Facing the Spectre of Schism [from the Left]

Do Justice ^ | 4/03/2006 | Maury Johnston

[sionnsar]

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Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15

[sionnsar]

Here it is in all its "glory."

[lightman]

It is also time for the ECUSA to take a good look around at the religious landscape; they will notice that others have already run ahead of them to lift up the prophetic banner of justice for gays, lesbians, and all God's marginalized children, foremost among them being the United Church of Christ (UCC) which has recently fully embraced the GLBT community and same-sex blessings.

The author ballyhoos the action of the United Church of Christ (UCC) while conveniently failing to mention that subsequent to this "prophetic" action of "inclusion" in July of 2005 102 congregations have left the UCC. I know of at least one other in Pennsylvania that has withdrawn after this list was published, another that is about to leave and two others that are "in the pipeline" and actively looking.

Connecticut

1.. Congregational Church, Stafford Springs, CT
2.. First Congregational, Torrington, CT
3.. Stanwich Congregational Church UCC, Greenwich, CT

Florida

4.. Bradford Congregational Church, Zephyrhills, FL

Hawaii

5.. Central Kona Union Church, Kealakekua, HI
6.. First Leeward Samoan Congregational, Waianae, HI
7.. Kahikolu Congregational Church, Napoopoo, HI
8.. Samoan UCC, Waianae, HI

Illinois

9.. Christian Union Church, Metamora, IL
10.. Congregational, Atkinson, IL
11.. First Congregational Church, Kewanee, IL
12.. First United Church, Gridley, IL
13.. Hampshire Colony, Princeton, IL
14.. St. Paul's UCC, Petersburg, IL

Illinois - South

15.. St. John's UCC, Metropolis, IL
16.. Zion UCC, Millstadt, IL

Indiana - Kentucky

17.. Bethel Freelandville UCC, Edwardsport, IN
18.. Bethel-St. Paul, Louisville, KY
19.. Cross UCC, Berne, IN
20.. Ebenezer UCC, Fort Wayne, IN
21.. First UCC, Bluffton, IN
22.. Salem-Darmstadt UCC, Evansville, IN
23.. St. Luke (Honduras) UCC, Decatur, IN
24.. St. Peter First UCC, Huntington, IN
25.. Trinity UCC, Mulberry, IN

Kansas - Oklahoma

26.. First Congregational Church, Tonganoxie, KS
27.. Peace UCC, Hudson, KS
28.. St. John's, Hardtner, KS
29.. Trinity UCC, Hudson, KS
30.. Whitewater Federated Church, Whitewater, KS

Maine

31.. Congregational UCC, Oxbow, Maine
32.. Second Congregational Church, Brewer, ME

Massachussetts

33.. Bethany Congregational Church UCC, Lynn, MA

Michigan

34.. McGraft Memorial Congregational, Muskegon, MI

Missouri Mid-South Conference

35.. St. Paul UCC, Jamestown, MO

Nebraska

36.. Congregational UCC, Hemingford, NE

Ohio

37.. Columbus Grove UCC, Columbus Grove, OH
38.. Emanuel UCC, Wooster, OH
39.. Emanuel's UCC, New Bavaria, OH
40.. First UCC, Sandusky, OH
41.. Pilgrim Church UCC, Toledo, OH
42.. Redeemer Church, Hamilton, OH
43.. St. John's UCC, Wheeling,WV
44.. St. Johns UCC, Archbold, OH
45.. St. Paul's UCC, Piqua, OH
46.. St. Paul's, Wheeling, WV
47.. St. Peter UCC, New Bremen, OH
48.. Versailles UCC, Versailles, OH

Penn - Central

49.. Bethlehem Steltz Reformed, Glenn Rock, PA
50.. Heidelberg UCC, Marion, PA
51.. Salem UCC, Reamstown, PA
52.. St. John's UCC (Mausdale), Danville, PA
53.. St. Peter's UCC, Freeburg, PA
54.. Trinity UCC, Marysville, PA
55.. Zion UCC, Bellefonte, PA

Penn - Northeast

56.. Jacob's Church, New Tripoli, PA
57.. Redeemer UCC, Dushore, PA
58.. St. Paul's, Overton, PA
59.. St. Peter's, Forksville, PA

Penn - Southeast

60.. St. John's UCC, Friedensburgm PA
61.. St. Peter's UCC, Hilltown, PA
62.. Zions Church - Windsor Castle, Hamburg, PA

Penn - West

63.. First UCC, Everett, PA
64.. Jerusalem United Church of Christ, Greenville, PA
65.. St. John's, Hollidaysburg, PA
66.. St. John's, Loysburg, PA

South Central

67.. Burlington UCC, Burlington, TX
68.. LaPorte Community Church, LaPorte, TX
69.. St. Paul UCC, Cibolo, TX

South Dakota

70.. Salem Reformed UCC, Menno, SD

Southeast

71.. Antioch Congregational Christian, Roanoke, AL
72.. Center Congregational UCC, Atlanta, GA
73.. Corinth CC, Wadley, AL (Schedule 2 Church)
74.. Elder UCC, Dadeville, AL
75.. North Main Cong. Christian, Roanoke, AL
76.. Pleasant Grove Cong. Christian, Lafayette, AL
77.. Russell Woods Cong. Christian, Phenix City, AL

