In some ways, this is how I see my service at this time in the life of St. Philip\u2019s. I have dropped in, in medias res, in the middle of the story. St. Philip\u2019s has a long and distinguished
\nGodly history, and, by His grace, she will continue to be a light for the Gospel in the city of Charleston and beyond for generations to come.<\/p>\n
Today, our church and the churches of our diocese are involved in an ugly conflict. In the midst of it, it is helpful to think in historical terms. This legal battle is but a small part of a much larger struggle between the Christian and the secular worlds. Some historians trace the roots of this present fight back to the Enlightenment in the 1700s. Others cite theological
\ndifferences that began in the mid-20th century and rose to a crescendo in the early 21st century. Whatever its beginnings, there is a long history to this fight. No matter how it ends
\nfor us, it will not end with us.<\/p>\n
While the fight can seem lonely at times, we draw comfort from the recognition that we do not stand alone. This is not just a struggle within the Episcopal Church. All denominations
\nare wrestling with these issues. Our Diocesan disassociation with the national Episcopal Church formally occurred in 2012, but we were not the first, nor likely to be the last. We
\nare a small part of a global battle that has fractured the worldwide Anglican Communion.<\/p>\n