BLOWED UP REAL GOOD
from Midwest Conservative Journal by The Editor

The Rev. Leo Joseph of St. John’s Episcopal Church of Lakeport, California really gets hacked off when people say Episcopalians aren’t Christian. So much so that he recently wrote an op-ed about it for the local paper:

"It used to be fashionable at cocktail parties, if you wanted to get a chuckle, to quip “to be a good Episcopalian only a slight belief in God is required.”"

Since you mentioned cocktail parties, the line actually was, “Wherever you find four Episcopalians, you’ll always find a fifth.” Carry on.

"Others liked to characterize the Episcopal Church as “the country club at prayer” and even assert that we are “not really a Christian church.”"

Because you’re…not?

"All kidding aside, those of us who are active and devout members of the Episcopal Church know just how untrue those popular perceptions are yet, as an organization and as individuals, we have frankly done little to counter these misconceptions."

But one hell of a lot to encourage them. If it walks like a duck, Leo.

"For the past quarter century or so it seems that the only time our church get any press is when the word “sex” can be coupled in the headline with the word “church”: “women priests” then “women bishops” and now a woman presiding bishop, along with talk of blessing “same sex marriages,” priests and even a bishop in a “same sex relationships.” (The word “gender” would be more correct, but let’s face it, “sex” sells papers, “gender” doesn’t.)"

Well, lah dee dah, Mr. hoity-toity grammar cop. Is the Episcopal Organization going to have to call a special GenCon in order to make its resolutions state that “genderal orientation/genderal identity” is no bar to ordination?

Will parents now have to sit down with their kids and urge them not to have gender outside of wedlock? If I marry some really hot woman, will my friend elbow me some time and quietly but leeringly ask me how good the gender is?

But I digress. Leo goes on to quote Pete Whalon:

"The Rt. Rev. Pierre Welte Whalon D.D., the bishop of the Convocation of American Episcopal Churches in Europe (who I had the privilege of meeting at a theological conference in Germany three years ago), noted this in a reflection on the wrap up of General Convention. I’d like to share his words with you all:

“Finally, a very significant theological statement on interreligious dialogue passed the bishops unanimously, and by a large majority in the House of Deputies (with 888 voting deputies, unanimity is extremely rare). For those who wonder about the orthodoxy of our church, here are some excerpts:"

Pete then includes a few orthodox-sounding phrases. Both Pete and Leo believe that this next part clinches their case.

And these paragraphs from Section V are worth quoting in full:

“24. The Christian scriptures proclaim that Jesus is ‘the Word made flesh’ (John 1:14) and as such he is ‘the Way and the Truth and the Life’ (John 14:6). As stated in our creeds (Apostles’, and Nicene) and liturgy, Jesus Christ is the full revelation of God. Since God has chosen to share our life, we affirm that God is intensely concerned about every human life."

You’re getting that vibe, aren’t you? Wait for it.

"Among Christians, Episcopalians have a particular appreciation of this teaching, in that we believe that the coming of God in Christ has already begun to transform all of creation."

Wait for it.

“25. The human response to God’s incarnate love was ‘to crucify the Lord of Glory’ (1 Corinthians 2:8). The cross is the Christian symbol and act of self-emptying, humility, redemptive suffering, sacrificial self-giving and unvanquished love. We believe that we have been reconciled to God through the cross."

Wait for it.

“26. In the resurrection we believe ‘Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tomb’ (BCP, p. 483). By our baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection we enjoy new life as members of the Body of Christ, called therefore to become ourselves ambassadors of reconciliation (Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:14-20)."

Now.

“27. Professing salvation in Christ is not a matter of competing with other religious traditions with the imperative of converting one another. Each tradition brings its own understanding of the goal of human life to the interreligious conversation. Christians bring their particular profession of confidence in God’s intentions as they are seen in and through the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

In other words, we claim to profess all that dying-on-the Cross and Resurrection stuff but if you’re not down with all that, believe whatever feels right to you. One, because it doesn’t really matter either way(many roads to God and all that) and two, because we Christians have a lot to learn from people who flatly deny what we say we believe.

That, Leo, my man, is what is known as dynamiting your own argument.