This is certainly true of the ordination of women. Absent any Scriptural warrant or solid evidence in tradition, churches decided that there was a cause more significant than catholicity and an exegetical principle that exceeded the seeming no or negative silence of Scripture (justice). So, without precedent in history and without Scriptural authority, churches simply abandoned Scripture and ignored Tradition to break with the past under the guise that God was doing a new thing. Nevermind that this was from the God who claimed to be yesterday, today, and forever the same. When inconvenient impediments get in the way of what you want to do, you simply ignore or explain them away.
In this way the ordination of women is connected to the ordination of homosexual practice into the church and the acceptance of GLBT etc. clergy. It is not that these are the same or equivalent actions but they are born from the same crack in Scripture and Tradition. Depart from the Word of the Lord and the catholic understanding and practice of that Word and there is nothing you cannot change.
In this vein, Rollin G. Grams and S. Donald Fortson, III, wrote of Catholicity and the Homosexual Heresy. You can read them here. Their point is simple and straight forward. Homosexual practice has never been affirmed in Christianity nor has it any hint of acceptance or toleration in Scripture and yet this has not prevented some churches from the wholesale adoption of the GLBT etc. agenda. It is because they have chosen a different standard for doctrine, a different source than Scripture, and a different judge than Tradition. In short, they have ignored everything that attests to Christian origin and identity to herald a cause that is inconsistent with and in conflict with catholic doctrine and practice and Scriptural witness. That done, what else is left to be raised up in the name of Christ as the hallmark of a new Christian identity unleashed from the shackles of Scripture and Tradition? Nothing. Nothing at all. Read what they have said and insert anything else in place of homosexuality and you have a view toward what happens when we are anchored in the moment of time rather than the eternity of revelation.
Rollin G. Grams and S. Donald Fortson, III
Homosexual practice has been affirmed nowhere in the history of Christianity. An overview of texts [examined in the book] reveals unequivocally that the Fathers, Reformers, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox churches are unanimous in their condemnation of homoerotic behavior among those who profess Christ as Lord.
In contrast, in the West a handful of denominations in recent decades have capitulated to the gay Christian movement, and they are currently losing members en masse. They are losing members because the ordination of gay clergy and the blessing of gay marriages are wholesale departures from what Scripture and Christian tradition have always taught. The homosexual crisis in the church has become a dividing line between orthodox Christianity and those who no longer confess the faith of the church across the centuries.
The historic witness of the church on the topic of homosexual practice could not be more transparent. The church’s constant verdict on homosexuality is completely reasonable given the unambiguous testimony of Scripture. The historic texts explored in this volume are filled with biblical references because the Bible has always been the final authority behind Christian condemnation of homosexual practice. The historical evidence for a consistently negative assessment of homosexual practice is indisputable. In fact, as evidenced in the texts cited, there are no dissenting voices at all. In light of the unanimous historic witness, it is not surprising that 90 percent of the Christian churches in America find the gay Christian arguments unconvincing. In order to jettison traditional Christian teaching about homosexuality, one would need to identify overwhelming exegetical evidence in Scripture. The lack of dissenting voices in church history confirms that there is no such exegetical evidence.
Homosexual practice has been affirmed nowhere in the history of Christianity. An overview of texts [examined in the book] reveals unequivocally that the Fathers, Reformers, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox churches are unanimous in their condemnation of homoerotic behavior among those who profess Christ as Lord.
In
contrast, in the West a handful of denominations in recent decades have
capitulated to the gay Christian movement, and they are currently
losing members en masse. They are losing members because the
ordination of gay clergy and the blessing of gay marriages are wholesale
departures from what Scripture and Christian tradition have always
taught. The homosexual crisis in the church has become a dividing line
between orthodox Christianity and those who no longer confess the faith
of the church across the centuries.
- See more at:
http://www.bhacademicblog.com/catholicity-and-the-homosexual-heresy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BhAcademic+%28B%26H+Academic%29#sthash.K96UrF3A.dpuf
In
contrast, in the West a handful of denominations in recent decades have
capitulated to the gay Christian movement, and they are currently
losing members en masse. They are losing members because the
ordination of gay clergy and the blessing of gay marriages are wholesale
departures from what Scripture and Christian tradition have always
taught. The homosexual crisis in the church has become a dividing line
between orthodox Christianity and those who no longer confess the faith
of the church across the centuries.
The historic witness of the church on the
topic of homosexual practice could not be more transparent. The church’s
constant verdict on homosexuality is completely reasonable given the
unambiguous testimony of Scripture. The historic texts explored in this
volume are filled with biblical references because the Bible has always
been the final authority behind Christian condemnation of homosexual
practice. The historical evidence for a consistently negative assessment
of homosexual practice is indisputable. In fact, as evidenced in the
texts cited, there are no dissenting voices at all. In light of the
unanimous historic witness, it is not surprising that 90 percent of the
Christian churches in America find the gay Christian arguments
unconvincing. In order to jettison traditional Christian teaching about
homosexuality, one would need to identify overwhelming exegetical
evidence in Scripture. The lack of dissenting voices in church history
confirms that there is no such exegetical evidence.
3 comments:
I agree that with respect to homosexual marriage, gay clergy, ordination of women, and so forth, these practices are contrary to God's word, and yet too many liberal denominations have now made their social activism a recruitment tool for new members, assuring all that they, unlike the bigoted and traditional churches, are "inclusive." I have remarked about the sinfulness of telling people that God blesses gay marriage and argued contentiously with ELCA Bishops and liberal pastors over the Internet and it is like debating with a brick wall. They will not accept God's word on this matter. Instead, they subvert God's word and in a dishonest and untruthful manner advance their own false narrative. These are the false teachers of which the Bible often speaks. They are the growing weeds and perennial plants which spread throughout the garden of true Christianity and will exist until the Lord returns to pluck them out one by one. All we can do is point to the truth and expose the lies, and the a Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of the elect, pricking the conscience of any of His children caught in false churches. Those Christians who choose to remain under false teachers do so at their own eternal peril.
This post misses the crux of the matter: if one can deny the historicity of Genesis 1-11, there is no good reason not to ordain transgendered chimpanzees. If God didn't mean what he said in unambiguous Hebrew, then it can mean what it means to whomsovever today. This post is addressing signs and symptoms from the longstanding disease of apostasy.
The ordination of women was the camel's nose under the tent; now all havoc is breaking loose in those denominations that have embraced heresy for doctrine. Only the truly blind can pretend that these "churches" have benefited from their heresy; they are hemorrhaging members and declining rapidly. This is a major factor in the growth of the "nones" in America, those who profess no faith at all. They left the ELCA, ECUSA, PCA, UMC, etc in droves, and instead went exactly nowhere.
Fr.D+
Anglican Priest
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