Posted on 07/06/2007 10:58:55 AM PDT by fgoodwin
The “mainstream” religious groups are self destructing. My friends who are Episcopalian are pretty devout and have no patience for this nonsense.
However, the issue of "Gay" Bradley Schmeling is NOT settled!!!!
Nor is the issue of the alledged "compatibility" of islam and Christianity realy settled, among Episcopalians and Lutherans. My own (revisionist) ELCA pastor once preached a sermon, in which he cited one of his muslim friends. That "friend" took one of the passages of the Qu'ran that states that islam is the only path to Paradise, and translated "islam" as "this submission". According to that translation, a Christian may attain to Paradise if he/she "submits" to God. That sounds like a transparent case of Al Taqqia to me!!!!
As the result of that sermon, one of our members, a theologically unsophisticated woman, left our congregation and joined the only Wisconsin Synod Lutheran church in our entire region. Ironically, the more theologically learned orthodox members of our congregation, including yours truly, just grumbled to each other and stayed put.
I think that Jesus said something about the simple "getting it" faster than the supposedly learned, which applies in at least some cases, including this one. But most of us "learned" orthodox folks didn't know where else to go, and most still don't.
In this case, the priestess is still "canonically resident" in Rhode Island. That simply means that her clerical letters remain in that diocese. The relevant canon is as follows:
Of Letters Dimissory
Sec. 4. (a) A Priest desiring to become canonically resident within a Diocese shall present to the Ecclesiastical Authority a testimonial from the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese of current canonical residence, which testimonial shall be given by the Ecclesiastical Authority to the applicant, and a duplicate thereof may be sent to the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese to which transfer is proposed. The testimonial shall be accompanied by a statement of the record of payments to The Church Pension Fund by or on behalf of the Priest concerned and shall be in the following words:
I hereby certify that A.B., who has signified to me the desire to be transferred to the Ecclesiastical Authority of _____, is a Priest of in good standing, and has not, so far as I know or believe, been justly liable to evil report, for error in religion or for viciousness of life, for the last three years. (Date) (Signed)
(b) Such a testimonial shall be called Letters Dimissory. If the Ecclesiastical Authority accepts the Letters Dimissory, the canonical residence of the Priest transferred shall date from such acceptance, and prompt notice of acceptance shall be given to the applicant and to the Ecclesiastical Authority issuing the Letters Dimissory.
(c) Letters Dimissory not presented within six months of their date of receipt by the applicant shall become void.
(d) If a Priest has been called to a Cure in a congregation in another Diocese, the Priest shall present Letters Dimissory. The Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese shall accept Letters Dimissory within three months of their receipt unless the Bishop or Standing Committee has received credible information concerning the character or behavior of the Priest concerned which would form grounds for canonical inquiry and presentment. In such a case, the Ecclesiastical Authority shall notify the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese in which the Priest is canonically resident and need not accept the Letters Dimissory unless and until the Priest shall be exculpated. The Ecclesiastical Authority shall not refuse to accept Letters Dimissory based on the applicant's race, color, ethnic origin, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disabilities, or age.
Apparently this priestess violated the Canons by failing to apply for letters dimissory when she took a position in Washington State. But having failed to do so, she is still under the jurisdiction of the Bishopess of R.I.
How a Christian denomination can get so far away from the core of the faith is the tragedy of our times. Heresy is not easy to stop without many hurt feelings.
Good. I agree. There’s a small remnant that are being very rapidly disillusioned with most church ‘activity’ since it’s more like a circus than worship or ministry anyway.
We all know that to cause hurt feelings is a cardinal sin!
My Episcopalian friends are very spiritual and devout and are not happy with what has happening but are not going to leave, either. Many of them are ex Catholics.
My Episcopalian friends are very spiritual and devout and are not happy with what has happening but are not going to leave, either. Many of them are ex Catholics.
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