Blue Elephant: The twenty-first century American church is fighting various battles – not so much with unrighteousness or the forces of evil, but with itself. Long a bastion of morality and faith in the world, some parts of the Protestant church – mainline as well as evangelical – now seem more focused on carving out and defending their own cultural and economic turf than helping people to live the life of Faith and contending with a degenerate culture.
The 235 year-old Episcopal Church – long the sole North American branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion – has for more than two decades experienced a widening schism over human sexuality and the primacy of Scripture. The sexuality-dispute concerns not just whether the Church should tolerate or accept what was once called “sexual deviance,” but whether its leaders can be open practitioners of it.
In 2003 the Episcopal Church consecrated The Rev. V. Gene Robinson as ninth bishop of the New Hampshire Diocese. It was a highly controversial move because Bishop Robinson was a practicing homosexual living openly with a male lover. In public statements, the bishop has called the Bible “an outdated book” and demanded Church-blessing of homosexual unions.
These divisive developments in the Episcopal Church have prompted parishes across the country – particularly in the conservative South – to consider whether to pull out of the denomination. An exact count of how many congregations have already done so is hard to find, but nationwide estimates run to some 1,000 churches. Eleven in Northern Virginia alone are: Christ the Redeemer (Centreville); Church of the Apostles (Fairfax); Church of the Epiphany (Herndon); Church of Our Savior (Oatlands); Church of the Word (Gainesville); Potomac Falls Episcopal (Sterling); St. Margaret’s (Woodbridge); St. Paul’s (Haymarket); St. Stephen’s (Heathsville); Truro (Fairfax City); and historic Falls Church (Falls Church).
Truro’s former Rector, The Rev. Martyn Minns, was appointed bishop of the new Anglican District of Virginia – an association of congregations which desire realignment with traditional Anglicanism. The ADVA is now part of the Anglican Church in North America. MORE
No links in comments section please. Thank you.
you will burn in hell…..
My Protestant sister in law says the Old Testament doesn’t matter anymore, the bread and wine are just bread and wine for tradition, The Mother of God wasn’t a virgin, and so on, all the progressive – identity – climate change – world over population, starving people to death and outright killing is OK – free speech is dangerous – a man can become a woman – USA is Racist country – her children are Communists, one works for Planned Parenthood, the other is in LA working for Hollywood.
Pray for those who love us and for those who hate us.
The same corruption that has crept into everything.
“Moral Guidance” has nothing to do with organized religion anymore.
In a predominantly secular world, one fraught with progressivism, counter-cultural, deconstruction, and secular social justice, the actual Christian that holds true to a functional Biblical worldview is minuscule.
Book recommendation; about 6 months ago I read Faithfully Different by Natasha Crain, so good, a book I will probably reread every year. In a country where about 65% of people identify as “Christian”, of this only, 6 % live by the true tenets of the Bible, and of those 18 to 29 years of age only 2% do.
Heck, even the commandments set by Jesus to love God and love one another seem like a bridge too far.
In an attempt to gain membership and popularity these churches are selling their souls, and those of their members, to a doctrine not biblical but easy and one which fits in nicely with the perversions of our culture.
The Anglican church was founded because a guy wanted to get a divorce, and that same guy made himself head of the church instead of Christ.
You cannot be surprised at any blasphemy that follows.
Protestant or Catholic, evangelical, yippy-skippy or dogmatic, doesn’t matter. When people make God into their own image, they are not following scripture.
“The Church” has a history of making concession to pagans, then changing their minds.
Exhibit : Most “Holidays”.
You know who saw this coming?
The Lord.
“32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Matthew 10:32-37
“1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”
1 Timothy 4:1-2
“3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4
The Book of Revelation by the Apostle John gives us all the answers and tour book we need to see both our days and the coming age.
As a person who has studied men (advanced degrees in Psychology), Ministry (Masters/Doctorate), and Theology/Divinity (Masters/Doctorate) and not bragging but showing I have done the time and research, the church other than as a source of companionship/ discipleship is practically done in America because the day is coming when only the true believers will hold under persecution.
Those playing church and those pastors/leaders who “are in it to win it” like most big time big namers are, won’t have to hide anymore. Those who have perverted the church for ideology will come clean and lift up the Whore of Babylon and the demonic deceptions they serve.
