Pray not to this end, that your own desires be fulfilled. You can be sure they do not fully accord with the will of God. Once you have learned to accept this point, pray instead that "Thy will be done" in me. In every matter ask Him in this way for what is good and for what confers profit on your soul, for you yourself do not seek this so completely as He does. Many times while I was at prayer, I would keep asking for what seemed good to me. I kept insisting on my own request, unreasonably putting pressure on the will of God. I simply would not leave it up to His providence to arrange what He knew would turn out for my profit. Finally, when I obtained my request I became greatly chagrined at having been so stubborn about getting my own way, for in the end the matter did not turn out to be what I had fancied it would. --- Evagrius of Pontus

A common truth and life. The Christian unity for which Christ prayed in John 17:20-23 was not primarily unity with each other, but unity with the apostles (a common truth) and unity with the Father and the Son (a common life). The visible, structural unity of the church is a proper goal. Yet it will be pleasing to God only if it is the visible expression of something deeper, namely unity in truth and in life. In our ecumenical concern, therefore, nothing is more important than the quest for more apostolic truth and more divine life through the Holy Spirit. As William Temple put it, 'the way to the union of Christendom does not lie through committee-rooms, though there is a task of formulation to be done there. It lies through personal union with the Lord so deep and real as to be comparable with his union with the Father.' ---- William Temple, "Readings in St. John's Gospel"

A deaf church is a dead church; that is an unalterable principle. God quickens, feeds, inspires and guides his people by his Word. For whenever the Bible is truly and systematically expounded, God uses it to give his people the vision without which they perish. --- From "I Believe in Preaching" John R.W. Stott

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
August 21, 2009

Lost amidst the maze of over 400 resolutions at General Convention, were two that appeared at the end of GC2009 and were the focus of a press conference that Bonnie Anderson, President of the House of Deputies, Jefferts Schori Presiding Bishop and Jon Bruno Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles presided over.

They were resolutions concerned with affirming persons claiming to be transgendered, men and women who, through radical surgical procedures called sex reassignment surgery, had changed from one sex to another. They are classified under the nomenclature LGBT.

While The Episcopal Church has focused mostly on homosexuals and lesbians, two other groups had mostly gone unnoticed until this convention when they came, if you'll pardon the pun, out of the closet with some eight transgender persons making their case for acceptance before a generally respectful and inclusive crowd who now felt that since we have gone this far in changing patterns of sexual behavior, it is time to go the full distance and include them.

I do not speak of bisexuals, only transgendered, largely because no one has actually stepped forward, as far as I know, to claim publicly the mantle of bi-sexuality. Bisexuality refers to sexual behavior with or physical attraction to both sexes (male and female).This does pose problems of committed-ness, a mantra pansexualists trot out in order to indicate their commonality with heterosexuals in the sacred bonds of marriage. We await an explanation of this issue.

Transgendered folk caught the attention of TEC leaders. and youYou can read my story on how all this transpired in today's digest. The new word is TransEpiscopal, which you should not confuse with railways heading into New York City. It is the official word however to describe a brand new brand of sexuality that is bound to set the sexually captive free to enjoy who they are...and realize it all to the glory of God or not.

I did feel constrained to write some satire about our recent General Convention, which you can read in today's digest.

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Of course, no discourse on our ever changing and ever expanding understanding of sexualities would be complete without a word from John Shelby Spong, the former Bishop of Newark, who expostulated that it is now time to run up the inclusive Episcopal flag on sodomy and declare victory. You can read his "sublime" and victorious thoughts in today's digest. You should know that his own diocese dropped by a third in attendance when he was bishop. Despite talk of inclusion and diversity, attendance is now below half what it was when Spong was in charge, and the current bishop has bewailed about closing parishes in the diocese. At one point the diocese's lead homosexual, Dr. Louie Crew cried out that gay Catholics who felt their church was not being inclusive enough should re-cross the Tiber and come home to a now officially homoerotic church. His appeals were unsuccessful. The diocese continues to wither and die with churches closing almost monthly.

