Hans Zeiger, of VirtueOnline, published an article Thursday (HT: WorldNetDaily) on a resolution passed by the Episcopal Church.
The 75th General Convention of the Episcopal Church today passed a resolution essentially condemning the Bible as an "anti-Jewish" document. Not only does the resolution aim to address perceptions of anti-Jewish prejudice in the Bible and Episcopal liturgy, but it suggests that such prejudice is actually "expressed in...Christian Scriptures and liturgical texts."
Both houses of the Episcopal Church Convention passed the resolution, including a 68 percent approval in the House of Deputies on Thursday.
I'm not an Episcopalian. I've never considered becoming an Episcopalian, and this seals the deal for good.
The mainline denominations have been shrinking as they've moved more and more into theologically liberal territory. When there's no difference between the church and the world, then the people of the world have no reason to want to become part of the church.
Condemning the Bible as "anti-Jewish" is counter-productive, and it's flat-out wrong. The Bible is the story of God's love for the world, expressed through His special relationship with the Jewish people. In both the Old and the New Testaments, He makes His love for the Jewish people clear.
The Rev. Ruth A Meyers of the Diocese of Chicago, Secretary of the Committee on Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music, explained to the House of Deputies why her committee had expanded the wording in the language to include not only prejudice in "liturgical texts," but also in "Christian scriptures."
"We did have a question about whether Scripture itself uses anti-Jewish prejudice," Meyers said. Referring specifically to the Gospel account of the crucifixion, she added, "That scriptural text...has in fact stirred anti-Jewish prejudice and resulted in significant violence toward Jewish people."
To blame the Bible because in the past people have used the crucifixion story as an excuse for their anti-Semitism, is foolhardy at best. At worst, it displays a willful ignorance of Scripture, coupled with an arrogance at presuming to know best what should and shouldn't be accepted as canon.
The crucifixion story places the blame on Jews and Gentiles alike. The Jews asked for the death of Jesus, and the Romans provided it without any legal reason to do so.
But more than blaming everyone, the Gospels clearly state that nobody took Jesus' life from Him. He gave it freely.
The doubts about what has traditionally been accepted as Christian doctrine have been growing in the more liberal denominations. By passing this resolution, the Episcopal church has placed itself squarely outside the bounds of Christian orthodoxy.
Let the worshiper beware.
4 comments:
Great Post.
As some of the grand old denominations morph into social clubs that aim to please man rather than God, I wonder that they have any members at all. What is particularly interesting to me is that, as in this case, they strike out against the Word, and basically side with the enemy.
The only good that can come from such organizations is that a few will use them as a stepping in finding a real Church.
This issue of the anglican communion splitting is yet another excellent proof in real life of why the church needs to be One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. Without any final authority over issues of faith and morals and how to interpret the Bible, history will repeat itself again and again as the churches have been doing since 1517. It's Deja Vu all Over again
I don't get it. Where do Episcopalians hear the word of God if not from the Bible? Somebody please fill me in??? Now I'm confused.
I'm speaking as a non-Episcopalian, but I believe many of their congregations don't get much of the Word of God from the pulpit. The mainline denominations have been moving away from faith in the Bible as God's Word and toward seeing the Bible as having been written by man and thus open to interpretation. These more-liberal congregations receive more of a "social gospel" (taking care of the poor, liberating the oppressed, being tolerant).
It's a shame, but it looks like a split is coming to the Episcopal church between the liberal congregations and the congregations that hold more to the traditional views of the church.
Post a Comment