AN HYPOCRITE WITH HIS MOUTH DESTROYETH HIS NEIGHBOUR

THE MOUTH OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN IS A WELL OF LIFE: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

There is nothing better for a man, than THAT HE SHOULD EAT AND DRINK, and that he should MAKE HIS SOUL ENJOY GOOD in his labour. THIS ALSO I SAW, THAT IT WAS FROM THE HAND OF GOD.
FOR WHO CAN EAT, OR WHO ELSE CAN HASTEN HEREUNTO, MORE THAN I?

The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED POURETH OUT EVIL THINGS.

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.
For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
BE NOT AMONG WINEBIBBERS; AMONG RIOTOUS EATERS OF FLESH:
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
And I find more bitter than death THE WOMAN, WHOSE HEART IS SNARES AND NETS, and her hands as bands: WHOSO PLEASETH GOD SHALL ESCAPE FROM HER; BUT THE SINNER SHALL BE TAKEN BY HER.

THE SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED POURETH OUT EVIL THINGS.

AN HYPOCRITE WITH HIS MOUTH DESTROYETH HIS NEIGHBOUR: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

HE THAT TURNETH AWAY HIS EAR FROM HEARING THE LAW, even HIS PRAYER SHALL BE ABOMINATION.

IF SINNERS ENTICE THEE, CONSENT THOU NOT
LET US LURK PRIVILY FOR THE INNOCENT WITHOUT CAUSE

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but IT IS ABOMINATION TO FOOLS TO DEPART FROM EVIL.
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but A COMPANION OF FOOLS SHALL BE DESTROYED.

And GOD CALLED THE DRY LAND EARTH; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD.

“DRAGON WELL”

And now art thou cursed from THE EARTH, which hath OPENED “HER MOUTH” TO RECEIVE THY BROTHER'S BLOOD FROM THY HAND;

‘GO, AND DO THOU LIKEWISE.”

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed”
“came where he was: and when he saw him”
“he had compassion on him,”
“AND SET HIM ON HIS OWN BEAST”
“brought him to an inn”
“took care of him”
“he took out two pence”
“gave them to the host”
“Take care of him”
“was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?”
‘GO, AND DO THOU LIKEWISE.”

When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

“it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.”
“neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem”
“NEITHER WAS THERE ANY BEAST WITH ME”
“THE BEAST THAT I RODE UPON.”
“I went out by night by the gate of the valley”
“before the DRAGON WELL”
“viewed the walls of Jerusalem”
“which were broken down”
“the gates thereof were consumed with fire.”

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life”

The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

“The preparations of the heart in man”
“the answer of the tongue”
“is from the Lord”

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue”
“they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue”
“they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

“I appoint unto you a kingdom”
“as my Father hath appointed unto me”
“That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom”
“sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
“Simon, Simon”
“Satan Satan”

“God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”
“and it vomited out upon the dry land”
“And Moses said, I will now turn aside,”
” Moreover he said, I AM”
“And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.”
“the Lords of the Philistines gathered them together”
“DAGON THEIR GOD”
“Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.”
“and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image”
“called his name Seth”

“So God (I AM) created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him”
“male and female created he them.”
“God said unto Moses”
“I AM THAT I AM”
“Satan Satan”
“Sodom and Gomorrah”
“In the day that God created man”
“in the likeness of God made he him;”
“Male and female created he them; and blessed them”
“and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image”
“called his name Seth”
” Moreover he said, I AM”
“DAGON THEIR GOD”

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.”
“For I WILL GIVE YOU A MOUTH and wisdom”
“which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.”
“neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem”
“for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”
“before the DRAGON WELL”
“viewed the walls of Jerusalem”
“which were broken down”
“the gates thereof were consumed with fire.”
” Moreover he said, I AM”
“DAGON THEIR GOD”

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

“but with the Spirit of the living God”
“not in tables of stone”
“but in fleshy tables of the heart.”

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

“ye are the temple of the living God”
“as God hath said”
“I will dwell in them”
“and walk in them”
“and I will be their God”
“and they shall be my people”

Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

“he came and dwelt in Capernaum”
“Galilee of the Gentiles”
“shadow of death light is sprung up”

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

“He that eateth my flesh”
“and drinketh my blood”
“dwelleth in me”
“and I in him”
“as he taught in Capernaum”

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

“but with the Spirit of the living God”
“not in tables of stone”
“but in fleshy tables of the heart.”

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

“ye are the temple of the living God”
“as God hath said”
“I will dwell in them”
“and walk in them”
“and I will be their God”
“and they shall be my people

Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him,
"Judas Iscariot" said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

“Simon the Canaanite”
“the HOUSE OF SIMON THE LEPER”
“SIMON THE SON OF JONA”
“thou shalt be called Cephas”
“A stone”

And God said, Let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

“and let the dry land appear: and it was so.”
“God called the dry land Earth”
“the gathering together of the waters called he Seas”
“God saw that it was good.”

And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

“Lord spake unto the fish”
“it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land”

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” “SIMON THE SON OF JONA”
“Now when the centurion saw what was done”
“he glorified God”
“Certainly this was a righteous man.”

Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

“These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.”
“And now, little children, abide in him”
“that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence”
“and not be ashamed before him at his coming”
“If ye know that he is righteous”
“ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”

But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

“according to the true proverb”
“the dog is turned to his own vomit again”
“the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire”

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

“a certain man, called Simon”
“used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria”
“giving out that himself was some great one:”
“To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying”
”This man is the great power of God.”

But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

“But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side”
“forthwith came there out blood and water.”

“for it is the NUMBER OF A MAN”
“FOUR AND TWENTY in NUMBER”

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed”
“came where he was: and when he saw him”
“he had compassion on him,”
“and set him on his own beast”
“brought him to an inn”
“took care of him”
“he took out two pence”
“gave them to the host”
“Take care of him”
“was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?”
“a certain man, called Simon”
“used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria”
“giving out that himself was some great one:”
“To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying”
”This man is the great power of God.”
“But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side”
“forthwith came there out blood and water.”
“that they should make an image to the beast”
“which had the wound by a sword”
“and did live”
“And that no man might buy or sell”
“save he that had the mark”
“or the name of the beast”
“or the number of his name”
“Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast”
“for it is the NUMBER OF A MAN”
“THE BROTHER OF GOLIATH THE GITTITE”
“ON EVERY HAND SIX FINGERS”
“ON EVERY FOOT SIX TOES, FOUR AND TWENTY in NUMBER”
“HE ALSO WAS BORN TO THE GIANT”

FOUR AND TWENTY SEATS
FOUR AND TWENTY ELDERS
THEIR HEADS CROWNS OF GOLD

“Here is wisdom”
“his number is Six hundred threescore and six”
“Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six”

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

“a certain man, called Simon”
“used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria”
“giving out that himself was some great one:”
“To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying”
”This man is the great power of God.”

But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

“But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side”
“forthwith came there out blood and water.”

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.
And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

“Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem”
“And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines”
“drew water out of the well of Bethlehem”
“nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord”
“is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives”
“therefore he would not drink it”

Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold,
Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target.
And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.
The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.
And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.
And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

“Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six”

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
If any man have an ear, let him hear.
He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

“that they should make an image to the beast”
“which had the wound by a sword”
“and did live”
“And that no man might buy or sell”
“save he that had the mark”
“or the name of the beast”
“or the number of his name”
“Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast”
“for it is the NUMBER OF A MAN”
“THE BROTHER OF GOLIATH THE GITTITE”
“ON EVERY HAND SIX FINGERS”
“ON EVERY FOOT SIX TOES, FOUR AND TWENTY in NUMBER”
“HE ALSO WAS BORN TO THE GIANT”

“Here is wisdom”
“his number is Six hundred threescore and six”
“Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six”

And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew THE BROTHER OF GOLIATH THE GITTITE, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had ON EVERY HAND SIX FINGERS, and ON EVERY FOOT SIX TOES, FOUR AND TWENTY in number; and HE ALSO WAS BORN TO THE GIANT.
And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.
These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

“THE BROTHER OF GOLIATH THE GITTITE”
“ON EVERY HAND SIX FINGERS”
“ON EVERY FOOT SIX TOES, FOUR AND TWENTY in NUMBER”
“HE ALSO WAS BORN TO THE GIANT”

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
And round about the throne were FOUR AND TWENTY SEATS: and upon the seats I saw FOUR AND TWENTY ELDERS sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on THEIR HEADS CROWNS OF GOLD.

