Acts of Faith Anglican Communion suspends the Episcopal Church after years of gay rights debates

[ccgr]

Had kind of an epiphany not too long ago. Happy to share the details if you're interested.

please do!

Anyone have any contacts within the Episcopalian church?

https://twitter.com/divinegames/status/ ... 4425117696

[amyjo88]

There are three things in this article I'd like to comment on, because they annoy me greatly.

In remarks he has made available to Episcopal News Service, Curry said the Episcopal Church has a “commitment to be an inclusive church.”

When did "inclusive" start meaning the same thing as "enabling sin?" The gay community is an entire demographic whose defining characteristic is their desire to live a sinful lifestyle, and this is given the same weight as race, sex or nationality?

“I stand before you as a descendant of African slaves, stolen from their native land, enslaved in a bitter bondage, and then even after emancipation, segregated and excluded in church and society,” Curry, the church’s first African American presiding bishop, told the primates. “And this conjures that up again, and brings pain.”

I really dislike when gay issues are compared with the historical struggles of the black community. This idiot is literally comparing a political move by his church to slavery and segregation. Oddly, later in the same article someone says

Episcopalians have been aware that the U.S. body could be penalized, said Jim Naughton, a communications consultant working largely in the Episcopal Church. “The sanctions against the Episcopal Church are trifling compared to what LGBT Christians suffer, and we shouldn’t be whining about the nature of the sanctions,” he said.

So it's good that he is acknowledging that this isn't some massive hardship, in contrast to what Curry said above... but at the same time I'm not particularly moved by the "plight" of the media darlings of the 21st Century, the LGBT community.

I also cringe when gay rights are compared to black rights. Gays have not suffered nearly what blacks have. But, the comparison is more than that. Gays are making the argument that we can't discriminate against who they are. Gay Christians believe they were created gay. We treat people of all races equally because God created them that way, their race is sacred. Our sexuality is also sacred, but (most) Christians believe homosexuality is a corruption of our God-given sexuality (Listen to Ravi Zacharais, start at 3:20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKTiEnYS1jw). Frequently people argue they were born gay. Well, we were all born in sin, and we are all tempted in different ways. Evil is pervasive and powerful. Our very genes have been corrupted by evil. So, yes, perhaps people are even born gay. Did they find the "alcoholic gene" yet? Would that mean God wants us to be alcoholics? No. But God is even more powerful than any sin, and is redeeming all of creation. Sometimes He brings healing in this earthly life, sometimes just strength enough to get through to the next life. What I'm trying to say is, we aren't going to convince gays that their struggle is different than those of the black community unless we can convince them that their sexual desire is not their identity. Realizing that our identity is in Christ and in no one and nothing else is something all Christians need, that lesson changed my life.

As for the suspension... I didn't know how those things worked, or what the relationship was between the Anglican and Episcopal Churches. Seems like a good move to me, though it is odd that this ruling didn't include the Canadian branches, who have similar policies. I wonder why it took so long, so I'm inclined to think this is more of a strategic move than something motivated simply by morality. Maybe there was concern that the more liberal sectors of the Church would start to gain too much power within the organization and this was done to counter it.

I don't know of many churches practicing much discipline within themselves, so I applaud the effort and even the slow response. From my quick Google search it seems that Episcopal is more or less the American Anglican church, there wasn't meant to be a theological distinction. I don't know about the Canadian Anglicans, perhaps they don't support gay marriage as strongly (yet?)? Maybe they will receive similar discipline soon if they continue?

[ArcticFox]

Had kind of an epiphany not too long ago. Happy to share the details if you're interested.

please do!

Bam.