SHAME ON JESUS FOR LOVING EVERYONE

There is a very bitter struggle going on within the Episcopal Church in the United States (herein referred to as 'ECUSA') and it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Already things have gotten too hot under the collar as far as Christianity should go. The history of oppressed and oppressor alike within the confines of Christianity is long, but unfortunately
our memories are not as long.

The starting point came about at their 2003 General Convention, when they ratified V. Gene Robinson's election to the Episcopacy.

Who is V. Gene Robinson?

Bishop V. Gene Robinson is the first consecrated openly gay Bishop.

Starting at that very convention- a group of conservative Episcopalians protested what they saw as apostasy from the Christian faith and betrayal of the Church. They have not stopped yet.

Now conservative clerics from various parts of the globe are gathering in various locations and times and there is a very real discussion of leaving the Episcopal church, or rather, setting up their own Church and seeking recognition from the rest of the Anglican Communion as the 'real' ECUSA.

They are now crossing diocesan and other territorial lines to ordain conservative clerics for existing 'liberal' dioceses, and their Bishops are taking in dissident conservative congregations that have split with their native Bishop. This is not only in violation of ECUSA's present canon law, but also in violation of Anglo-Catholic and Apostolic tradition which has dictated the integrity of the jurisdiction of Bishops since the beginnings of the 'monarchial episcopate' in the 2nd century.

While certainly Christianity faces a challenge in the coming years and decades in regards to it's relationship with homosexuality and the Church, an equally deep and underlying issue that is present is one of the oldest challenges in the human condition and relationship with other human beings- power. Even more so- the situation says more about their inability to look in the mirror than it does about
looking in the eyes of one's brothers and sisters under God.

This is done with repeated appeals to scripture and 'tradition' and with passioned pleas to the rest of the Episcopal church to listen 'before it's too late'. They feel that scripture is being ignored and their concerns are not being listened to, much less heeded.

However, no dialogue is possible with these people- in order to have dialogue one must sit at the same table. When one leaves the discussion, one removes oneself from the ability to legitmately talk with one' brothers and sisters. Indeed, when walking away from the table, the only thing one can do at that point is to talk 'at them' and not 'with them'. They have left the table- there is no option that can
satisfy the conservatives save for ECUSA issuing an extremely vocal 'repentance' of their actions at the General Convention. Even if this happened, it is my opinion that this would not be enough for them.

They spit and spout that the Church has departed from the faith, that they are no longer christian if they abide by the present course and the scripture, and indeed, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF, speaks out against what they do..

As Bishop Douglas Theuner, former Bishop of New Hampshire noted, some are describing this as the toughest crisis the church has ever faced, but also, like he goes on to note: It isn't.

One need only go back 30 years, nay even only 10-15 years ago to see people speaking of the same thing. "Scripture is explicit" "Tradition speaks against it" "If you do this, then you break faith with our forefathers, the Apostles and the Christ himself"..

Only they weren't talking about gays in the priesthood or the Episcopacy...

They were talking about women...

So? Where now is the faith of the fathers, the tradition of the church and indeed the Church itself?

The sun still rises...the world has not ended...the church has not vanished...Jesus has not been crucified anew.. If anyone in the wider Anglican Communion is hunting for a new set of hammer and nails it's the very people that claim departure from the faith on the part of ECUSA.

Now certainly, it may be said that I am being a little harsh here and painting all the conservatives as being ravenous bigoted creatures roaming the pews, and as I mentioned in the 'Intolerance of Acceptance', I do fall prey to the double standard mindset that creeps in with being a liberal. However, one need only look at the language they are using to see where their heart lies.

I submit for your inspection "Choose this day" a video put together by Anglican 'lay people' (I am sorry but I just don't buy this) outlining their views and the crisis in "their" Church.

(As an interesting note, take a look at the comment by Rev. Kendal Harmon- "The reality is that there is a different gospel that smuggled it's way into the church in the west that's competing for our attention; which deemphasizes sin, nearly ignores the cross and offers a Jesus that just kind of affirms and includes people" [emphasis is mine]

Umm.. are we talking about the same Jesus here.. you know the one that welcomes people from all walks of life, particularily the marginalized and poor in spirit? )

There has been a lot of buildup, a lot of press releases, a lot of late night meetings and as a whole- a lot of hot air. What are they waiting for? Most reasonable and thinking Christians seem to know where they are headed with this whole line of thought and maneuvering- they are building up to a split.

So I say- why are you wasting time- leave. Do you honestly believe that ECUSA (or for that matter the Canadian Diocese of New Westminster, whose Bishop has authorized same sex blessings) will, after a couple of years has passed (because a couple years have passed) suddenly wake up and say 'Gee, I think we were wrong'. Not likely.

Like a marriage of two individuals that has fallen apart yet continues to create damage by daily talk of leaving, repercussions and verbal abuse etc the time of reconciliation on this issue, for the immediate, has passed. No further good can be obtained by sticking around without harming the rest of the family that comes under their roof.

PS: If you are going to put out a video on why the leaders of ECUSA are bad.. at least get someone other than a car salesman to narrate it... after all, church tradition demands that anything that comes out of a church must be stuffy and uncharismatic.. anything else and you have apostasized from the True Faith(tm).