FOUR AND TWENTY SEATS
FOUR AND TWENTY ELDERS
THEIR HEADS CROWNS OF GOLD

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed”
“came where he was: and when he saw him”
“he had compassion on him,”
“and set him on his own beast”
“brought him to an inn”
“took care of him”
“he took out two pence”
“gave them to the host”
“Take care of him”
“was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?”

Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There Is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.

Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain?

Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord.

But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Lord, even THE DEVILS ARE SUBJECT UNTO US THROUGH THY NAME.

BEHOLD, I COME AS A THIEF. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and THEY SEE HIS SHAME.

Then were THERE TWO THIEVES CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, THAT THEY SPEAK HENCEFORTH TO NO MAN IN THIS NAME.
And they called them, and COMMANDED THEM NOT TO SPEAK AT ALL NOR TEACH IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they COMMANDED THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SPEAK IN THE NAME OF JESUS, and let them go.
And they departed from the presence of the council, REJOICING THAT THEY WERE COUNTED WORTHY TO SUFFER SHAME FOR HIS NAME.

Saying, DID NOT WE STRAITLY COMMAND YOU THAT YE SHOULD NOT TEACH IN THIS NAME? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
I WRITE NOT THESE THINGS TO SHAME YOU, but as my beloved sons I WARN YOU.
For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
I SPEAK TO YOUR SHAME. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
BUT BROTHER GOETH TO LAW WITH BROTHER, and that BEFORE THE UNBELIEVERS.

Whose end is destruction, WHOSE GOD IS THEIR BELLY, and WHOSE GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME, who mind earthly things

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such CONTRADICTION OF SINNERS against himself, lest ye BE WEARIED AND FAINT IN YOUR MINDS.
YE HAVE NOT YET RESISTED UNTO BLOOD, striving against sin.

Lord, even THE DEVILS ARE SUBJECT UNTO US THROUGH THY NAME.

BEHOLD, I COME AS A THIEF. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and THEY SEE HIS SHAME.

Then were THERE TWO THIEVES CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

For the SON OF MAN IS LORD even of the sabbath day.
But that ye may know that the SON OF MAN HATH POWER ON EARTH to forgive sins
THE SON OF MAN came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, A FRIEND OF PUBLICANS AND SINNERS. But wisdom is justified of her children.

SO THE DEVILS BESOUGHT HIM, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
And there was in their synagogue A MAN WITH AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT; and he cried out,
Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I KNOW THEE WHO THOU ART, THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for WITH AUTHORITY COMMANDETH HE EVEN THE UNCLEAN SPIRITS, AND THEY DO OBEY HIM.

Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
AND FORTHWITH JESUS GAVE THEM LEAVE. AND THE UNCLEAN SPIRITS WENT OUT, AND ENTERED INTO THE SWINE: AND THE HERD RAN VIOLENTLY DOWN A STEEP PLACE INTO THE SEA, (THEY WERE ABOUT TWO THOUSAND;) AND WERE CHOKED IN THE SEA.
And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to MARY MAGDALENE, OUT OF WHOM HE HAD CAST SEVEN DEVILS.

These TWELVE JESUS sent forth

And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
And round about the throne were FOUR AND TWENTY SEATS: and upon the seats I saw FOUR AND TWENTY ELDERS sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on THEIR HEADS CROWNS OF GOLD.

And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew THE BROTHER OF GOLIATH THE GITTITE, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had ON EVERY HAND SIX FINGERS, and ON EVERY FOOT SIX TOES, FOUR AND TWENTY in number; and HE ALSO WAS BORN TO THE GIANT.
And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.
These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
And THY SEED SHALL BE AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH, and THOU SHALT SPREAD ABROAD TO THE WEST, AND TO THE EAST, AND TO THE NORTH, AND TO THE SOUTH: AND IN THEE AND IN THY SEED SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED.
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
ALL THE ENDS OF THE WORLD SHALL REMEMBER AND TURN UNTO THE LORD: and ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE NATIONS SHALL WORSHIP BEFORE THEE.
For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.
All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: ALL THEY THAT GO DOWN TO THE DUST SHALL BOW BEFORE HIM: and none can keep alive his own soul.
A seed shall serve him; it shall be ACCOUNTED TO THE LORD FOR A GENERATION.
They shall come, and SHALL DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO A PEOPLE THAT SHALL BE BORN, that he hath done this.

Dave and Ian,
As I recall, the prohibition on homosexually is not found in the New Testiment, but in the Old Testimony, specifically in Leviticus. If you are going to follow Leviticus, you'd better (a)keep a kosher kitchen (b)eat no pork or shellfish, (c) stone all blasphemers. And you sure better be circumcized!
Charlie King

The chronic spammer JJ has now rendered a number of the threads here unusable - with no oversight from the blog moderator whatsoever.

You are losing viewers right and left by not being more diligent in controlling this blog pestilence.

Anglicans can meet at the cross (unless one is gay, of course - then they are to be excluded)

Because we enter this forum with good faith, I still maintain that the critical issue facing the Episcopal Church is its history of lobbying publicly for abortion-on-demand. Whatever may be claimed by the Church today, too much time has passed and too little effort has been made for the Church to be assumed to speak for the unborn, at least ouside its walls. If the Church did accord moral status to the unborn - or "respect the dignity of all human beings," it would have taken steps to call itself to account after the Interfaith Letter about which I've written and not subcontracted its abortion witness to an independent organization not necessarily beholden to the Episcopal Church.

It was significant that in her acceptance speech at General Convention, Presiding Bishop -elect Schori said "...if we are going to become the blessed ones God called us to be while we were still in our mothers' wombs...: , in view of the Interfaith Letter on the partial-birth abortion procedure, signed by one of her predecessors. If it’s true that the Presiding Bishop represents the Church to the outside world, these two images are in conflict and her words could be thought of as misleading.

I write this and other posts as someone who has valued her life in the Church, but I don't think it will fare well in either this country or internationally unless it can confront its abortion history, and by implication its silence on Bishop Spong’s testimony for legalizing “assisted suicide.” Certainly, it puts at risk its ability to raise the conscience of those of us at home, and especially so for those of us who are women, often the caregivers but always the mothers.

The sad fact is uncontestable. Many episcopals turned against and denied biblical and the church teaching of two thousand years. What's to be said about it other than; Pride is the sin of the times...presumption if you prefer. Man/Woman can not replace the God head with his/her personal beliefs.

I'm proud to be a traditional Anglican, and I feel that the Episcopal Church left me behind and sailed off into another direction. While I was brought up in the Episcopal tradition, of a Prayer Book not that different from the one written by Thomas Cramner and in use in 1549, and the rich theology and traditions of the Church of England, new church leaders decided to change everything.

Suddenly, what was church policy and church rite on Sunday was no longer any good on Monday. The Prayer Book was tossed out (literally- many churches were ordered to dispose of their prayer books, and many went into the church garbage).

A new Prayer Book was imposed that totally altered the services with the spirit of reflection and spirituality of the old prayer book, and brought in something new, and dumbed down, and divisive.