Spong did make a recent guest appearance at the Church of the Incarnation (ExCUSA/TEC), Highlands, NC, to espouse his basic Unitarian views. Fr. Jim Murphy of Christ Church, Highlands, was kind enough to critique Bishop Spong's talk and wrote the following to the diocesan Deanery. "This note, as promised, is my witness first hand to the downward spiraling apostasy of the visit of the leading sophist/nihilist/narcissist, John Shelby Spong(e). The evening was dreadful. Not so much for Spong and his humanistic folderol, but more for the couple of hundred people in attendance who hang on his every word as an expert, author, and ecclesial prelate. Spong has taken the authority granted to him by the Church, and concatenately our Lord, and used it to abuse and denigrate both of them. He is an intellectually, philosophically and factually dishonest man. Spong spoke at length about truth, discovering it, refining it, living it. However, his truth is not what the vast majority of Christendom understands as Truth. For him, truth comes only from the developing (read: evolving) human consciousness. 'The problem with most Christians,' he remarked, 'is that they think that they must be born again, and again and again when what they really need to do is grow up.' He thinks that Christian faith is a ruse to hide behind so we won't have to expose ourselves to the truth. He took shots at many different Christian targets, all the while wearing his clericals and standing in a church sanctuary. John Calvin was a buffoon, Thomas Aquinas lacked courage and conviction, the Archbishop of Canterbury is a disaster (he's on to something there), and Bill O'Reilly is a blowhard - but likable. And Christians are dishonest fools, unwilling to admit that Galileo, Newton, and Darwin completely decimated the structure that the Church is built upon and won the debate of the ages. 'It is over,' he said.

"He categorically stated that he would rather be in hell than in heaven with Christians who believe in a God that demands blood sacrifice. 'Who could, who would want to believe in a malevolent, despotic God like that?' he asked. Spong went on to inform the audience that Jesus did no miracles and that the Virgin birth is ridiculous and has been proven unbelievable/impossible. The idea wherein God hears and answers prayers is extremely problematic because it makes God into a monster who grants some petitions and denies all the rest. Spong's sophistry, as you can tell, is neither cleaver nor honest. He is pure a nihilist and decided narcissist."

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In the DIOCESE OF GEORGIA, the battle is on for the property of Christ Church, Savannah., The Rev. Phil Ashey offers up a brief on the court hearings: "Without going into every detail, the hearing was on a motion for summary judgment by plaintiffs (TEC and the Diocese) asking for immediate possession of all real and personal property of Christ Church and an accounting. The arguments centered on the disposition of church property cases by 'neutral principles of law' as decided by the United States Supreme Court in Jones v. Wolf. TEC and the Diocese interpret Jones v. Wolf to read that in such a 'neutral principles' case, where the governing documents of a hierarchical church are clear, they are decisive. Hence the 1979 Dennis Canon-which unilaterally imposed a trust interest in favor of TEC in the property of each local church-trumps all other principles and the property belongs to the Diocese and/or TEC."

Not so fast, said the Judge. Is this Dennis Canon "severable" from the rest of the TEC canons-including matters of doctrine into which the courts cannot inquire? Does the Dennis Canon trump Diocesan canons that cut in favor of Christ Church? In response to TEC's argument that the Dennis Canon is merely a codification of a "common understanding and practice" that the property of the local church is held in trust for the denomination, Judge Karpf asked if a "mere understanding" not expressly within the governing documents is a neutral principle? What if the rules of procedure governing the passage of a canon by General Convention were violated? What about the unilateral nature of the Dennis Canon and the lack of notice to the local congregation?

You can read the full report in today's digest.

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I was privileged recently to be interviewed by author and professor Michael Horton, author of CHRISTLESS CHRISTIANITY on the future of Anglicanism. Also interviewed was the Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison, retired bishop of South Carolina.

You can catch it all here:

Modern Reformation - The Secularization of Justification Interview with Bishop C. FitzSimmons Allison http://bit.ly/GNV7y

Whitehorse Inn Program for August 22, 2009 - The Future of Anglicanism Interviews with David Virtue and Bishop Allison http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/audio/whi_090822.mp3

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As reported earlier, the Rev. Kevin G. Thew Forester was given a rejection slip by the majority of the HOB and Standing Committees to be the next BISHOP OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN. The locals wailed and gnashed their teeth at media blogs like VOL and Frank Lockwood of Arkansas Online for blinding the eyes of the more Enlightened Ones over his views. Forester, in the course of seeking the job, denied that Satan existed. He said he didn't believe God sent his only-begotten son to die for the sins of the world. He said that the Koran is sacred. He also took a Buddhist middle name and taught that many paths lead to the divine.

