But weeks into his reign, [Bishop Lawrence] Provenzano faces another challenge: The Vatican last month announced it is setting up a new structure to allow Anglicans or their entire parishes to more easily switch to the Roman Catholic Church. This would allow married Anglican priests to continue to operate within the Catholic Church.
The move appears aimed at attracting Anglicans – or Episcopalians, as they are known in the United States – who oppose their church’s embrace of female priests and gay bishops.
Provenzano, 54, is taking it all in stride and says he is not taking any special steps to prevent defections. “This all becomes a distraction to us in terms of really doing what we are called to do, and that is preaching the Gospel, taking care of the poor, taking care of the homeless,” he said. He added that “I don’t think any parish in our diocese will take this invitation” by the Vatican. There are nearly 150 Episcopalian parishes in the Long Island diocese.
Still, some of his initial comments created a stir. Shortly after Rome’s announcement in late October, he wrote, “At the heart of all this is the reality that the Roman Catholic Church is willing to welcome angry, reactionary, misogynistic, homophobic people.”
RE: “At the heart of all this is the reality that the Roman Catholic Church is willing to welcome angry, reactionary, misogynistic, homophobic people.”
; > )
Good to see that he’s “taking it all in stride” so gracefully and all.
I get so tired of this. If I don’t like the president, I’m a racist. If I don’t believe in female priests, I’m a misogynist. If I affirm the sanctity of normative heterosexual marriage, I’m a homophobe. I am not an angry man, though I find myself getting angrier at constantly being told what I *really* believe by people I’ve never meet.
I don’t know any folks like the new bishop is name-calling, but I do know concerned (soon to be former) Episcopalians who believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, believe in the resurrection, believe Jesus is [i]the[/i] way, etc, etc, and who are seeking a denomination that concurs with their traditional, scripturally-based beliefs.
As a confirmed knuckles dragging on the ground neanderthal by the good bishop’s definition of strangers he has never met I welcome his lucid scripted remarks for not only does it confirm the abusive relationships that the Episcopal church encourages but it validates my decision for myself and my family to NEVER enter an Episcopal church again.
Intercessor
[blockquote]Provenzano, 54, is taking it all in stride and says he is not taking any special steps to prevent defections. “This all becomes a distraction to us in terms of really doing what we are called to do, and that is preaching the Gospel,… “At the heart of all this is the reality that the Roman Catholic Church is willing to welcome angry, reactionary, misogynistic, homophobic people.”[/blockquote]
Nice juxtaposition. I see that the Episcopal bishop is preaching his gospel again.
😉
I thought that TEC was the religion of inclusion. So what’s wrong with angry, reactionary, mysogynistic, and homophobic people that sets them so far below the status of libertine, sex-obsessed, social revolutionaries who reject the notions of traditional family life and the authority of Scripture? Has not the good bishop made clear which sins are his favorites?
TEC on Long Island has become very largely a church for disaffected or estranged Roman Catholics. The old Episcopal families that built the early parishes appear to have abandoned the church for the golf club, returning only for Christmas and burial. In a predominantly Catholic area (all those Irish, Italians, and Poles that moved out to the suburbs) the are plenty of divorced and remarried people, practising homosexuals, women’s ordination enthusiasts, and liberals of all stripes looking for a church that endorses them. The new bishop exemplifies a fairly large part of his constituency. The only question is whether he will actively persecute those who retain traditional views, as did his predecessor. I suspect he will.
As number 7 notes, TEC appears to be changing from the home of Anglicans to the home of disaffected Catholics. Faith once delivered…?
Assuming, for the sake of argument, that the people the RCC is welcoming are angry, misogynist, etc., isn’t Provenzano implying that the RCC is willing to bring Christ’s transforming grace into such lives and situations whilst TEC simply can’t be bothered?
Good point, Monksgate. Even if you accept their value judgments, tjeir logic is lacking.
What has happened to the spiritual formation of those called to leadership in Christ’s church.
I think of the BCP 1662 ordinal:
Like so many political liberals, facts are eschewed for name-calling. It actually is a defense mechanism to avoid contemplation or discussion of facts for which a liberal has no defense.
