Posted on 12/28/2004 8:39:24 AM PST by sionnsar
What reason should anyone have to believe that this conference will be decisive? The same has been said of every other "gathering" during the past couple of years and nothing decisive has happened.
This is all really sad for the body of Christ.
There has never been a time that Scripture supported active sin by anyone, let alone top leaders in the church.
It is one thing to have a homosexual tendency but fight the temptation. It is another to say submitting to the sin is fine in God's eyes.
This also holds for all Christian heterosexuals in sinful relationships though, too.
Griswold is blind. The vast majority of Episcopalians have yet to reaalu focus on these issues. They're passive, to date..the church is their parish, their minister...they igonore the bigger issues. They will soon be forved to make hard decisions, AND ONCE THEY REALIZE THEY HAVE OPTIONS...
Dear sionnsar,
Thanks for the ping.
And Merry Christmas, in spite of all this.
sitetest
When I first saw the headline containing "primate" and "communion", I thought it was about John Kerry attending Mass....
Then especially such people should not be leaders and the church should hold them accountable in other ways.
I fear another double helping of Anglican fudge is on its way.
I don't mean to be unecumenical, but why should anybody care what a bunch of men who are only laymen in reality, think, say or do, no matter how they are dressed?
They are not appointed by God to their positions and their "ordinations" are merely like children playing house with each other.
There is only one, true Church, and the Anglican/Episcopalian one isn't the one.
Thank you, and a Merry Christmas to you too! As you can see from my tagline all is not well here, either. But that's not stopping the celebration.
Very interesting.
2005 will be an interesting year for us.
Dear sionnsar,
Jesus both told us that we must carry our crosses daily, and that He would give us abundant joy.
You seem to be following the lead of the Master.
;-)
Happy New Year, too!
sitetest
I'd say this the most likely scenario.
Oh yes, you do. why should anybody care what a bunch of men who are only laymen in reality, think, say or do, no matter how they are dressed?
You characterize our bishops and archbishops as nothing more than laymen masquerading as divinely appointed clergy. How dare you?! You have impugned holy men who can trace their ordination through unbroken succession to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Your arrogance and audacity are an affront to the Gospel!
"True " church? I remember a division of the house in Constantinople a few centuries ago. "True " church indeed! I remember trials and public executions for those who dared speak out against sin in the camp and call for reform and repentance (does "Holy" Inquisition ring a bell?). "True" church indeed! I also remember a certain priest who nailed 99 theses to a cathedral door a few hundred years back. His reward was persecution. "True" church indeed! The bride of Christ (whatever human name she bears) is far from spotless and her dress is torn and wrinkled. She has played the harlot and is thoroughly bloody. Only true repentance and a returning submission to the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ will cleanse her from her sin. Judgment has begun in the house of God and it is far from over. "True" church indeed!
Pure ecumenism obligates a Catholic to tell the truth. Ecumenism without truth is false irenicism. This is teaching from the Second Vatican Council.
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13curae.htm
We wish to direct our exhortation and our desires in a special way to those who are ministers of religion in their respective communities. They are men who from their very office take precedence in learning and authority, and who have at heart the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Let them be the first in joyfully submitting to the divine call and obey it, and furnish a glorious example to others. Assuredly, with an exceeding great joy, their Mother, the Church, will welcome them, and will cherish with all her love and care those whom the strength of their generous souls has, amidst many trials and difficulties, led back to her bosom. Nor could words express the recognition which this devoted courage will win for them from the assemblies of the brethren throughout the Catholic world, or what hope or confidence it will merit for them before Christ as their Judge, or what reward it will obtain from Him in the heavenly kingdom! And we, ourselves, in every lawful way, shall continue to promote their reconciliation with the Church in which individuals and masses, as we ardently desire, may find so much for their imitation. In the meantime, by the tender mercy of the Lord our God, we ask and beseech all to strive faithfully to follow in the path of divine grace and truth.
Then, considering that this matter, although already decided, had been by certain persons for whatever reason recalled into discussion, and that thence it might follow that a pernicious error would be fostered in the minds of many who might suppose that they possessed the Sacrament and effects of Orders, where these are nowise to be found, it seemed good to Us in the Lord to pronounce our judgment.
36. Wherefore, strictly adhering, in this matter, to the decrees of the pontiffs, our predecessors, and confirming them most fully, and, as it were, renewing them by our authority, of our own initiative and certain knowledge, we pronounce and declare that ordinations carried out according to the Anglican rite have been, and are, absolutely null and utterly void.
But the truly wild card in these primatial gatherings is the growing preeminence of Nigerian Primate Peter Akinola. He ... poses the single biggest threat to any future cohesion of the Anglican Communion.
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