Posted on 02/23/2007 3:19:42 PM PST by SirLinksalot
U.S. Episcopal Church Faces Ultimatum
NewsMax.com Wires
Friday, Feb. 23, 2007
NEW YORK -- Three years of emergency summits, nuanced apologies and behind-the-scenes negotiating failed. Anglican leaders this week gave the U.S. Episcopal Church an ultimatum: Halt your march toward full acceptance of gays, or lose your place in the global Anglican family.
Now, Episcopalians are asking themselves whether the cost of membership has become too high.
"We made our 'yes' to gays and lesbians," wrote the Rev. Ann Fontaine of the Diocese of Wyoming, in an examination of the Anglican demands. "Let it stand."
The global Anglican Communion, represented in the United States by the Episcopal Church, has spent years debating how its 77 million members should interpret Scripture on salvation, truth and sexuality.
But for theological conservatives, the time for talk ended in 2003 when the U.S. denomination consecrated its first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. To them, the confirmation was beyond the bounds of true Christianity.
Ever since, Episcopalians have had a tough lesson in what it means to be Anglican in the 21st century. The communion was once dominated by its North American and European provinces. But these days, its biggest and fastest-growing churches - by far - are in parts of the developing world where traditional Bible beliefs aren't questioned.
As a result, Episcopalians have found themselves on the defensive.
It's no coincidence that Archbishop Peter Akinola, head of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, is leading the charge against consecrating gays. With its 17.5 million members, the Nigerian church is more than seven times bigger than the U.S. denomination.
Episcopalians who share these conservative views of Scripture are in the minority in their own church. But by putting their time, energy and resources behind overseas traditionalists, they have helped move the communion toward the kind of demands they made this week.
Anglican leaders ended their meeting Monday in Tanzania by giving the Episcopal Church until Sept. 30 to pledge unequivocally not to consecrate another gay bishop or approve an official prayer service for blessing same-sex couples. If that promise is not given, the Episcopal Church could face a much reduced role in the Anglican world.
Many Episcopalians say they're being asked to give up what they cherish most about their denomination: its emphasis on social justice in Scripture, which led them to accept gay relationships, and its democratic policy making that gives lay people and clergy a vote in major decisions.
They look at what they've already done to mend the rifts and consider it more than enough.
The church has apologized repeatedly for failing to more fully consult with Anglican leaders before confirming Robinson - although it hasn't apologized for consecrating him. Episcopal leaders have explained themselves before Anglican panels and in countless private meetings.
If the Anglican family is forcing a choice between rejecting gays or going it alone, the liberal view says, then it may be time to say goodbye.
"If how others view us becomes our consuming concern, our mission will suffer or die," said Bishop Paul Marshall of the Diocese of Bethlehem, Pa., in a letter to his congregations Wednesday.
But the head of the Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, returned from the Tanzania meeting saying the denomination should make the very concessions liberals abhor "for a season" until relationships with fellow Anglicans can be healed.
Jefferts Schori personally supports ordaining gays, and she has upset some with her willingness to agree to the Anglican leaders' demands. Yet, she is not alone in wanting to keep the U.S. affiliation with the communion.
Bishop Kirk Smith of the Diocese of Arizona told his parishioners this week that "my heart breaks" at the thought of stepping back from full inclusion of gays and lesbians.
"However, I believe that we are at a moment in our history when we must remain together," Smith said. "I am committed to a fully inclusive church, but I am also committed to remaining part of the larger Anglican Communion." It's a bond that goes back hundreds of years, with roots in the Church of England.
Anglican leaders said Monday that the Episcopalians' pledge would have to hold until "a new consensus emerges" over sexuality.
But that might never happen, considering the intense differences over sexuality.
Whatever the Episcopal House of Bishops decides over the next seven months, the church can easily survive without the communion. The 2.3 million-member U.S. denomination may be relatively small, but it is affluent - and well situated to continue its missions with other Christians overseas.
In fact, the Anglican Communion itself may suffer more from any broken ties.
A significant chunk of its budget comes from the U.S. church.
"We made our 'yes' to gays and lesbians," wrote the Rev. Ann Fontaine of the Diocese of Wyoming, in an examination of the Anglican demands. "Let it stand."
I wouldn't bet money on her not being gay.
My guess: if the Anglicans split from North American Episcopalians: God will prosper them for 1) being faithful, 2) having faith in Him rather than earthly things (supposed US wealth), and 3) for His glory and their continued real Christian wittness to the world!
A significant chunk of its budget comes from the U.S. church.
A significant chunk of money came from Jimmy Swaggart, but the A/G cut off his credentials after his refusal to go through the rehabilitation process set down in policy. It hasn't hurt the A/G to be without Swaggart or his money.
The world wide Anglican Church will not be hurt by cutting off the U.S. branch and it's money either.
I'll present myself as exhibit A...
It didn't start with gay bishops.
It didn't start with ordaining women decades ago.
It probably didn't start with the revision of the Book of Common Prayer in the mid 60's, but that's when it came to my awareness.
People say Mormons, Christian Scientists, etc. are wierd.
Just wait until some of us unhinged Epicopalians come knocking at your door.
I think they will leap off the heresy cliff. They can't get much smaller anyway. I have no horse in the race but it seems like the American church (Anglican) has become pretty insignificant while others are booming. Do you think they will compromise to keep their buildings or even if they split do they keep the physical assets?
The quote that conservative Espiscopalians are a minority is truly laughable. The conservatives, which were in a majority once, have left the Espiscopal Church and many joined orthodox or Anglican denominations.
"..He moved to New Hampshire in 1975 and became Canon to the Ordinary in 1988. While attending the Seminary, he sought counseling to rid himself of homosexual thoughts. The counseling did not change his sexual orientation, and in 1972 he married despite these feelings about his sexuality, of which he had informed his fiancée. After having two daughters (Jamee and Ella), Robinson publicly acknowledged his homosexuality. He and his wife divorced in 1986, but remain friends. Around 1989, Robinson met his current partner, Mark Andrews, who currently works in the New Hampshire state government. Robinson has one granddaughter, Morgan Isabella. [2].."
The Episcopal Church in the United States set itself on course to die out to serve the needs of degenerates and their apologists.
"Many Episcopalians say they're being asked to give up what they cherish most about their denomination: its emphasis on social justice in Scripture, which led them to accept gay relationships, and its democratic policy making that gives lay people and clergy a vote in major decisions."
Note, no mention of God, or His Son, our Lord. Actually, there is little emphasis on "social justice" in scripture, but rather doing God's will, not your own.
We left the ECUSA, now TEC, decades ago and have found a home with the APA, where like the REC, the is little resistance to the concept that the Bible contains the Word of God. Join us at http://www.anglicanprovince.org/
They should be cut off and not even given a chance to "repent".
Their repentance (if there is one) the sole purpose of which will be an attempt to deceiving the AC until they are in a position to strike again.
Throw them out (at least the leadership) like the rotting garbage they are.
*ping*
Considering recent events, One presumes sodomy within the clergy would be discourage not encouraged.
Talk about cartersian logic. While I am sure openly accepted homosexuality within the Church would work in practice, I'm not so sure it would work in theory. :)
cartesian, damn blew the punchline!
I recall an interview with the Sr priest of a large Episcopal church in Baltimore in the late 60's. He was proud to inform me that he did not consider himself a Christian. "Buddhism is closer to my spiritual beliefs," he said.
Sadly I read this as "please comply with the Winsor report and we really, really, really mean it this time, if you don't we're going to send you a letter with all sorts of bad grammar."
My guess is that the deadline will come and go with all sorts of meaningless shuffling of feet.
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