Unfortunately, the radical feminist movement strongly influenced the Church, leading the Church to constantly address women's issues at the expense of addressing critical issues important to men; the importance of the father, whether in the union of marriage or not; the importance of a father to children; the importance of fatherhood for priests; the critical impact of a manly character; the emphasis on the particular gifts that God gives to men for the good of the whole society. ---- Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke See more at: http://www.newemangelization.com/uncategorized/cardinal-raymond-leo-burke-on-the-catholic-man-crisis-and-what-to-do-about-it/#sthash.wzWCiUOU.dpuf

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virturonline.org
January 9, 2014

When Jon Meacham, a blue blood Episcopalian, was editor of NEWSWEEK he slammed ACNA Archbishop Bob Duncan calling him homophobic and fundamentalist for his views on gay marriage. A week later, the magazine went bankrupt. He sold it for a $1.

NEWSWEEK was revived this past week (Jan. 2). It's first cover was a total slam at Christianity, written by veteran business and financial reporter (and Jew) Kurt Eichenwald, titled "The Bible: So Misunderstood It's a Sin". Eichenwald does not cite any conservative evangelicals as sources, but does quote Bart Ehrman, a New Testament professor who has gained a reputation for attacking historic Christianity.

The NEWSWEEKcover article called conservative evangelicals "God's frauds" and characterized the Bible as full of errors.

"It is an irresponsible screed of post-Christian invective leveled against the Bible and, even more to the point, against evangelical Christianity. It is one of the most irresponsible articles ever to appear in a journalistic guise," wrote R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in a Dec. 29 blog post.

"When you have someone in the media give a balanced view and talk about the great truths of the faith in an honest and balanced and journalistic way, that's fair game," Mohler told host Elizabeth Hasselbeck and guest host Scott Brown, a former Republican senator from Massachusetts. "But that's not what we're dealing with here. From the opening shot, this [article] is an open attack upon Christianity."

The 8,500-word essay begins, "They wave their Bibles at passersby, screaming their condemnations of homosexuals. They fall on their knees, worshipping at the base of granite monuments to the Ten Commandments while demanding prayer in school. They appeal to God to save America from their political opponents, mostly Democrats. They gather in football stadiums by the thousands to pray for the country's salvation. They are God's frauds, cafeteria Christians who pick and choose which Bible verses they heed with less care than they exercise in selecting side orders for lunch."

This is a total caricature of Christianity and millions of Christians in America and around the world. If Eichenwald had made the same charges against Islam and the Koran, he would be hiding in a bunker surrounded by armed guards, hoping they wouldn't find him and cut his throat on U-tube.

One wonders if Newsweek would have the courage to publish 'The Koran: So Misunderstood It's a Sin'? I wonder if Newsweek would allow a feminist to weigh in on what the Islamic holy book says about women? Perhaps NEWSWEEK could illustrate their story with cartoons of Muhammad -- or maybe photographs of jihadists beading Christians in the name of Allah. We all know that won't happen, right NEWSWEEK?"

Christianity is fair game these days.

If you dare criticize Islam, you are deemed Islamophobic.
If you dare criticize the policies of Israel, you are anti-Semitic.
If you even whisper that sodomy is a dangerous behavior and you could catch a nasty disease (not necessarily HIV/AIDS), you are deemed homophobic.
If you dare suggest that homosexuals can actually change, you are filled with "hate."

Not Christians, however. You can attack us all you like because we are nice people who take it on the chin. We don't complain. We try to be like Jesus with some Christians being forced to lay down their lives for their Lord and savior.

Perhaps we need to stand up a little more and say some politically incorrect things like: sodomy is a disgusting death affirming behavior; that Islam is a religion without hope, love or redemption; and there are not 72 virgins waiting on the other side for every ISIL "warrior" that falls to Western guns. That Islam would like to conquer the world with force and violence makes even old Communists and Nazis look benign. Maybe we should say that Israel does have a right to defend itself against Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, and ISIL. Really.

