The Scottish Episcopal Church has caused controversy by removing masculine references to God in a new order of service.Read the rest here.
The new form of worship, which removes words such as 'Lord, he, his, him' and 'mankind' from services, has been written by the church in an attempt to acknowledge that God is 'beyond human gender'.
Episcopalian bishops have approved the introduction of more 'inclusive' language, which deliberately removes references suggesting that God is of male gender
Traditionalists have criticised the changes on the grounds that they smack of political correctness and because they believe they are not consistent with the teachings of the Bible.
The alterations have been made to provide an alternative to the established 1982 Liturgy, which, like the Bible, refers to God as a man.
The new order of service, which can be used by priests if they have difficulties with a male God, has been produced by the church's Liturgy Committee in consultation with the Faith & Order Board of General Synod and the College of Bishops.
The controversial changes were discussed at the church's General Synod recently. The minutes of the synod reveal that female priests had asked why God was still referred to as a man.
But I bet we will continue "ecumenical dialogue" with these heretics and accept their baptisms as close enough for converts. Sorry for the bluntness and lack of irenic commentary. But sometimes you gotta call a spade a spade. These people (I decline to call them a church) have gone completely off the deep end. Let there be no mistake. This is where the CofE and the American Episcopal Organization are heading. In fact I would bet good money that Ms. Schori is steamed that the Scots beat her to it.
Are they even Christians anymore? I have doubts that we could accept them as Trinitarian if they implicitly deny the Divinity of Jesus Christ by refusing to concede that God is male. What formula do they use for baptisms? Was Jesus Himself a heretic for His many references to God the Father (including the most famous prayer in Christendom)? As I see it the theological implications here may well put them outside what most Orthodox would call Christianity (even heretical).
I think more accurately God is revealed as Father rather than God being male. Male and female are a part of Creation. I do not recall any of the Fathers attributing "maleness" to the Father. Obviously Jesus was male but I think the heretical argument applies to the Father who according to their agenda is to be stripped of His revealed Fatherhood. Obviously a father may act as a mother and there are a number of references in Holy Scriptures to that; i.e. Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”
ReplyDeletePerhaps they need to learn that male is not a gender, it is a sex.
ReplyDeleteI agree that any convert "baptized" in this church should be given Orthodox baptism. In fact, I think that should be the case for all converts. I don't think the Creed's statement that there is "one baptism for the remission of sins" should be taken to mean that the Church should accept heterodox baptisms without regard to the beliefs of the heterodox church in question.
ReplyDeleteMormon baptism uses "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" but we reject that. How are Mormon beliefs so much worse than the wrong conception of the Trinity proffered by denominations that use the filioque?
Frankly I think this is a step up from Calvinism.
ReplyDeleteI certainly understand that the Pope's decision to celebrate Mass in Latin was certainly an opportunity for winning coverts to the Scottish Episcopal Church, but this does seem like trying a bit TOO hard, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteRecently I met with my pastor and shared with him some of the crazy stuff that was going on when I was in seminary, especially the "inclusive language" movement (which was not inclusive at all, interestingly.) This was a Roman Catholic seminary, of course.
ReplyDeleteVery incongruous (to say the least) greetings were used, such as "May God be with you" instead of "The Lord be with you," and the blessing being given in the Name of "the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier." Then there was "Glory to You, Source of all being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit."
It's been 22 years, and still, I want to scream.
When my pastor and I talked about God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, my pastor said, "That's how God has revealed Himself."
Exactly.