The painful irony is that TEC's decision to reject the authority of God's Word has been gravely injurious, and has itself caused the very division that TEC's leaders claimed they sought to avoid. Once someone rejects Scripture, then they reject Jesus Christ and Christianity as a whole. It's as simple as that. We could not follow a national body that rejected the very Word of God.
Strong words indeed from Bishop Bena, who continues to speak to groups and preside over Eucharists at the Spiritual Life Center of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany.
I am so tired of the complaints of people who have left, and yet can't accept the fact that it will not bother very many of the remaining Episcopalians.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I am surprised that he didn't capitalize "Very" Word of God. Obviously, we don't have the Very Word of God anymore. They took it with them.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Christianity was a book. I thought that was Islam.
ReplyDeleteWell, in any case, we have rejected it and they took it with 'em.
ReplyDeleteThe man is an asshat.
It is awfully frustrating to have these people (who have every opportunity to be in diologue with others in the church with whom they disagree) say we reject Scripture when what we say we are doing is, in our eyes, acting in light of what we believe the Gospel commands. Our decisions are based in Scripture, not a rejection of it. They could say that and say still they disagree. That would be honest. But no. It sounds so much better to denounce one's brother and sister Christians as apostate. Apparently. Of course Christians are going to be against the rejection of Jesus, and to characterize the Episcopal Church (which no doubt pays Bishop Bena's pension now that he is retired) as a body that rejects God is dishonest and manipulative.
ReplyDelete"David John Bena flew 252 bombing missions during the Vietnam War as a bombardier-navigator in three USMC A-6A Intruder All Weather Attack squadrons, for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and 21 Strike Air Medals." And he's written a novel about it. Quite a bishop!
ReplyDeleteThe Episcopal Church has not rejected God's Word. David Bena has rejected The Episcopal Church. Those are two different things.
ReplyDeleteYes, Tobias, I am agreeing with you!
ReplyDeleteI am agreeing with Tobias too.
ReplyDeleteBena's words are just pompous, self-important posturing.
I see that Fred Barnes reviewed Bp. Bena's novel in the Weekly Standard, and the the Rev. John Yates, Senior Pastor, The Falls Church (Anglican), Virginia liked the book, too.
ReplyDeleteAquinas has interesting observations on whether the following should be impediments to the administration of the sacraments: being a woman (yes); lacking the ability to reason (yes - there goes a whole lot of folks); being a slave (no), and having committed the act of homicide (yes).
ReplyDeleteApropos of nothing. Just saying.
A parishioner where I serve wrote a letter to the newspaper: http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/dioceses/an_update_on_the_virginia_prop.html
ReplyDeleteBena's article is so full of half-truths that have been stated long enough as truth that no one even questions the statements any more.... like, it wasn't the Diocese that filed first etc. etc. etc....
sigh.....
my wv: pooticit
yep.