In today’s Episcopalianism, he writes, “there is a seemingly unstoppable momentum to ratify the culture’s choices — the whole range of them, centered on the plenary power of humans to ordain and dispense and control and rearrange.”
In the abstract, this may leave open the possibility of an ecclesiastical endorsement of a libertarian utopia — but in practice it robs the culture of an important witness to the deeper truth about man: that he is broken and fallible, and in need of God’s grace as much as of political liberty.
–Michael Potemra in a review of Mortal Follies: Episcopalians and the Crisis of Mainline Christianity, by William Murchison, in the latest National Review
in practice it robs the culture of an important witness to the deeper truth about man: that he is broken and fallible, and in need of God’s grace as much as of political liberty.”
Unfortunately, that is precisely what the Episcopal Church and its leaders do not believe.
I love this:
“[T]here is a seemingly unstoppable momentum to ratify the culture’s choices — the whole range of them, centered on the plenary power of humans to ordain and dispense and control and rearrange.”
It really is brilliant. The conceit of ECUSA (now that those who came of age during the “Age of Aquarius” are in charge) is that they are counter-cultural, they are the leaders. The fact is, of course, that they slavishly follow the culture, and that there is little about ECUSA that doesn’t fit snugly inside the Washington Beltway, or the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Mainline Protestantism (including the Episcopal Church) had a great advantage in being the de facto establishment religion, in the absence of a de jure establishment. However, that coziness with the Establishment was also its fundamental weakness, when it chose to follow changing mores, instead of shaping them.
“there is a seemingly unstoppable momentum to ratify the culture’s choices”
The latest example of this would seem to be the whole Fr. Cutié scandal where the diocese of SE Florida has fallen all over itself to welcome a priest who broke his vows of celibacy. Sure he’s cool and popular and most people in the culture think celibacy is insane and impossible. Let’s just give the people what they want, eh? The diocese of SE Florida actually wants to use this priest to help rescue its parishes in crisis.
It’s interesting to me watching this whole mess in SE Florida from afar in Africa, where some of the strongest local believers (all formerly Muslims) I know came to Christ largely because of what they saw of other Christians’ lives — the grace and power of the Holy Spirit in their lives that helped them overcome temptations.
I’m thinking in particular of one house group leader here (who has recently helped lead 3-4 Muslims to Christ in the past 6 months). He initially became open to the Gospel largely because of the life and witness of a former colleague of mine, who was at the time a single guy in his late 20’s. The local leader was a neighbor of my colleague and spent a lot of time with him and he just could not believe this handsome 20-something guy was not sleeping around. When John continued to insist he was celibate, the local friend came to him and said “give me some of whatever pills you’re taking so I too won’t want sex, prostitutes are expensive!” John told him he wasn’t taking any pills and began to share about the power of Christ to change lives. His friend saw, heard and believed. True story. And I could tell quite a few more….
The endorsement of Ft. Cutié’s behavior is consistent with the endorsement of other forms of sex outside of marriage, the same-sex variety having the most publicity. Where are the role models, like your colleague in Africa, Karen B., for young women and young men at home in the US? The large majority of the Episcopal leadership appears to be saying to them, “Do what you feel you want to.”
Looking at TEC’s leadership I am reminded of a story from the 70s about a father who was upset at his teenaged son’s choice of clothes and political causes.
After listening to his father’s criticisms, the boy responded: “But Dad, how can I be a non-conformist if I don’t look or think like all the other non-conformists?”
TEC is not “counter-cultural” it has simply chosen to listen to the political left for its guidance rather than the witness of Holy Scripture. It’s culture is one of death (abortion) and self-indulgence (so long as that indulgence is not associated with wealth).
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
I think they want to be counter church-culture types, Phil. They get a pleasure and a sense of self-identity out of doing that.
YBIC
Adam
Intellectualism….not faith. Prideful conceit regarding education, status, and accomplishment is what it’s all about in the ECUSA. It’s a pity they follow the desert fathers’ examples and learn about ascetism and humility.