Uh, Definition Please?
“I believe that the spirit that
was here at the convention … will continue in the church, and that spirit
pulls us together,” Bishop-elect V. Gene Robinson said on NBC’s
“Today”
show.
“I’m certain there will be a few for whom this will be so troublesome that they cannot stay, but I will be doing everything I can and I believe the entire Episcopal Church will do everything we can to work with these folks,” he said, adding that reconciliation is in the church’s “very best tradition.”
...If we are to stay within the ECUSA, then we must accept that Gene is a validly consecrated Bishop, and that the faith that he holds - a faith that celebrates divorce and celebrates disordered human relations - is somehow the historic Christian faith. Although he, and others of like mind, would disagree, we are perilously close to arguing that a faith with no truth is the same as the historic faith that was based on he who is truth.
...Scripture uses the relationship between man and woman as a vibrant symbol of the relationship between Christ and his Church, between God and man. Scott Hahn, a theology professor at Franciscan University, loves to say (and I love to quote): "God writes the world the way we write words." God expresses fundamental truths about Himself, and our relationship to Him in the world itself.... The becoming of one flesh two beings who in their natures are different, the bringing forth of life from this union, these are some of those reminders. God has protected ordered relations in Scripture because these relations speak of God and man, and man's salvation. To argue that Gene's lifestyle is acceptable is tantamount to arguing that man may save himself (a form of Pelagianism), or that God is not interested in man (some sort of Deism?).
...Even if investigative teams are not dispatched to diocese that do not accept openly gay clergy, even if I am permitted to catechize with the historic faith, I will ultimately be forced to answer a question from my children. I know I will, because children see through the fog that well meaning adults can often cast around things.... They will ask why he is bishop even though it would seem to contradict Scripture and Tradition.... They will see, I fear, my tacit approval of his form of the faith.... My children may never ask the question, they may only see that Christianity really doesn't stand for anything. And Gene, and those of like mind, will have led one more little one down the garden path to perdition.
“I’m certain there will be a few for whom this will be so troublesome that they cannot stay, but I will be doing everything I can and I believe the entire Episcopal Church will do everything we can to work with these folks,” he said, adding that reconciliation is in the church’s “very best tradition.”
...If we are to stay within the ECUSA, then we must accept that Gene is a validly consecrated Bishop, and that the faith that he holds - a faith that celebrates divorce and celebrates disordered human relations - is somehow the historic Christian faith. Although he, and others of like mind, would disagree, we are perilously close to arguing that a faith with no truth is the same as the historic faith that was based on he who is truth.
...Scripture uses the relationship between man and woman as a vibrant symbol of the relationship between Christ and his Church, between God and man. Scott Hahn, a theology professor at Franciscan University, loves to say (and I love to quote): "God writes the world the way we write words." God expresses fundamental truths about Himself, and our relationship to Him in the world itself.... The becoming of one flesh two beings who in their natures are different, the bringing forth of life from this union, these are some of those reminders. God has protected ordered relations in Scripture because these relations speak of God and man, and man's salvation. To argue that Gene's lifestyle is acceptable is tantamount to arguing that man may save himself (a form of Pelagianism), or that God is not interested in man (some sort of Deism?).
...Even if investigative teams are not dispatched to diocese that do not accept openly gay clergy, even if I am permitted to catechize with the historic faith, I will ultimately be forced to answer a question from my children. I know I will, because children see through the fog that well meaning adults can often cast around things.... They will ask why he is bishop even though it would seem to contradict Scripture and Tradition.... They will see, I fear, my tacit approval of his form of the faith.... My children may never ask the question, they may only see that Christianity really doesn't stand for anything. And Gene, and those of like mind, will have led one more little one down the garden path to perdition.
“I believe that the spirit that was
here at the convention … will continue in the church, and that spirit
pulls us together,” Bishop-elect V. Gene Robinson said on NBC’s
“Today” show.
“I’m certain there will be a few for whom this will be so troublesome that they cannot stay, but I will be doing everything I can and I believe the entire Episcopal Church will do everything we can to work with these folks,” he said, adding that reconciliation is in the church’s “very best tradition.”
Reconciliation? How can you reconcile with someone, anyone, who continues in the behavior that caused the conflict in the first place? Can a married couple truly reconcile if the husband continues to have affairs? Continues to abuse his wife? Continues to ...?
What Gene Robinson is talking about here is capitulation.
