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FIRST-PERSON: A 'clean sweep' for the Episcopal liberals

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by gb93433, Jul 15, 2009.

  1. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    The entire story is at http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=30893

    Acting in open defiance to the worldwide Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church has voted to end a de facto moratorium on the election and consecration of openly gay bishops. The vote -- overwhelming in both houses of the denomination's General Convention -- comes barely 6 years after the American church brought its worldwide communion to the brink of disaster.

    The specific language adopted by the General Convention declared the church's openness to the ordination or election of homosexual persons to "any ordained ministry." In taking this action, the Episcopal Church now signals its absolute determination to defy Scripture, tradition and the urgent cries of its own sister churches in the Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch.

    Of course, the General Convention did not use the language of defiance in describing its own action. Instead, delegates to both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies attempted to describe the action as a way of remaining true to their church's own principles and convictions. In one sense, the delegates could make this claim with something of a straight face. After all, as speakers during the debate made clear, this action is an honest reflection of what the Episcopal Church has now become.

    As Laurie Goodstein of The New York Times reported:

    "Many delegates to the church's convention here characterized the action not as an overturning of the moratorium, but as simply an honest assertion of 'who we are.' They note that the church, which claims about two million members, has hundreds of openly gay laypeople, priests and deacons, and that its democratic decision-making structures are charged with deciding who merits ordination."
     
  2. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent
     
  3. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Now is there any doubt that we should be concerned when SBC churches allow openly g*y people in membership and in leadership?
     
  4. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    No matter what the denomination, there is no such thing as a 'alternate lifestyle" bishop, deacon, pastor, priest, or any other Christian leadership position. A person who openly leads that type of life style without shame and in the open is not saved, and if they hold a leadership position in a NT church, it is apostate.

    This is quite different from a pastor or othe position where the person fails once in one sin or another that is public and brings unwanted attention to the church or faith. Sometimes, it costs that person not leading for a long period of time. It depends. This can happen despite Godly sorrow. However, the person is saved and usually can be restored to office. These two paragraphs are like the difference between Peter and Judas in betraying the Lord.

    It is beyond belief that the subject of this thread exists in any Christian faith. Mabye we should ordain mass murderers and wife beaters.
     
  5. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    A few years ago I was talking with a non-Christian I had worked with for awhile and he told me that he quit going to church when the church he was going to was part of a denomination that allowed homsexuality in the church.
     
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