For Episcopal Church, fissure deepens (Kenya to consecrate Murdoch as Bishop)

Boston Globe ^ | July 18, 2007 | Michael Paulson

[PAR35]

In a dramatic illustration of the unhappiness among conservative Episcopalians in the United States, an Episcopal priest from the North Shore has decided to become a bishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya.

The Rev. William L. Murdoch, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in West Newbury, will fly to Nairobi next month for his consecration as a Kenyan bishop, then return to Massachusetts to minister to other disaffected conservatives who are leaving the Episcopal Church over its 2003 decision to ordain an openly gay priest as the bishop of New Hampshire.

Murdoch's congregation, which averages about 300 worshipers each Sunday, will have to turn over its three buildings and a $1 million endowment to the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The congregation is planning to buy a closed Catholic church in Amesbury and start over as All Saints Anglican, a local parish of the Kenyan church.

[PAR35]

Apostate ECUSA continues to shed members.

[PAR35]

I don’t recall having seen this before. If it’s news, please ping the list.

[Huber]

Thanks to PAR35 for the ping.

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Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15

[gridlock]

The sad thing is the ECUSA probably takes the $1,000,000 in cash and $3,000,000 in property and figures they’re better off. The fact that 150 families just walked away will not concern them in the least.

Then next year we’ll have to listen to the Bishop whining again at Convention about declining membership.

[Gman]

Recalling (to the best of my memory) something I once heard Archbishop Kolini say, “Many years ago you sent Anglican Missionaries to Africa - for that I am very grateful. Now, we are returning the favor.”

[Huber]

Indeed!

[kaehurowing]

ECUSA is not a church, it is a non-Christian cult.

[x_plus_one]

ECUSA is not a church, it is a non-Christian cult.

Also they think their "unbroken apostolic succession" means something other than a bunch of hot air that only they themselves believe.

[bobjam]

The ECUSA pointy hats think that because they can trace their consecration history to the Apostles, they are legitimately in Apostolic Succession. They do not realize that the moment they abandoned the Apostolic Faith they ceased being in Apostolic Succession.

[kaehurowing]

They also have abandoned the Bible, the Creeds, and the Anglican 39 Articles of Religion.

[Honorary Serb]

The Orthodox and the Roman Catholics do NOT recognize TEC’s “Apostolic succession”. Without the Apostolic Faith, the “succession” of these pseudo-bishops is empty indeed, and is a judgment against them!!!!

[bobjam]

Exactly. An Orthodox priest explained to me once that Apostolic Succession is adherence to the Apostolic Faith. Without the latter, one cannot have the former.

We are told in the Scriptures not to put our faith in elaborate genealogies (as the pagans did). Those ECUSA pointy hats do exactly that when they claim legitimacy by pointing to their own consecration genealogies while ignoring the Word of God and the Faith of the Apostles.

For the record, those Anglican bishops and archbishops who do uphold the Word of God and Apostolic Faith (in many cases at great personal risk in this world) are in Apostolic Succession.