If we are to stay within the ECUSA, then we must accept that Gene is a validly consecrated Bishop, and that the faith that he holds - a faith that celebrates divorce and celebrates disordered human relations - is somehow the historic Christian faith. Although he, and others of like mind, would disagree, we are perilously close to arguing that a faith with no truth is the same as the historic faith that was based on he who is truth.
Sure, for now, we will be allowed to teach that his consecration is not valid, that he is not upholding the traditions of the Church. But that will change, just as it did over the issue of women's ordination.
Scripture uses the relationship between man and woman as a vibrant symbol of the relationship between Christ and his Church, between God and man. Scott Hahn, a theology professor at Franciscan University, loves to say (and I love to quote): "God writes the world the way we write words." God expresses fundamental truths about Himself, and our relationship to Him in the world itself. Within traditional marital relations, we find all sorts of subtle, yet beautiful reminders of the incarnation, of salvation, of theosis. The becoming of one flesh two beings who in their natures are different, the bringing forth of life from this union, these are some of those reminders. God has protected ordered relations in Scripture because these relations speak of God and man, and man's salvation. To argue that Gene's lifestyle is acceptable is tantamount to arguing that man may save himself (a form of Pelagianism), or that God is not interested in man (some sort of Deism?).
It is to this new teaching we must ultimately submit. Even if investigative teams are not dispatched to diocese that do not accept openly gay clergy, even if I am permitted to catechize with the historic faith, I will ultimately be forced to answer a question from my children. I know I will, because children see through the fog that well meaning adults can often cast around things. They will ask why we have a bishop who is effectively married to another man. They will ask why he is bishop even though it would seem to contradict Scripture and Tradition. They will ask why we even claim to be in communion with him. They will see, I fear, my tacit approval of his form of the faith. It is at that point I will realize that the capitulation has come. Of course, it could be worse. My children may never ask the question, they may only see that Christianity really doesn't stand for anything. And Gene, and those of like mind, will have led one more little one down the garden path to perdition. And I will have assisted. I will have capitulated.
“I’m certain there will be a few for whom this will be so troublesome that they cannot stay, but I will be doing everything I can and I believe the entire Episcopal Church will do everything we can to work with these folks,” he said, adding that reconciliation is in the church’s “very best tradition.”
Reconciliation? How can you reconcile with someone, anyone, who continues in the behavior that caused the conflict in the first place? Can a married couple truly reconcile if the husband continues to have affairs? Continues to abuse his wife? Continues to ...?
What Gene Robinson is talking about here is capitulation.
If we are to stay within the ECUSA, then we must accept that Gene is a validly consecrated Bishop, and that the faith that he holds - a faith that celebrates divorce and celebrates disordered human relations - is somehow the historic Christian faith. Although he, and others of like mind, would disagree, we are perilously close to arguing that a faith with no truth is the same as the historic faith that was based on he who is truth.
Sure, for now, we will be allowed to teach that his consecration is not valid, that he is not upholding the traditions of the Church. But that will change, just as it did over the issue of women's ordination.
Scripture uses the relationship between man and woman as a vibrant symbol of the relationship between Christ and his Church, between God and man. Scott Hahn, a theology professor at Franciscan University, loves to say (and I love to quote): "God writes the world the way we write words." God expresses fundamental truths about Himself, and our relationship to Him in the world itself. Within traditional marital relations, we find all sorts of subtle, yet beautiful reminders of the incarnation, of salvation, of theosis. The becoming of one flesh two beings who in their natures are different, the bringing forth of life from this union, these are some of those reminders. God has protected ordered relations in Scripture because these relations speak of God and man, and man's salvation. To argue that Gene's lifestyle is acceptable is tantamount to arguing that man may save himself (a form of Pelagianism), or that God is not interested in man (some sort of Deism?).
It is to this new teaching we must ultimately submit. Even if investigative teams are not dispatched to diocese that do not accept openly gay clergy, even if I am permitted to catechize with the historic faith, I will ultimately be forced to answer a question from my children. I know I will, because children see through the fog that well meaning adults can often cast around things. They will ask why we have a bishop who is effectively married to another man. They will ask why he is bishop even though it would seem to contradict Scripture and Tradition. They will ask why we even claim to be in communion with him. They will see, I fear, my tacit approval of his form of the faith. It is at that point I will realize that the capitulation has come. Of course, it could be worse. My children may never ask the question, they may only see that Christianity really doesn't stand for anything. And Gene, and those of like mind, will have led one more little one down the garden path to perdition. And I will have assisted. I will have capitulated.
Posted: Wed - August 6, 2003 at 11:53 AM
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Published On: Dec 28, 2006 09:23 AM
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Published On: Dec 28, 2006 09:23 AM