SAME-SEX AFFECTION, HOLINESS AND ORDINATION. A RESPONSE TO PRESIDING BISHOP FRANK.T GRISWOLDThe Episcopal Church provided without embarrassment for the Anglican Communion of Churches in late June of 2005 its explanation and justification of one of its major doctrinal and moral innovations in recent times – the blessing of same-sex couples and the ordaining of persons in such unions, specifically that in which Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire, is a partner. The Church did this in a book entitled, To Set Our Hope on Christ.
We all know that the Prayer Book Society is primarily in the business of keeping the latest edition of the genuine American Book of Common Prayer, that of 1928, in print. However, it also has the vocation of commending and defending the religion of the Prayer Book and helping people understand the godly form of behavior and worship contained in the Book. Therefore, in this situation, where the Episcopal Church is obviously denying the biblical doctrine of holiness and purity, the biblical doctrine of sexual relations and marriage, and the biblical & patristic doctrine of ordination contained in The Book of Common Prayer, the Prayer Book Society believed it had to something immediately.
The Prayer Book Society had to act to let Americans know that not all Episcopalians accept the innovations which have seriously affected the Episcopal Church since the 1960s. It had to act to let the 70 millions of Anglicans overseas know that not all Episcopalians in the USA support the position taken by the leadership of this Church. Most importantly it had to act in defense of biblical faith and practice, scriptural teaching and morality. In other words, it had to speak out in favor of the traditional Christian doctrine of sexual relations and the traditional Anglican understanding of the Ministry in the Church.
In his vigorous and learned reply to the Presiding Bishop’s team, Dr Toon explains how it is that these clergy and professors, who are sincere Christians, can actually support and defend theologically such a practice as same-sex affection and also actually claim that genuine holiness is found in such unions. Put simply, their theological method is wholly wrong!
This booklet commends biblical, traditional orthodoxy and at the same time shows the grievous error of the Presiding Bishop and his team in their public commendation of same-sex affection as holiness before God. It ends with an appeal to them to look again at where they are, to consider devoutly traditional faith and practice, and to repudiate as gross error what they have sent to the whole Anglican Family.
We invite you to buy multiple copies of this large booklet (at special prices) and distribute it widely in the Episcopal Church. It should be ready for mailing by mid-August 2005. Meanwhile read it on this website.
