Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Why I Stayed...INTRODUCTION

Acts 2:6 says, "When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in  his own language." In my part of the world, coastal South Carolina, that is, there's a lot of talk among "anglicans" of varying stripe, but so many people aren't really listening. I want to offer, as much as is possible, a safe place for true dialogue. No vitriol, no name-calling. As much as is possible, only love and openness to all viewpoints without ridicule. I am a priest in TEC (the Episcopal Church). It used to be that there was much room for competing and opposing ideas in this church of  the "middle way". Not so much now. A separation has occurred, and we are at "war" ideologically and theologically. Conversations today with those whom I still  consider to be colleagues are challenging because we are talking from opposing sides in a war that many of us did not choose. Over the next few days I hope to lay out the reasons why I stayed while so many of my brothers and sisters left. Comments are welcome, but I request...no require...respect and dignity in discussion. More to come...

5 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, what you have experienced in the Episcopal Church has parallels across the broader Christian world. We are fragmented between widely different views and many people adopt rigid and defensive postures relative to fellow Christians who hold different views. Some emphasize entrenched dogmatism without loving respect, while others emphasize loving relativism without adequate attention to good quality exegesis and hermaneutics. One person's views become "sanctified" and all differing views are considered "sinful." The ability to engage in loving and respectful dialogue, even debate, with the goal to strengthen and further the work of Christ's church has often been lost. We have once again become an iteration of I Corinthians 1 debating which movement or leader we follow rather than seeking to follow Paul's goal of "speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:15)

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  2. I'm not very dignified, but I'll respond anyway. :-) Love you, brother!

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  4. Kevin, honored guest, I thank you for holding the place of "First to Comment"!

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  5. Chris,
    I'm waiting expectantly to see your reasons for staying. I imagine some of them will be the same ones Karen and I have for staying as well....church family relationships notwithstanding.
    Hit it out of the park!
    Randy

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