Posted on 10/10/2022 12:02:38 PM PDT by Morgana
“Disgusting to hear this news.
I am an Episcopalian and see that the end of being relevant in today’s world is not the way for an esteemed Christian religion
to behave.
Disgusted!”
I am Episcopalian too and left 20 years ago but returned within the last 10. Don’t know what to do now. Do You?
Left them a long time ago.
I left fairly recently. Went back to Roman Catholic. I wish Priests could marry as that would reduce the number of gay and/or pedo priests, but I don’t make the decisions.
To the point about priests getting married
1. Outside the Latin rite, the other 22 rites in the Catholic church allow married men to become priests - so the Maronite Catholic, the Byzantine Catholic, the Chaldean Catholic, the Syro-Malabar etc. etc. allow married men to become priests
2. Note that it is married men becoming priests, not priests getting married. It is quite awkward when the priest comes a-wooing :)
3. While I am with you that the Latin rite should allow married men to become priests, I note that
3.1. - in denominations that allow married priests, the numbers of abuse are nearly the same (at around 1 to 1.2%)
3.2. - this is also true of secular organizations that organize around children (Boy scouts etc)
3.3. - current society is highly sexualized.
I think we need IN ADDITION more measures - like priests not to spend alone time with children without other adults or children present. That would minimize. AND faster defrocking.
yeti and Batguano — you have my sympathies.
I won’t ask why you’ve stayed this long.
But alternatives (and note, I’m Catholic, so I will be biased)
— if you favor the low-church or less of the Eucharist etc. then look into the conservative Lutheran.
— if you favor “high-church”, then look into Catholicism. If you just can’t - and I understand the historical bias - look into Eastern Orthodoxy.
Once you reject the inerrancy of scripture this is always where you end up.
I know that there is also an Anglican rite that allows former Episcopalian priests to join the church and stay married. I wish my former priest went that route. He used to be a Roman Catholic and even attended seminary in the church (and spent years in Rome). He only went Episcopalian because he fell in love and got married. Maybe he’ll break with the Episcopalians. I hope so.... but he has a lot invested.
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