Some, including the Episcopal Church, are embracing that debate, and looking for ways to evolve their faith.
Bishop R. William Franklin of the Episcopal Diocese of WNY said, “Many Episcopalians believe that in community, we can discern with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a way in which the letter of Scripture is compatible with a wider inclusion of the life of partner gay and lesbian people in our community. And that would apply, now, to the question of marriage.”
Others are choosing to adhere to more traditional views
Theology may not be his strong suit, but Bp. Franklin wins today’s Episcospeak/Tower of Babel award.
I very strongly support the Catholic Church’s point of view.
As the supporters of SSBs in TEc and other liberal churches have made clear, their way of making the letter of Scripture “compatible with a wider inclusion” is to jettison Holy Scripture. And despite what Dr. Bratton would wish in the article, those of us who support the traditional, Biblical definition of marriage are demonized by gay activists; witness the virulent treatment of Prop. 8 backers in CA.
[blockquote]”Many Episcopalians believe that in community, we can discern with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a way in which the letter of Scripture is compatible with a wider inclusion of the life of partner gay and lesbian people in our community. And that would apply, now, to the question of marriage.”[/blockquote]
Hmmm…that’s an interesting method of doing scriptural analysis and theological examination: assuming in advance that the Holy Spirit will lead the community to interpreting scripture in a way already assumed by the leadership. And now we repeat the process for marriage without even attempting to complete that first part before jumping into the second.
Wow…just, wow.
Bullseye, Archer.
Archer and Blue–That was supposed to be my point in #1. I guess my warpped sense of humor is too obtuse! Also, as Kinky Freidman said this morning “I’m very glad. Now they can be as miserable as the rest of us.”
It’s all enough to make one Catholic.
Don’t feel badly, David. Your response in #1 was front and center in my as well mind when I read it.
This issue (and some others) is the proving ground where Tradition–embraced most strongly in the Catholic-Orthodox Churches–proves its worth. Noone can deny the Church’s constant tradition on this marriage issue. But one reading of the newspapers tells you how –without a firm grasp of tradition–virtually anything can be deconstructed and made the slaves of today’s evils and errors (of which all historical eras have an abundance). But, of course, the destroyers claim always to be enlightened and the wave of the future.
The Catholic Church has heard their lies for over 2,000 years. And where is the Roman Empire?? Where is Byzantium?? Where is the Ottoman Empire? Where are Stalin’s mighty forces?
And where will America be soon?? With it’s Abortion, easy divorce, sterile “marriages,” assisted suicides it will not be far behind other dead societies and empires.
Gov. Cuomo may be prancing and prattling about the victory he engineered. But when history books are written a number of centuries from now he will be catalogued as one of America’s gravediggers by those who will be glad we are gone from the face of the earth.
“Many Episcopalians believe that in community, we can discern with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a way in which the letter of Scripture is compatible with a wider inclusion of the life of partner gay and lesbian people in our community. And that would apply, now, to the question of marriage.”
Isn’t it just great that the Holy Spirit, through “guidance” is leading exactly where we want to go, or have already been. Imagine that…
Now we’re long past “the devil made me do it”–it’s the “Holy Spirit made me do it”.
Invoking the Holy Spirit in this manner rather makes my skin crawl, especially in light of what Scripture has to say on this subject. Ephesians 5 is not about two men or two women.
There’s a reason why exorcists always advise against attempts to commune with the dead or “Spirits”. YOU TRULY NEVER KNOW what is answering you back.
I think I’ll stick with the Word already revealed, thanks.
Bookworm, the first paragraph from TEC that you quoted is pure garbage, and I’m sure you’ll agree. Like you, I’ll stick with “the Word already revealed.”
A year ago the news in Portland Oregon was about our voting to leave the Episcopal Church for Anglican Church of North America and Canada. NPR invited our priest and bishop of Oregon.
What I note is the similarity of Bishop Michael Hanley or Oregon and Bishop R. William Franklin over their interpretation of scripture contrasting to orthodox that scripture is its own authority.
Bishop Michael Hanley:
“The bible is indeed the important and indeed essential source of truth, but the bible is informed by tradition, reason and by the human community engaged in the life of conversation about where the sprit of God is working.â€
Bishop R. William Franklin:
“Many Episcopalians believe that in community, we can discern with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a way in which the letter of Scripture is compatible with a wider inclusion of the life of partner gay and lesbian people in our community. And that would apply, now, to the question of marriage.”
The similarity is how census of the community with a nod to the holy spirit determines interpretation of scripture. I guess this is new doctrine of authority scripture in the Episcopal Church