Bishop Duncan's Address at 145th Diocesan Convention
Bishop Duncan's Address at 145th Diocesan Convention
Given as the Sermon at the Convention Eucharist on November 5, 2010 at St. Stephen's Church, Sewickley, PA.
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, [my Father] takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [John 15:2]
In his recent book Outsider Interviews, Bishop Todd Hunter (our Convention speaker) recounts interviews with non-Christians sharing their assessment of the Christians they know or know about. One of the prevalent assessments is that "Christians are hateful people." This is an indictment the Church needs to face into. Jesus says, "By this will all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another." [John 13:35] Elsewhere our Lord says [Matthew 25: 31-46], "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto me."
Why do unbelievers see us as hateful? We speak against abortion, we speak against sexual relations outside of marriage, we speak against secular politicians... Those outside the Church ask, what are we for? And more important still, who are we for? They do not think the Christians they know sound or act much like the Jesus we proclaim.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
Given as the Sermon at the Convention Eucharist on November 5, 2010 at St. Stephen's Church, Sewickley, PA.
Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, [my Father] takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [John 15:2]In his recent book Outsider Interviews, Bishop Todd Hunter (our Convention speaker) recounts interviews with non-Christians sharing their assessment of the Christians they know or know about. One of the prevalent assessments is that "Christians are hateful people." This is an indictment the Church needs to face into. Jesus says, "By this will all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another." [John 13:35] Elsewhere our Lord says [Matthew 25: 31-46], "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto me."
Why do unbelievers see us as hateful? We speak against abortion, we speak against sexual relations outside of marriage, we speak against secular politicians... Those outside the Church ask, what are we for? And more important still, who are we for? They do not think the Christians they know sound or act much like the Jesus we proclaim.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
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