Liberal dogmatism killing Church unity

LIBERALS are fond of brow-beating the Churches about sectarianism and disunity. These twin evils, they say with some justification, are harmful to society because they set one group against another and because sectarianism is, at the very least, uncivil.

It now transpires that all this liberal bleating about sectarianism and disunity was exactly that, bleating. But it was also hypocritical because when it suits their agenda liberals are very inclined to use sectarian language of their own and have no hesitation adding to the already deep divisions between the Churches......


Ecumenism, that is to say the drive for Christian unity, has long been a priority of theological liberals.

Conservative and orthodox Christians are used to being lectured about the need to put aside their opposing dogmas for the sake of unity. But as we're now discovering, liberals have dogmas of their own, or rather they have one super-dogma; equality.......


Having decided on these positions, liberals are then happy to employ the most sectarian language possible to describe those who stand in their way.

All opposition to theological liberalism is rooted, they insist, in ignorance and prejudice, and opponents are summarily dismissed, insulted and derided as 'bigots', 'sexists', 'fundamentalists' and 'homophobes'.

This quite clearly sums up the entire self-righteous attitude encountered in the pronouncements from KJS and other TEC bishops:

The fact is, liberals are willing to sacrifice anything and everything on their altar of equality, because they believe they are right and that they are the One True Church.

This article pretty much sums up the attitude of liberals. There is a huge dose of what Thomas Sowell called the "vision of the annointed" in the TEC reappraisers and their fellow travelers.

(H/T to TitusOneNine)

Fr. Tim on "Boundary Crossings"

From this thread over at Stand Firm:

Perhaps the Primates can announce the following:
“We will exercise restraint in making travel plans which might be experienced with discomfort in some parts of the Communion. However, the Communion must understand that
1. Scholars show that boundary crossings have taken place so they must have been an ancient tradition of freedom in Christ until suppressed by some malevolent church conspiracy or other;
2. Even if boundary crossings had not happened in the past, we are experiencing a new thing of the Spirit and need room to live into this in our various missional contextualizations of praxis and experience;
3. Our baptismal covenant entitles us to exercise ministry with anybody, any place at any time;
4. New social scientific discoveries indicate that we are now part of a “global village” in which legal jurisdictional boundaries are mere social constructs that go against our nature as transboundaried ministers;
5. Our feelings tell us that we are right to cross boundaries;
6. Our experience of cross-boundary ministries is that the people with whom we minister are holy and that their gifts are worth celebrating across boundaries;
7. We might refrain from authorizing further cross boundary interventions but will leave room for pastoral care to those who experience themselves as called to a cross boundary ministry;
8. Those who don’t agree with us are stupid;
9. Those who don’t agree with us are stupid;
10. We are more enlightened than those who disagree with us;
11. Those who disagree with us are stupid;
12. Our feelings tell us that we are right and you are stupid if you disagree.”

Compliance

Episcopal Diocese ordains its first openly gay deacon
(h/t to Stand Firm)

The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego took another step toward the full acceptance of gays with the ordination of its first openly gay deacon.


San Diego Episcopal Bishop James Mathes downplayed the sexual orientation of a newly ordained deacon.
During a month in which thousands of same-sex couples were able to marry in California, Thomas Wilson was ordained to the transitional diaconate by San Diego Bishop James Mathes at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral. Wilson, who moved to San Diego eight years ago with his partner of 20 years, is expected to serve as a deacon for six months to a year before becoming a priest, Mathes said.

Yet the bishop downplayed the significance of Wilson's sexual orientation. Mathes said he was not aware that a press release had been sent by the diocese with the headline: “Openly Gay, Partnered Deacon Ordained! First One in This Diocese Ever!”

On the next to last day of Lambeth!!!! Bp. Mathes does this. How's that for compliance?

A view from Lambeth

Via Stand Firm...

From the Bishop of Nelson, New Zealand:

I have appreciated networking with some pretty amazing people.
I am so full of respect for Bishops Bill Love and Mark Lawrence (from within TEC) who are not afraid to stand up and call sin, sin!
I have the deepest admiration from the Bishops from the Sudan who came to let their voice be heard and have been treated with the most disgusting abuse from a woman Bishop from New York who labeled them ‘wife-beaters!’

Bishop Mouneer Anis on Lambeth so far...

From the Times Online:

I find that many of our North American friends blame us and criticise us for bringing in the issues of sexuality and homosexuality but in fact they are the ones who are bringing these issues in. Here at Lambeth, you come across many advertisements for events organised by gay and Lesbian activists which are sponsored by the North American Church. If you visit the marketplace at the conference, you will notice that almost half the events promoted on the noticeboard promote homosexuality and are sponsored by the North Americans. And in the end, we, the people who remain loyal to the original teaching of the Anglican Communion, which we received from the Apostles, are blamed. They say that we talk a lot about sexuality and that we need to talk more about poverty, about AIDs, and injustice. They are the ones who are bringing sexuality into this conference. It’s not us. We want to talk about the heart of the issues which divide us, not only sexuality. That is just a symptom of a deeper problem.

