Susan Russell, president of Integrity USA – the mission of which is to “witness of God’s inclusive love to the Episcopal Church and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community” said that Integrity and the people represented by the organization “are deeply committed to this church and to this Communion.” She called for more “both and” thinking in a church that exists as both catholic and reformed, to revision itself as being both autonomous and interdependent.
Michael Hopkins, past president of Integrity USA, commended A159 in principle. He also endorsed autonomy in Communion and that these should be held in tension with one another. He called on the committee to “trust that the Spirit’s creativity lies in that tension.”
If I hear another Episcopalian utter words such as "in tension," "both / and," "Spirit," "creativity," "re-vision," or "prophetic," in anything but an ironical way, I might explode. It is telling that the pundits of ECUSA's New Religion have dropped the modifier "Holy" from their talk of "the Spirit." Its a pretty consistent omission in certain camps, and pretty good evidence than "the Spirit" in question is actually "the Spirit" of Baal.
Read more here.
5 comments:
Yes, the theological liberals are fond of talking about 'the Spirit'.
Integrity (sic) are obviously afraid that Lambeth will get more power (an Anglican quasi-papacy?) and/or act for the good/unity of the Communion and push their lot and the rest of ECUSA out.
It's hard to imagine as I understand Anglican polity is simply a collection of independent dioceses voluntarily associated but part of me would like to see +Cantuar carry out that implied threat and make the AMiA, not ECUSA, the American province of the Communion. (The few sound dioceses and parishes then could join the new province and leave ECUSA to merge and shrink with the other white upper-middle-class liberal Protestants.)
I have to admire Rowan Williams' integrity too as even though he is a liberal himself (a patron of 'Affirming Catholicism') he's trying to do his job even if that goes against his own inclinations.
(The liberals of course feel betrayed because they would be if all this happens. Cards'n'flowers.)
Good point about "the Spirit". What is that?
WB,
Are you trying to say Liberal Episcopals have a Baal attitude?
(couldn't resist)
BFC
the one that drives me nuts is the constant refrain of "reconciliation". i swear that the word is in 75% of the legislation online. (screams and pounds head against wall)
May I offer two reasons for avoidance of the "Holy" Spirit in favor of "The" Spirit?
1. The one and only "Holy" Spirit of God "convicts of sin, and of righteousness and of judgement." OUCH! (Jn 16:8)
2. There are many other spirits to choose from that won't do that. They are much more alluring and accomodative. The Spirit of Antichrist and the Spirit of Error to name a couple (1Jn 4:1-6), and there are thousands, perhaps millions more serving under them and their boss (who by-the-way does not run around in red pajamas with a pitchfork.)
That's why we're instructed to "believe not every spirit" but to "test" them. The best litmus test is Jesus and the cross: Who He is, what He did there and how it relates to "sin, righteousness and judgement."
When we apply THAT test The Umpire (The HOLY Spirit) will be right there to yell "SAFE!" or "You're Out!"
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