It doesn't help that the leader-to-be of the church--and Defender of the Faiths--expressed his eagerness to be a tampon.
Posted on 07/04/2005 6:53:08 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
Clergy and laity show signs of schism over homosexuality, miracles and the Almighty
HUNDREDS of Church of England clergy doubt the existence of God and fewer than two thirds believe in miracles, a study out today says.
The report, published on the eve of the General Synod, refers to “very fragile faultlines along which the Church of England could be torn apart”. Congregations are much more conservative than most of the comparatively liberal clergy preaching to them.
The report says that if committed Anglicans are clear about one thing it is the existence of God: 97 per cent have no hesitation in affirming His existence. Yet, it continues, one in 33 clerics doubts the existence of God. If reflected throughout the Church’s 9,000 clergy the finding would mean that nearly 300 Church of England clergy are uncertain that God exists.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
A communist/athiest can be a pastor but a true, believing pastor cannot be a communist/athiest.
I got one from TAN books and publishers, Rockford, IL
If you do a Google on Douay-Rheims, they are also still available bound in leather.
I had to put a cover on mine, as TAN only has paperback.
You will love it, get one.
I study comparatively, as in side by side... and the differences, and deliberate destruction of certain thoughts and messages is illuminating.
After all, who can trust a bible from a government?
It is also available, free, online for download, which I find VERY handy.
www.memorare.com/bibles/douayrheims.html
Just copy and paste what you need.
But it does not negate the need for a physical one for study.
I do hope you get yourself one. Beautiful to read the WORD FOR WORD translation compared to phrase by phrase.
chris
Sort of like:
Accountants who don't believe in money.
Lawyers that don't believe in judges.
Doctors that don't belive in medicine.
Computer programmers that don't believe in Bill Gates.
Taking money for being a clergyman when you don't believe in God is fraud.
It doesn't help that the leader-to-be of the church--and Defender of the Faiths--expressed his eagerness to be a tampon.
Have you ever attended any of the programs of The Discovery Institute?
I think C.S. Lewis was writing in the 40s about this -- that it used to be that laymen hid their unbelief from the clergy; at the time he was writing, he mentions those laymen who would be reluctant to admit their faith to their clergy.
He cites those clergy who claim to have come by their lack of belief "honestly." And he says he has no reason to doubt that; what he doubts is whether, having come by such unbelief, they can honestly continue in the service (and pay) of the church.
Indeed it is, and is one of the things that is convincing me that those who believe as you do are correct. (Not 100% sold on it, as I've been monitoring this debate for some time, and all sides quote scriptures to validate their position, which can be somewhat confusing, as scripture is not supposed to contradict itself.)
the infowarrior
I would rather that ye be hot or cold than lukewarm..
Isn't this the same number? one in thirty-three would be three in ninety-nine or 97%
Perhaps because Christianity is a social institution it can take on the same type of social functions of conformity, etc. Part of that, ironically enough, can be a tacit skepticism or agnosticism with regard to the more emphatic supernatural claims, miracles, etc., among some church members. In Name only types..
Not when your "church" is actually a quasi-government agency, as it in is the UK. Think of it as somewhat equivalent to the United States Postal Service: It doesn't get any direct government financial support, but it wouldn't last a week if the laws mandating its existence were to be repealed.
Because you would never learn about ongoing miracles unless you watched EWTN, or something like that. The media sure isn't going to publicize them.
Yes, but it's possible to lose one's faith. And the stats given here indicate that only 3% of the ministers doubt the existence of God, as compared to 10% of the general population (at least in America). The reluctance of these priests to resign can be explained by the fact that there aren't many employment opportunites outside the church for former priests that don't involve heavy lifting.
The number of doubting clergy also roughly corresponds to the percentage of priestly homosexual ephebophiles (2%).
They believe in a steady paycheck.
"Ye shall be as gods..."
Because the Papacy was such a shining example of decency for the first 1000 years after it became the state religion.
The "soul" is our ability to treat others as we would like to be treated.
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