Coming back from the brink

From The Washington Post:

Two of the country's largest and most historic Episcopal congregations -- both in Fairfax County -- will vote next week on whether to leave the U.S. church on ideological grounds and affiliate instead with a controversial Nigerian archbishop. The decision could lead to a bitter court battle and the loss of $25 million in property.

Many members of The Falls Church and Truro Church, as well as some conservative leaders around the country, hope a split will establish a legal structure that would make it easier for dozens more like-minded congregations to also depart the national denomination.

Some conservatives in the Episcopal Church, the U.S. wing of the worldwide Anglican Communion, believe the church abandoned Scripture by installing a gay bishop in New Hampshire in 2003, among other things. Those feelings of alienation were strengthened when Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori -- who supports the New Hampshire bishop -- was elected this summer to lead the national church.

[. . .]

William Fetsch was one of only two members of the 18-member Falls Church vestry who last month voted to recommend not splitting. A member since 1980, he said Saturday that he believes conservatives have an obligation to stay in the U.S. church and "bear witness" to their viewpoint on things such as homosexuality and the literal truth of Jesus's resurrection.

When the issues at stake include not just homosexuality but the "literal truth of Jesus's resurrection" it is past time to depart.

I have to confess that I have a hard time understanding what motivates the theological liberals. The only "source-book" we have for Christianity is the Bible. If you cannot stomach what the Bible teaches about something like homosexuality or the ordination of women or eternal hell then why not just drop the whole thing and find some other religion?

The Bible represents itself as an organic whole all equally inspired by God and all equally inerrant. You cannot legitemately say "I like what it says about forgiveness and love, but not what is says about women preachers or sexual morality so I'll keep what I like and toss out what I disagree with". To do that is to elevate your own word above God's Word and do what Lucifer wanted to do when he planned to "be like the Most High".

If you want to hang out with the Devil go join the Church of Satan and leave the Christians alone. Or if that's a little too hard-core for you try Wicca. Wiccans take anyone, gay or straight and anyone may assume leadership positions regardless of their sex (except in some of the fringe "goddess cults" that are only for women.