The spirit of toleration that was one of the charms of the traditional church went out the window, and the new order of service was to be used at all times. If the radical bishops had kept the old order of service, even if only for one Sunday service a month, as a compromise of toleration and fellowship, I and many others would have stayed with our home at the Episcopal church. But the traditionalists were hounded out in order for the new service and the new ideas that replaced the older ones going back 2,000 years.

Reform is one thing, but taking a bush axe to the church and turning it upside down is too Richard Cromwell-like for me.

I remained the same way I was when I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church. Then, years later, the church said all that stuff I was brought up in was now wrong, and we were not to practice the sacred rites and traditions I was brought up in any more. At that point, the Episcopal Church left me, and I did not leave the Episcopal Church. Pleas for inclusiveness and toleration were spurned, and even if the entire parish wanted to keep the old services, we were ordered to change to the new services by the foolish bishops who would rather be standard than right.

Today, I am the proud member of the traditional Episcopal church, as a member of the Anglican Church of the Ascension in Centreville (http://thechurchoftheascension.org/). We still use the Episcopal 1928 Prayer Book, and the 1942 hymnal, and we are doing quite fine, thank you very much.

I'm sorry the Episcopal church is in such turmoil, but the lines were drawn years ago, not just in the past few years. The people who are leaving today are people who should have left in the 1960s and the 1970s when all these changes began.

All churches have problems. But when the Episcopal Church changed with the times, they are left behind when the times changed again. The Epsicopal Church today has problems that were the solutions to yesterday's problems, that were based on silly changes pushed by ungodly men with a little bit of power and great desire to make a political point. They showed the church which direction they wanted it to go.

They went away from me.

The Anglican Schism is more complicated than just the role of women or homosexuals in the Church. It's a debate over process. But process doesn't make for neat headlines. Process ensures that we don't make summary changes to Church Doctrine for the sake of justifying the "devices and desires of our own heart." Process ensures that dissent is heard and the concerns, recommendations and prayers of all our Anglican brethren are heard and felt. Process is what failed in the Anglican Communion. When one Province can thumb their nose at the rest of the Communion and resort to name-calling and lawsuits to ensure they get their way - the process is broken. There are other symptoms of this broken process. There was the Green Mass at St. John's the Divine where a bishop presided over prayers to Ra and Ausar. There was the publication of the Women's Eucharist which embraced certain wiccan practices specifically prohibited in Scripture. There is the fact that the Presiding Bishop has short-circuited the established Deposition process for Bishop Duncan. The process for expressing dissent in the Diocese of Virginia was short-circuited by the national church who then in turn targeted specific people for litigation. The fear is that not only will Jefferts-Schori impose one approved way of thinking on the Episcopal Church, but she will extract every pound of flesh possible to get her way. When Jefferts-Schori states that she will force the property from the hands of dissenters and sell it to be turned into condos before she allows the dissenters to even consider purchasing the property - that is not a healthy leadership model.

Tony Seel posts "...The disconnect between talking about civility and the labeling from the authors does make their plea less engaging. To speak of civility and then label those with whom you disagree as fundamentalist, biblical literalists, and to introduce the terms hypocrisy and sanctimony certainly isn't the way to start any conversation..."

And there you have the crux of why we left the American Episcopal Church. The tenor of conversations with those in power in the American Episcopal Church (I hesitate to use the word majority... that issue is in doubt) is that at best one is unenlightened if (s)he holds a contrary view, althought most likely one is bigoted, homophobic, fundamentalist, etc. All said with a smile. Civility and dialog indeed.

David and Rev Ian,

A return to civility and dialogue doesn't mean your opponents will abandon their principles.

from the Hymnal 1982, tune Aurelia

The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song!

A commendable article. My own personal view is that Christianity, rationality, and the Episcopal / Anglican tradition are not compatible with excluding Christians from marriage or priesthood based on gender or sexual orientation. And despite the commonalities of goals and worship that (I hope) unite us and (again, I hope) we actually spend our time on, I don't want these differences papered over. If the Anglican communion wishes to withdraw themselves from our tradition, well... I am a lifelong Episcopalian yet honestly was unaware that there even *was* an Anglican communion until about five years ago. I don't imagine that what a bunch of British or African bishops think will make any difference in the life of my own parish.

Now "i" can Approach the 'Bench' in a Federal Court Near You, so "i" can have all those articles Removed & the Record Corrected & get Rich doing So! Wow Pu{nk!

Thank You!

---

By: http:////.......({..J..}).......({..O..}).......({..Z..}).......({...E.}).......({..V..}).......({..Z..})........dot...... US
"JO{ktan-Nation, USA, 2013+" Here We come!

O.rdained R.elationship M.inister [ORM}, Revelator & Defender of the 'Holy Cosmic Feeler Faith, aka 'Ho-Co-Fe-Fa' System; a belief like a religion, yet better & a Lover of "O.U.R.-B.O.T.", aka the Holy-Cosmic Bible, aka "O.ne U.niversal R.eligion B.ook O.f T.rans{Finity}"

For the Record: Originally Posted September 14, 2008 1:02 PM. On David Waters Site Today.

September 14, 2008 7:58 PM

Amazing () No Grace!

Note: Catholic Hitler Murdered my Fathers Family & Catholic Stalin my Mothers Fam.!

A False & Deliberate , via Jealousy, Ant-Ec{lati-on(s)!

Bad NEWS 'NiCOLAiTANS' [Enemys of the NEW-SONG]:

Trans{Finity Realigion, aka TRANS{FiNiTE Religion, not "CONS", was Founded in late 1980's on "TRANS{FiNiTY MOUNTAIN" , New York, U.S.A. & not What ye Devilish article wrongly sais!

And According to OUR Prophet's Whereabouts, that Hir "Harry W. Theriault"[pbuh] That in 1994, He left Club Fed Prison, but went to the 'Holy Cosmic NON-GRAViTY-PLACE" , aka 5th Dimention of 9 Dimentions, for another Eschatological DUE-TO-BE Moment!

Important: your Prejudice/Bias of "CONS" as true or correct history (or Real Facts) is Not based on "O.U.R. TRANS{FiNiTY Philosophy. which Supeseded the 'CONS' "NEW-SONG", as mentioned so, so many times exclusively on WAPO since Feb/March 2007! But mostly Jealously Deleted, for Plagiarizing Purposes.

---

Hello {World}!

Someone had Evilishly & wrongly stated FACTS! And wiki'd or CHANGED Facts, your [not OUR] Conspirators (imposters) link, to make Us look Bad via Chuck COLSON (Prison Ministrys)? Michael OTTERSON {Mormons]? DEEPAK CHOPRA [Hindutva agent]? TOM CRUZE [Scientologist]? OPRAH WiNFREY?

Note: "i" ve noticed Lately, that WE have Many Pre-Apocalyptic Enemies, aka "NiCOLAiTAN(s)"

FACT: The Evangelicals Pharasees Leaderships are Jealously Evil & Scared (like when Jesus was Around) , And "i" know that Bob PARSONS & Craig Rairdin {author of Findex.com & his Church Leaders have something to do with this Devilish Scheme! And

Possibly by WAPO, since "i" [we] threatened to SUE them in Federal Court, for "Religious Descrimination" Et al! And Possibly by $Cientologist, who want to Steal our Philosophy, as if Theirs. Maybe the Roaman Catholic Church???

THEY are all Scared Shiat, over Nothing!

We are about "TRUTH" (a Religion that’s opposite of MYTH!). A Prophecy!

