Posted on 05/11/2008 7:29:14 PM PDT by Huber
If the Anglican Communion is to be "in Philippi", and I agree with Kings that it is, then it is time to obey God fully and send the dogs, the enemies of the gospel, away from the table. The problem with Lambeth is that Euodia and Synthyche would have to share their Sunday roast with wolves despite the Philippian church being told that they should do no such thing.
There is, of course, an alternative. There is another gospel table where the dogs are not invited but Euodia and Syntyche sit side by side. At GAFCON evangelicals and anglo-catholics will set aside their rivalries for the service of a greater agreement. It would be great if Kings would join us, and he rightly notes that Paul would have it no other way. But if he wants to share his meal with wolves, our obedience to what Paul wrote to the Philippians will not allow us to come. As I sit here at the beginning of May, one major question is facing all those who want to uphold the truth of the gospel in the Anglican Communion: should we go to Lambeth? Of course, for most of us that's an academic question - we don't have an invitation (although that's not stopping some). Nevertheless we have an emotional investment in the issue, for the question of how much we associate with those that we disagree with is (or at least should be) a constant dilemma for those who take the Scripture seriously, especially where there is clear evidence of willful unrepentance in the matter of public sin.
That is, of course, one of the considerations that drives many of those clergy and laity who are attending GAFCON but staying away from Lambeth. They are convinced that they must seperate themselves from those who promote the various theological innovations (not just in doctrine but in practise) that are currently tearing our Communion apart. In the first part this is a theological conviction - they look to texts such as these:
1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler--not even to eat with such a one.
Best wishes to the Anglican Christians, who have crosses to bear that deponent knoweth not.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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