The Pointy Hat Club

This piece from Dean Munday is excellent. Read it all here.....

Once upon a time in a far away place called Dar Es Salaam there was a party attended by boys and girls who liked to wear pointy hats, including one girl who liked to wear a pointy hat, but who sometimes wore a rainbow-colored oven mitt on her head instead. The other boys and girls were very polite and never used the words "oven mitt" in front of the one girl because they knew it would make her very cross.

Some of the folks at the party weren't having a very good time. It seems that in some places there were boys who wanted to live with other boys (the way Mommy and Daddy live together) who had been allowed to join the Pointy Hat Club. The people at the party murmured as how this wasn't a good thing, and agreed that boys who wanted to live with other boys and girls who wanted to live with other girls (the way Mommy and Daddy live together) shouldn't be allowed to join the Pointy Hat Club. The girl who sometimes liked to wear an oven mitt nodded her head and said that was all right with her too.

When all the boys and girls got home from the party, the girl who sometimes wore an oven mitt said that she had not nodded her head along with the others who wore pointy hats and that, furthermore, she thought there ought to be more boys who lived with other boys and girls who lived with other girls (the way Mommy and Daddy live together) in the Pointy Hat Club.......

Nobody expects the Anglican Inquisition

From George Conger

Lambeth: Is Inquisition on the cards?
Friday, 25th July 2008. 7:45pm

By: George Conger,

Chief Correspondent



Canterbury: A “bombshell” report is expected to be delivered to bishops attending the 14th Lambeth Conference on July 28 that is expected to call for the Episcopal Church to abandon its push for gay bishops and blessings.

The request is expected to come in the third presentation of the Windsor Continuation Group (WCG) to the bishops at Lambeth and follows a call for the creation of an Anglican Holy Office to police the boundaries of the faith.

Backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Anglican “Faith and Order Commission” will be a fifth instrument of unity for the Anglican Communion.

Plans for were disclosed on July 23 during the second of three briefings on the work of the Windsor Continuation Group (WCG) chaired by the former Presiding Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Bishop Clive Handford.

In its briefing paper to the bishops, the WCG commended the creation of an “Anglican Communion Faith and Order Commission that could give guidance on the ecclesiological issues raised by our current ‘crisis’.”



Okay, I can't resist.......



But it will probably be more like this......

Bishop Vader

Brilliant!


From the blogger jerusalemanglican:

Among the many controversial individuals attending Lambeth this year is, of course, Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, seen left processing with his fellow bishops (h/t: Stand Firm). Although Lord Vader's status as a bishop of the Anglican Communion is, in the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury , Dr. Rowan Williams, "Unclear", he did receive an invitation to the Lambeth Conference, and has been very willing to talk to the press. In a recent interview Lord Vader was asked to comment on the absence of the many conservative bishops, Like Yoda, from this Lambeth Conference, he simply said that he "Found their lack of faith disturbing."
Conservative Anglican leaders from around the world, such as Yoda, Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, and Archbishop Henry Orombi of Uganda, met recently in a conference of their own in Jerusalem last month.
Regarding Lord Vader's presence at the Lambeth Conference, The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Primate of The Episcopal ...Church said:
"Anglicanism has always been broader than some people are comfortable with. We need to have some serious discussions in the Anglican Communion about The Empire, and about the Dark Side. These are topics some in the Anglican Communion are not comfortable discussing in public." She also went on to say that "Darth Vader is not the only Sith Bishop in the Anglican Communion, he is just open about it."

Lambeth

I have not been posting anything about Lambeth because there is so little that has been reported yet and what has been reported is disheartening.

Take, for instance, this:

"Lambeth Eucharist Ends in Buddhist Chant"

"Anglican Communion Set to Disintegrate"


"Conservative Bishops Guilty of Greater Sin"


"Anglican Communion Like a Slow Moving Train Wreck"

But the most disheartening of all is the ongoing, never ending, perpetual, "It's all about how I feel" Gene Show.

Prayer for Bishop Love

Please pray for our Bishop.

Holy Spirit, be merciful to the bishops assembled at the Lambeth Conference and bless them; show them the light of Jesus' countenance and be merciful to us. Make Jesus' way known upon earth and your saving health among all the provinces of the Anglican Communion. Help us to praise you and the Father and the Son; yes, let all the peoples praise you. Let the peoples represented at Lambeth rejoice and be glad, for Jesus shall judge us all righteously and govern the nation upon earth. Let the people praise you, O God; yes, let all the people praise you. Then the earth shall bring forth its increase and you, even our own God, shall give us his blessing. (From the Deus mesereatur, Psalm 47 of Evening Prayer)

(from Albany Intercessor)

Lambeth - Pull the other one, it's got bells on.

