We must give up the vain idea of trying to please everybody. That is impossible, and the attempt is a mere waste of time. We must be content to walk in Christ's steps, and let the world say what it likes. -- J. C. Ryle

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
www.virtueonline.org
September 23, 2024

RECONCILIATION -- ANGLICAN STYLE. Saul David Alinsky an American community activist and political theorist once said, reconciliation means just one thing: "when one side gets enough power, then the other side gets reconciled to it."

If there is one thing, I have learned watching Anglican Church politics over nearly four decades it is this; reconciliation became the buzzword for pansexual acceptance. Reconciliation meant reconciling the unreconcilable, in order to achieve an end that allowed one side to claim victory.

Homosexuals and lesbians knew how to play the game. Once a forced reconciliation was achieved that homosexual practice was acceptable, and Resolution B012 was passed, then it was time to move on. Nothing to see here.

The push for reconciliation was not primarily about reconciling positions on an unbiblical sexual behavior; it was about the demand by a small minority of aggrieved pansexualists that their abominable lifestyle be accepted in the name of God of course, who Himself is clearly evolving on the issue, if the Hays theological father and son team now believe He has. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/reconciliation-anglican-style

For the record evangelical theologian Richard Hays thinks God has changed his mind about same-sex sex. A new book 'The Widening of God's Mercy' by Christopher and Richard Hays (father and son) tries to make the case that God has in fact evolved over sexuality issues as He has on other issues and we should all now change our minds and fall in line with him.

The original book made Hays a darling among conservative evangelical Christians who opposed LGBTQ acceptance in their churches and the broader culture and frequently cited Hays' work in debates.

For decades, Christians seeking to uphold the Bible's "no" to same-sex sexual relationships have quoted Richard Hays's treatment of this topic in his Moral Vision of the New Testament. This writer has certainly used the book on multiple occasions. But Hays (emeritus professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School) has coauthored a new book, The Widening of God's Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story, arguing for "the full inclusion of LGBT+ people in Christian communities." You can read a full critique here: https://virtueonline.org/richard-hays-thinks-god-changed-his-mind-about-same-sex-sex-he-right

If we read the Bible carefully, they argue, we'll find that "God repeatedly changes his mind in ways that expand the sphere of his love" (2). In light of this, the Hayses "conclude that many religious conservatives, however well-intentioned, are wrong about the most essential point of theology: the character of God".

Naturally, evangelical theologian Robert A. J. Gagnon professor of New Testament at Houston Baptist University, shredded the Hays book. Gagnon penned a nearly 1,500-word thread on X attacking Hays' new book: "God hasn't changed his mind. Hays and son have changed their minds. They are now swimming in the sea of heresy, rejecting the clear and overwhelming witness of Scripture ... ." OUCH. Of course, Gagnon is right. He has written the definitive book on homosexuality that no one has seriously refuted. Titled; 'The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics', the book has not been seriously challenged by scholars and few will go into public debate against Gagnon.

You can read another critique here: https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/conservative-christians-just-lost-their-scholarly-trump-card-same-sex

In 2009, evangelical missiologist Ed Stetzer said that conservative Christians who were pro-LGBTQ could all fit into a minivan. No exaggeration at the time, but in the years since, the minivan has become a caravan.

In their book "After the Ball," psychologist Marshall Kirk and ad man Hunter Madsen painted a picture of what the gay rights movement should do to normalize and advance their agenda in America. The book came out in 1990. Kirk and Madsen treated their book as a manifesto and we have witnessed their vision.

The propaganda effort the authors set out included inserting gay men and women into Hollywood to start writing shows with gay positive characters, then make gay characters normal characters on shows. They would get friends in the media to positively cover the gay rights movement. Advertisers would feature gay men and women in advertisements as an ideal. Gay celebrities would be championed. Churches, too, would be involved, with liberal churches rejecting Christian orthodoxy championed and those that kept the faith vilified. They won. Now sadly evangelicals are falling all over themselves to accommodate the new sexual order.

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If you are thinking of crossing the Tiber because you are fed up with the heresies of The Episcopal Church and the uncertainty over the ordination of women in the ACNA and the Continuers are not in your line of vision, then you might want to think long and hard before you do.

This week the pope made statements that have floored the faithful and raises serious questions as to what he and the RCC really believe!

