Episcopal Church in the USA is veering away from biblical teachings

Sunday, August 20, 2006 EDITOR: Recent news reports on the controversy in the Episcopal Church (ECUSA) could mislead people into thinking the fuss is about homosexuality. This is not true. ECUSA's departure from historic Christian teaching about sex is a symptom of far more serious matters. In attempts to be compassionate to homosexuals, however, many leaders in the Episcopal Church have gotten things confused. While we must treat homosexuals with compassion, we must not condone their sexual behavior as pleasing to God. The Bible teaches that sex is to be reserved for marriage. This applies to heterosexuals, too. The leadership of ECUSA is revising the historic Christian teaching about sin by continuing to affirm sexual behavior prohibited by the Bible. Their message is that we don't need forgiveness; we just need to be accepted as we are. It seems the only sin left in ECUSA is the sin of offending somebody. The real issue is biblical truth. At the General Convention in June, a resolution reaffirming that Jesus is the only way to salvation was not even permitted to be brought up for a vote. This central tenet of Christianity is apparently no longer essential in the Episcopal Church. Instead, ECUSA is devolving into a universalistic sect, teaching all paths lead to salvation. In another disturbing event, Presiding Bishop-Elect Katharine Jefferts School signaled that the church's fundamental understanding of the nature of God is being tinkered with at the highest level of Episcopal leadership when she referred to "Our mother Jesus" who "give birth to a new creation." Won't this controversy just blow over? Many Episcopalians are confused or unaware of what's going on. Some think the crisis is only about sex. Others believe problems in the national church won't affect local congregations. Still others bury their heads in the sand, the thought of walking away is too painful. Those who wish these problems would just go away need to recognize that ECUSA is hemorrhaging. An estimated 200 churches have disassociated from ECUSA since 2000, and the pace of departures appears to be speeding up. Within days of General Convention, the largest Episcopal Church in America announced plans to leave. To date, six entire diocese have appealed to the Archbishop of Canterbury for a way out: Fort Worth, Pittsburgh, San Joanquin (Calif.), South Carolina, Central Florida and Springfield (Ill.) Many leaving are faithful people who had stayed in the Episcopal Church in hopes of turning it around. With the close of General Convention, their hopes have faded. The majority of Anglican leaders, representing about 80 percent of the world's active Anglicans, have already distanced themselves from the Episcopal Church. It appears inevitable that ECUSA will find itself excluded from full membership in the Anglican Communion. We hope to rebuild biblical Anglicanism in our state, one new believer at a time, one new church at a time. FRANK ARMSTRONG Columbiana The writer is a member of the parish council of Christ the King Anglican Church.