Posted on 07/08/2012 1:45:39 PM PDT by NYer
July 8, 2012|10:00 am A day after a legislative body of the Episcopal Church voted to sell the denomination's New York headquarters amid budget cuts and declining membership, church leaders on Saturday adopted legislation to give transgenders the right to become lay and ordained ministers.
At the church's ongoing week-long General Convention in Indianapolis, Ind., the House of Bishops approved proposal that would amend two canons to prohibit discrimination based on "gender identity or expression" in the lay and ordained ministry discernment process and in the overall life, worship and governance of the church, Episcopal News Service reported.
The House of Deputies, the other legislative body of the bicameral General Convention of the Episcopal Church, must approve the legislation to pass at the convention.
The bishops' move overlooks the fact that 200,000 members and 300 parishes have left the denomination in the past few years partly due to the church's leftist policies on social and political issues. Nine years ago, the church approved its first openly gay bishop.
For many in the church, Saturday's resolution was about "inclusion."
"I am pleased that these resolutions did pass in that they have the very significant effect of validating, in the eyes of the church, the humanity of those who are transgender," the Rev. Carolyn Woodall of the Diocese of San Joaquin was quoted as saying. "We are greatly misunderstood and there is a widespread lack of knowledge about what it means to be transgender."
The Rev. Susan Russell, a deputy from the Diocese of Los Angeles and a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activist, said the resolution brings the church "another step closer to making all the sacraments available to all the baptized."
"The courageous witness of our transgender brothers and sisters has been an extraordinary gift to the church as we continue to grow in understanding and appreciation of the diversity of God's beloved human family," Russell added.
Some church leaders opposed the resolution.
"I believe we need to have more discussion in the church, in our congregations, in order to be able to speak in a way that is theologically sound, that gives a deeper understanding of what it means to be a transgender person," said Bishop Andrew Waldo of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina.
"We are entering into a time of individualized eros … the freedom of every individual to self-define every aspect of who they are in such a way that we no longer have any kinds of norms. We are entering into the chaos of individuality," said Bishop Mark Lawrence of the Diocese of South Carolina. "It's an idol that will break us," he warned.
Leaders of the church are also scheduled to vote on a liturgy for same-sex weddings during the convention, which concludes on Thursday.
In recent years, the membership of the Episcopal Church, which is rooted in the Church of England, has declined to below two million, and the average Sunday attendance is as low as 657,831.
As they wither away into irrelevance...
bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahawhahahahahahah!
“In recent years, the membership of the Episcopal Church, which is rooted in the Church of England,...”
Who else is going to lead the charge in the downfall of Western Civ? Jolly old England will do it!
I say we take off and nuke the entire island from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
JUST DUCKY!!
They probably still can’t figure out what is causing the “declining membership”. Doh!
Goodbye Episcopal , Hello Despicable. Don’t bother calling it the Church anymore. Might as well join the covens of the Druids.
Episcopalians are Americans, Anglicans are British. They are both wondering why their church is withering away. We don’t need the Brits to lead the charge. The lead is coming from this side of the Atlantic.
So what religous book is the Episcopal church going to reference if not the Holy Bible, Ru Paul Does LA?
Not so good foro young families.
Mommy, why does that man have a dress on?
Daddy, why is that woman dressed up like a man? Can’t everyone see she is wearing lipstick. And she doesn’t have any whiskers!
Find another church — fast!
At what point do we start to treat the Episcopalians as cultists? After all they are the ones embracing all manor of sinful sexual acts and depravity and holding up those with these proclivities as exemplary. ‘
What next ordained pedophiles?
Maybe next week they can vote to change their name from Episcopalians to Cesspoolians.
Your church just officially embraced yet another form of perversion! With all due respect, Bishop, I'd say you're already done broke!
Actually, I think most people correctly understand that 'transgender" means "insane." Although Christianity (unlike liberalism) rightly treats people with profound mental illness as persons worthy of respect and care, all reasonable people would agree that the insane are generally not qualified as pastors and teachers of religion.
I fgured they would.
The Homosexuals have a strong hold on that bunch.
Anyone with good sense will find a real Church to go to.
God wasn’t playing when he destroyed Sodom.
Do they guide the women on Retreat; or go with the Men's Weekend Retreat getaway? And when with the boys - and girls - who/which are they? Men's shoes or high heels; under their robes for Sunday Service?
>> What next ordained pedophiles?
You’re asking that as a rhetorical question, I know — but the fact is, mainstreaming pedophilia will be one of the next milestones in our cultural march to depravity. Along with polygamy, bestiality, necrophilia, sado-masochism... you name it, they’ll clamor for it. Hide and watch.
And the Church will be under constant pressure to ordain *all* of these. Full inclusion, don’t you know.
Jesus come quickly!
And they wonder why they are loosing Membership and have to sell their Headquarters? DUH! Why should good Christians have to have their Leaders inform them that they must follow the Teachings of SATAN and Ignore the Teachings of the Bible and Jesus? Note that the Evangelical Churches are bursting at the seams and rolling in generous Tithes!
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