The furor surrounding Ann Holmes Redding has a number of fascinating dimensions, not least the appropriateness of her status as a priest in the Episcopal Church. During the last few years it seems that some of us have been regularly lectured about obedience to the doctrine and discipline of the Episcopal Church, and there have for some been dire consequences for stepping outside it. Now Dr. Redding has provided an interesting test case about whether all the talk about the doctrine and discipline of the church of these years is really serious, or if deep down it is about something else.
While the Episcopal Church has turned itself into a maximalist when it comes to obedience to the discipline and canons of the church as interpreted by the leadership, it has steadily become increasingly minimalist regarding doctrinal affirmation. Yet however many fundamental Anglican formularies are shaved away, the Nicene Creed is one fundamental doctrinal statement that the overwhelming majority say they accept.
If Ann Holmes Redding is now free to continue her idiosyncratic course without action being taken, then the creeds are up for grabs and any pretence of being a catholic and reformed church is being deliberately abandoned. That her bishop, Vincent Warner, does not seem to understand the theological implications of the statements Ms. Redding has made is a sad and ominous sign.
Fr. Kew doesn’t understand either. There is no issue of compatability between Islam and Christianity as far as this woman is concerned, nor is she interested in what we call standards and limitations. She is absorbed wholly by what she feels and has made it a rule that her feelings determine both the Truth and the Way, and it nobody’s business but her own – since nobody can feel what she feels. His proof of her simplemindedness and irrationality we can all see; it is completely obvious. But irrelevant. Why should she care? Nothing depends on it.
We can only hope that there are more of her in the future and more Osorios coming down the Pike. Even the unchurched must watch a vacuity like Redding and wonder what TEC is doing. And while the bizarrete multiplies, the real Anglicans should be in the media speaking about spiritual responsibility and integrity. The real media, not just jour nals in which they preach to the choir. LM
Actually, the creeds have been up for grabs for awhile now: Pike, Spong, Robinson.
“Even the unchurched must watch a vacuity like Redding and wonder what TEC is doing.” Larry, I think you are mistaken. Many will be lead astray and buy into the position that all religions are really the same and compatible, just different ways of expressing the same yearing for the divine. That, I believe is the great danger to souls presented by this misled “sheperd”.
Recently I’ve seen a statement “somewhere”, +Warner is NOT her bishop, but no mention of who is.. Perhaps she is just licensed in his diocese?
It seems he was quoted as saying something to the effect, “her bishop’ is dealing with this? Maybe its just hearsay, but someone ought to be able to find out??
Blessings,
Islam 101:
There are many references to Jesus, Isa Al Misah, and his ministry in the Quran. He was born of the Virgin Mary (Miriam). Isa performed many miracles. There will be a second coming.
However, the Quran and Islam do not recognize Jesus as the Son of God, that His miracles were not his own but Allah working through Him. Jesus was, verbatim, not crucified. So can one believe both ways? Neither a Christian nor Muslim.
Grandmother: The statemet was that Warner is not her cannonical bishop was made on HoB/D list. No mention of who her bishop is, or whether or not there have been any reactions by said bishop.
I think Kew’s point though that a laxness in doctrine is being counter-balanced by a rigidity in canon law is rather interesting. I’ve not thought of it that way before, but as usual he’s recognized a nuance that I’ve missed.
Hi Nick,
I knew exactly where I saw it, but we’re not supposed to talk about it are we?
Grandma’s not slipping quite so badly.. I only posted it because “people” here and elsewhere seem to be holding +Warner accountable, and I don’t know what he could do, unless he lifted her license. Not sticking up for him, just for a possible truth..
Grandmother
She is canonically resident in Rhode Island, according to this.
Nick, It is a point a number of us have been making for some time now, and it has frightening implications. I find it very alarming that those in power in TEC right now keep saying it is all about power but are so (apparently) unaware of and uncritical of their own amount of it and use of it.
Maybe this is what the Canadians meant by “against core doctrine, in the sense of creedal”?
If we allow priests to teach adult baptism and confirmation classes that are so clearly “against core doctrine, in the sense of creedal”, what is the big deal with pastoral care decisions to provide same sex blessings?
I don’t really want to pile on the poor Rev. Redding. Like I’ve often said about +VGR, I think Redding+ is a symptom of the problem, not necessarily THE problem herself. (Though it troubles me to no end that she was the director of faith formation at St. Mark’s cathedral in Olympia).
If any here didn’t see it, Stand Firm the other day posted her June 2006 sermon on the Trinity.
http://www.standfirminfaith.com/index.php/site/article/4059/
No matter how well braced I thought I was to read it, it still just staggered me and I absolutely literally became physically ill (dizzy and nauseated) while reading it. Here was the director of faith formation, responsible for cathecizing and preparing people for baptism, from the pulpit encouraging her hearers to “reexamine the faith” to consider other faiths’ explanations about Jesus and the Trinity. Heartbreaking. I keep thinking of how many may have been led astray from the truth and life found in Jesus Christ by her teaching. May the Father reach out to them and lead them to sound teaching so they can be reconciled to God through Christ and know life in its fullness.
Thank you for saying that so well #12 Karen B.
Had Rev. Redding simply made an act of submission and engaged in the daily prescribed prayers, she would be “muslim” (small “m”), for in Islam any person of any religious faith would be so named. But it appears that she has gone further and wishes to be thought as “Muslim” (capital “M”). I don’t understand how she is able to accept the theological contradictions over the Incarnation and the Trinity. Perhaps, at some point she will come to realize that they are irreconcilable and choose either one or the other. From her reported views on Christ, which appear to be more in the direction of Islamic christology (at least in some Sufi versions I’ve read about), she might well choose to resign from her priesthood and be admitted fully into the Umma.
