During my career that included being president of two church-related liberal arts colleges, an insightful faculty member at one of the colleges called the relativist philosophy sweeping across campuses as a “diverse like me” mind-set. Diversity is great as long as it includes all those who agree with a certain postmodern worldview….
Where is diversity with fellowship and communion? Where is affirming the image of God in persons who disagree? Where is welcoming with abundant and radical hospitality? Where is the church broad enough to embrace within its communion every living soul? Where is the tiny space we worked so hard to find so that we could remain in TEC?
That tiny space to stand on principle and belief has become a razor’s edge of hypocrisy, severing a tie that should have remained. That tiny space has been eliminated by a “diverse like me” mind-set in a dysfunctional polity. And the Episcopal Church, the original and legitimate Diocese of South Carolina, the Anglican Communion and God’s kingdom on Earth will be the worse for it.
The money quote:
[blockquote]Diversity is great as long as it includes all those who agree with a certain postmodern worldview.[/blockquote]
It is encouraging to see committed laity joining the public witness.
The strength of the clergy in a diocese is paradoxically demonstrated by the extent to which the laity are empowered to speak strongly for the Gospel. Dr Mitchell’s statement is erudite, rational and convincing.
[blockquote] “Ironically, these claims often were offered as a rationale for TEC disagreeing with the vast majority of the Anglican Communion outside the U.S. At other times, the pleas for “unity amid diversity†were to support TEC’s or Jefferts Schori’s belief in divergent perspectives on the divinity of Christ, sin, the death of Christ on the cross, the inerrancy of Scripture, or the Resurrection.” [/blockquote]
Concise points like these go right to the fundamental issues. They are also likely to be very helpful to non-Christians who are interested in this kerfuffle. Thus the gospel is preached at the same time as a defence is offered against TEC. Soli Deo Gloria.