One VOL reader wrote, "If the writer believes the rejection of the Buddhist bishop is a heartening sign that we [Episcopalians] are returning to a proper Anglican balance of freedom, yes, but freedom within boundaries, . . well, what can you say about delusion?

"That liberals are not completely insane does not mean they're acceptable. And from my experience I would bet a small amount of money that some liberal bishops, who have no problem with the man's views in principle, thought it prudent to say no to his election. None of them called for him to be defrocked, after all, and if his views are good enough for the presbyterate they're good enough for the episcopate. One thing did bother me about the Genpo mess. Sure he was rejected for the episcopate, but he is still a priest in good standing. Can anyone show me why he should not be brought up on charges of violating the canons for those horrid liturgies he concocted?" Apparently not.

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The EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF AMERICA (ELCA), which has a concordat with The Episcopal Church held its Church-wide Assembly in Minneapolis this week. 2,000 delegates approved a social statement on sexuality by a two-thirds margin.

The ELCA adopted a new policy that departs from traditional Christian teachings. The new policy leaves room for the church to approve and bless non-marital sex, both homosexual and heterosexual.

The 4.6 million member, mostly liberal-led ELCA, has lost nearly 1 million members across 4 decades.

The assembly approved some amendments that were in conservatives' favor. One approved amendment said that to refer to same-sex couples as being married "differs from the historic Christian tradition and the Lutheran Confessions."

But the assembly also rejected other amendments, such as the addition of this sentence: "Marriage thus provides the possibility for the added blessing of children and the joy and responsibility for raising them in the faith." Some voting members said they believed the sentence denigrated same-sex couples, or couples who are unable to conceive children. That amendment failed on a 432-563 vote.

Conservatives felt somewhat vindicated when a tornado struck near the Minneapolis Convention Center during the afternoon, damaging one portion of the convention center's roof and doing serious damage to a steeple at Central Lutheran Church, which is across the street.

But theologian/pastor John Piper saw things in a somewhat different light and wrote a commentary he titled, "The Tornado, the Lutherans, and Homosexuality." You can read that in today's digest. A group of conservatives calling themselves CORE are valiantly fighting back and you can read their statement. What all this means is that the ELCA could well split sometime in the future. Many have already left and many more will leave to join the more conservative Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the equivalent of the ACNA. We will report more when we know.

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Word is out today that the Obama Administration has filed court papers declaring that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) discriminates against homosexuals. A Department of Justice official, Tracy Schmaler, called the DOMA "discriminatory" because it "prevents equal rights and benefits."

President Obama campaigned on a promise of repealing DOMA, and homosexual activists are angry that he has not acted to repeal the legislation. If DOMA is overturned by White House maneuvering or a federal court, every state would be forced to recognize same-sex "marriages" that are now legal in states like Massachusetts. American citizens in 30 states have rejected same-sex "marriage" initiatives.

Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, a spokesperson for Concerned Women for America, said, "The Obama Administration is at it again; they are saying one thing while doing another. While the President defends marriage publicly, his administration is working behind the scenes to undermine the DOMA through legal action -- filing court papers complaining that the bill discriminates against same-sex couples."

She added, "While the Administration is taking heat for their health care reform proposals, they are hesitant to generate more flak over same-sex 'marriage.' Court action on the issue would protect the White House and allow the president to appear above the fray of the controversial ideological and political battle."

Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.

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Bishop Chuck Murphy, Chairman of the ANGLICAN MISSION IN THE AMERICAS, has appointed the Very Rev. Canon Mike Murphy as his Episcopal Vicar for the Anglican Mission. (They are not related). In his new role, Canon Murphy will be working closely with Bishop Murphy to carry out specific responsibilities and assignments delegated to him by the Chairman. He will accompany Bishop Murphy to significant gatherings and represent him when appropriate. He will be particularly involved with defining and shaping the Anglican Mission's role and work with the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). "I am confident Mike will bring a new dimension to the Mission as he comes alongside me," explained Bishop Murphy. "He has a broad experience in the business world, in the global Anglican church and in the Mission as a priest, network leader and canon missioner. One of Mike's additional strengths will be identifying ongoing funding sources."

