The liberal Episcopal Church

The liberal Episcopal Church…

just became more liberal.  Transgender and homosexual activists have won two major victories in the Episcopal Church's ongoing annual convention in Indianapolis.

By de Andréa

July 12, 2012

Gender identity and expression 

The House of Deputies in the Episcopal Church has passed legislation stating that "gender identity and expression" would not be barriers to ordained ministry.  Considering that, and the fact that the church's canons were also altered to included transsexual categories alongside gender, race, and sexual orientation as a protected status, Jeff Walton of The Institute on Religion & Democracy said “the already liberal policies within the Episcopal denomination have become even more liberal”. 

We are no longer just stumbling around and dividing ourselves over fine points of doctrine as the Apostle Paul did when he took the Corinthian church to task, but we are altering and abandoning the fundamental Biblical truths in the so-called Protestant Church that Luther accused the Catholic church of practicing at the time of the Reformation. 

What this means in the Episcopal church is… if there is a person who is experiencing, for example, gender-identity disorder, they could not be denied access to ordination as clergy in the Episcopal Church simply based upon those grounds, So, it's a pretty big step down the wrong path by the Episcopal Church to basically affirm transgenderism.  God said no!  And the Church said yes!  I can’t make it anymore clear that that…

Same sex marriage
Another move was to adopt same-sex "blessing" ceremonies and prayers
They tap-dance around it by saying this is technically not a marriage.  That word isn't used, but it goes pretty much all the way up to that.  You have a rite in which there is an exchange of vows, and it essentially mirrors same sex marriage with only a few minor alterations.

Only a few conservative bishops argued against both actions, but they were heavily outnumbered, largely because at least 200,000 members and 300 biblically-based parishes have left the denomination over the past few years.  We have division within the division!  This is what happens when we continue to divide rather than standing for unity under God.

From the INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – “The Episcopal Church has approved a church wide ceremony for blessing same-sex unions.  The Episcopal General Convention gave final approval to the liturgy Tuesday during a meeting in Indianapolis.  It's the latest Episcopal step toward accepting homosexual relationships.  The church elected the first openly homosexual bishop, Vickie Gene Robinson, in 2003”.

A few other liberal-leaning Protestants Churches do ordain homosexuals, or allow individual congregations to celebrate same-sex unions.  However, only one major Protestant group, the United Church of Christ, has fully endorsed same-sex marriage.  Episcopal opponents of homosexual marriage say the new ceremonies effectively endorse same-sex marriage without theological justification.

Episcopal bishops will decide whether to allow the ceremonies in their dioceses.  The liturgy can be used starting December 2, the first Sunday in the celebration of Advent.

THE BOTTOM LINE:  I personally am not an advocate of Denominationalism; meaning to separate oneself or to divide the church over fine points of doctrine which  sends the church down the road of division rather than unity.  This is exactly what the Apostle Paul was trying to teach the early church in Corinth not to practace.  One might ponder just what would have happened to the Catholic Church if Luther had made the same effort that he did in dividing the church from the corruption of the Catholic Church into changing’ the existing Church instead.  Not much has actually changed because of the division; we have just traded one kind of corruption for another.

Don’t misunderstand; I know that at least so far, all denominations haven’t succumbed to the pressures of political correctness to the point of adopting Homosexuality as Biblically acceptable.  But all denominations are on the same path of division which does lead to corruption.  We become more and more divided, first over doctrinal issues then over the downright abandonment of the fundamental will of God. 

I have to admit, I left the church of my childhood nearly 50 years ago over doctrinal issues, but they were fundamental Biblical Issues.  As they say, if I new then what I know now I might have made more of an effort to change things rather than practicing division myself.

I firmly believe that this unbiblical path of denominationalism is what contributes to the corruption we see in the church today.  First it is just fine points of doctrine that may or may not be Biblical in the first place, then we move on to changing Biblical Cannons to suit an ever changing society. 

It isn’t just God, that is the same yesterday today and for ever, it is also, his will that doesn’t change, and that “will” is well documented in the Scriptures. 

Something to think about…  If the Church hadn’t fundamentally changed to accommodate society, society may not have changed to accommodate corruption.  Pray for our country, we need unity now more than ever before.

Thanks for your support and may God bless…

de Andréa