EPISCOPAL SCHISM

Associated Press | September 5, 2002 | BILL BERGSTROM

[NYer]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ An Episcopal priest who says the church has become too liberal on issues such as the ordination of women and recognition of same-sex unions was defrocked Thursday by the bishop of Pennsylvania.

The Rev. David Moyer is a leader of Forward in Faith, a movement that sought to make him a bishop for more conservative congregations within the church.

Bishop Charles E. Bennison Jr. said it was not Moyer's beliefs but his rejection of the bishop's authority that prompted his dismissal from the ministry. ``I find it grievous for him, and for his family. I did everything I knew to make it otherwise,'' Bennison said.

Moyer, pastor of the Church of the Good Shepherd, had said recently that he expected to be removed. He did not immediately return a call Thursday. Bennison supports the ordination of women and of homosexuals who are in committed relationships.

Nationally, the Episcopal Church allows the ordination of women. It officially opposes same-sex relations, but in practice it brings no sanctions against those who ordain actively homosexual clergy or conduct same-sex unions.

[sweetliberty]

"It sounds from your above statement that you are saying "because of a corrupt Catholic Church, the founding fathers were adamant in their opposition to a state church."

To a degree, that is what I'm saying. The Church and the governments of Europe had become so enmeshed as to be virtually indistinguishable. That is a condition that could not have come to exist had the Bishops not been concilliatory in bending to the will of the monarchs.

Here is a link that addresses the issue briefly.

Causes of the Reformation

[american colleen]

I appreciate the link, thank you!

I think we are on two different subjects here, the founding fathers were most concerned with religious liberty - foremost in their mind were the first settlers to this country, and why they came. In fact, didn't Madison use Holland as an example of religious tolerance in one of his letters regarding the establishment of a state religion question? (you don't have to answer, this is way, way, off topic - requires another thread, really)

That said, I pray for the Episcopal problem to heal itself with the help of God and I pray for Fr. Moyer and his continued witness for God.

[sweetliberty]

Amen to that.

[sweetliberty]

I don't know where my head was at. No, we don't believe in theimmaculate conception. I was on a different page.

[George W. Bush]

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