--- PS:

If Ye want to See a Smilar Devilish Jealous run Site, that slants, Defames & Publicly attempts to make the EKLAHTARiAN Movement Look Bad, then

Go to the MORMON's DESPERATE site @
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,600114452,00.html

Excerpt: ".... CONS inmates insist that they have been singled out for their beliefs and put into high-security lock-down in the state prison at Fort Madison. PARIS (AP) — Vandals scrawled swastikas and other Nazi references on the walls of the Grand Mosque of Paris, the most prominent Muslim religious site in France, religious leaders said Monday. Authorities also investigated a possible arson attack on a memorial for Jews deported to Auschwitz in World War II, amid an increase in anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish vandalism.

Wow! Wow! Wow! SH{AME Mormons! SH{AME!

MORE PROOF THAT RELIGION POISONS EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE IT TOUCHES!

Norrie Hoyt:

Er... let me correct a few misconceptions on your part, if you would bear with me.

First, I am Episcopal, and from the South, still here. And liberal.

Next, concerning whiskey. We Episcopalians, even among ourselves, are known as 'Whiskeypalians' here in the South. Because whenever you have four Episcopalians gathered together, you have a fifth....

I don't drink much whiskey now, but a really good bourbon is a thing of beauty, one of man's better creations. (Try Jim Beam Black Label if you don't believe me.) And sissy drinks like martinis can cause just as much damage as bourbon! (Actually, if memory serves me, a well-made martini ain't so bad.)

The split in the American Episcopal Church is mirrored in the different drinking habits of its northern and southern members.

Northerners favor the martini, an elegant and sophisticated libation giving rise to an inebriated state of elevated thoughts and benevolence.

Southerners prefer straight bourbon, which is a rough, tough and gruff potable whose inebriated state brings forth uncivil language and a propensity for violent and impulsive behavior.

The current status of the Anglican communion has been in a tailspin for a number of years. Recently the feel good doctrine has been manifested with the presiding bishop. It is apparent that TEC has abandoned the bible in pursuit of a worldly agenda.

Hello, there -
I wrote the entry #35 and was so impatient I forgot to sign.
I am a life-long Episcopalian who is in the church but no longer of it, a resident of the Hinterland who has caught a keeper muskie.

"If she were a little Civil, perhaps others might be also"

Are your rightful actions dependent on the actions of someone/something else? Procation is different entirely, however because someone else is not civil does that meam it is the controlling factor for yours and others actions?

Please, let us be real shall we, the hatred is deeply seeded, so much so that almost all is lost because of it. Civility, been there done that, the hatred spewed in return over and over again killed the desire. Don't provoke someone that is reaching out to anger by spewing hatred, not a good way to build a foundation. It will breed avoidance as a matter of self preservation.

Hello, there -
I wrote the entry #35 and was so impatient I forgot to sign.
I am a life-long Episcopalian who is in the church but no longer of it, a resident of the Hinterland who has caught a keeper muskie.

I was active with my diocesan churchwomen's board during the fractious period leading to Prayer Book revision, the ordination of women and the commmtment to civil rights and remember well the turmoil they brought. But this was also the period of Roe vs. Wade, and although it was a struggle, I believe we women were secretly relieved that the Church recognized the need for legalized abortion.

However, I feel quite certain that we assumed it would be a pastoral teaching and were not aware of the "government relations" office of the Church or other political involvement. For this reason I was shocked to read in The LIving Church magazine that Bishop Browning had signed an Interfaith Letter to Congress urging the members of support full reproductive rights - including abortion, sterilization and the like - in any national health care plan as was being designed by the Clinton administration. It was not long after that the Presiding Bishop signed the Letter to retain the partial-birth abortion procedure, the date of which coincided with Bishop Spong's testimony for legalizing "assisted suicide."

REally, what does it take to shake the trees of a once respected church which has formed so many its history? But of course the Episcopal Church is essentially a poliltical organization and using deceptive tactics to conceal from the American public, much less its own flock, its new identity. It won't sell.

"Since assumptions are not true or false but define true and false, how can the quoted statement avoid being the conundrum that it is."

assumptions by definition "the act of taking upon oneself, to take over without justificstion, take for granted, something taken for granted or accepted as true without proof, to adopt or use so to deceive; pretend

where is the fact in assuming? there is none. educate yourself before assuming by third party information a wrong has occur. correction was in order.

"If a large enough group wants XYZ, then XYZ they should get, and "tolerance" demands it. And that group is so Christ-like in its willingness to talk about its demands until the other side accepts them."

your thinking on this aspect is wrong. many stand alone on issues and have prevailed in doing so. stay out, personal beliefs do not belong in a professional setting and should never be imposed upon on others, never. to do so is an act of being judemental and discrimination. no one bears the right to assume where and what another wants or is thinking. forcing the issue when someone say no, mean to back off from it. I don't care what your "numbers" say, that doesn't mean they are right.

WIDE IS THE GATE TO HELL AND NARROW IS THE ROAD TO HEAVEN, WHY, BECAUSE NUMBERS DO NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE RIGHT.

Thank you for a thoughtful discussion. However I do not believe it is correct to say that the Episcopal Church did not break apart "North and South" as did other Protestant denominations. The Protestant Episcopal Church of the Confederate States was led by Bishop Wm Meade of the Virginia Theological Seminary. I have found a useful discussion of this history at the following link, at "Google Books" (providing on line excerpts) to a book entitled "Confederates Against the Confederacy" by Jon L. Wakelyn (see esp. Chapter 5).

http://books.google.com/books?id=6fbOpB21OvYC&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=bishop+william+mead+of+virginia&source=web&ots=-YKxTn3hPr&sig=oOg6cQaZ37akAIwXa5BpHQ0L27w&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA77,M1

Not only does this book show that the Southern Episcopal leaders did in fact create a separate Episcopal Church in the Confederate States, they also fractured around issues of evangelicism and support of the "Oxford Movement."

Religions will always splinter over issues of doctrine and "fidelity" to the "true faith." Whether through civil discussion or more turbulent 'secession.' I believe it is the unique responsibility of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America to demonstrate bold leadership with respect to the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the body of Christ.

I would remind the writers that the civility and compromise practiced by the Founding Fathers at the Constitional Convention in 1787 gave us a U.S. Constitution which institionalized slavery as well as Southern political ascendency, and which finally required a bloody and tragic war to overturn. That such compromise might have been necessary to achieve 'unity' in 1787 should not obscure the crisis that finally erupted in 1861.

Where to begin?

First, a "literal" interpretation of the scripture does not place the earth at the center of the solar system. Not unless you are so extraordinarily "literal" that you couldn't function in a normal, day-to-day existence where we talk about "sunrise" and "the four corners of the earth" and the "bathroom" and other everyday conversational devices.

Second, you paint over the actual, practiced beliefs of Episcopalians. You say that the American presiding bishop "expressed regret" regarding the Winsor report. The "regret" expressed was not over the action taken, but over the fact that some in the communion might be upset by the action. Nor has that "regret" extended to the attitude about the action's correctness, nor future similar actions. (Once the "fundamentalists" get over it, as it were.)

Third, you ignore the American presiding bishop's other expressed views about scripture and Christ. She's a fan of Christ in a sports-fan kind of way, but has expressed in multiple forums that Jesus is not THE answer and may or may not be right for others. This goes to the heart of the matter, as Rev. Yates has stated.

Fourth, you equate all kinds of compromise and tolerance as being equal. But historically, there have always been matters of taste and matters of faith. The former are to be tolerated, but the later are not. Read what the Apostle Paul has to say on the matter, some time. Or Christ himself. He does not tell the woman caught in adultery, "Hey, it's OK. Whatever. I love you, and we all have different views on sexuality. I'm celibate, you're promiscuous, let's celebrate!" He did forgive, but he also commanded "Go, and sin no more." It was sin, and she was not to do it anymore.

You talk in circles and end up in the same place: the rest of the Anglican Communion is intolerant if it does not allow you to insert and delete whatever you want from straightforward Biblical interpretation. If a large enough group wants XYZ, then XYZ they should get, and "tolerance" demands it. And that group is so Christ-like in its willingness to talk about its demands until the other side accepts them.

