Wednesday, March 28, 2007

WET BABIES

A number of years ago when the fault lines in the Episcopal Church first started to become glaringly public, the Episcopal archbishop of Washington D.C. was asked by an NPR correspondent about his views on the changes taking place within his denomination. He had two interesting comments. One was, "The only people who like change are wet babies," and, when confronted with the notion that many of the positions he was taking had clear prohibitions in Scripture stated, "Don't argue Scripture with me. You can make Scripture say anything you want it to."
Wow.
So much for Sola Scriptura.
Today the PD reports that one of the largest Episcopal parishes in Colorado has decided to leave the Episcopal Church. This is quite a thing to be living through; the brink of a modern day schism. What a historical event. And sad. Yet another division within the body of Christ.
All the more reason to tenaciously hold on to Sacred Tradition which informs Scripture, which in turn informs Tradition. These are the two pillars that keep the bark of Peter on course, the guiding lights that guide her true whenever she may stray.
And she does. Another beautiful safeguard however is the papacy, the magisterium, and the faithful. Even divine institutions have human beings as members and as such they are swayed by evil as any men are. Throughout history, corrupt individuals, revolutions, popular heresies, suppression and persecution have always caused hardships and lapses of faith in one of these branches, but one or two of them remaining faithful have always carried the day and brought us safely back to shore. Man! This Church is an AMAZING institution!
Speaking, however, of our own blemishes, the PD reports today of the Diocese of Cleveland's response to the accusation against former bishop Anthony Pilla from Joseph Smith who himself is accused of financial misdeeds with diocesan funds. The trial of Mr. Smith does not even start until August. It is going to rain mud all summer in Cleveland.

5 comments:

sattvicwarrior said...

dude! you say.
Speaking, however, of our own blemishes, the PD reports today of the Diocese of Cleveland's response to the accusation against former bishop Anthony Pilla from Joseph Smith who himself is accused of financial misdeeds with diocesan funds.
CMON . ITS BEEN GOING ON FOR CENTURIES, HARDLY A " SHOCKER". WHEN IT COMES TO " POWER MAD AND GREED " I THINK THE CHURCH HOLDS THE MOST TROPHYS...
HOW MANY " POPES" AND OTHER ASSORTED HIERARCHY DO YOU KNOW OR HAVE READ ABOUT THAT LIVE IN " MUD HUTS" ALONG WITH THE MILLIONS IN POVERTY THAT ARE BILKED OUT OF THEIR PITTENCE TO GIVE TO THE " GLORY OF GOD" WHICH HAS ITS SEAT ON THE MARBLE FLOORS OF ROME. ???
NONE RIGHT!!!!!!!!????
I HAD SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO WERE JESUITS. FOR A GROUP OF DUDES WHO TOOK A VOW OF POVERTY THEY WERE THE MOST DECADANT SELF INDULGENT THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN. IT WAS PRETTY DISGUSTING.

Anonymous said...

And I have some Jesuit friends who have given it all up to serve the Lord in some of the poorest areas of the world ... one young man, now in his early 40's and only ordained for 3 years now, gave up a VERY high-paying and powerful Corporate position to serve the Lord...and he says he couldn't be happier.

Any time we see decadence, we should be mad...but we need to be sure what we're seeing, first. You paint with a very broad brush and it offends me for all those to whom it does not apply. Evil can be found almost anywhere we want to find it - and evil is evil wherever it may be found. But, I think, it is like this: "All collies are dogs, but not all dogs are collies."

Having said that, you do add a lot to this web-log with your comments. Like the rest of us, I appreciate your search. I pray we all get to where we're intending.

Odysseus said...

-Today the PD reports that one of the largest Episcopal parishes in Colorado has decided to leave the Episcopal Church. This is quite a thing to be living through; the brink of a modern day schism. What a historical event. And sad. Yet another division within the body of Christ.-

I think it is Paul who, somewhere in his epistles, simultaneously laments the divisions in one community and appreciates the same divisions, because they create an opportunity for the true gospel to stand out. I look at the Episcopal schism this way.

Let's face it, some of the things going on in that camp are nutty. We have our blemishes, but they are not dogma. In other words, we still talk the same talk but some of us don't walk the same walk. In the ECUSA, it would appear that the hierarchy has created a whole new religion based on the books of Abbie Hoffman and the nusic of Janis Joplin.

The schism is really being done by the EC bishops, who are changing the faith. It is those "schismatics" who are actually holding on to the gospel.

I believe Paul has something to say about those who come with a different gospel.

Adoro said...

rob ~ was it "let them be anathema"?

sattvicwarrior said...

cool response jim. . The point im trYing [ albiet a bit sarcastically and tounge in cheek ]. is LOOK AT THINGS FOR WHAT THEY ARE AND NOT FOR WHAT ONE WANTS THEM TO BE. ..
THE CHURCH TEACHS ITSELF AS ABLSOLUTE. . IM SAYINNG ITS NOT. . GOD IS ABSOLUTE. NOT THE CHURCH.
ITS THE MIND OF MAN THAT HAS DISTORTED THE GREATNESS OF CONSCIOUSNESS WHICH IS INFINTE[ OR GOD IF YOU WILL] . NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. :)