Anglican Church Continues to Divide

Oso Famoso just linked to this article. This is obviously quite troubling, but not at all surprising. Here are some of the kicker quotes from the article:

The Church of England has been plunged into fresh turmoil by the “marriage” of two gay clergymen and threats of an exodus of priests opposed to the consecration of women bishops.

The Times has learnt that up to 500 Anglo-Catholic priests are ready to resign after failing to secure the concessions that they had sought over women bishops.

Why is it that it's women bishops where they finally draw the line? I'm glad that they are finally standing up to things, but to have waited this long... Hmm. There have been far more egregious and outrageous sins committed in the Anglican Communion, even in just the past 10 years. I'm far more upset about the marriage of two homosexual priests, aren't you?

Bishops have turned a blind eye to discreet services of blessing for gay couples but the wedding-style blessing service for the Rev Peter Cowell, a London hospital chaplain and priest at Westminster Abbey, and David Lord, a priest from New Zealand, could force the Church to act.

As with many other things in our culture, the Anglican Communion has upheld no standards, but then is "forced" to act when someone breaks a "standard." Honestly, I would like to know why civil unions are acceptable but homosexual marriages are not, according to Canterbury. This seems very inconsistent to me, and basically promotes sinful behavior.

A further blow will be dealt to the unity of the Anglican Communion this week when 200 traditionalist bishops attend a meeting as an alternative to the ten-yearly Lambeth Conference, which they plan to boycott.

This will be interesting to watch. We very well may in the midst of the greatest Christian schism since the Reformation. There are 80 million souls in the Anglican Communion worldwide. In about 6 months, it is possible that there will be millions less. Pray for this. Schism is never good, even if it's "best."

The Times understands that liberals are considering a legal challenge to guidelines that rule against blessings for civil partnerships but sanction a pastoral, prayerful response when gay couples enter a civil partnership.

This isn't surprising. If it's not "wrong," then it shouldn't be treated differently. Aye, there's the rub.

Again, the Anglican Communion needs to take stands on what it knows to be sinful practice and heterodox doctrines (at one point the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer meant something). Instead, it is just being inconsistent and irrational. Now, the Communion is getting all ruffled up when one of their own goes against the status quo. But status quo can't be the standard. Status quo changes almost daily.

Jesus told a story about a wise man building his house on the rock and the foolish man building his house on the sand. It looks like the Anglican Communion has decided that the land doesn't even matter and is trying to build a foundation in the middle of the ocean. Good luck!

The reason why we should all care is two-fold:

1. This has eternal consequences. Sin is dangerous, and promoting and encouraging sin is more so (Romans 1:28-32). Thousands, if not millions, are being misled by those they think will lead them closer to God.

2. This could be my church. How many denominations have already gone down this road or are going down it now? How many Christian sects were once build solidly upon the Bible, and now don't know what one looks like anymore? What is there to keep your church, my church, "God's Church" from following suit?

The Anglican Communion doesn't come anywhere near own a monopoly on sin, heresy, and inconsistency. I know that I certainly own some stock in that corporation. We all do. Kyire Eleison. Christe Eleison. Kyrie Eleison.