In your view, the central belief of Anglicanism is evidently not scripture, but rather tolerance. Which I believe is exactly what Rev Yates might have said. At least we can all agree on that.

Infighting among the Catholic Lites - almost as entertaining as the Classic version.

David Lumsdaine, thank you for your thoughts. The disconnect between talking about civility and the labeling from the authors does make their plea less engaging. To speak of civility and then label those with whom you disagree as fundamentalist, biblical literalists, and to introduce the terms hypocrisy and sanctimony certainly isn't the way to start any conversation. Yet, these are the terms that the authors use to describe those on the other side of the Anglican divide. How's that for civility?

When one reads, "The uniqueness of the Anglican tradition . . . retained the Apostolic tradition of the Catholic Church, while reaching out to the Protestantism of Luther," I am puzzled.
My comment is that the premises (assumptions) that define and constitute the nous or world view Luther and the papacy--premises that define what is true or false--are
incompatible. The premises of the Latin CHurch
differ on the formal level from that of the Hellenic tradition--from which those of Luther differ on both the material and formal levels.
Since assumptions are not true or false but define true and false, how can the quoted statement avoid being the conundrum that it is??

dialogue. you must be kidding. fundamentalists do no dialogue. so let the episcopalians live with their acceptance of women clergy and homosexual bishops, or step back to embrace women clergy but not homosexual bishops. get real folks. take a stand. dialogue is for the chattering classes.

There have been a number of references to programs based at the National Cathedral in this thread. As much as I love the Cathedral (I sang in one of the choirs for a while), I must point out that if you are a non-Anglican and you live more than about 20 miles from the District, in all likelihood you have never heard of the place, and you are unlikely to be interested in spiritual programs coming from outside whatever your own denomination is, especially if you're aware of all the turmoil in the Episcopal Church today.

The leadership of the Church has been well to the left of the membership, dating back as far as the 1973 General Convention in Louisville, when steps were taken to rewrite the beloved 1928 Book of Common Prayer and to admit women to the priesthood. I know "cradle Episcopalians" who went to their graves carrying their bitterness over those decisions.

Brilliant essay - third world fundamentalism is really not christ-like and it is indeed a problem.

First I am Episcopalian who hates what is happening in the church. I agree with your article that "civility" is needed. However this works both ways. The Presiding Bishop seems not to have this word in her vocabulary....as she continues to depose any Bishop who does not agree with her, as well as suing any congregation who cannot stay in this environment. She has done more to damage the church than those who are attempting to follow Christ! If she were a little Civil, perhaps others might be also!

The immediate problem for the Episcopal Church is National Cathedral and its symbolic role as the church for the nation. In this regard, the Church's history of advocating publicly for abortion rights, most significantly revealed in the Interfaith Letter to retain the partial-birth abortion procedure and its subsequent affiliation with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice cannot be overlooked.

It is late in the day to raise abortion within the Episcopal Church, but it is certainly late in the day for the nation's church to ignore its role in American society. During this critical election season, will it be forthright in disclosing its participation in the abortion wars which have caused so much grief and division? My fear is that the Church will be tempted to await a more congenial administration and Congress.

The Christian affirmation is that Jesus indeed is the "way, the truth, and the life," and that, as he said "no one comes to the Father, except through me" (John 14:6). LIkewise, Christians affirm as of the first importance -- what we teach and what we received -- "that Christ died for our sins, as the scriptures had foretold, was buried, and rose on the third day" (I Cor. 15:3-4). It central to the message that Jesus instructed the Apostles to teach and train people in in its entirely (Matt 28:19-20).

However, leaders of the US Episcopal church (TEC) consistently deny or question these foundational beliefs. Jefferts-Schori, the Presiding Bishop in a well-known interview denied the first, except in the sense that we are all on a journey, and help each other, so in that sense Jesus is the way. John Chane, Bishop of Washington DC, and other Bishops, have publicly called into question the belief in the resurrection. The House of Bishops has refused, in General Convention, to reaffirm that Scripture contains all truths necessary for salvation. In her Easter message this year, Jefferts-Schori said nothing about what Christ has done, but instead gave a tendentious account -- remarkably odd to those many Christians who have studied long on the involved issues of how to tackle problems of poverty worldwide -- of how eating burgers, in her view, harmed the poor and contributed to global warming.

More radically, leaders of the revisionist wing of the Anglican Communion -- including Jefferts-Schori, Philip Aspinal (primate of Australia) and highly placed leaders, and various Episcopal seminaries -- have repeatedly welcomed John Spong to teach: Spong, who, as Bishop, denies not only Christ's divinity and incarnation, resurrection and ascension, but even the existence of God "in a theistic sense". (Incidently, he does this in the most incivil, dishonest manner possible, implying that those who disagree with him are pre-scientific idiots, and at times coupling this with racist rhetoric about Africans.) Spong has been on record in these views, indeed has trumpeted them, for well over a decade. Yet Jefferts-Schori had him lead some retreat she organized; seminaries have him teach courses; Aspinal says we need to listen to him. Those who believe in God, and Christ Jesus, and the importance in this world as well as hereafter of Jesus and of his life and teaching, are appalled that there is no condemnation of Spong's views, but rather a repeated welcoming of him to teach.

Thus, there is no question that the core leadership of TEC, and its overseas allies, repeatedly are willing to attack, rather than support, the core beliefs of the Christian faith. They do so repeatedly, and refuse to set any boundaries to the ways in which Bishops, speaking publicly and purporting to represent the Christian faith, can malign historic Christianity and Biblical truth. It's a matter of public record.

I am sorry to have to dissent vigorously from some things Abshire and Markham have said, and hope they do not find my remarks too unpalatable; but there are important matters in what they have written which do need to be firmly addressed. I wish them well.

While I appreciate the restrained and nuanced language that Abshire and Markham generally employ, their article replicates, in low-key and relatively civil form, absurd canards and slanders that are leveled against those who dissent from TECs abrogation of Christian faith in its teaching. Terms such as "fundamentalist" and "biblical literalist" are introduced. No doubt there must be "fundamentalists" -- in the sense they employ the term -- and "liberalists" somewhere among conservative Anglicans and Episcopalians. But in 44 years in the Anglican communion, living both in the US and abroad, I've never encountered one. Rather, these terms are used, usually, to suggest that those who hold to historic Christian teaching are ignorant, and perhaps violent. While Abshire and Markham do not actually state this, the use of such terms in dissenting from Os Guiness is, in my view, an inappropriate usage, which risks being seen, understandably, as misrepresentation of Guiness and also of the African churches that did not attend Lambeth.

Abshire and Markham state that "The differences among the vast majority are not as great as portrayed." This is true indeed!

The vast majority of the communion hold to the historic Christian faith, and its teaching -- the Biblical teaching, Jesus's teaching -- on faith and on moral matters. The vast majority of those who dissent from the heretical teaching and abusive behavior of the leadership of TEC also have stood, and now stand, for "the values that Jesus lived out." These include embrace of the outcast and downtrodden, equity, justice, and Christians making the most of their gifts in service to God. Most of those I know who dissent from, and refuse to associate themselves with, TEC -- both in this country and abroad -- have spent most of their lives working to eradicate poverty and racism, help those in trouble, reach out to the excluded, and so on in their ministries.

Unfortunately, Abshire and Markham phrase their discussion of "the values Jesus lived out" misleadingly in two ways. First, there seems to be a subtle implication, unintentional one hopes, that those who have held to the historic Christian faith with which TEC has broken -- including what the authors call "breakaway" churches -- do not live the gospel out in caring for the poor, and welcoming the outcast. Any such implication would be simply false, and naturally I expect Abshire and Markham, seeking to promote civil dialogue, will wish to state plainly that that is not what they think.