Someone wrote recently that the reason Christianity is under attack around the world is because it is the biggest and fastest growing religion in the world therefore posing the single biggest threat to Muslims and their extreme Islamist ideology. Consider that Anglicans in Nigeria are among the most serious evangelists in Northern Nigeria to go after Boko Haram and Islam with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is why Boko Haram hates the Anglican Communion in the West for its acceptance of homosexuality thus ratcheting up the violence against Anglicans in Nigeria.

The deeper question is: should orthodox Christians stand idly by and take it while they are under attack from Muslims who kill Christians in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Egypt? Muslim minds close to science and they become violent and resentful as they migrate to Europe and America to enjoy the benefits of a secular jurisdiction and call for another kind of law altogether (Sharia). Pansexualists in The Episcopal Church and a dying Western liberal Church scream "homophobia" and "hate" at anyone who dares to suggest that same sex attractions are unwanted by a growing number of ex-gays and that therapy for them is a hate crime.

I got a taste of Islamic extremism, or was it just ordinary Muslims practicing their loving faith recently when VIRTUEONLINE'S website was hacked by a group calling themselves MECA who posted a flame driven web page with large print letters yelling "Down with Israel, Death to Infidels, Death to Jews and Christians, Allah alone is God and much more." Islam is not a nice religion; it is evangelistic to the point of convert or die. Jesus said the opposite. He laid down His life that we might live.

Not only is the West under attack from secularism, humanism and scientism, it is now visibly under attack from Muslims whose one goal is world domination even and despite the recent call of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for a "religious revolution" in Islam that would displace violent jihad from the center of Muslim discourse.

"Is it possible that 1.6 billion people (Muslims worldwide) should want to kill the rest of the world's population--that is, 7 billion people--so that they themselves may live?" he asked. "Impossible." You can be sure that somewhere out there, there is a bullet with his name on it, but it won't come from a Christian. Just ask 12 journalists who died in Paris this past week, four of them among the world's most brilliant cartoonists.

If you want to know the Top 10 of the top 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, where an organization called Open Doors says 2014 saw the worst persecution of Christians in the "modern era"--but not because of violence.

New research reveals one more reason to remember 2014: for the greatest number of religious freedom violations against Christians worldwide in recent memory--even in Christian-majority countries. Of the worst 50 nations, 4 out of 5 share the same primary cause. While the number of martyrdoms did double from 2013, the main driver of persecution in 2014 wasn't violence.

Open Doors released its latest World Watch List (WWL). The annual list ranks the top 50 countries "where Christians face the most persecution," aiming to create "effective anger" on believers' behalf.

Here are the top ten: North Korea, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, Eritrea and Nigeria. Of those top 10, there is an Anglican presence in Somalia, Iraq, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, Eritrea and Nigeria.

*****

The Diocese of Maryland continues to be embroiled in the scandal of its Suffragan Bishop, Heather Cook who struck a cyclist, drove away from the scene of the accident leaving the cyclist to die, only to return some 45 minutes later. Bishop Eugene Sutton called for a time of prayer for all his clergy. The Police still have not issued a vehicular manslaughter warrant against Cook incensing the cycling population. Maryland Police told VOL that they won't until they have all the facts in hand. I have posted a number of stories for your reading pleasure in today's digest

*****

The Diocese of Michigan and its Bishop Wendell Gibbs are back in the news again. In August of 2014, VOL did an expose of the bishop's sociopathic and bullying ways. Now more evidence has come in with an audio of Gibbs threatening a priest. Clergy, congregations, and laity say Gibbs systematically over a period of years used pressure tactics to rid himself of priests and bullied laity who posed a threat to him.

A 400-page document, signed by an Ad Hoc Committee of 23 people including three priests, says that Gibbs mistreated clergy, laity, and congregations leading to financial losses at the hands of the bishop with a significant number of congregations closing, while he offered no pastoral support and censored communication. They say he established an "absolute tyranny" over the churches of the Michigan Diocese.

You can read the latest story in today's digest or hit this link: http://tinyurl.com/o6bhtzt

*****

Could the saga splitting the Episcopal Diocese in South Carolina be resolved in 2015 after years of intractable theological and legal battles?

A circuit judge likely will rule soon in a lawsuit filed after two-thirds of area parishes left the national church two years ago. But her ruling is almost certain to face appeal in the coming year, leaving the $500 million question lingering: Who will be the rightful owners of millions in church properties, including some of Charleston's most historic houses of worship?