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CANA ANNOUNCES THE "CHURCH AND ISLAM PROJECT". The Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) has announced its "Church and Islam Project," an education-focused initiative to help Anglicans in the U.S. understand Islam and the challenge it poses to the Church and its mission. CANA's Canon Missioner, the Rev. Canon Julian Dobbs, recently spoke at CANA's Annual Council on the subject. "As Christians, we are called to reach out to the world around us to spread the love of Christ and that includes learning how to respond to other religions. CANA is committed to providing its members with honest and respectful information, while exposing the truth about so-called moderate Islam and encouraging evangelism to Muslims."

In addition to holding educational seminars and providing materials to CANA members, CANA's "Church and Islam Project" will provide information at a new website, www.ChurchandIslam.com.

"Through its association with the Church of Nigeria, CANA has watched with horror as anti-Christian violence has increased especially where Nigerian States have introduced Sharia [Islamic] law. Churches have been burnt and destroyed, Christians have been intimidated and some have been killed, all in the name of Islam. Islam continues to invade the Church here in the U.S., where Christians are increasingly subject to statements from Episcopal bishops and other leaders who confuse parishioners about the theological irregularities of Islam and champion 'open pulpits' where mullah's are invited to teach from lecterns once dedicated to the proclamation of the historic Christian faith," Dobbs continued.

"Countless pastors and churches are being drawn into discussions on Islam and Christ, but we cannot let polite multi-faith dialog substitute for the truth of the Gospel message. CANA is committed to providing resources to help Christians deepen their understanding of Islam and to develop the appropriate Biblical response," he said.

CANA Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns agrees. "The Gospel message does not exclude a fifth of the world's population who are Muslims. We are called to love our neighbor - no matter what religion they practice - because the Christian faith has a distinctive message which brings the salvation and love of God to a needy and broken world through the life-transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ."

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The Church of England Newspaper report of former Prime Minister Tony Blair's interview with Alpha founder the Rev. Nicky Gumbel at London's Holy Trinity Brompton includes questions about the former UK Prime Minister's religious awakening at Oxford University; how he coped with difficult headlines when he was a politician; how he finds time for prayer and Bible reading in the midst of his Faith Foundation globe-trotting; and how he managed to secure an audience with Bono.

During Mr. Blair's ten years in charge of the country, the age of consent for homosexuals was reduced from eighteen to sixteen, removing the distinction in UK law between heterosexuality and homosexuality and also leading to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases amongst male adolescents.

Civil partnerships were then introduced, creating a same-sex imitation of the God-created institution of heterosexual marriage and leaving Christian marriage registrars with a livelihood-threatening crisis of conscience.

The Sexual Orientation Regulations were then introduced, forcing Roman Catholic adoption agencies to close because they refused to place children with homosexual couples and also placing Christian hoteliers with the threat of bankrupting legal actions; and now the Equality Bill looms with more horrors for orthodox, Nicene Christians in the secular workplace.

For all his intellectual, communication, and leadership qualities, Mr. Blair's administration entrenched the permissive society in Britain and firmly laid the foundations for the persecution of Christ's followers and servants.

'How do you square all that with your profession of Christian faith, Mr Blair?' would surely be a reasonable if challenging question. But Mr Blair was spared anything approaching that from the Rev. Gumbel during the cosy chat-show in front of a packed Knightsbridge church of 1,200.

The most challenging question was: 'Do you think you were right not to talk about God when you were in office?' That produced quite an illuminating answer and in fact Mr. Blair's former press officer Alastair Campbell emerged with some credit in the advice he gave. Mr. Campbell was concerned that if Mr. Blair gave public interviews about his faith whilst leader of the opposition, he would give off the message that you can only be a proper Christian if you vote Labour.

But that was as tough as it got.

This report was sent to VOL by the Rev. Julian Mann vicar of the Parish Church of the Ascension, Oughtibridge, South Yorkshire, UK. His weblog is Cranmer's Curate - www.cranmercurate.blogspot.com

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In the ultra-liberal DIOCESE OF MASSACHUSETTS a "generous pastoral response" hearing, following the action of General Convention, saw some 45 people gather at Emmanuel Church in Boston. The Aug. 13 hearing was called by the diocese's bishops as a first step toward developing diocesan policy in response to the resolution on same-gender marriage adopted at the Episcopal Church's recent General Convention.

Resolution C056 called for "Liturgies for Blessings," and for the collection and development of "theological and liturgical resources" giving bishops allowance to "provide generous pastoral response," particularly in states such as Massachusetts where same-gender marriage is legal. Because the resolution's language is both precise and broad, bishops now are left to determine what it means in their local contexts and what implications any implementation might have for the wider church.