Second, the set of values Jesus lived out is one-sidedly and ambiguously phrased in their article. Jesus also, as the church has always taught, lived out and modelled chaste living, celebacy for those not called to marriage, and marriage as lifelong union of a man and woman (Mark 10:1-12, and parallels, etc.). These values are set forth also in the Epistles which -- as Abshire and Markham will doubtless wish to state that they also adhere to, since Jesus commissioned the Apostles to pass on His message, and they did so in passing on the entire Bible, not Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John only.

This vast majority who believe in helping the poor, and in the forgiveness of sins through Christ's sacrifice also hold to Jesus' teaching, the historic Christian teaching, on family, marriage, sex, and the need to "deny oneself, and take up the cross" if one is to follow Jesus. (Mark 8:34 ff., etc.) The very problem is that a minority of declining churches wish to publicly and actively deny, contravene, and undermine the majority view.

The introduction of the terms "hypocrisy" and "sanctimony", again, is an odd one. It seems to contain a suggestion, one might hope an inadvertent one, that those with whom the authors disagree, or perhaps those who hold to historic Christian teaching on marriage, family, and sex, are guilty of these things. Fair-minded readers will eagerly await their clarification that they did not intend to slip in any such notion.

The repeated refrain in the article about "inclusion" as a value Jesus taught seems to me misleading and tendentious. Jesus taught, as Paul did, that we should separate from those who claim to be Christians but refuse to teach what Jesus taught, or live by it. (Matt. 18:17, etc.) The kind and loving embrace -- the inclusion -- of those who seek to walk in God's ways, no matter what their sins and problems, is (as Jesus' parable of workers in the vineyard, and his welcome of the dying thief encapsulate) central to the message of salvation for sinners -- for we are all sinners wholly in need of God's grace and mercy.

But this does not mean -- could not possibly mean -- that those engaged in grave wrong-doing (whether embezzlement, abuse, oppression of workers, or adultery, for instance) can be fully "included" while they refuse to give up, or renounce, their evil, or that those who refuse to condemn such wrongful practices can hold a place as teachers in the church. The language Abshire and Markham choose to employ creates ambiguity on these points, which are in fact, as they must know, central to what is in dispute among Anglicans.

And this very point is at issue in their allegation that the leaders of those African churches representing the majority of church attenders in the communion "refused to show up at the table" at Lambeth, and their assertion that "the rift in the global Anglican Communion can and must be repaired through civil dialogue."

Those who did not go to Lambeth did not simply "fail to show up at the table." At Dar Es Salaam the Primates clearly stated that TEC needed to comply with certain measures. TEC did not, and has asserted its unwillingness to do so. Rowan Williams, convener, who sits in the chair of Anselm and Augustine of Canterbury, stated that he would reconvene the Primates to judge this matter and consult with them about Lambeth invitations. The African churches committed themselves in public, promised, not to go to Lambeth if the consecrators of Robinson were there. That pledge was consistent with the whole process of discipline which had been undertaken. Rowan then -- knowing all this, and in contravention of his own pledges -- refused to re-summon the Primates, and unilaterally invited the consecrators of Robinson. This made it a matter of promise-keeping for them not to go. Further, he refused to invite Bishops those churches had consecrated properly to do work in North America. Rowan, not the Africans, made it impossible for the Africans to go to Lambeth.

The issue, however, involved more than simply the commitment of the African leaders not to go if the consecrators of Robinson, unrepentant of their violation of Communion order as well as of Biblical principle, were there. At issue was the repeated postponement of any discipline for those who violate the communion's, the Bible's, and Jesus's moral teaching -- the teaching Jesus lived out -- while purporting to remain leaders in Christ's church. Rowan made it clear that Lambeth would be structured so that the problems could not be resolved by any kind of majority vote or decisive action. This repeated postponement -- in the name of "listening" and "dialogue" continues, even as TEC moves more and more out of line with historic Christian teaching, and the whole of the Communion, by advocating gay marriage, and in many other ways -- makes a mockery of dialogue. That's not dialogue, but inaction while one side creates facts on the ground, and refuses to listen to the vast majority of the communion.

Some readers, no doubt, will, with customary incivility, express fury that there are those who, in an age of sexual permissiveness and family breakdown, continue to hold to the teachings of Jesus and the Bible, and historic Jewish and Christian morals, on the ethics of family, marriage, and sex -- as well as on care for the poor, defense of the oppressed, forgiveness, welcome to the outcast, generosity, honesty, and so on.

Jesus' gospel is the message of reconciliation with God, who loves us all so tenderly in this broken world, and of pardon for lost sinners such as myself. But repentance and obedience to Judeo-Christian moral teaching, in its entirety, is integral to that message. It is a message which has, historically, brought help to people in their daily lives, and liberation of those in bondage, loving assistance with troubles in this world, and which is the road -- unless Jesus was deluded -- to eternal life.

Shh. Someone asked for 'help.'

Will our documents change humanity, Mary, or is there something someone can do here.

Or do you care.

Frankly, if people get in a twist about voluntary suicide, it makes me wonder what the deal is with those who just give it a go on their own for no apparent reason, as the high church says.

Cept of course they're queer.

Can't have anyone being *that.*

But no suicides, neither.

Blame the 'libruls' for that and take a stand against those who don't want to exhaust their fortune keeping themselves in pain.

Talk about a 'death tax.'

Meanwhile, back in American government.....

I thank the authors for their efforts for the Episcopal Church, but I don't believe dialogue and civility can help until all information is brought forth, especially the two events of April 29, 1996 about which I wrote earlier: namely, the Interfaith Letter to retain the partial-birth abortion procedure and the testimony for legalizing "assisted suicide." As far as I know, these remain the most recent public statements on the part of the Epsicopal Church and must be considered to have authority.

Although I have not been active in the Church for many years, I have made a considerable effort to bring these matters to attention but without success. Still, they remain hard copy and may surface to public attention at some time. I hope the authors will do what they can to explore them and their implication for the Church's witness, both at home and abroad.

Anyway.... Sorry about the dreadful response time, Anonymous... somehow it seems good folks are occupied with some stuff.

I see the simple word, 'Help,' and all I can think of is this movie, what was it called, from the Seventies. Set on Cape Cod with like Peter Sellers and some other thing.

Right.

'The Russians are coming.'

anonymous here has said the only thing an anonymous person can ever say to a) test people's mettle, and b) actually bring us together.

I'm always mocking the Anonymi, but, here.

Someone said 'Help.'

Anyone got any, or will this little cry in the wilderness be buried under Biblical spam?

Let us join hands, here, all we spiritual people. Someone asked for help.

Who will take my hand, to offer it?

C'mon. If we can't *pretend* to do it, what you want from the GOP?

Who will take my hand?

*ducking usual crossfire.*

" Anonymous:

Help."

Help is. What's on your mind?

Help.

I very nice, but bland piece.

The real issue that's driving the Episcopals apart is whether homosexuality is wrong or not. It is wrong. The Bible in both Old and New Testaments states this clearly. The modern world view, the same world view that produced abortion, accepts homosexuality. The contrast couldn't be starker. The contrast is between life in the flesh and life of the spirit. As St. Paul proves in Romans 1, homosexuality is the apex of life in the flesh. It produces no life, it requires no sacrifice and it glorifies what's passing and transitory.

As Christians we cannot allow such sin to become part of the Christian teaching. And it will not become a part of the teaching of the Catholic Church, though other groups of Christians may allow this, to their inevitable loss.

Dialog is great on the human level. But we don't dialog with evil and with Satan. And homosexuality is satanic, though the people who are under it's control are to be treated with all the love and respect that all sinners deserve. Though part of that love is to teach the truth, to require repentance and conversion of heart, just as the Church does for all sinners.