That answer also will resolve a key question for thousands of parishioners about whether the rightful Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina is the majority of parishes that left the national Episcopal Church or those who remain part of it.

Yet, even as the legal wrangling inches toward resolution, the spiritual quest continues.

Separating from The Episcopal Church left breakaway groups nationwide mulling how to remain in communion with the global church body, the Anglican Communion.

The largest local group to leave the national church was led by Bishop Mark Lawrence. They will continue to discern their permanent affiliation within the Anglican Communion.

*****

St. Paul's K Street in Washington, DC, a flagship Anglo-Catholic congregation, is contemplating accepting women into the ordained ministry and blessing same sex unions. If they do this, it will be a major setback for Anglo-Catholic parishes and a reversal of ecclesiology and theology that will push them into the Affirming Catholic ranks. I have written about this in a story in today's digest. This action brought sharp criticism from a lay Anglo-Catholic who has watched with dismay the slow disintegration of Anglo-Catholicism in The Episcopal Church.

While there are still some Anglo-Catholics let in TEC, the majority have joined ACNA through the Diocese of Forward in Faith and some have gone off to the Ordinariate. There are a number of TEC Anglo Catholics associated with FiFNA -- the dioceses do have Council members and adjuncts; in addition, regular members are still associated with The Episcopal Church.

St. Paul's by the Lake in Chicago is a FiFNA affiliated parish in TEC. There are also Anglo-Catholic TEC parishes that are not official affiliates, but have provided (post ACNA) support to FiFNA, such as The Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota, FL.

*****

The College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church has issued a statement clarifying the church's position on same-sex marriage in light of the decision by the Scottish government to permit same-sex marriage effective 31 Dec 2014.

The 9 Dec 2014 "Guidance for Clergy and Lay Readers in light of the Marriage and Civil Partnership Scotland (Act) 2014" follows the course taken by the Church of England and forbids clergy to solemnize gay marriages or for clergy and ordinands to contract same-sex marriages. Until such time as the SEC "opts in" to the laws governing same-sex marriages, its clergy are not permitted to solemnize such unions. "If [clergy] conduct a ceremony in such a manner as to lead the parties concerned to believe that they are solemnizing a valid marriage they would be committing a criminal offence," the statement read.

The statement further noted that whilst some clergy may wish to bless civil gay partnerships or marriages, such blessings would be "informal" and should be "kept separate from the civil ceremony." As the SEC has no liturgical rites for the blessing of same-sex partnerships, it would "not be appropriate to use SEC marriage liturgies for this purpose."

The statement noted "the Church cannot give official sanction to informal blessings but, without intending to pre-empt the outcome of ongoing discussions within the Church about same-sex marriage, each Bishop would nevertheless expect to be consulted by clergy prior to the carrying out of any informal blessing of a same-sex marriage or civil partnership in his diocese."

*****

It's not quite an epidemic, but increasingly young evangelicals are abandoning the Christian Faith and becoming humanists and atheists. The latest includes Bart Campolo, son of the famous leftist social activist evangelical Tony Campolo. Now former Seventh-day Adventist pastor Ryan Bell said, "I don't think God exists" and decided to "try on" atheism for a year. He now says atheism is an "awkward fit," but he's going to continue to not believe in God.

"When things start to come unwound, sometimes they unwind all the way. And then, you know, perhaps you can wind it up a little bit again later -- who knows? But I feel like I lost my church leadership position and then I really didn't have any compulsion to go to church internally ...

"So I just decided not to fight it. I just decided to say, 'Well, let me just give church a rest.' And as I did that, I just began to wonder about the very existence of God."

After a year, Bell tells NPR's Arun Rath, "I've looked at the majority of the arguments that I've been able to find for the existence of God, and on the question of God's existence or not, I have to say I don't find there to be a convincing case, in my view.

"I don't think that God exists. I think that makes the most sense of the evidence that I have and my experience. But I don't think that's necessarily the most interesting thing about me."

I wonder what other surprises there are out there. I hope we don't hear that Billy Graham's son has decided to bag the whole thing.