Unfortunate that she should provide another occasion for “Episco-bashing,” but I guess that is to be expected, certainly on this blog.
How can a priest be on the staff of a cathedral in one diocese and canonically resident in another? And how does that affect the fact that Vincent Warner thinks this is all so exciting?
No matter WHAT, she is wrong and needs a bishop to remind her of that fact. Undoubtedly, Warner will NOT be that bishop!
[blockquote] Unfortunate that she should provide another occasion for “Episco-bashing,†but I guess that is to be expected, certainly on this blog. [/blockquote]
Bob, why is it that when we comment on something that should not be happening (and it appears even you agree with this point) it is “Episco-bashing”
Are we not allowed to ever say anything is wrong? Must we always think things smell of roses in the TEC to be commenting legitimately?
http://descant.classicalanglican.net/?p=3002
#12 Karen B. says:
Karen, I’m sorry that the sermon distressed you so much; but I would like to proffer a defense.
Let me say that I don’t think that the place that Redding+ has gotten to, claiming both Christianity and Islam at once, is a tenable position — nor do I think it is respectful to either Christianity or Islam.
But I do think that — in a larger sense — what she’s doing, and what she has been doing, is very much what a “director of faith formation” should be doing. And, for that matter, any Christian. She has been questioning. She has been thinking. She has been exploring. That’s why it’s faith “formation,” and not faith “memorization.”
Now, I’m mindful of C. S. Lewis’ “episcopal ghost,” in The Great Divorce, whose sin was to hold that the journey is always more important than the destination and the question more important than the answer — if, in fact, there could be answers at all. I do not wish to fall into that trap.
But the Truth is so vast, and our vision so small, that none of us can do more than grasp little pieces of it at a time. We have to find the way of attempting to understand the Truth that we understand the best — and that way will not be the same for all people. The formularies of the fourth century were the best way the Christians of that time found to try to comprehend the incomprehensible. Those same formularies may or may not be the best way for us, or they may be best for some of us and not for others. Those others have to find another way of approaching the Truth that underlies the words of the Creeds.
So, no, I don’t think that Redding+ has found something that will work in the long run. But I applaud the fact that she went looking, and I can only hope she keeps looking. And if she teaches from the pulpit that we all should be looking as well, then I can only say Amen to that.
Ross #12 I spent two summers in college surveying logging roads in the north west in Montana and Idaho. You can see vast vista’s that seem very attractive and inviting. Wondering off the well warn path with out a careful plan a fixed understanding of where you are going and where you departed from is an invitation to becoming completely lost. Dr Reddiing is, I am, afraid lost.
#19:
She may be lost — or, I would say, she may have found herself having stepped onto a dead-end path — but at least she’s looking. Shouldn’t we all be?
I may have missed it, but I’m surprised that no one else has explicitly connected the dots re “abandonment of communion” as it seems to be defined these days: that is, in some contexts you “abandon communion” by adhering to a doctrinally robust traditional Anglicanism, but in others you have [i]not[/i] abandoned communion when you renounce the creeds and embrace faith in a divergent vision of God and Jesus.
—
yes, an excellent point. This observation has been noted on other threads if not this one. But it is something that bears emphasizing, we think. –elfgirl
Ross #17 & 20.
Christianity is a faith of [b]revelation[/b] not personal investigation. When she was ordained, she took a vow to be “faithful to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of Christ as this Church [b]has received[/b] them.” (BCP, p. 526 & 538 – emphasis mine) The words “has received” are past perfect tense. The revelation has been given and we don’t get to make it up as we go. The director of faith formation should be largely formed in the faith lest (s)he direct others off of the faith. Would you prefer that English teachers be learning the difference between nouns and verbs while they are instructing our children in English or that math teachers be trying to understand long division while teaching Algebra? No. In order to instruct the faithful, one needs to be faithful first and to understand (as much as possible) the revelation that is Christianity.
If she had determined that Christianity was no longer true, then she should have resigned her orders and renounced her faith. What she seems to be saying now is that Christianity and Islam are a lot alike – especially Islam. She should resign or her bishop should try her for violating the doctrine and discipline of the Faith.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
BTW, I do not intend to say the formation is ever finished. Far from it. However, there should be a certain amount of formation that a person should receive before trying to teach others. Mathematicians and English teachers never stop learning, but they do stop doubting how to do long division and they don’t try to change the definitions of nouns and verbs.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
Ross, the question is not that this lady is questioning and wondering and looking ….. that’s only her own personal isssue.
No, the question is that one who is questioning, who has doubts about the core beliefs of Chrisitianity, is singularly inappropriate a person to be put in charge of the formation of Christian faith in young people.
If she does not believe it, how can she teach it? In point of fact, she is in the same position as a boll weevil in a cotton boll .
For this person to keep her teaching position while in such a stance of deep and obvious doubt about what she is teaching, defines the modern march to narcissism …
The fact that her bishop(s?) let her get away with it, shows IMO, that they too are caught up in narcissism. Certainly, they are not acting as people who deeply and firmly adhere to Christian norms.
This situation is the cause that at the end of the day, defines the elephant in the room that is TEC. So may of the teachers (bishops) of the church, do not believe in the faith they have given their oaths to teach.
Ross, Yes question, explore and think, but Redding is wondering in a wilderness lost. That she is in a position to direct people while lost is a really problem. That her Bishop doesn’t know she is lost is more than a problem, it is emblematic of the leadership of much of TEC.