On his recent visit to Singapore, Pope Francis sacked the Savior of the world, confidently declaring that Jesus's self-proclaimed job description as "the way, the truth, and the life" was redundant since, in the pontiff's view "all religions are paths to God," wrote Jules Gomes for The Stream.

The pope's words, delivered last Friday at an inter-religious meeting with young people, has triggered a tsunami of confusion and a volcano of outrage. The Vatican quickly issued a new translation of the pontiff's words, which proved to be a distinction without a difference.

In Singapore talking to young people from various religious traditions the pope revealed his soft-headed theology with a broadside of ecumenical nonsense that must have his predecessors rolling in their graves.

Francis told a group of young people from various religions that we should not say that one god is "more important" than another. The Pope compared religions to different languages that all say the same thing, the clear implication of which is that all religions are equal. "Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian -- they are different paths," he said.

"If God is the god of all, then we are all sons and daughters of God," Francis said. We are all children of our heavenly Father, the Creator, but we are only sons and daughters of God by way of the new birth.

The pope said enough cringeworthy stuff as to make the last five Episcopal presiding bishops look like saints upon the earth. Even his pro-gay American cardinals and bishops must be asking themselves, what the hell is going on with Francis. Has he completely lost his mind?

What Francis said was straight up Christian heresy and universalist nonsense. It is certainly possible to see good in non-Christian religions, but we are only saved through the work of Christ and no other, for there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. (acts 4:12) You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/pope-still-catholic

Is the pope still catholic?

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Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby seem to be working off the same playbook, and it's not the Bible.

Following a disastrous remake of his Catholic faith in Singapore talking to young people about all religions having the same god and not to worry about the exclusive claims of Christ, the upcoming Synod on Synodality continued his woke themes.

The Vatican's press office released details of the upcoming Synod later this month, which includes a "penitential vigil" that will see the "confession" of sins against "synodality," "migrants" and "participation of all," among other things.

Sins particularly being "confessed" include:
Sin against peace ...
Sin against creation, against indigenous populations, against migrants ...
Sin of abuse ...
Sin against women, family, youth ...
Sin of using doctrine as stones to be hurled ...
Sin against poverty ...
Sin against synodality/lack of listening, communion, and participation of all ...

Of course, Archbishop Justin Welby has done a lot of virtue signaling of his own.

His prostrating of himself before various shrines and the Church of England's ancient sins now finds that he has all but run out of steam with the only hope that he retires in two years still in one emotional and spiritual piece.

He has been a wrecking ball. The safeguarding issue is in shambles; his blind support of Palestinians while ignoring the real threat of Hamas has not gone unnoticed. The emergence of the Anglican Alliance's de facto parallel province allowing priests to bless same-sex civil marriages in church; The Church of England Evangelical Council's (CEEC) commissioning of its first set of overseers not approved by the CofE; is a sure slap in the face at Welby. Their action caused a major upset in some women CofE priests, https://virtueonline.org/church-must-not-be-politely-silent-over-cofe-breakaway-says-rector all the while the church is quietly losing more people with surveys showing the institution only has about 20 years to go before the last doors close. Less than half of the population-- 46.2% --now identify as Christian, a steep decline from 59.3% in 2011. Even fewer worship in CofE parishes. Meantime evangelical and Pentecostal churches keep growing because they have a clear fix on sin and salvation.

There will always be an England, even one diminished by royal scandals, but not necessarily a Church of England to prop it up. Fiat Lux.

In a send up of the Church of England, Blogger Anglican Futures wrote this piece:
The HoB, the CNC and a very British democracy. Those who are of a certain age and follow the politics of the Church of England often feel trapped in a re-run of the 1980's satirical sitcoms "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister".

Sir Humphrey: "Bernard, if the right people don't have power do you know what happens the wrong people get it -- politicians, counsellors, ordinary voters."
Bernard: "But aren't they supposed to in a democracy "
Sir Humphrey: "This is a British democracy.."
Bernard: But how do you mean?
Sir Humphrey: British democracy recognizes that you need a system to protect the important things of life and keep them out of the hands of the barbarians. Things like the things like the Opera, Radio 3, the countryside, the Law, the universities - both of them."

