The Church of England introduces the Politically Correct Baptism

Posted on January 4, 2014 by David

In a new Church of England baptismal rite, sin is out, as is the devil. Instead we have the impersonal “evil, and all its many forms.”

“Submit to Christ as Lord” is out, too because…. well, these days, who wants to submit to anything.

This Christianity Lite has been concocted because it is easier to understand and it is more likely to attract people. In reality, it says to baptismal candidates that they are either too stupid to understand the real meaning of baptism or too far gone to want to go through with it.

A special insult is reserved for women who, it is supposed, having been brainwashed by the zeitgeist to “object to the idea of submission”, can no longer think for themselves and, so, are incapable of understanding that submitting to their Maker is probably in their best interest.

From here:

Parents and godparents no longer have to ‘repent sins’ and ‘reject the devil’ during christenings after the Church of England rewrote the solemn ceremony.

The new wording is designed to be easier to understand – but critics are stunned at such a fundamental change to a cornerstone of their faith, saying the new ‘dumbed-down’ version ‘strikes at the heart’ of what baptism means.

In the original version, the vicar asks: ‘Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?’

Prompting the reply: ‘I reject them.’ They then ask: ‘Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?’, with the answer: ‘I repent of them.’

But under the divisive reforms, backed by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and already being practised in 1,000 parishes, parents and godparents are asked to ‘reject evil, and all its many forms, and all its empty promises’ – with no mention of the devil or sin.

The new text, to be tested in a trial lasting until Easter, also drops the word ‘submit’ in the phrase ‘Do you submit to Christ as Lord?’ because it is thought to have become ‘problematical’, especially among women who object to the idea of submission.

Order of the Diocese of Toronto begins as it probably means to go on

Posted on January 3, 2014 by David

QueenChris Among the first recipients of the Order of the Diocese of Toronto is Chris Ambidge, a leader in Integrity and a self-described lesbigay Anglican.

The award is supposed to honour “laypeople who make outstanding contributions to the diocese” and, in Ambidge’s case, the outstanding contribution has been to encourage the Anglican Church of Canada in its decision to allow any diocese that cares to to bless same-sex civil marriages. And to wear a fetching tiara.

From here:

The Order of the Diocese of Toronto, created to honour laypeople who make outstanding contributions to the diocese, was awarded for the first time on New Years’ Day at St. James’ Cathedral in Toronto.

A list of 48 recipients-nominated by their parishes or Archbishop Johnson-was published on the Diocese of Toronto website just before Christmas. Those named to the Order were honoured before a full house at the cathedral during the New Year’s choral evensong, receiving a medallion and a pin from the archbishop.

Among the first recipients of the Order were Chris Ambidge (involved in leadership of Integrity Canada), members of General Synod Libby Salter and Peter Tavell, Elizabeth Loweth (active in leadership of the International Anglican Women’s Network), Dorothy Peers, and General Synod’s coordinator of Together in Mission Suzanne Lawson.

Another reason for belonging to ACNA

Posted on January 3, 2014 by David

Unlike the ACoC and TEC who ceaselessly prattle about social justice while studiously ignoring the systematic killing of millions of unborn children every year, ACNA takes a stand against abortion.

The best that TEC can do comes from Rev Katherine Ragsdale who has declared that abortions are a blessing and abortionists, heroes; the ACoC is too timid to say anything.

From here:

March for Life 2014

An invitation to the March for Life from Archbishop Duncan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In Deuteronomy 30:19 Moses says, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”

This exhortation reminds us of the profound importance God places on life, especially our children, born and unborn. Furthermore, the Canons of the Anglican Church in North America include this declaration of our commitment to life: God, and not man, is the creator of human life. The unjustified taking of life is sinful. Therefore, all members and Clergy are called to protect and respect the sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death (Canon II.8.3).

Canada’s part in Christian Unity Week

Posted on January 2, 2014 by David

From here:

Each year, churches in a different country are invited to prepare materials for worship, reflection and prayer during the week, including information about their country’s context. This is the third time in the 100-year history of the Week of Prayer that Canada has been selected as the country in focus. An ecumenical Canadian team prepared the 2014 materials that were reviewed by the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; the materials have now been distributed to national church councils around the world. The theme they chose was “Has Christ Been Divided?” from 1 Corinthians.

A touching article. The only problem with it is the photo that should have been used to illustrate the real state of Christian unity in Canada is this one: The Demolishing of St. Hilda’s. Before anyone rashly jumps to the wrong conclusion, I should point out that the Diocese of Niagara does have a heart: it thoughtfully ejected the congregation before knocking down their building.

Anglican theologian declares “Life of Brian” is a heavily disguised tribute to the life of Jesus

Posted on December 31, 2013 by David

One Britain’s most respected Anglican theologians (who respects Anglican theologians these days? Answer: other Anglican theologians) has decided that Monty Python’s Life of Brian is not blasphemous but a tribute to Jesus, thus confirming what most of us already know: it really is blasphemous – funny, perhaps but still blasphemous.

From here:

It was once denounced as blasphemous and an insult to Christians, but Monday one of Britain’s most respected theologians insisted that Monty Python’s Life of Brian is in fact a “remarkable tribute to the life of Jesus”.

The Rev. Prof. Richard Burridge, Dean of King’s College London, said that Christians who called for the satire to be banned after its release in 1979 were “embarrassingly” ill-informed and missed a major opportunity to promote the Christian message.

[…..]

He added: “They were satirizing closed minds, they were satirizing fundamentalism and persecution of others and at the same time saying the one person who rises above all this was Jesus … and I think that the Church missed that.”

Satirising fundamentalism is de rigueur for Anglican theologians – I suspect there is a non-optional course on it in seminary – but only Christian fundamentalism. Neither Anglican theologians – a congenitally poltroonish bunch at the best of times – nor Monty Python have the temerity to mock Islamic fundamentalism:

During his Monty Python days he poked fun at everyone from the Establishment to Christianity.

But thanks to the threat of ‘heavily armed’ fanatics, Michael Palin has admitted there is one comedy taboo he is too scared to break- Islam.

St. Hilda’s: the demolition aftermath

Posted on December 29, 2013 by David

St. Hilda’s building, acquired by the Diocese of Niagara for $0 and sold by the diocese for $1.9M is now an empty space.

Curiously, the only part left standing is the sign that used to display the rector’s name and the worship times – now expunged:

In what I am convinced must a divinely appointed metaphor for this tawdry episode in the continuing moral decomposition of the Anglican Church of Canada, a Diocese of Niagara Oakville church has attached to the remnant an advertisement for that most vacuous of Anglican rituals: The Christmas Bazaar:

Archbishop Fred Hiltz has a new year’s message

Posted on December 27, 2013 by David

And it’s all about unity. The emphasis is on unity between Anglicans and Lutherans, a swarming of likeminded lemmings, pooling their suicidal impulses in the hope that the first over the cliff may provide a soft landing for those who follow.

What Hiltz fails to acknowledge in his message is that for all the talk of unity, the Anglican Church of Canada under his leadership has been, along with TEC, the most effective instigator of disunity since the reformation. Millions of Anglicans have broken communion with the ACoC over its determination to remake marriage in the image of the unrestrained impulses of its homosexual clergy.

Conversations, are not going to solve this; only repentance will, but that appears to be an entirely alien concept in Western Anglicanism.

From here:

Hiltz also recounts how blessed the churches were to have guests from the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches, and their two American sister churches at Joint Assembly.

“They reminded us of the challenge that our relationship holds,” says Hiltz, “and the hope and potential for similar conversations in other churches around the world… in the interest of Christian unity.”