[Industrialblog,
January 12, 2007]
TEC
I have done some reading recently on The Episcopal Church (TEC). TWS, a TEC seminarian, got me thinking about TEC, and it's nice to check in and see how things are going.
My take (hardly just my own): There are two religions within TEC, and a split would probably be best so both parties will stop being an irritant to one another, and both can go forward and do their thing unimpeded.
That said, it occurs to me that on this blog, I've never discussed the new Episcopal religion on the merits. That's something to put on my to-do list.
My take (hardly just my own): There are two religions within TEC, and a split would probably be best so both parties will stop being an irritant to one another, and both can go forward and do their thing unimpeded.
That said, it occurs to me that on this blog, I've never discussed the new Episcopal religion on the merits. That's something to put on my to-do list.
I also sympathize with some aspects of it, I just have a different way of responding. For example, Schori talks about being "impatient" with the idea of a "narrow interpretation" of Jesus as the only way to God. I hold that Jesus is the only to God, but that doesn't, IMHO, mean that Jesus tells everyone of every other religion to pound sand.
It's a more mystical, Catholic view that I have trouble expressing -- but it boils down to something like this: God knows His own, and anyone who comes to God, will come through Christ, even if they're a Buddhist or Muslim or whatever who was loving and played the Good Samaritan. The Pope said as much. I think Schori, strangely enough, is too literal and not mystical enough.
I also believe that the one path to God is through Jesus, but I also also think that all people coming to God through Jesus may not know or accept that name. I think that if they are really coming to God, they should be able to see God in Jesus, but I don't think that they have to chant a shibboleth about Jesus being their Lord and Savior. So we agree!
I note the beginning of your 'mystical Catholic' view (God knows his own) sounds a bit more like a Protestant Calvinist view - predestination. Tho the Calvinists didn't like those of other faiths much either.
But one of the elements of some (OK, maybe even many) adherents of the 'new inclusive faith' is cultural relativism, and I am way not there, and I know you aren't either.
What do you see as major elements of the 'new faith'?
Mark 9:38-40
John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us.
Mark 9:38-40
John said to him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us.