Posted by
Playful Walrus on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 4:51:38 PM
Duke Helfand has today's Los Angeles Times story from the Episcopalian convention in Anaheim.
Bishops, clergy and lay leaders voted overwhelmingly at the denomination's General Convention in Anaheim to open "any ordained ministry" to gays and lesbians.
I don’t think this really gives the clear story on what is going on. What the church is doing, unless I'm missing something, is refusing to hold leaders accountable for openly, actively, unrepentantly engaging homosexual behavior.
Meanwhile, the Bible makes it clear that sex is for marriage, and marriage unites the sexes. As such, it is inescapable that the Bible teaches homosexual behavior (like any sexual activity with someone who is not one's spouse) is sinful. How can church leaders be supported in being unrepentantly sinful?
The liberalized policy represents a reversal from guidelines adopted by the church at its last convention in 2006 that effectively prohibited the consecration of bishops whose "manner of life" would strain relations with the 77-million member Anglican Communion.
They should have stuck with that.
"Being an Episcopalian means you can disagree and still worship together," said the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles. "We're going to leave the door open for all those who disagree with us to find a place here and peace here."
"Hey, you’re still welcome to come here and pay your tithes and offerings, even though we mock your convictions as official policy." Uh, yeah.
But the measure also affirms that "God has called" gays and lesbians in partnered relationships to "any ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church," adding that the call "is a mystery which the church attempts to discern for all people."
Please show Biblical support for this claim. Smells to me like a claim to revelation. The Bible has very strict standards for prophets. Lying in the name of God is not taken lightly.
There could still be more bad news from the convention. It will be interesting to watch the denomination continue to shrink.