Alice C. Linsley
There is no conciliar spirit
in the Episcopal Church USA. ECUSA/TEC has consistently set itself apart from
the received Tradition by its dangerous innovations. It does not care about the
Anglican Communion. It acts on its own impulses like an undisciplined,
rebellious child.
Rebellious actions are
evident in the way TEC has progressively distanced itself from the core beliefs
and practices of Christianity. Catholicity and ecumenical consensus play no
role in the body’s decisions. TEC was the first to break the back of catholic
orders when it unilaterally began to ordain women to the priesthood. Then came the
ordination of partnered gay and lesbian clergy, and the consecration of partnered
gay and lesbian bishops. This was followed by same-sex “marriages” and experimental
liturgies and prayers that ooze political agendas and leftist ideologies.
Consider this collect
circulating on Episcopal social media sites:
“Fire-borne God,
before the violence of your
passion
no separating wall can
stand:
may your unseen Spirit
pour herself upon young and
old,
male and female, gay and
straight,
throw our borders into
confusion
and give us a new language
of love;
through Jesus Christ, the
Image of God’s Being.”
The wording is reminiscent
of the 2019 American Socialist Convention slogan: “No Borders, No Bosses, No
Binaries.” The borders are indeed thrown into confusion.
Now the General Convention of the Episcopal Church is to consider a proposal to eliminate Baptism as a prerequisite to receive Holy Communion. Resolution C028 reads:
Resolved, That the Diocese of Northern California requests that 80th General Convention repeal CANON I.17.7 of the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church (2018 Revision, page 88), which states: “No unbaptized person shall be eligible to receive Holy Communion in this Church.”
If TEC's definition of
"inclusion" takes precedence over Baptism into the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, we know what the decision will be. The debate has
been heated and there have been some excellent observations by a few orthodox
clergy. Now there is a rumor that the decision will be postponed. The Episcopal
Church cannot afford to lose more people and people leave when they are angry.
We are empowered by the Holy
Spirit to proclaim the Good News of Jesus' death and resurrection. The proper
order is articulated by the Apostle Peter. “Repent, be baptized for the
forgiveness of sins, and receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2). If passed at TEC’s
General Convention, this canon change will overthrow the Apostolic order,
endanger the souls of many people since the Blood of Jesus both saves and
condemns, and put orthodox Episcopal clergy in an extremely difficult position.
Some will leave TEC. Probably the inclusion activists want exactly that.
Speaking as an
anthropologist, every society, religious group, clan, and tribe have boundaries
that preserve their identities. The Scriptures indicate that for members of the
Body of Christ the boundary is set at Baptism into the Lord's death and
resurrection. Having put off the old and put on Christ, the new member receives
His Body and Blood, the medicine of immortality. Paul says that it is
spiritually dangerous for the unregenerate to receive the sacrament. Whether we
agree with the Apostle or not, those who are to protect the soul and edify the
Body should not take this decision lightly. The Lord holds them accountable for
the spiritual injuries they inflict.
The Hebrew (long before
Judaism emerged) were a royal priest caste, probably the oldest known caste.
The Hebrew ruler-priest caste protected its identity by marrying only within
their caste, not eating with non-caste members, circumcision, etc. Peter
applies this to the Church, saying that those who serve Jesus Christ are a
nation of royal priests. The Church has every right to protect its identity.
Indeed, this is a sacred duty.
END