Climate change, population control, financial systems, and especially education didn’t have a wall separating them after all – it was all sponsored by ” Spirits and Powers of the Air.” Otherwise know as Satan.
Sorry but it’s just another way we’re becoming obsolete.
Realize “You will be persecuted for my name” continues.
My Presbyterian grandmother born in the 2nd century before this one refused to ever lean against the back of a chair or rest her elbows or wrists on the table. Now, THAT was some dedication to Presbyterianism and proper living, I tell ya!
How is this relevant to the Episcopal Church, you ask? It’s not. I just had the urge to type ‘Presbyterian’ which sounds better than ‘Episcopal.’
Any religious organization who embraces the practice of homosexuality is an apostate. I don’t believe in organized religion. Bible says to stay away from nonbelievers, and the apostate church. I can name several churches that have apostated. Bible is clear on faggotry, very clear, fire and brimstone clear.
@General Malaise: Trump was a Presbyterian, now he says he’s just main stream Christian. Matters not, because he fully embraces homosexual marriage. You can’t claim to be a Christian and embrace faggotry.
“I now consider myself to be a non-denominational Christian,” Trump said in the statement. “Melania and I have gotten to visit some amazing churches and meet with great faith leaders from around the world. During the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak, I tuned into several virtual church services and know that millions of Americans did the same.”
From Politico:
11/13/2016 07:00 PM EST
Donald Trump said he is “fine with” same-sex marriage but offered few specifics about his plans for the first 100 days of his administration during his first television interview since becoming the president-elect.
“You can’t claim to be a Christian and embrace faggotry.” -Goldenfoxx
But they are! Because for them, morality is relative and easily adjusted. My follow-up to your sentence:
You can’t embrace faggotry and sustain a civilization.
FTA: “The twenty-first century American church is fighting various battles – not so much with unrighteousness or the forces of evil, but with itself.”
The fact that it is not fighting unrighteousness and the forces of evil is why it is fighting itself. But consider that fact to be one more sign of the last days.
Before the Day of the LORD, there will a great departure from the faith. Those apostates will rat-out those who remain faithful for a piece of bread.
This story focuses mainly on the Episcopals. The Episcopals gave up on even pretending to care what the Bible says about anything years ago. The Catholic Church has always put their own traditions over the Bible. They aren’t really Christian churches. They are just more ngo’s.
We were attending a church for a few years. When we first started they focused on the Bible. Then they decided getting butts in seats was more important. They became milque toasty.
We have been attending a church that is small but teaches the Bible. The minister reads the Word and doesn’t go on with anecdotes all day.
LCMS,baby- we kicked the liberals to the curb in ’74!!!
We were created by God to do 2 things — glorify him and give testimony to the world. Just 2 things, and yet today’s churches make it so complicated.
There are worse sins than being homosexual. I’ve been taking a personal inventory in earnest and still quail at the thought of how narrow that gate is! I truly do not want to lament, “Missed it by *that* much!”, when the trumpet blows.
Thought, word, and deed, friends.
The simpler ones faith is, the simpler of things believed in, and more trust you put in God, listen to that Holy Spirit ( and it ain’t giving you lottery numbers), and believe that Jesus Christ is who says He is, and know in your heart what He died and rose again from the dead for, the closer to Heaven you will get.
Remember this phrase “Jesus said he was the only way to the Father, and believing in and on him, offers eternal salvation.
No pastors, priests, popes, or human bishops/apostles/ prophets will get you there. Only you and the Lord Jesus Christ. He offers and you must except.
The thoughts, words, and deeds come as gravy.
There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof leads to death.
@The Obsolete Man — Thoughts, words, and deed come as gravy. ‘Tis true enough! We are also instructed to harness those things in service to our Lord Jesus Christ.
We can focus on individuals (all sinful and fallen), institutions (all sinful and fallen), or ourselves – sinful and fallen.
I was born and raised in the Episcopal Church, but haven’t been able to attend one for a long time when I am home visiting, because each has fallen so far from original tenets.
I still worship in my Anglican (Canadian) church, and am blessed by a new priest who is teaching and preaching the kind of message I grew up with.
I work on my own salvation by studying the Bible, reading devotionals, praying, and trusting that God has it all in His capable hands.
“These divisive developments in the Episcopal Church have prompted parishes across the country – particularly in the conservative South – to consider whether to pull out of the denomination.”
“to consider”? That decision should have taken 2 seconds.