Posted on 08/17/2006 1:22:40 PM PDT by Dane
BOSTON - Episcopal parish priest Bill Murdoch watched the developing split in his denomination over homosexuality and thought about the future.
In a denomination where the majority of seminaries are liberal, conservatives need to look for a way to move forward on their own, he thought. So he approached the country’s two most conservative Episcopal seminaries with a proposal - an academic partnership with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton - even though he hadn’t asked Gordon-Conwell yet.
The result is a new concentration in Anglican-Episcopal studies that gives traditionalist Episcopalians a place in one of the nation’s best-known conservative seminaries at a time when many don’t feel at home in their own church.
“We’re at the edge of the knife,” said Murdoch, a Gordon-Conwell alumnus from West Newbury. “If the church divides, there will be a need for courageous, well-trained young leadership.“Conservative orthodox seminaries will birth, if you will, conservative folks to serve in parish life and ministry.”With more than 2 million members, the Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of the global Anglican Communion. It has long been divided over how to interpret the Bible on various issues, including gay clergy and same-sex unions. Conservatives hold to the traditional belief that the Bible prohibits gay sex, while liberals believe the overwhelming message of Scripture is acceptance and love of all people.
The 2003 election of an openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson in New Hampshire, intensified the divide. Some conservative parishes have left the denomination and several dioceses are now considering breaking away.
The conservative Bishops, and there are a lot of them, are going to conform to the Windsor Report. When the worldwide Anglican Communion excommunicates ECUSA, the Windsor Bishops and their dioceses will still be in the Church. As far fetched as this may seem, conservative African Bishops are going to press the issue.
"The new evangelical Churches may not have the grand churches, but they have what counts, people in the pews."
Yes, but some of these new churches have teachings that are equally flawed.
Count me in that number. I was raised Episcopal but have returned to Mother Rome. You would not believe the number of people at the bishop's Rite of Election. The cathedral was filled to the rafters.
-ccm
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. The problem with the Episcopal Church is the episcopate...the bishops. We would be fine if we were Christians who lived and worshipped in the Anglican way.
I believe membership is less than 1 million in the ECUSA. Orthodox Anglican membership is growing in the USA and other folks are joining Anglican Mission (AMiA) churches.
The term orthodox Anglican would be more apt.
No, there are a number of them, including at least 4 bishops. They are going to face some very rough sledding over the next couple of years, and need all of the support they can get.
The same goes for the Presbyterians. Several conservative pastors have been kicked out of their pulpits by liberals over the last year.
It's time to fish or cut bait in both of those groups. Anyone left 3 years from now will either be a liberal or a coward.
Are "Anglican Catholics" under the See of Rome? I could not tell from a glance at the website.
I have an acquantaince who calls herself "Anglo Catholic" and I occasionally see her at Mass at my Roman Catholic parish.
Are "Anglican Catholics" under the See of Rome? I could not tell from a glance at the website.
I have an acquantaince who calls herself "Anglo Catholic" and I occasionally see her at Mass at my Roman Catholic parish.
Another word for Episcopalian is Anglican. Probably over 85% of Anglicans world-wide can be categorized as conservative evangelical...so conservative they won't sanction women priests. Only the American, English, and other Western Anglicans (like all other main-line churches...even some Baptists (gasp!)) have liberal leadership. This is why the American Episcopalian's leadership's apostasy is such a scandal--worldwide.
Most of the 1/3 of the Episcopalians who've left their church in the last 30 years or so, didn't leave their Episcopalian convictions--their church left them... I would wager that a sizeable minority, if not a majority, of regular Episcopal church-goers today too, do NOT approve of their leadership on the homosexual issue either. They are so conservative though, they are loath to leave the church of their childhood...and of their ancestors too.
I sort of thought that those who have left have gone to catholic churches where they remain more conservative and the religions are very similar?
Why can't the flock fire the liberals?
what the TEC know is that Sunday attendence at liberal churchs averages less than 80 while in conservative churches the number is over 200. At Christ Church Plano Tx they have more in church on Sunday that the diocease that is the home of the new Presiding Bishop. If one man one vote was the rule in church like it is in the congress there would be many fewer liberal bishops.
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