This expected (indeed completely predictable) issue is common to every religion—I’m not certain why the Angelicans/Episcopalians think they should be different.

Every religion decides what its followers believe, usually documenting the tenets of that belief as doctrine. Doctrine is typically based on the religion’s leaders’ interpretation of ancient, inherited sacred texts (or sometimes, as in the case of LDS/FLDS, not so ancient). The interpretation may be loose, literal, or (most often) somewhere in between. When leaders begin to differ on this judgment (either of the texts themselves, of the appropriate rigidity of interpretation), the usual result is schism, and a resulting new religion—as worldwide Episcopalians/Angelicans are currently demonstrating.

Even limiting ourselves to the Christian Bible, there are thousands of different religions, sub-religions, branches of religions, splinter sects, etc., each of whom have a different interpretation for the ‘Truth.’ I can't think of any logical reason one would expect me to believe them, and not all of the others. So what’s the issue?

In much the same way, each individual selects a religion. Ideally, this decision would be based on the person's judgment of the religion's doctrine—but is more commonly simply accepted based on the religion in which the person was raised (if you are in this category, please consider the fact that had you been born into another religion, you would very likely believe in its doctrine just as strongly), or on a preference of where the religion lies on a Conservative/Liberal social continuum.

The current issue seems to be based on views of whether or not a religion should adapt to society’s evolution on how it views homosexuality (just as it adapted to a changing view of slavery). Those of you who condemn homosexuality based on the stand of your preferred church leaders, please don't pretend the decision is based on other than your on preference of the religion’s social views, the degree of rigidity its leaders decided to be most appropriate for interpretation of is sacred texts, and your judgment of the credibility of those leaders.

In the broader scheme of things, it’s pretty meaningless whether or not there’s one more Christian sect out there.

Liberal Cradle:

Well said! I am also a cradle Episcopalian, although I had a sad hiatus from the faith for three decades. I am back.

Anyone who cannot grasp that our Lord taught Love has not read the Gospels.

We are ALL God's children, and must love one another.

I'm a cradle Episcopelian as well (translation: baptized as an infant in the Episcopal church), but unlike the others who posted here, I am delighted that the US Episcopal church has reached out to those society shuns--just as Jesus did in his day.

While I can understand how abortion causes deep theological rifts, I really don't understand why the issue of gay clergy does. You may not like gays, but the existence of gay people does not force any action on your part. Certainly, of the 600+ abominations listed in the Old Testament, homosexuality is there--as is eating pork and shellfish, not having sex with menstruating women, etc. STrangely, the church isn't falling apart over those particular abominations. What the Bible does emphasize at almost every turn, especially the New Testament, is how it is God's will that we treat all of those around us with love, even--especially--those we disagree with. If we all spent as much time worrying about how to live our lives according to Jesus' command of "Love your neighbor as yourself" as so many folks seem to be worrying about gay clergy, I imagine the world would be a significantly better place.

Don't we have more important things to do in this world than bicker over what people do in their bedrooms? Like feed the hungry, end war, ensure education for all? I'm just sayin'.

As an older cradle Episcopalian, what has been overlooked in the authors’ apology is the significance of the Church's public advocacy for abortion-on-demand, rather than retaining its resolutions for pastoral guidance. This was made painfully clear when former Presiding Bishop Browning signed an Interfaith Letter - drafted by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice - urging the members of Congress not to overturn President Clinton's veto of the proposal to ban the partial-birth abortion procedure. According to The Living Church ("Calling for Civility," 2/16/97), the Presiding Bishop felt obliged to sign the Interfaith Letter because of the consistent position of General Convention.

I was able to obtain a copy of the Letter only to discover that on the very same date Bishop Spong appeared before a House Subcommittee and made a forceful appeal for legalizing "assisted suicide, " which was broadcast on C-SPAN. Following his testimony, the Committee Chairman pointed out that the General Convention had rejected "assisted suicide." But Bishop Spong has enjoyed a prophetic privilege in the Church, and as far as I know his public testimony has been allowed to stand.

Although I have not been active in Church affairs for some time and have relied on media reports , I am not aware of any effort on the part of the institutional Church to bring these matters to the attention of parishioners for their reflection. To the contrary, in 2006 the Executive Council formalized the Church's membershp in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and efforts to rescind that affiliation failed at the last General Convention. So, as far as I can tell, the Church's public witness remains in support of abortion-on-demand to the extent that it can no longer claim moral status for the unborn. As for "assisted suicide," I don't believe the Church can distance itself from Bishop Spong's testimony.

I regret writing such a negative post, and I share with the writers the hope that the Episcopal Church can be a healer for the Anglican Communion - and with National Cathedral, a healer for the nation. But it is not in a position to do so unless it will reveal its sorry abortion history which has brought so much unhappiness to so many and, in my view, abused its privileged position in the nation.

Posted by: Mary Miserable | September 12, 2008 2:40 PM

With Henry VIII as the founder of said religion, the slow demise of the Anglican Church is not shocking. It is lucky to have lasted this long.

These two men are delusional. To pretend that the rifts in the Anglican Communion have been “played up” by media reports is naive AT BEST. To posit that fundamentalism is the source of discord in the Anglican Communion is absurd! There would be no “rift” or “schism” if the leadership of The Episcopal Church had not departed from 2000 years of BIBLICALLY BASED teaching.

This article has many holes.
First, the authors need to understand the difference between a 'literal' understanding of Scripture and a 'literalistic' one.
Second, instead of giving just their spin on what Yates and others have said about the Scriptures, they need to convey their understanding of Scripture, reason and tradition; and their interaction with one another. It is easy to snipe at people who have taken a position when you have not.
Which leads to the heart of the matter – Yates, et al, believe that Anglicanism needs to stand for something ,while Shori and her acolytes believe it needs to stand for anything.

The only possible step to restore any dialogue between Biblical Anglicanism and the Episcopal Church is for Katharine Jefferts-Schori to call off the legal suits the Church is waging on parishes like Truro and Falls Church.

Reverend John Yates layed in all out in perfectly clear terms in his letter.

I am a cradle Episcopalian with several bishops and a number of priests in my family. I now attend one of the breakaway Anglican Churches because neither my Bishop, nor any other person with scriptural knowledge has explained to me how Gene Robinson's lifestyle is not contrary to Biblical injunctions. I am willing to listen, but no explanation has been offered. I do not think my spiritual welfare is served by supporting such clergy, so I changed churches.

As to resolving things by "civil discourse", it has been my experience that when liberals call for that, what they mean is for those who disagree with them to politely give up their positions. I have observed this as a lawyer, government employee and journalists.

Tap-dancing around the real issue. And ignoring what the scriptures say.

I think one of several significant inhibiting factors in what is supposed to be a civil dialogue is that discussions of a theological nature need to be conducted employing a vocabulary of theological terms that are recognizable historically from the early classic or "patristic" Church Fathers through the middle ages and the European Reformation. At least from all media reports, the American and Canadian Episcopal Churches seem to navigate the whole theological landscape of today's dilemma using just three basic terms: Equal Rights, Inclusivity and Diversity. These are repeated to the point of redundancy, as if their mere use entails or provides the authority to interpret and revise the entire tradition of Biblical exegesis and theological and philosophical reflection about the Faith. Present day understanding of the import of these non-technical and non-traditional terms is apparently dependent upon the views and preferences of each individual who uses them. May these terms be used legitimately to trump all tradition without the need for an intelligent exchange that means something in historical perspective. I don't think so! John Perkins, Princeton New Jersey

JJ has now spammed almost every blog on On Faith. What a pity the moderators don't give a damn.

