Pastoral Malpractice

from Stand Firm by Matt Kennedy 

Why are ordained Christian ministers signing petitions in which heretics, enemies of the cross of Christ, are likened to brothers and sisters and legitimate members of Body of Christ?

We, the undersigned seminarians, clergy and lay members of the Episcopal Church, hold a variety of views which are often in direct conflict with each other concerning the theological issues confronting the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion. But we have been joined together through baptism into “God’s family the Church” as “Christ’s body” (BCP, 858), and we lament the sad divisions that have arisen among us.

As such, in light of the recent escalation of litigious dispute between factions within our Church, we stand united in our plea that the case involving the withdrawal of the Diocese of South Carolina be settled without recourse to civil litigation (1 Cor. 6:1-11), lest our rivalries become a stumbling block and impede the ministry of reconciliation that our Lord has given to us (2 Cor. 5:17-20)...more

As someone said recently, “Reconciliation” is the new “Indaba”. Why on earth would anyone who holds the bible to be authoritative and true “lament” the division between those who destroy the flock and those who protect and feed it?