Ministry News

No Longer a 'Place of Sanity'

Details: Friday, 17 July 2009 09:35

QUOTE: "I think for many in the local churches, they don't like or understand the conflict. For them, the local church is supposed to be a place of sanity. So what may happen is simply the diminishing power of the national church as people lose interest in its continued fights." —William Sachs, an Episcopal scholar and author in Richmond, Va., on congregants' reaction to the U.S. Episcopal Church's decision this week to lift the ban on ordaining gay bishops. In 2003, the American branch of the Anglican Communion consecrated an openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson from the Diocese of New Hampshire, after which Anglican leaders urged the 2.1 million-member U.S. church from further liberalizing its policies. This week at the church's General Convention in Anaheim, Calif., however, the resolution to strike down the pre-existing ban passed by an overwhelming 104-to-30 vote in the House of Bishops, further splintering the already tenuous relationship with the global Anglican Communion. Said one bishop who helped spearhead both the resolution and an official prayer of blessing for same-sex couples: "I hope it will help us to be more honest, more compassionate, more sympathetic toward one another. We have a breadth of opinion [in the church] and no one is compelled to go against their conscience." [washingtonpost.com, 7/16/09; latimes.com, 7/16/09]

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Comments

+2 #6 Owen 2009-07-18 01:10

It's sad to see such a vote pass thru the Body of Christ. Then again, this can be an great opportunity for their members and the people of God to examine the leadership their following. I am sure several thousands will leave and that's the good news. A majority of Episcopal Church Leaders approved this change on policy. The truth of understanding the doctrine of the Bible has left their mind. God Bless them all.

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+2 #5 Della Guenther 2009-07-17 16:04

Pray for our country and repent!! Jesus loves us but we must stand for the truth of GODS word and do it in love and wisdom and in his power.

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+2 #4 snowbird 2009-07-17 16:02

MATTHEW 15:14 LET THEM ALONE: THEY BE BLIND LEADERS OF THE BLIND. AND IF THE BLIND LEAD THE BLIND, BOTH SHALL FALL INTO THE DITCH.

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+5 #3 Gale 2009-07-17 12:48

Its a shame to think that people do not realize they will be judged on judgement day. To think a sick act as a man lusting after another man is accepted by a building called a church. This is a mockery to God. The bible says God has his anger stored up. When that anger is released it will be horrible for those who partisapated in thsi sin. and God help those so called bishops that approved this. I guess you are not willing to die for the gospel sake.
:sad:

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+7 #2 Charles P. Allen 2009-07-17 09:36

Simply put, here's what this old soldier believes: Who gives a rat's nose about our personal "conscience" or "breadth of opinion"? What matters is what the Holy, unchanging, everlasting Word of God has to say. I seem to remember something about homosexuality being referred in scripture as an abomination and unnatural. Political correctness is NOT correct. The Word of God is correct. Political correctness reeks of worldliness and unsound doctrine - having a form of Godliness but denying the POWER of the Gospel.

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