Taken from BBC Comedy Greats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzfNEF0e-y4

The Church of England would appear to be a very British democracy. Yesterday the House of Bishops held an emergency meeting because there was a fear that their 'system' was breaking down because it had been infiltrated by barbarians.

The events that have precipitated this crisis are centered on the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), the process by which new diocesan bishops are appointed. On two of the last eight occasions that they have met, they have 'failed' to make an appointment.

After the second 'failure' the Archbishop of Canterbury put out a press statement which said, "Together with the Archbishop of York and others, there will also need to be a period of reflection on the implications of this decision on the Church of England more generally."

The use of the word 'failure' is surely indicative of the bishops' sense of entitlement. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/hob-cnc-and-very-british-democracy

The Times reports a 33% Failure rate to appoint bishops attributed to disagreements over gay blessings. From 1997 to 2022, the Crown Nomination Commission was tasked with appointing 55 bishops and failed to reach agreement on a candidate only twice -- a 3.6 per cent failure rate. In the nineteen months from the start of 2023, the committee had to appoint six bishops and failed to select a candidate twice, a failure rate of 33.3 per cent. ... Twice in the past year, in Ely and Carlisle, the committee failed to reach the two thirds majority to agree on a candidate. It is thought that disagreements between factions -- supporters and opponents of last year's move to start offering blessings to gay couples -- have led to deadlocks between those who want to appoint a bishop from their own "camp" '

Andrew Carey writes in the CEN Newsletter:

"It is encouraging to see the House of Bishops open up. This will counter the lack of trust and open the way to greater transparency in the Church of England. Secondly, the proposals will have the opposite effect. They will stoke further distrust. The proposals are being presented as 'simplifying', procedural and minor changes, but in reality they increase the power of the Bishops and the Archbishops -- which are already too great. The proposals, if supported by General Synod will give the Archbishops a casting vote and will water-down the confidentiality of the process."

***

The evangelical Diocese of Sydney diocese report warns of 'impaired communion' with Church of England, screamed a recent headline.

The Anglican Church of Australia (ACA) would "automatically" cease to be in communion with the Church of England if the Appellate Tribunal determined that the C of E was "inconsistent" with the Australian Church's "Fundamental Declarations", a report to the Sydney synod by the diocese's doctrine commission suggests.

The Appellate Tribunal is the church's highest court, and the Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev. Kanishka Raffel, is a tribunal member. The report says that the Church of England could be ruled "inconsistent" if it "rejected the scriptures as 'the ultimate rule and standard of faith' or if they ceased to 'obey the commands of Christ and teach his doctrine'".

The ACA, the report continues, "has no legal power to declare whether it is in or out of communion with any other Church in the [Anglican] Communion, other than the Church of England. Nevertheless, serious breaches of gospel communion do exist within the Anglican Communion, and 'impaired communion' or 'broken communion' accurately describes this doctrinal reality." You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/sydney-diocese-report-warns-impaired-communion-church-england

***

In the evolving world of Anglican church politics, an ACNA priest was elected Bishop in Madagascar. The Ven. Darrell Critch, a priest of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), was elected Bishop of Mahajanga, Madagascar, a diocese of the Church in the Province of the Indian Ocean. Critch's new diocese is part of an Anglican church in communion with the See of Canterbury, unlike the ACNA. This will likely make his ministry the first of its kind amid deep division across the Communion.

Critch, who will make his first visit to Madagascar this month, described the call to serve as a bishop on the other side of the world as "totally out of left field," though he has been involved in mission work in Guatemala through the Anglican Church of the Good Samaritan, the parish he has served in Saint Johns, Newfoundland, for over two decades. He also served as a delegate from the ACNA to last summer's Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) Assembly in Egypt. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/acna-priest-elected-bishop-madagascar

***

The Episcopal Diocese of Nicaragua, along with 92 other churches and religious groups, was formally dissolved by the Nicaraguan government on August 29, and its assets are subject to confiscation.

The action came just weeks after the repressive government of President Daniel Ortega revoked the legal status of 1,500 other churches, most of them evangelical and Pentecostal. Since 2018, 5,552 organizations -- about 70 percent of the non-governmental organizations that existed at that time -- have arbitrarily lost their legal status in the country. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/nicaraguan-diocese-dissolved-repressive-government

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The Free Church of England (FCE) has dismissed the Rev. Brett Murphy as it ruled that videos he posted online had brought it 'into disrepute'.

