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Episcopal Priest in Maryland: 'I Can No Longer Submit to Our Bishops'
Agape Press ^ | Fred Jackson and Jody Brown

Posted on 08/11/2003 7:38:22 PM PDT by xzins

Episcopal Priest in Maryland: 'I Can No Longer Submit to Our Bishops'
Similar Discontent Reported in Texas, Colorado

By Fred Jackson and Jody Brown
August 11, 2003

(AgapePress) - An Episcopal pastor in Maryland is comparing his denomination to a "flying coffin doomed to destruction and despair" -- and says it will "carry more people to hell than it will save."

Steven Randall's comments came yesterday as he went before his congregation to denounce last week's decision by church leaders to endorse an openly homosexual bishop. The move has saddened, shocked, and angered many Episcopalians who believe their leaders have betrayed God's Word.

Randall, pastor of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Catonsville, Maryland, has decided to do more than just complain. The Washington Times reports his congregation gave him a standing ovation yesterday when he announced he would no longer obey his bishop, and that his church will cease sending its monthly $5,000 pledge to the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.

Randall says he is not resigning. But he knows his move will likely cost him his job -- and the pension and other benefits that go with it.

As he put it: "People will say I am just bailing out -- but I am following God's call as best I can."

Randall was not the only Episcopal priest registering his dismay from the pulpit yesterday. According to The New York Times, Rev. David Roseberry of Plano, Texas, delivered a "rousing" sermon that ended with a "thunderous" ovation from his congregants.

"There are things in the Bible that are not up for a vote," Roseberry is quoted as telling hundreds of worshippers at Christ Church Episcopal on Sunday morning. "In two days, in two votes by less than 600 people, 4,000 years of biblical teaching was overturned.

"We ought to be shocked -- but we are not surprised," he said, referring to the confirmation of open homosexual Gene Robinson as bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire.

And in Colorado Springs, Rev. Donald Armstrong told his congregation they had the right to direct their financial contributions as a way to register their protest. Armstrong said parishioners looking for a way to express their discontent with their church leaders' decisions last week could restrict their gifts to the local parish and thereby withhold contributions to the national Episcopal Church or the Diocese of Colorado.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: defiance; episcopal; fallout; homosexual; homosexualagenda; homosexualbishop; priest; schism
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1 posted on 08/11/2003 7:38:23 PM PDT by xzins
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To: xzins
This is only the start of the backlash.
2 posted on 08/11/2003 7:40:15 PM PDT by JOHANNES801 (Kill a commie for mommie.)
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To: xzins
Excellent. Homosexuality is an abomination. Here's to the brave voices who are willing to stand by scripture.
3 posted on 08/11/2003 7:40:41 PM PDT by Neever
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To: JOHANNES801
Its gonna be interisting. The backlash is gonna be Big Time.
4 posted on 08/11/2003 7:43:08 PM PDT by AGreatPer (Current odds on Hillary running in 04......1-1 after this debate)
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To: xzins; scripter
Bump & Ping



Choice4Truth

5 posted on 08/11/2003 7:47:59 PM PDT by EdReform (Support Free Republic - Become a Monthly Donor)
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To: Neever
I did research today and left a message for an Anglican Priest....he called me back this evening and after speaking to him I have hope. He told me they left the Episcopal Church years ago, after seeing the direction they were going.

I am very hopeful and am going for a visit this Sunday.

When GOD closes a door -- HE opens a window.
6 posted on 08/11/2003 7:50:48 PM PDT by loulou
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To: xzins
Bravo to Steven Randall. Maybe many more will follow his lead.
7 posted on 08/11/2003 7:51:10 PM PDT by Amazed1953
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To: Amazed1953; loulou; EdReform
I'm sure the African prelates will continue to adopt these congregations.
8 posted on 08/11/2003 8:02:48 PM PDT by xzins
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To: Lucretia Borgia
Another Episcopal apostasy ping.
9 posted on 08/11/2003 8:07:35 PM PDT by brbethke
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To: AGreatPer
We can all help him by supporting his philosophy, Episcopalians who agree ... all join forces and refuse to give money to the bishops ... stand up and be counted!! Do not leave your churches with out a fight!!!
10 posted on 08/11/2003 8:19:15 PM PDT by mariejlt
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To: xzins
Amen!
11 posted on 08/11/2003 8:20:22 PM PDT by thoughtomator (Are we conservatives, or are we Republicans?)
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To: xzins
Good for him.