Southern

78.. Amelia UCC, Clayton,NC
79.. Bethany UCC, Sedalia, NC
80.. Bethel UCC, Burlington, NC
81.. Bethlehem UCC, Winston-Salem, NC
82.. Christ UCC, Monroe, NC
83.. Damascus Christian, Sunbury, NC (Schedule II)
84.. Grace Lower Stone, Rockwell, NC
85.. Holy Neck UCC, Suffolk, VA
86.. Liberty Spring Christian Church, Suffolk, VA
87.. Long's Chapel, Burlington, NC
88.. Lyerly UCC, Rockwell, NC
89.. Mount Carmel Christian Church, Walters, VA
90.. New Hope UCC, Norfolk, VA
91.. Rocky Ford UCC, Cana, VA
92.. Shallowford UCC, Elon, NC
93.. Shiloh UCC, Faith, NC
94.. Spoon's Chapel UCC, Asheboro, NC
95.. St. Lukes UCC, Salisbury, NC
96.. Suffolk Christian Church, Suffolk, VA
97.. Union Ridge UCC, Burlington, NC

Wisconsin

98.. Royalton Congregational Church, New London, WI
99.. Spider Lake UCC, Hayward, WI
100.. St. Paul UCC, Elkhart Lake, WI
101.. St. Peter UCC, Elkhart Lake, WI
102.. Zion, Sheboygan, WI

The list can be found at http://faithfulandwelcoming.org

[Zack Nguyen]

There is nothing more to be said that has not already been said or studied. It is time for "Yea" or "Nay." We are being confronted with the command which echoes down the centuries from the legendary challenge of Elijah: "Choose you this day!"

I am a Southern Baptist, so this is not a fight that I have been involved in. Having said that, I agree with this person. The time for debate has been over with for years. Bible-believing Christians should understand that columns like this are not written when conservative Bible-believers have any influence within a denomination. They are written when the leftists have the denomination by the scruff of the neck and know with absolute certainty that they will win.

I see no reason why the few Bible-believing Christians stay in the EC. The leftists will not take the EC to greater heights of evangelism, service and scholarship. They will drive it into the ground. Already the EC is a shadow of its former self, enjoying virtually no influence on our wider culture. You hamper your own ministry and that of your church by remaining under the authority of those who disregard the Bible.

[Fractal Trader]

It sounds like the author has the same mindset of those who believe in the "Living Constitution." Words don't matter, all that counts is what you want to make them mean.

Ten Commandments? Bill Of Rights? The don't even have relevance as moral guidances to people like this.

[sionnsar]

Agreed.

[siunevada]

They have substituted an idolatrous regard for scripture as statically inerrant for a balanced view of the biblical documents as time-caught records of human striving for divine insight which should only be interpreted in the light of reason, and by the dynamic of living tradition which enables us to apply its guidelines with a sense of cultural relevance and spiritual continuity.

Records of human striving for divine insight. Gee, that's a novel understanding.

[RebelBanker]

I have heard that the UCC church next door to the Lutheran church we attend lost about half of its congregation when the UCC announced its Sodomite-friendly position.

Biblically correct or politically correct? Hmmm... tough choice... NOT!!

I like the way Gretchen Wilson said it - I'm politically uncorrect!

[TradicalRC]

Gee, would that be the SAME St. Paul who said THIS?

"9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

1 Corinthians 6: 9-13

[AnalogReigns]

or to put 1 Corinthians 6: 9-13 in a clearer translation for today:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"--and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

(English Standard Version (ESV) ca. 2003)

[AnalogReigns]

Honestly, I hope this sodomite rallies his troops and wins...it will force the churches of the ECUSA to choose--and stop getting along to go along.

[AnalogReigns]

"chart a course of faith into new territories, confident that God goes before us."

Unfortunately this man's god is the god of this world, which will help him sail right into the gaping jaws of hell.

[PetroniusMaximus]

"...confident that God goes before us."

... as He leads you on your way to hell.

[hellinahandcart]

an idolatrous regard for scripture

Wow...

[Kolokotronis]

Well, this fellow's theology is an heretical mishmash, but nevertheless, his ultimate point right, absolutely right. Its time for ECUSA's yes to be yes and its no to be no. At least this fellow has the courage of his convictions, and doubtless sincerely believes, if demonically influenced, what he is saying. The Evil One isn't hiding in this fellow. He's right out front for all to see. Its a comment on the situation in ECUSA that the devil would be so open about what he's up to. The real danger is from the likes of the Network and COE bishops whose commitment to the fatally and ontologically flawed Elizabethan Compromise has so weakened the Faith in the Anglican Church in the first world that this heresy can be taken seriously.

[Kolokotronis]

My wife, She Who Must Be Obeyed, grew up in one of the parishes on your list. She'll be pleased to see that her former co-religionists have rejected the otherwise dreadful descent of the UCC into evil.