The breakaway FCE Anglican denomination's bishop, one John Fenwick, dismissed the Rev. Murphy last month after ruling that the "nature and tone" of videos he posted online had brought the church "into disrepute".

The FCE took issue with the vicar using the term "witch" to refer to female priests.

The vicar, who opposes the ordination of women, has claimed the comments were "tongue in cheek and sarcastic" and that he has a right to free speech.

But the real issue the MSM in England is missing, is the dogfight going on between the bishop, one John Fenwick and the priest over his ordination, the property and much more. The congregation is fully on the side of the Rev. Brett and they are fighting to keep him. This has become a legal matter and may well have to be resolved in the courts. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/uk-free-speech-storm-embroils-church-after-vicar-sacked-over-anti-woke-youtube-channel

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'Seven Hypotheses' Stir Debate in Canadian Church. The Anglican Church of Canada has seen precipitous decline in recent decades, and a church commission says it needs to change its structures "to enable a greater capacity within the church to proclaim the Gospel."

"Reimagining the Church," a report from the Primates' Commission on Proclaiming the Gospel in the Twenty-First Century released in August, lays out seven "hypotheses" that mostly focus on colonialism, structure, and expenses, and commends them for churchwide discussion.

Though the report claims that "many of these hypotheses have been talked about informally for years," those focused on structure and colonialism are proving controversial. You can read Sue Careless's report here: https://virtueonline.org/seven-hypotheses-stir-debate-canadian-church

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The Most Rev. Dr. Justin Badi Arama, Archbishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Chair of the GSFA Steering Committee delivered a broadside at Archbishop Justin Welby. Writing in his September chairman's letter Badi said; "We live in a time of historic transition. Tragically, the See of Augustine founded has departed from the faith Augustine taught and I see lessons of hope for us in the life of Gregory as we continue the great task of resetting the Communion." You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/gsfa-chairmans-letter-september-2024

***

The controversial Anglo-Catholic/FCE/Nordic Catholic Church priest Calvin Robinson, who describes himself as Evangelical Catholic says he is fleeing England for the US because his life there is unsafe with extremist Muslims wanting to kill him. He says England is "on the cusp of a civil war."

He joins St. Paul's Anglican Catholic Church, a flourishing Anglo-Catholic congregation located on Lake Michigan Drive on the West Side of Grand Rapids. It is affiliated with the Anglican Catholic church, a Continuing (Anglican) Church denomination. He will be rector starting Sept. 20.

The parish was founded in the nineteenth century as part of the Episcopal Church, but in 1980 the members found themselves obliged to secede from the Episcopal Church, unable in conscience to accept innovations in faith and order which were without warrant in scripture or tradition.

The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion. This denomination is separate from the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia and the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada.

You can read more here: https://www.christianpost.com/news/expatriate-uk-cleric-calvin-robinson-issues-warning-to-americans.html

***

200 Christian leaders call democracy a ‘test of faith’

A letter describing democracy as a “moral affirmation” urges Christians to repudiate “anti-democratic sentiment” — namely, ideologies such as Christian nationalism and racism.

A diverse group of influential Christian leaders is calling on their fellow faithful to protect democracy, arguing that American Christians are compelled to defend voting freedoms as a “test of faith,” reports the Religion News Service.

“We write in a moment of fierce urgency, as the people of God animated by faith, hope, and love,” said the statement. “It is in this spirit that we reaffirm Christian support for democracy and invite all Christians and people of moral conscience to do the same.” You can read more here: https://religionnews.com/2024/09/19/christian-leaders-call-defendign-democracy-a-test-of-faith/

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CUTURE WARS

Stories worthy of your time to read.

'My heart breaks': Former trans child shares how she healed from traum...
https://virtueonline.org/my-heart-breaks-former-trans-child-shares-how-she-healed-trauma-gender-dysphoria

Christians Are Being Hounded From Their Jobs by the Perpetually Offended
https://virtueonline.org/christians-are-being-hounded-their-jobs-perpetually-offended

https://virtueonline.org/historical-evolution-anglican-church-nigeria

https://virtueonline.org/what-apostles-creed-denies

https://virtueonline.org/lose-gospel-return-childishness

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