Perhaps if the Bishops learned to Morris Dance, rather than attend Indaba groups,there might be a more authentically Anglican outcome?

Prayer for Lambeth

A request from the Diocese of Albany - pray for Lambeth.

Almighty and everlasting Father, you have given the Holy Spirit to abide with us for ever: Bless, we pray, with his grace and presence, the bishops assembled for the Lambeth Conference in your Name, that they, as your church, being preserved in true faith and godly discipline, may fulfill all the mind of him who loved it and gave himself for it, your Son Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

You go passin' wrong for right and right for wrong...

People only stand for that for just so long.



The theme song for the Anglican Communion.

Doing the Lambeth Walk

The Lambeth Conference is getting closer and closer. I expect things to heat up considerably in the months ahead. Who knows how many elderly, retired or ill bishops will be inhibited or deposed before July? Will +Duncan still be diocesan of Pittsburgh or will there be a rival installed from 815? Stay tuned!

"The Official Lambeth Website"

Bishop-elect David Anderson: When a father betrays the family, all suffer

This cannot be said in a few words. What is really going on in the Anglican Communion? Is there more going on than meets the eye? The answer is shocking and disappointing. A number of events are coming together to change the fundamental character of the Communion and re-establish the hegemony of the spiritually revisionist West.

Why has Rowan Williams overlooked the facts given him and welcomed the Episcopal Church to Lambeth anyway? The AAC provided Archbishop Williams with comprehensive documentation of the Episcopal Church’s words and actions relating to compliance with Dar es Salaam, usually in their own words, in direct quotes, with sources footnoted and internet weblinks. Did he bother to read it? Some pundits and commentators expected the Archbishop of Canterbury to actually review the facts, weigh the facts fairly and accurately, and properly discipline the current official branch of American Anglicanism, TEC.

Williams not only came to New Orleans with a closed mind to the provable facts, he came with a plan to swiftly undercut the orthodox Global South and those orthodox Americans whom they have supported. Within days, the optimistic pundits and commentators who thought that Dr. Williams cared about the morality and integrity of the Communion, cared about the Windsor Report, cared about the Dromantine and Dar es Salaam Communiques, were shown to be mistaken. What Dr. Williams cares about is holding onto American financial support, holding onto the revisionist provinces of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, and allowing the pantheistic and homosexual agendas to continue their unfolding and flourishing.

Dr. Williams took two important actions upon leaving New Orleans: launching the Joint Standing Committee Report (very likely written before New Orleans by the Rev. Canon Dr. Gregory Cameron of the Anglican Communion Office); and immediately commencing a telephone campaign, phoning Anglican Primates to ask (read convince or coerce) their agreement that the Episcopal Church had substantially met the standards of the Dar es Salaam Communique.


The rest at Anglican Mainstream

Bishop Nazir-Ali may boycott Lambeth

Church of England gay clergy row intensifies
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent

A senior Church of England conservative has intensified the storm over homosexuals in the clergy by warning he will boycott next summer's Lambeth Conference if liberal American bishops are invited.

Bishop Nazir-Ali said profound differences needed to be resolved.

The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, said he would find it difficult to attend a Church council alongside those who consecrated or approved the appointment of Anglicanism's first openly gay bishop.

His comments are fresh evidence of the divisions within the Church of England over the issues and will exacerbate the difficulties facing the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, in maintaining unity.

Bishop Nazir-Ali's conservative views are thought to be shared by as many as one in four of his colleagues.

Another conservative, the Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, has claimed more than half of English bishops are considering whether to attend the Lambeth Conference, the ten-yearly gathering of all Anglican bishops, in Canterbury.

Bishop Nazir-Ali's remarks come at a hugely sensitive time for Dr Williams, who is fighting to keep the liberal American bishops in the worldwide Church despite pressure from conservatives to expel them for consecrating Gene Robinson in 2003.

Bishop Nazir-Ali said profound differences needed to be resolved because the American Church had now drifted apart from traditional Christianity in a number of fundamental areas.

He claimed that American clergy were increasingly weaving other faiths such as Buddhism and Hinduism into their worship and many regarded the Bible as a man-made book that could be rewritten rather than a revelation from God.


Thanks to TitusOneNine

Rubbing salt in the wound

The Bishop of New Hampshire announces his upcoming "marriage"

"I am certainly not doing that to rub salt into anyone’s wounds, but no
one should expect me to penalise me and my partner when these rights are being offered. “We were looking for a three-day weekend which would allow people
to travel more easily, and that happened to be the fifth anniversary of my election as the Bishop of New Hampshire and thought that would be an appropriate date. “I think the fact is my critics would find any date impermissible.”

How approriate. On the anniversary of his consecration. He's right - no date is permissible. But this date is rubbing the salt in the wound is a big way. Does his new "spouse" get to go to Lambeth too?