals in priest's robes have been exposed and the Church is being cleansed of the filth.

[dollars_for_dogma]

....yet your (you're) trying to deny that homosexual behavior was accepted by the Church when it allowed priests to be moved around and protected from prosecution using the Church's money.

Hold on there....this isn't your new bible church where

everyone is free to interpret as they wish....

Please re-read the words that I originally posted--then
comment.

[RedStateRocker]

"here's no such thing as a liberal Muslim."

Sure there is!
One that has either run out of ammunition or is too cowardly to become a suicide bomber.

I'm an Episcopalian but our bishop has come out against ordaining gay clergy or sanctifying same sex marriages. However we have a saying "wherever you find four Episcopalians you'll find a fifth"

[dollars_for_dogma]

"I was not raised Catholic..."

You claimed to have been here:

"I used to be a practicing Catholic until I became a Baptist."

Then...

"....,never been molested by a priest never stated to have been and because I'm a female I doubt I ever would be..."

I guessed by your posts that you were female, and never said you had been molested

"...and yet you think I've claimed some kind of victimhood"

"Victimhood" based on this classic whine after I stating you had made a bigoted remark in regards to the Catholic Church:

"Calling me names won't change the facts."

[Notwithstanding]

I bet you like making up your own rules, too.
You just do as you please.
As a rotestant, you can always interpret the Word to mean anything you like.

YOPIOS.

[Notwithstanding]

woops: protestant

[Notwithstanding]

Jesus says "eat my flesh" and you say "but it does not really mean that".

As I said: as a protestant, you can claim any interpretation you want, no matter how twisted and no matter how clear it is that your twisted interpretation did not exist for the first 1500 years of Christianity.

[Warren_Piece]

This is an ugly, viscious thread, and reflects far worse on Christianity and Christendom than the subject of the original post.

[DungeonMaster]

And, oh by the way, earlier in the same chapter of John, he performs the miracle of loaves and fishes for the crowd in which he made the flesh of fish and bread miraculously multiply. He showed that he could make flesh appear miraculously so that ALL who were hungry could eat their fill. This is followed IMMEDIATELY by the discourse on the Eucharist in which he demands that we eat his flesh and drink his blood.

Eat doesn't mean eat and flesh doesn't mean flesh.

[Fiji Hill]

Entries included "Rock, Scissors and Paper" and "Larry, Curly and Moe."

My suggestion would be "Martin, Barton and Fish," a mantra from the 1940 presidential campaign inspired by Reps. Joe Martin (R-Mass.), Bruce Barton (R-NY), and Hamilton Fish (R-NY).

[Birmingham Rain]

"Pssssst . . . Dreher was committing what some around here like to call a "joke." Further explanation provided if still needed."


You misunderstood me, Xenalyte. I don't buy in to the "joke" about the names of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. No explanation needed by me concerning the "joke" as I'm certain there's only One who will ask it.

Regards,

Birmingham Rain