Message from Bishop David Anderson  Bishop Anderson Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, The dust from the American Episcopal Church's (TEC) General Convention is settling, and all the participants have returned home. Now some TEC clergy and laity are asking questions about exactly what transpired. One of the significant events was the provision for blessing same-sex couples in church using an officially approved "provisional" liturgy. We all knew that the slippery slope of theological liberalism would carry TEC ultimately to this point and beyond, and now they are here. Some Episcopal dioceses are already authorizing clergy to proceed with, not same-sex blessings, but actual liturgical marriage ceremonies, as if two men or two women could actually be joined together in the eyes of God in a marriage. The ability of individuals, or even a gathering of individuals, to deceive themselves into thinking that what they are doing is not only right, but that God approves it - wait! God might even be the author of it! - is apparently limitless. Another over the top action that was taken was the inclusion of transgendered people into those who must be considered for all aspects of the church's offices, orders, and positions, including priests and, I suppose, bishops. Instead of viewing this kind of confusion as a mental disorder, they have elevated it to a protected class with rights and privileges. This may also mean that the church's insurance coverage will need to pay for clergy to remove body parts they feel don't really belong to them, and fabricate new body parts according to the gender they feel certain God really intended them to be. How sad that God apparently made these mistakes in giving people gender assignments! So we see an appropriation of God's blessing upon whatever "progressive" cause is currently trendy, and they call this Christianity, and following Jesus? The next bridge to be taken by the revisionists will be the adult-youth sexual relationship, since if it really seems right to the individual, how can anyone judge them? They aren't ill, and they aren't sinning, they are experiencing the love of God in new ways that should be received and welcomed as the other deceptions have been - this or similar language will be how they will express it. This issue is coming next, now that transgenderism has been normalized in TEC.

Before orthodox Anglicans start to feel smug about the moral and theological failures of TEC, we should realize that sin is an elusive and sly opponent to those of faith. Scripture refers to Satan as a roaring lion, prowling about looking for whom he can devour. Our enemy is Satan himself, and he will not be satisfied with devouring TEC and other welcoming churches; he looks for any foothold, any crack or crevice where he can gain a foothold to attack those who stand in faith for Almighty God. I would say that we in the orthodox Anglican church must be in mutual submission to one another and let our doings have a transparency that allows others to see not only our works but our intentions as well. Sin, like mildew on a hot summer evening in the South, can show up almost anywhere or everywhere. The issues that brought the ACNA forth out of TEC were fairly simple: the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world and the authority of Holy Scripture to speak truth into our lives and be a source of knowledge and discipline. Out of these two issues and how one lives into them flow the decisions and repercussions, into one river of faith or another. One river flows in the channel of the historic Christian Church, and the other one cuts a new channel across unknown land with a different destination. For me and my house, though we will from time to time sin and fail, we will believe and live into the historic faith and discipline of the Christian faith, as brought to us by our spiritual mothers and fathers, often at significant personal cost. Yes, from time to time the old DNA of sin and former churches' insane proclivities will try to recapture us, but by the grace, mercy and providence of our Lord Jesus, may we be called to account, repent, be redirected and restored and kept on the narrow track of a faithful, disciplined life in Jesus. If we look back, it should only be to see the reality of the devouring, roaring lion, and then to look forward and run to the Lion of Judah, Jesus himself. Blessings and Peace in him whom we serve, The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson, Sr. President and CEO, American Anglican Council