Posted on 06/06/2005 5:28:48 PM PDT by sionnsar
Indianapolis Episcopal Bishop Catherine Waynick essentially admits what many of us evil conservatives have believed for two years. As far as the Current Unpleasantness is concerned, the Anglican left doesn't have a Scriptural leg to stand on:
The Hebrew Scriptures give us holy and unique accounts of the way in which the Jews perceived God to be working among them. They provide us the historical religious underpinnings of God’s activity in the Incarnation, ministry, death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus the Christ. We read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them because we still encounter God’s challenge, promise, rebuke, healing, comfort, forgiveness, and reconciliation in them.
However since some books specifically mention homosexual activity as a sin and the Gospels do not...
But we do not count them inerrant, nor should we give any of them priority over the teachings of Jesus. Not the prophets, not the writings of Paul, not the Apocalypse of John. Many of them point to the Gospel, many attempt to provide apology for it, many help us understand it; but they do not equal it.
We liberals honor and respect the Bible. We just honor and respect the parts that don't directly undercut the position we decide to take a whole lot more.
In the end, I have become convinced that our disagreements are not really about how we interpret and honor the writings.
Insofar as some of us think that all Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, is equally worthy of honor and Plus Cate just said that she does not, Indy's pointy-hat has just become the leading candidate for Presiding Bishop next year. She certainly has an impressively Griswoldian ability to contradict herself in a very short time.
What is at stake in this controversy is power and control.
Which the liberals have, are not likely to lose and have shown no interest in sharing. Hence their ability to impose a non-Christian working theology on a formally-Christian church, their psychotic veneration of canons and "polity," their unwillingness to let departing conservative parishes keep their meeting houses and the enthusiasm some of us have for getting realistic and abandoning the Episcopal enterprise for whatever awaits us out there.
The Bible has always been useful in the attempts to beat others over the head,
Translastion: tell people that certain things they enjoy doing are sins and that they shouldn't do them.
and this circumstance is not different. Power over others is heady stuff, and we each need constantly to guard and examine our own motivations in trying to gain and use it.
Since liberals have all the power in ECUSA, one hopes the Bishop was looking in the mirror as she wrote that. Oh, by the way, Plus Cate is really steamed at some of you for insisting that ECUSA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the secular culture.
Which brings me to my second point of great weariness -- the continued pronouncement that ECUSA is selling out to the values of the sin-ridden world. The world in our neck of the woods has no intention of providing anything like parity for persons of homosexual orientation - whether they are in committed, faithful, monogamous relationships or not. Provision of marriage-like benefits is not even on the horizon. In fact, the City-County Council of Indianapolis has recently voted that employers are justified in denying benefits and rights to gay employees which are routinely granted to others. Far from embracing the values of the world around us, we are an alternative to them.
How can that possibly be since the concept of "benefits and rights to gay employees" is not mentioned anywhere in the Gospels? As for the assertion that the Gospels ought to be elevated over the rest of Scripture, I find it interesting that while He was on earth the first time, the Subject of the Gospels had a much higher opinion of the rest of the Bible than the Episcopal Bishop of Indianapolis has now:
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."’ Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
"He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and, "In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone."’
Jesus said to him, "It is written again, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God."’ Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve(Matthew 4:1-10)."’
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven(Matthew 5:17-19).
Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
"These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men(Matthew 15:7-9)."’
Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him(Mark 9:12-13)."
Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
"I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered(Mark 14:27).’
Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, "It is written, "My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a "den of thieves(Luke 19:45-46)."’
It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me(John 6:45).
But I guess that's what they mean by higher criticism.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. Gee, I wonder if Todd Bertuzzi thought to use as a defence, that Jesus didn't say a word about proper behaviour during a hockey game?
I'm ashamed to say the Cate Waynick is my bishop. But not for long.
I am sorry to hear this. Ae there any Continuing churches in your area (see the site in my tagline), or are you contemplating someplace else? I seem to recall you said something recently -- but I don't recall what.
There is nothing in this article which should surprise anyone. The Canon of scripture was closed by the First Ecumenical Council and its contents declared true and binding on us all. There was no hierarchy of importance assigned to various books of the Bible, though of course the NT describes the New Covenant, the New Dispensation of salvation. At any rate, its highly unlikely she accepts the Nicean Creed either so its no wonder she'd reject the council on the bible also. The woman is a heretic.
ping
I am headed for the OC. It fits my theology better, anyway.
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