Gospel of Inclusion?

OpinionJournal.com ^ | August 8, 2003 | KATHERINE KERSTEN

[Paul_B]

Gospel of Inclusion? Its Episcopal disciples leave little room for Scripture.

MINNEAPOLIS--This week, the Episcopal Church's triennial Convention was the site of a media frenzy. On Tuesday, church leaders meeting here took the unprecedented step of approving as bishop a practicing homosexual, the Rev. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. At press time, they seemed poised to give local communities permission to bless same-sex unions.

[Paul_B]

I thought this was an excellent, cogent look at what's happening in today's Episcopal Church. And what's happening is, quite simply, spiritual and ecclesial suicide. Kudos, Ms. Kersten.

[Tarheel]

Thank you for this excellent article. Yes, I agree the church has committed suicide.

The Tarheel

[gumboyaya]

amen

[Sacajaweau]

No one has said a gay cannot enter a church. I know many re-married Catholics who attend mass regularly, receive the sacraments and raise their children in the church. They are technically excommunicated. The difference is they don't teach divorce as their way of life. They teach marriage and the duties of the parents to their children to society.

This gay thing is TEACHING homosexuality as proper behavior. It is not. There are no real goals. It is a life of "pretend".

[FreeRep]

Great post.
Some in the Episcopal General Convention say this new Convention was "life-giving"!
More like "death-giving" I think.

[Blood of Tyrants]

This is exactly the kind of "church" that the devil loves. Everyone gets to feel good with no condemnation no matter how depraved or perverted your personal behavior.

[Biblebelter]

I appreciate the second paragraph of this article. The Episcopalians do a great job with costumes and scenery. To an onlooking world they may certainly look like a church, but alas to those who have spriritual discernment, they perceive nothing but the empty shell.

[CatoRenasci]

A fair reading of the biblical passages on homosexualtiy shows that the apostles accepted into the church those who had been homosexuals. Paul's call is not that we accept into the church only those whose past is blameless, but those who come to the church must choose to change their ways to follow Christ's teachings. Hence, it is not homosexual desire or even a homosexual past that is condemned, it is the practice -- just as the practice of adultery and fornication is condemned.

This is why it is not unreasonable to take the view that those with homosexual pasts (who are willing to be celibate) may be ordained. It is also the reason why making Vickie Robinson a bishop is so far out and unacceptable to the rest of the Anglican Communion: he not only left his wife and family because he felt homosexual desire, he has entered into and maintained an active homosexual relationship. From a theological point of view, it is little different from the church making a bishop of someone openly and notoriously living with a woman to whom he was not married. It wouldn't happen.

[hellinahandcart]

This one's for bookmarking.

[the infidel]

...it is little different from the church making a bishop of someone openly and notoriously living with a woman to whom he was not married...

You're right: things would be a lot different if he'd left his wife for another woman or was shacking up with someone who was not his wife. Cohabitation and infidelity are politically correct as long as homosexuality is involved. As long as some sins have vocal proponents in the church, blatant double standards and moral and doctrinal decline will persist.

[JesseHousman]

It's just another milestone on the highway mapped out by those generals who march forward with the Homosexual Agenda For America tucked under their arm!

For over three decades, homosexual activists have tirelessly pursued their satanic vision of an America in which their behavior is affirmed and their critics are silenced.

The Supreme Court's ruling overturning sodomy laws opens the door to the complete triumph of the homosexual agenda -- and the end of free-speech rights for all who have faith-based objections to endorsing, funding or supporting homosexual behavior.

A six-point strategy was laid out by two homosexual leaders in the late 1980s, to radically alter America's understanding of homosexual behavior. How all six of these points are being carried out in present-day American culture.

Homosexual activists have made progress by infiltrating, influencing and intimidating people in every major power structure -- including the media, education, government, corporate America, and even the major churches.

Homosexual activists are using corporate employment policies to promote homosexual behavior -- and to stigmatize, isolate and silence employees who express opposition.

"Gay rights" legislation in many states sets severe punishments for those who do not agree with its demands while the homosexual agenda is being pushed to elementary school children, starting in kindergarten. Then there's the little-known proposal to implement a full-scale indoctrination of children to accept and affirm homosexual behavior. Unfortunately, the indoctrination in our public schools has been all too successful while liberal churches exist for little more than promoting homosexual behavior.

Homosexual propagandists have been extremely skillful in portraying anyone who opposes them as sympathetic to, or even complicit in, violence against homosexuals.

They have succeeded in "piggybacking" their agenda on legitimate causes such as equal rights for racial minorities and Hollywood helps by replacing old stereotypes with new ones that idealize homosexuals and demonize their opponents.

The fundraising power of the homosexual movement extorts money from corporations and foundations while, thanks to the Lavender Tower, homosexual behavior and its promotion have become pervasive at colleges and universities.

"Domestic partner" policies and "civil unions" are aimed at the wholesale destruction of marriage (as one influential homosexual writer actually boasted) are aimed at homosexual adoption: a devastating critique of the sloppy, poorly-documented studies that helped it gain acceptance.

[anniegetyourgun]

Nothing but a form of godliness, while denying the power thereof.

[Asclepius]

God is doing something new indeed. He has departed the Episcopal Church of America.

[ken5050]

Many churches in the NY ECUSA disoces have for years allowed "open communion", and have been strong advocated of choice.....what do you expect?

[sweetliberty]

"They are content to proclaim vaguely that "God is doing something new," and to urge other Christians to have faith, because the Holy Spirit is leading the charge."

Indeed He is....much like He led the "charge" of Lot's family out of Sodom.

[Terriergal]

Ashamed to be a Minnesotan. I sure don't envy the good devout conservative Episcopalians.

[Terriergal]

Ashamed to be a Minnesotan. I sure don't envy the good devout conservative Episcopalians.

[Terriergal]

Some in the Episcopal General Convention say this new Convention was "life-giving"!

Did you hear the quote by the new bishop in question?

Something like "Once again, God has brought Easter out of Good Friday."

I am rending my garments, wailing, and covering myself with ash. That's the closest thing to blasphemy I have heard in a LOOOONG time.

[Terriergal]

And hey, I ain't even Epsicopalian.

[Terriergal]

Make sure you all hit the CNN poll on whether there should be a legal definition of marriage.

It could use some freepin help.