To make the point, Cambridge mayor Denise Simmons' will marry her longtime partner Mattie B. Hayes on Aug. 30 at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Cambridge. "I believe this may be the very first African-American church to hold a same gender wedding, and that's something that just wouldn't have happened years ago," said Mayor Simmons. The wedding will take place at the historic Episcopal Church, which has predominantly served Cambridge's African-American community for over 100 years, and is presided over by the Rev. Leslie K. Sterling. The wedding ceremony shall be conducted by the Rev. Irene Monroe, who has conducted extensive outreach efforts to the GLBT community. Mayor Simmons is the nation's first African-American, openly-lesbian mayor. She presides over a diverse city that consists of people from every racial, religious, economic, and cultural background.

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The DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA will hold its annual Diocesan Convention on Saturday, November 14, 2009, not in the cathedral but at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. This year there is a $20.00 registration fee for each person attending, including lay and clerical delegates alike, to help defray some of the convention costs. This is causing a number of delegates to squawk about why there was the need to hold it at the convention center bearing in mind that the diocese is shrinking and everyone can fit comfortably in the cathedral at no cost. The new Assisting Bishop, Rodney R. Michel is feeling his oats and wants to establish himself now that Charles Bennison has gone. Michel has got three years to see if he can turn things around. That is unlikely. While he is no Bennison, his theology is just as liberal. One thing he hasn't done is try to resolve the legal battle with the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rosemont, and settle the matter out of court. Clearly, he is listening to voices at 815. Will Fr. Eddy Rix at All Saints' be next once Fr. David Moyer's parish has been disposed of?

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The Bishop of South Carolina, the Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence was concerned about an article I wrote regarding his address to the diocese recently and the conclusions VOL drew from it after talking to various clergy in the diocese. "I only wish you had waited until I could give you more accurate information as to what we are doing. As it is you are as confused as the SC clergyman to whom you spoke. I wish you might have spent a little more time in trying to get accurately what we are trying to do. As it is I believe you miss it." VOL made the bishop an offer to write what he felt was a true interpretation of his words but the bishop declined citing time constraints.

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FOCUS ON MINISTRY Conference 2009. "Getting Sunday Right: the role of the Bible in public worship". A joint project of Christ Church and Calvary/St. George, two orthodox parishes in New York City, hosted by the American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, New York will take place Wednesday, October 21 - Friday, October 23.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Ashley Null who holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, England, and is canon theologian for the Episcopal Diocese of West Kansas. One of the foremost experts on Cranmer and the English Reformation, Ashley Null is the author of "Thomas Cranmer's Doctrine of Repentance: Renewing the Power to Love (OUP)." A second speaker is Dr. Gavin McGrath, currently senior pastor of Christ Church, Earlsfield, London. He recently edited the "New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics (IVP)". The Rev. John G. Mason, Founding Rector of Christ Church, New York City, will also speak. He holds degrees in theology from the Universities of London and Durham in England and taught New Testament theology. An Anglican minister for over thirty-five years, he has established two churches and was the rector of one of Sydney's largest churches for sixteen years.

The 2009 Focus on Ministry conference in New York City seeks to bring the best of this program to the North American context. There will be no legislation or position papers, simply the fellowship and encouragement of ministers of the Gospel gathering in a world-leading city in the cause of Christ. For more information please contact karen@christchurchnyc.com

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Preach Christ or go home. For a link to some serious sermons go here: http://bit.ly/31U9Mt

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VOL announces the formal kick off this week of GATI - The Global Anglican Theological Institute. You can see it here. http://www.globalanglican.org/

Some 17 lectures are available in 42 languages. We will be adding more in time. VOL plans to cover the full range of biblical truth along with lectures on the 39 Articles and much more. Please let us know what you think.

I am pleased to announce that the Rev. Dr. Robert Sanders is the theologian in charge of this project and if you think you would like to contribute to this education forum please feel to write him at: Robert Sanders dr.sanders@globalanglican.org He'd love to hear from you. Submission guidelines are provided.

Our objective is to provide a free theological education for the whole Anglican Communion. There will be three levels - for beginners, medium and advanced learners. We want laity, pastors and bishops who are on the run to see this as a resource for them. Let us know what you think.

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In Christ,

David