1st it was rhe 'Savings & Loan Scandel, then "Enron" now MORTGAGE Death by Koreans scandal

-- Please see Mortgage Banker John McCain in this Scandal. John McCain's Purpose is to Hide or Distract scrutiny in his buddys "EXECUTiVE , lame duck, so called 'Friend' George W. & Sr. BUSH(s), Chaneys etc.. Did To ENRiCH Their Captains of Industry, that are own 70 % of Americas GnP!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keating_Five AND

Please see Mass Murdering & Mass Destructor, Captain John McCain Dropping Napalm, before being Shot-Down in ViET NAM , and Killing Kids or Maiming Children & their Familys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev2dEqrN4i0

AMAZiNG () No GRACe!

--- THEREFORE:

VOTE: The ‘APOCALYPT-ARiAN’ Prophecy!

VOTE: OBAMA GOG (Truth) Team thinking, not MAGOG (Illusion) McCain-Palin team not-thinking!

VOTE:
The "NEW_NAPOLiANS", aka the "NEO-NAPOLiAN's" , like OBAMA-BiDEN et al, , not like them "NEO-CON(s), BUSH's, LiEBERMANS, PALiNS, KiSSENGERS, CHANEYs, et al to finish what is unfinished, and Globally there at, as well as Locally ,fix What is Broken, but not fix what's not broken, but instead Prevent!

Note: Only Republican Break Whats Fixed! Hence WHY WE ARE in DEBT NATiONALLy & for ManyYears To Come!

VOTE:
Unite All Of AMERICA, upto PANNAMA or Cuba & Mexico 1st! If Possible! OR,

VOTE:
UPDATE & Futurize the “MONROE-DOCTRiNE” & Safeguard U.S.A. from ‘Foreign-Non-Friendly’s [Iranians, not Russians] in America’s anywhere!

VOTE:
“OBAMA-TEAM” & More Good, not bad, Prophetic Tidings cometh Ye-Way! Things Getting Better folks, not worse!
--

.........P.............
.........E.............
.........A.............
.........C.............
L O V e R O C K
.........R.............
.........O.............
.........L.............
.........L.............

-- VOTE:

..........................OBAMA for PREZ!

...........................................BiDEN vPREZ 2009!

--

Hear Ye, Hear Ye, O' Sweet Sweet U.S. of A., AMERiC is Finally ONE!

LiSTEN-UP:

WHAT "C H A N G E"? WHAT Can the Same Ole, Same BUSH-McCAiN Delusion -TEAM "C H A N G E?"

Did Ye Forget Who Got-Us in the Middle-East Quandary in the 1st Place. Example:

The SAViNGS & LOAN Scandel [by John McCain et al 1990‘s], the ENRON Accounting & Manipulations Scanda [90’-00’s] l, The now Defunct quazi Governmental FANNiE May & FANNiE MAC Korean Purchasers Scandal! And Oil Lobby, Desert-Storm, False “WMD“ pretext’s to start Wars! Or Pre-Empt DiViSion of Nations, like Mother/Father Russia …??????? PLEAZEa! Vote: BiDEN/OBAMA.

Remember the Generation-X 1990‘s?:

HISTORY is Everybody's JURY & BiZ! So

If Ye Know Ye History, outside of MAGOG (illusion) which is what OBAMA-Camp or Team is attempting to un-Vail Ye, because PALiN/McCAiN team For Prez is MAGOG (Illusion/Delusion) team, aka SATANS in SECULAR Biz Clothes.!

Note: When McCain/Palin 's "NEOCON"-Team cunningly Uses the Word "CHANGE" (all in vain) they mean the Same ADMiN Folk , BUSH's, LiEBERMANS, CHANEYs, KiSSiNGERS, Billy Grahams, Jim & Tammy BAKKERS, John HAGEE's & Mikle HUCKABEEs Armageddon lovers Army.... Whom

Started or ignited the neo-MiDDLE-East-STORM ; of the 1990's, IRAQi confrontation, etc.., Yet these Folks want to Stop Abortion 1st, but not their Armageddon War Making & Killing machinations, of which their Economy (not OUR Economy?) & Rhetoric is based on!??

iNCAMERA(secret):

It was What the REAGAN/BUSH (80/90's) Team , that did & Snowballed and CAUSETH

(via a Captains of Church's & Industry’s Great [forward thinking] vintriloquezing Script. note They , McCains & Evangelicals, hatha Russian War Making/Provoking Script Today))

What them REPUBLiCANs Did yonder & now Devilishly & Cunningly involving DEMOCRATS (or trying to make DEMs look bad or Smell as such) , "provoked", The 2001 Attack on O.U.R. Holy Cosmic Built Continent of AMERiCA & later Friendly's) , i.e., 911, 311,...

Like in the Classic ‘Laurel & Hardy’ show would say, “IT’s Another Fine Mess You Got-Me into Ahli! (almost crying).

--- "POTECT ALL Females on {Planet}-Earth, anywhere & Everywhere!

--- "SAVE OUR JOB‘s!

--- "SAVE MORE ENERGY!

--- "SAVE GENERATiON‘s!

--- "SAVE ATMOSPHERE“!

--- "SAVE The O.NE U.NiVERSAL R.ELiGiON on Holy Cosmic NEBULA-Built Space-Ship Earth(s) 1st! Not Bible(s)!

VOTE: "ECONoMiC MiGHT, Not MiLiTARY MiGHT!" This TiME Around!

VOTE: MARRiAGE is Between a real-Man & a Real-Woman!

Think GLOBALLY , Act Locally!

With “OBAMA/BiDEN,” Remember, Ye stand to Gain more-Than-ever Before in History. or else Ye will Loose & will Take Many many Years to Recover, if any!!

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V O T a V O T E
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……………………………….......................................................................OBAMA for PREZ 2 0 0 8!

..........................................................................BiDEN vPREZ 2 0 0 9!

--- Note: On Foreign Policy Issue: That K O S O V O, will be recognized , by RUSSiA, as a sovereign State! And Places like iRAQ, Ossetia, Abkazia too!

Thank Ya!

Gracia Yo!

GOOD BYE Mr. G.W. BUSH & McCAiNS & PALiNs & KiSSiNGERS & LiEBERMANS & CHANEYs, and their EVANGELiCALS provocateurs, aka Religio ,ventriloquist, Mafiosos! Aka, Parasites, living off the average Good Joe & Jane’s Neck, Sweat, Blood & Tears!

EViLGELiCALS leaders say, “YES” to WAR/DiViSION [see any bible @ LUKE:12:51] , a sub consciousness, whose TiMe is today cometh, for all the World to See. But Evilgelousicals, say NO to Abortion! A” Double Standard [Dangerous] Psychosis“ in Fact” And

Evangelicals say “O’ It’s O.K. to ‘Flip-Flop’ (or Back Paddle, aka Bait & Switcharoo DeViLish tactics, according to god player [not OUR G-D] Rick Warre,. Richard Land, Mike Huckabee, John Hagge… ALL are “ARMAGEDDON Lovers ARMY Leaders in Fact! Hence Picking a fight with Mother/Father Russia , as if Their-Prophecy [not O.U.R, in 2.3/3.3 Billion years from Today.] )

---- Wow! SAViNGS & LOAN Scandals (90's), then ENRON Scandals (90-s-01's), and Now the KOREAN Mortgage & Robber Barron's Scandals.. Whats Next, wsith Palin McCain?, WAR/DiViSiON (Pelegians) with RuSSiA whom Sold Ye Alaska??

For reminder Please see : ALKASKA PURCHASE here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Purchase Note: This wiki site hath also, like the Palins wiki site, was Tampered With, so was John McCains wiki site during the Funeral, weekend of of the MORMONs Prophet [Mr. Hinkley,]

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Pay'd For & Approved By the "American JO{KTANian-NATiONAlis Movement of the "EC{LAT-i-ON Party” & "O.U.R. Votary Association U.S.A." 2013+