Posted on 04/17/2005 3:27:31 AM PDT by Destro
Six Episcopal Priests to be Defrocked for Opposition to Homosexuality
HARTFORD, April 13, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Six Episcopal priests were warned Sunday that their opposition to the ordination of the first openly homosexual bishop would mean their dismissal as pastors of their parishes, and eventually even to their being defrocked.
The six had "abandoned the communion of the church" by their opposition to their bishop, who supported the ordination of New Hampshire's Bishop Gene Robinson, according to a letter from the bishop, Andrew D. Smith. The six have been vocal in their condemnation of Bishop Smith since Robinson's ordination in 2003.
Rector of St. Paul's Church in Darien, Rev. Christopher Leighton, one of the six priests who received the warning from Smith, called the imposition a "spiritual gag order," according to a Boston Globe report. "The real story is our freedom to speak and our freedom to practice our faith is what is being inhibited," he added.
Six retired bishops of the Episcopal Church USA condemned the actions of Bishop Smith in a statement in support of the six priests. "Is the bishop of Connecticut a 'Kissing Judas?'" they wrote. "These bishops have kissed the Lord with their vows and betrayed Him for the silver currency of contemporary culture . . . They have acted in opposition to 4000 years of Judeo-Christian tradition and departed further from Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Classical Protestantism, as well as defiantly violated the expressed will and commitment of the world-wide Anglican Communion," they said.
There is No shame in this -on their part. My prayer is they
will be as Luther-or Calvin and present a reformed church
to replaced the corrupted and reprobate Episcopal.
ECUSA is imploding.
http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2286
Seems with the Protestants there is a denomination for every lifestyle.
Hoping their priests come into the Roman Church. It's nice to have them bring their many and varied gifts which are often pre-conciliar. V's wife.
Really? Can't they just follow God's (NOT MAN's) word and be done with it!?
Well men did write the "books" so who is to say?
Here's one layman who probably will. I have been struggling with this for months, and I am not going to funnel money into this mess.
Inspired by God, what's your point?
Yes, but then what about wives, siblings and the added expense of housing...It would be better they remain and face their situation and fight for what is the TRUTH WITHIN THEIR RELIGION.....
"It would be better they remain and face their situation and fight..."
It seems they are trying to do that, but it appears their bishop is about to kick them out, so how can they stay then?
point being be more accurate?
I'm not following your line. Man penned the words of scripture, but it was inspired by God. It is the inerrant word of God, not man.
If you think the bible is just some collection of allegorious work I would encourage to look at the Old and New testements as a complete message system.
Every word, letter, jot and tittle is there for a reason.
And my point is who is to say? (I was trying to be clever). Who is to say how these words are to be interpreted? I am assuming that is why we have Protestant sects ad infinitum? Because each groups interprets the Bible's words in their own way.
For opposing homesexuality?
Insane -- come to the Catholic Church!
The Holy Spirit and common sense. How much interpreting is there to be done with: "Thou shall not" or "Whoever believes in Jesus Christ."
All of the bible is a clear message system leading to one person - Jesus Christ. You can not have people who directly contradict scripture and say their interpretation is just as valid as any other, that's a ridiculous veiw point. Futhermore, it is totally deceptive and evil.
Yeshua, came to earth and interpreted scripture for us, so the answer as to WHO interprets is God incarnate. I will add that the original Hebrew and Greek are what should be looked at as the concluding source of interpretation. The bible is not some vague work inwhich we have to go dig for meanings, although it is a work deemed for study and investigation, put all together it is very clear...
If you find an example, maybe I can answer your question more directly. I think you have asked one of the most valuble questions that can be asked about scripture of this time.
Why not go to those that compiled the New Testament? The ecumenical councils of the then unified Church put it together and they should know better than some late comer church.
Sure maybe of that time. My point is very simple, scripture is well ordered and logical. The defining party is Jesus Christ.
There is always going to be arguments about interpretation to fill agenda's, but honest scripture interpretation only needs honest truth seekers...
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