*****

A flood of same-sex couples inundates St. John's Shaughnessy...Not. St. John's Shaughnessy, Vancouver, BC once the largest Anglican parish in the Anglican Church of Canada having ejected over 800 people from its former congregation, is finally seeing the fruit of its labors: one same-sex couple. It only took three years.

From the one gay couple comes this paean of praise, "When I visited St. John's, Shaughnessy for the first time I was immediately taken by how committed the congregation was to welcoming new worshippers and how committed everyone was to the mission of the church. Everyone shook my hand and asked me to come back. I eventually came back more often and now have chosen to become a parishioner at St John's.

"Eventually Douglas and I requested to have our marriage blessed at St. John's, Shaughnessy. The Parish Council granted this permission and every parishioner that spoke to me about our Blessing Ceremony was encouraging, supportive and joyful for our happiness. As much as my rebirth as a Christian began before I attended St. John's, this experience has given me deep conviction to the church and specifically to the ministry of St. John's, Shaughnessy."

IN OTHER NEWS, the Diocese of New Westminster is moving its office to St. John's, Shaughnessy. It has been costing the diocese of New Westminster $20,000 per month to stay afloat. It's so empty that it resembles a mausoleum. As a parish, it is a failure; what is a more fitting setting for a stifling Kafkaesque bureaucracy than the tomb of the interloper that deliberately displaced a once thriving congregation, writes Samizdat.

The only thing that concerns me is: will there still be room for all the same-sex couples?

****

The Bishop of Kurunegala, in the Diocese Ceylon, the Rt. Rev. Gregory Shantha Kumar Francis, the first Tamil Bishop, is resigning following charges of corruption and numerous complaints that he brought his Church and ministry into disrepute. A particular cause of concern was his involvement in unresolved criminal proceedings relating to misappropriated pension funds. Members of his own Diocesan Standing Committee had requested that he should resign, and he agreed to do so.

"The Anglican Church in Sri Lanka has had a long and honourable history as a force for unity throughout the whole period of civil disturbance on the Island," said the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. "Successive bishops of both dioceses have used their influence to build relationships between the communities, maintaining the Church's reconciling mission across the nation. That unifying mission has the full and unqualified support of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and is wholly aligned with his own emphasis on reconciliation in every aspect of his own ministry, across the world," commented the archbishop.

"The visit by Bishop Shantha to Canterbury last week was to consider the various options for dealing with his position as a bishop who had voluntarily stood down.

"Any suggestion that the Church of Ceylon or Archbishop of Canterbury is seeking to influence the outcome of the forthcoming presidential election is categorically untrue," he added.

*****

Even as Western Anglicanism fades into the sunset, African Anglicanism just keeps on growing.

The Asante Mampong Anglican Diocese of Ghana was inaugurated this past week. Anglican Archbishop Dr. Daniel Yinkah Sarfo observed that the diocese is the second to be created in the Ashanti Region after Kumasi and comes over a century after the introduction of the Anglican faith to the region.

The Asantehene, Otumfo Osei Tutu 11, was among traditional rulers, the clergy, and other high profile personalities in public service, politics and business who joined in the celebration of the occasion at a special church service held on the theme "Working together to grow the harvest".

The new diocese has seven parishes; Saint Michael's and all Angels, (Cathedral) at Mampong, Kumawu St Peter's, Ejura St Mary's, Kwamang St Andrews, Nsuta St Joseph's, Juaben St Paul's, and Odumasi St Peter's alongside two sub-parishes and 24 outstations.

It will be served by a bishop and 13 priests.

Inaugurating the diocese, the Most Reverend Professor Daniel Yinkah-Sarfo, the Primate and Metropolitan Archbishop of the Internal Province of West Africa, thanked God for the birth of the new diocese.

He said he was personally happy because the inauguration of the diocese happened 15-and-a-half years into his episcopal stewardship over the Kumasi diocese.

During the period, the number of archdeaconries increased to seven from four, with total parishes increasing from 26 to 30. Outstations had also grown from 49 to 82.

He spoke of the need to intensify the church's evangelization to bring the gospel of truth and hope to more people, win converts and grow the church.