One of the greatest sins is to cause another's foot to stumble. If that doesn't describe the potential of an openly "Gay" Bishop working with a confused young man or woman, I don't know what does.

This is absolutely nuts. A practicing homosexual cannot be allowed to council people on these issues. The leaders who voted to make Robinson a Bishop will have some 'splainin' to do.

12 posted on 08/11/2003 8:34:58 PM PDT by Deb (My Tag Skies to Gotham & Con-Fabs With Net Prexies)
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To: xzins
and you did not have a problem with your creed being headed by a Queen?
13 posted on 08/11/2003 8:52:13 PM PDT by Destro (Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorisim by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
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To: xzins
Praise God for these "men of another sort". Men who will not compromise the word of God to keep their jobs, their popularity etc. May a lot more like them begin to rise up in these days. They are sorely needed.
14 posted on 08/11/2003 9:10:08 PM PDT by PleaseNoMore
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To: xzins
Question: who ends up with the property if there is a split?
15 posted on 08/11/2003 9:10:55 PM PDT by ikka
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To: xzins
"There are things in the Bible that are not up for a vote,"

Amen! This church is less than a mile from my house in Plano, Texas (bedroom community north of Dallas, home to EDS, JCPenney and Frito Lay) - and I am glad to see this pastor standing up for the truth.

16 posted on 08/11/2003 9:13:00 PM PDT by txzman (Jer 23:29)
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To: xzins
A friend of ours was booted out of the Episcopal Church by his bishop and subsequently became a priest in something called the Evangelical Episcopal Church. His offense was basically refusing to toe the politically correct line on certain feminist and homosexual issues.

Earlier, he got in big trouble up in Maine when he read the passage from Paul on marriage and neglected to omit the verse about wives obeying their husbands. It took him years to live it down. Tough times for orthodox priests in the Episcopal Church.
17 posted on 08/11/2003 9:30:57 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Destro
I guess I miss your point...are you trying to be amusing or just insulting?
18 posted on 08/11/2003 9:43:07 PM PDT by jnarcus
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: xzins
"When GOD closes a door -- HE opens a window.

How very true...the effort to break all moral bonds with the belief in God, or some power, is the work of the left/communism through social engineering in this country. Now the Episcopal Church with its progressive doctrines has fallen into truly bad company, the Church of England and together they have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Since they no longer serve God, whom do they serve?

2020 is a movement in the Episcopal Church toward embracing fully the stated mission of the church: "to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ" (BCP p.855) and toward accepting the Great Commission: "Go therefore and make all nations my disciples" (Mt. 28:19). The goal that General Convention adopted in July 2000 that would hold the Church accountable to the movement is that by 2020 the Episcopal Church will have restored and discipled twice as many people as we can claim today.

"The Book of Common Prayer is one of the major works of English literature. Since its introduction in the mid-1500's it has exerted enormous influence on the religious and literary lives of all who speak the English language. The Book of Common Prayer has gone through a number of editions, not only in England where it originated, but in all the places where the various Churches of the Anglican communion are now active"

The prayers are truly beautiful – but – they were written by men who were breaking away from the Roman Church – for reasons other than faith. Now in order to gain a wider, more modern congregation, these ‘teachers’ have decided the Bible and word of God, have little place in their vision of Modern Christianity. Read Paul; read Deuteronomy for starters; God’s well deserved fear of what some of his children might do with their bodies for pleasure seems to have been over looked by the politically correct Episcopal Church; it would appear ‘they’ condone sins of the flesh. IMHO, I don’t believe the Lord was ever politically correct – certainly not by today’s meaning.

20 posted on 08/11/2003 10:08:57 PM PDT by yoe
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