Read it all here:
Of all the items of business on the General Synod agenda, a lot of attention has been given to the second reading of the motion to revise Canon XXI – On Marriage in the Church to include same-sex marriage.
We do not know, nor do we wish to anticipate, how that vote will go at General Synod. We hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will infuse the conversation with holiness and will guide the results of the balloting. We are all approaching General Synod in a spirit of openness to ongoing discernment.
The College of Bishops, embodying as we do a breadth of theological views ourselves, is committed to remaining united regardless of the outcome. Whether the motion passes or fails, we will not be divided. We will stand together through the grace of God and by faith in our Saviour Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. We call upon the Diocese of Toronto to stand together with us, unified in all our glorious diversity under the banner of Christ.
I can’t see much that is pastoral about this letter. It is filled more with an air of denial and desperation than of spiritual guidance and care.
Denial of the reality that the church has already fractured over same-sex marriage and desperation at the probability of the fracture widening and expressing itself as a loss of yet more members and their wallets.
And nobody is “approaching General Synod in a spirit of openness to ongoing discernment”. Anyone who has not already made up his mind about same-sex marriage has no mind to make up.
I have seen stupidity and dishonesty but NEVER as severe as this. How can there be any unity in matters of this nature. We have the so-called bishops – better known as apostates – who willingly preach against THE WORD – who expect genuine orthodox bishops to accept their deception. It is long since past the time for genuine Christian Anglicans to demand the removal of these apostates.
Essentially the same, mutatis mutandis, generally vacuous, feel-good but content-free, wording would suffice if those same bishops were to issue a “pastoral” statement ahead of a General Synod vote on any number of inherently divisive issues. As a short list of such possible future issues :
* explicitly allowing polygamy if the secular law changes to allow it [as I have
pointed out a few times, the current wording of the proposed change in the
Marriage Canon implicitly allows for that already],
* allowing humans to marry non-humans: animal, vegetable, and mineral,
if the secular law changes to allow that,
* asserting that the NIcene Creed is not longer necessary,
* affirming that belief in the historical nature of the Crucifixion of Jesus and the
literal nature of the Resurrection, or alternatively denying such, are equally
valid options,
* declaring that Oceania is at war with Eastasia, Oceania has always been
at war with Eastasia.
The second paragraph is a bold faced lie!
They are anticipating a vote that will change the marriage cannon.
They might pray to the Holy Spirit for some things, but not for an infusion of holiness or guidance.
They most certainly are not, and likely never will be open to real openness, and they will not entertain any further discernment. Not that they ever discerned much in the first place, other than how to ram this sin down everyone’s throats.
Good bye AcoC. You were once a good and faithful Church. Now you are nothing more than a bunch of left wing wanna-be politicians.
And know this. People do not go to Church for left wing politics. They might go to church for that, but not God’s Church. People go to Church for a relationship and closer connection with God. Sadly that is not to be found inside the doors of your virtually empty buildings.
Although I left the ACoC 2 years ago, I still find it heartbreaking that the church with such a wonderful past history of Christian witness has come to this. Maybe the Lord can salvage some remnant and build it up once again in the distant future when the veil has been taken from the eyes of the present leadership.
I agree with your comments. I too departed some 4-5 yrs ago. I look back over my shoulder not for longing of what I once shared in community, but at revulsion at what that community has progressed to become.
For the orthodox minded: do what good you may do to argue against error faithfully. But depart promptly for own spiritual health and life. No church is perfect, but some are life and soul crushing and reek of pride and rebellion.