12 Billy, tu quoque, my friend.
Note that Anglicanum added racism to the mix.
Anglicanum, I’m sure you are everything you claim to be, and you are a very pleasant person. How do you feel about those of us who feel differently? Do you judge us? Or is our presence poisonous? Do you think it is poisonous to God? You can have your faith. I won’t judge. I think Jesus and Paul would say Judge not, as well.
I actually think that marriage may be sanctified between a man and a woman. We agree on that! I just think it is silly to restrict it to heterosexuals, especially given that they’ve done such a poor job upholding it.
Br_er Rabbit, I admit, I’m amused by your characterization of us: “libertine, sex-obsessed, social revolutionaries who reject the notions of traditional family life and the authority of Scripture.” Heh. Well, I’m not sure how you then interpret Ecclesiasties 3:12-13, Matthew 10:21, and John 5:39-40.
But its a cute retort. It’s amazing how we often misunderstand people who think differently.
“How do you feel about those of us who feel differently?”
What are your feelings in comparison to the revealed Word of God? They are nothing. Poisonous are things you “feel” are true but are in fact damnable and counsel or enable others to do – like homosexual acts. “Feeling differently” is in this case – like advocating for gay “marriage” – is you as an ordained priest in the TEC prescribing spiritual poison to the flock that will result in damnation to those who heed it if not repented of before death. Pointing this out and condemning it is not “judging” but performing two spiritual acts of mercy – namely, admonishing sinners and instructing the ignorant.
Our Lord and St. Paul have well-documented earthly careers of doing just this and to suggest they would disapprove of opposition to peddling mortal sexual sin – from the pulpit no less! – is ludicrous.
“It’s amazing how we often misunderstand people who think differently.”
I don’t think there is much misunderstanding here at all – it is refusal to accept soul-destroying heresy that you are mistaking for misunderstanding. I think you overvalue your thinking to your own peril, and would do well to value submission to the Word of God more highly. One day an account will have to be made before the Judge on this.
Something to think about especially today on the Feast of All Souls.
Actually, #13, I never claimed to be a pleasant man. I simply said I’m not an angry man, but I get angry when I’m broadly characterized by people who don’t know me based on stands I take on different issues.
I hate to say this but … I’m really not sure what your point is. If it’s that I paint with as broad a brush as others paint me, then I suppose I’m guilty, though you didn’t get that from what I wrote. You are extrapolating, which takes me back to my first comment.
Tridentine,
My suspicion is that the revealed word of God takes good care of Himself. My own faith is that God is one of mercy and Grace, and it is not by my own perfection, but by his mercy, I will be forgiven. For if I must be perfect before him, I’m a lost cause. As Luther Said, “sin Boldly.” And I’m trusting in Jesus.
It sounds like you imagine most of us preaching sermons like “sex – if it feels good, do it!” I wonder how many preachers you’ve actually heard say that. It sounds like the imagination of an anxious mind. My own perosnal view reflects Paul’s pragmatism: better to marry than to burn. After all, if you were sinless, Tridentine, you’d be celibate, as Paul suggested.
Of course, I tend to have a limited view of Heresy: who is Jesus Christ? I place the biblical view of homosexuality along side the bible’s view of the creation of the earth, evolution, and credit.
Anyway, I trust in God’s love and faith. I’m not perfect like you, and hope that it is not my theology, but my love of Jesus, or even Matthew 25:31-46 that is a better judge.
I would also suggest, Tridentine, that – unless you think you are God – your own feelings are important. Because my invitation is for us to be charitable toward one another, and let God be the vengeful one. I’m taking a risk; but I assure you that if I am right, I will make a plea for you at the end of time, in spite of our differences. I trust you would do the same.
Well, I’m certain that the bishop has a well considered world view that supports his tirade. I’m also confident he knows what Jesus taught in Matt. 15:10-20. Of course, all of this does say a good bit about who and what teaching might be welcomed where. Along with the people the bishop apparently does not like.
Anywho, I think I’ll try to rely on the teaching of Jesus Christ. I have found it to be a bit more reliable than that teaching coming from, er, certain other sources.
😉