*****

On a typical Sunday, the pews in Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. are almost full. But a few months ago, the large stone church with stained glass windows in northwest Washington, D.C., began looking rather empty. Roughly a quarter of the congregation -- 50 people -- had stopped showing up.

At first, Rev. John Harmon, the head of the church, wasn't sure what was going on. Then he started getting phone calls from parishioners. "Some folks called to say, I'm not coming to church because I don't know who's traveling [to West Africa]," Harmon says.

The congregation at Trinity is an international crowd. More than 20 countries are represented, including several in West Africa. Reverend Harmon himself was born in Liberia before moving to the U.S. in 1982, when he was 18.

It turns out the fears of congregation members were unfounded -- no one from the church was traveling to West Africa during the Ebola outbreak. Some still worried the disease might somehow creep into the church.

*****

Planned Parenthood performed 327,653 abortions and received more than $528 million in tax dollars, according to its annual report for the last fiscal year.

That represents an increase of 487 abortions over 2012, when the organization performed 327,166 abortions and received $540.6 million in tax revenues.

During the period covered by the report -- from July 2013 to June 30, 2014 -- abortions accounted for 94 percent of their services to pregnant women, according to an analysis performed by the Susan B. Anthony List.

Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood's other services to women -- including cancer screenings, prenatal services, adoption referrals, even contraception -- declined over the same period, the report reveals.

To make the point, a Wichita Episcopal church will host a celebration of abortion for Planned Parenthood. St. James Episcopal Church will celebrate 42 years of abortion with Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid Missouri on January 22, 2015 for their Child for Choice event. Now you know why a Pope called such behavior part of the "culture of death."

Imagine what that sort of money could do to really help the poor in America. It could provide some 732,316 persons on SSI Disability with an additional $721.00. Or, using the 2009 Consumer Price Index average cost per meal of $2.43, which both AAFB and Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap use, $540.6 million could provide nearly 225 million meals for America's poorest!

On an allied note, the Episcopal Church's High Priestess of abortion, Katharine Ragsdale will exit as president of the Massachusetts's-based Episcopal Divinity School. The controversial Episcopal seminary dean is stepping down following several years of friction with faculty and disagreement about the future of the school.

*****

A Look at The Religious make-up of The 114th Congress that was sworn in on Tuesday brought with it not only a Republican, but also a Christian, majority.

Nearly 92 percent of the House and Senate are Christian, compared to 73 percent of American adults, according to an analysis by Pew Forum. Of the Christian Congress members, 57 percent are Protestant, while 30 percent are Catholic.

The number of Episcopalian/Anglican congressman numbered 41 or 7.7% of the Congress or 2% of American adults.

*****

I wrote critically last week of Angeline Jolie's rather pitiful movie attempt to film the life of Louis Zamperini inUNBROKEN. While he has chosen not to see her film, Billy Graham said it appears Jolie told a spectacular story, while ignoring its climactic chapters. Thus, the Graham team has released its own film about Zamperini, including references to the years of testimonies he shared in Graham crusades. The documentary, "Louis Zamperini: Captured by Grace" has been posted at the BillyGraham.org website. I stand by what I wrote.

In particular, Graham said he wished that Jolie had been willing to include the dramatic episode in which, soon after his conversion, Zamperini returned to Japan to forgive -- face to face -- as many of his prison guards as possible. "You can just imagine that scene in your mind. ... It's like she forgot the punch line," he said.

*****

Is it time for a Lutheran Ordinariate? Time for a Lutheran Ordinariate? Filip Mazurczak notes there is an ordinariate for Anglicans, so why not one for the increasingly disaffected former adherents of Lutheranism?

In recent weeks, Russell Saltzman -- a former dean of the North American Lutheran College -- announced his decision to become a Catholic. Meanwhile, the Lutheran Church of Finland's November recognition of homosexual relationships as marriages led to large-scale apostasy: in just the first couple days after the church's decision, 12,000 Finns left it in protest. Such events prompt the question whether Rome should create an ordinariate for Lutheran converts, just as Pope Benedict XVI did for Anglican converts in 2009.

*****

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In Christ,

David