The Diocese of New York, which includes the Lower Hudson Valley, is generally quite liberal and very open to gays and lesbians at all levels. But there has been some tension over whether gay couples can be married by priests.
[Bishop Mark] Sisk supported the passage of civil gay marriage by the state Legislature and has been very supportive of gays in church life. But he does not believe that church law has empowered priests to perform marriages for same-sex couples.
In a statement this past June, he said that clergy can offer a blessing for a gay couple that has entered into a civil marriage.
We now know one thing for certain. By doing absolutely nothing after Robinson and Glasspool the Anglican Communion has given its tacit approval for TEC to have bishops with the lifestyle of Lind…
[blockquote]Many other Christian denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church, do not believe that same-sex couples should be married.[/blockquote]
I think the article would better better inform readers if this paragraph were phrased “[i]Most[/i] other Christian denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church, do not believe that same-sex couples [i]can[/i] by married.”
The only other comment I can make is that it appears the iteration of deviance is having it’s intended effect.
Deviation from the long-established norms of Christianity……..2000+ years of Church teaching and tradition is clearly having its designed effect on today’s society……both in and out of organized religion. I say “designed effect” because that is exactly what it is…….the clear intent to destroy the Church and society in order to rebuild it in the image of “a new thing.” And for this we can thank two sources: Women’s Lib (which, as originally intended was not meant to be destructive) and its offspring the ordination of women to the priesthood, and the LBGT crowd now dominating TEC.
1, Indeed. The AC and the ABC in particular, threw the TEC orthodox faithful to the wolves. The AC as AC will do nothing. The Covenant is a joke. With luck and the grace of God GAFCON and the ACNA will grow to offer the TEC orthodox a home.
In the meantime TEC with AC connivance will continue to mainstream Lind and her like into the TEC and eventually into the wider AC.
We cannot be surprised at this; it is simply the natural extension of the new stance and theological assumptions taken by the TEc. There are a few orthodox bishops and clergy left; I hope that they can protest – and also refrain from any sort of communion with the heretics.
Br. M–There are fewer and fewer TEC orthodox faithful, and that was the intent all along. It was very obvious after GC 2000 that the left considered us an incumberance. And they were quite vocal about it. Within just a few more years it will be impossiblle to stay in TEC unless you are ignorant or can somehow just look the other way because your particular congregation has remained faithful. When the people in their 50’s to 70’s who are hanging on are gone, TEC will finally be dead as a Christian institution. It is already in a death spiral.
6 agreed. I am actually looking forward to the next convention just to see what will happen.
David (#6),
For me, NOW, not “within just a few more years”, it would be impossible to stay in TEc without being in a congregation that has remained faithful to orthodox Christianity (which fortunately I am). But even so, the fear doesn’t go away that this can change very quickly if and when the current priest leaves/retires & I am left looking for another church home outside TEc.
The proverbial last straw got tossed on the proverbial camel’s back some years ago, when the first practicing homosexual was ordained to the diaconate. Everything that has happened since then has merely been beating the proverbial dead camel. Umm, horse.
It’s absolutely de rigeur for larger dioceses to include a. a woman, and b. a homosexual person in their nomination lists. No surprise here. What surprises me is that Tracy is not known as a good administrator and, if memory serves, ran down the endowment of her cathedral.
#8 johnd
You are trying to delay the inevitable I fear and as you note it is only a brief time until your current leadership exits and the alphabet soup so loved by TEC comes to lead you and your flock.
cennydd13 – Christian Reformed Church still does not accept woman pastors (I believe) and it was for this reason I am joining. I even told them this was an important component. Though, how long can it be before all churches are infected?
lostdesert: You should doublecheck your information about the Christian Reformed Church and women pastors; I believe that it began to ordain women several years ago. However, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) — the denomination of Tim Keller of Redeemer church in Manhattan and not the ‘mainline’ PCUSA — does not ordain women to the pastorate, as far as I know. (Btw, I’m not a member of either, so am not trying to gain adherents to my denomination.)
Blue Ontario made a good point about the degradation of language that is part and parcel of the movement to destroy Christian moral ethics. George Orwell many decades ago wrote about how language is used and manipulated as a brainwashing means to gain and hold power and control. Through the degradation of language even people opposed to something wind up being unaware cultural carriers of what they find republisive.
That last word in #13 should be “repulsive.”
#11, lostdesert – I attend a CRC church, and they do ordain women as elders in some classes (the CRC equivalent to presbytery or diocese is the classis). I co-officiated at a wedding in Grand Rapids (the CRC “Vatican City”!) last year, and the pastor who officiated with me was the assistant pastor, a woman. I attend a CRC congregation in New England, and the classis here has not approved ordaining women as elders, although women are ordained as deacons (but Reformed deacons are not the same as Anglican ones; they serve the congregation only, and for a term, not permanently).
I am happy in a CRC congregation; the pastor is an old friend and a lover of good liturgy – our worship is sprinkled with gems from the BCP. I do miss weekly communion; we have it once a month.
I could write, “splendid! TEC’s self-destruction could not happen quickly enough for me.” But that would be unkind.
[blockquote]Sisk supported the passage of civil gay marriage by the state Legislature and has been very supportive of gays in church life. But he does not believe that church law has empowered priests to perform marriages for same-sex couples.
In a statement this past June, he said that clergy can offer a blessing for a gay couple that has entered into a civil marriage.[/blockquote]
This is one reason Lind will not be elected for New York. Bishop Sisk’s own policy will cause enough confusion among delegates re: his assessment of Lind’s relationship, and thus whether he could even accept the working relationship of Ordinary with Co-adjutor, that some will not vote for her in deference to what they would consider is their loyal protection of Sisk’s closing episcopacy.