Posted by David Virtue on 2006/6/20 23:40:00 (30567 reads)

COLUMBUS, OH: Episcopalians refuse affirmation of Christ
By Hans Zeiger
VirtueOnline Correspondent
www.virtueonline.org

COLUMBUS, OHIO (6/20/06)-
The House of Deputies of the 75th General Convention of the Episcopal
Church today overwhelmingly refused to even consider a resolution that
affirmed Jesus Christ as the "only name by which any person may be
saved."

"This type of language was used in 1920s and 1930s to alienate the type
of people who were executed. It was called the Holocaust. I understand
the intent, but I ask you to allow the discharge to stay," said the Rev.
Eugene C. McDowell, a graduate of Yale Divinity School and Canon
Theologian for the Diocese of North Carolina.

The convention's Committee on Evangelism first heard the resolution and
discharged it to the chagrin of that committee's chairman, the Rev. Colenzo
Hubbard, a noted evangelist and director of Emmanuel Episcopal Center in
the Diocese of West Tennessee. The Rev. Hubbard motioned to lift the
resolution from the discharge list, but after heated debate, more than seven
tenths of the House of Deputies rejected the motion.

Drafted by the Rev. Guido Verbeck, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in
the Diocese of Western Louisiana, Resolution D058 declared the Episcopal
Church's belief in an "unchanging commitment to Jesus Christ as the Son
of God, the only name by which any person may be saved," and it
acknowledged evangelism as "the solemn responsibility placed upon us
to share Christ with all persons when we hear His words, 'I am the Way,
the Truth, and the Life. No-one comes to the Father except through me'
(John 14:6)."

The resolution further affirmed "the substitutionary essence of the Cross
and the manifestation of God's unlimited and unending love for all persons,"
while calling on the Episcopal Church to renew its Scripture-based witness
to "all persons."

The Rev. Hubbard said that he voted for the resolution in committee because
of his simple responsibility as a Christian. Hubbard quoted several verses of
Scripture to demonstrate his conviction. "I do agree that Jesus Christ is both
the substitutionary essence of the Cross and the manifestation of God's
unlimited and unending love for all persons," said Hubbard, once a star
on the University of Alabama football team.

Echoing Hubbard, Canon Dr. Kendall Harmon, a leading conservative in the
denomination, argued for a "reaffirmation of what some have called 'the scandal
of particularity' of the Cross."

Judy Mayo from the Diocese of Fort Worth also opposed discharge. "My friends,
this is a church convention, and this is the very essence of our faith. This may be
the most important thing we deal with at this entire convention...Surely we can
say together that Jesus Christ is Lord. And if we can't, we have no reason to be
here."

But liberals outnumbered Hubbard, Harman, and Mayo by far.

The Rev. McDowell of the Diocese of North Carolina told VirtueOnline after the
floor vote, "In the Episcopal Church we don't do up and down votes on Jesus
Christ as Lord, and to do so is potentially a mean-spirited approach, to ask
questions that aren't meant to be questions."

McDowell explained that how one lives his life is the more important issue than
whether one affirms Jesus as Lord. To place a statement of belief over actions is
the essence of "self-righteousness," he said. "Actions speak louder than
proclamations...What Jesus calls us to do is to live our lives."

McDowell outlined his basic theology of grace: "Salvation by grace is remembering
that we are the children of a living God. Grace is already there. And salvation is
realizing we now live into that salvation. And sanctification is the transforming
of my life from one that's me-centered to one that's God-centered."

But to acknowledge the exclusive Lordship of Christ in a resolution would be too
much for McDowell and the majority of deputies at the 75th General Convention
of the Episcopal Church.

The Rev. Robert Certain of the Diocese of San Diego told the House of Deputies
that he refused to consider the resolution because the General Convention of
1982 had endorsed salvation through Christ alone, and a resolution was
unnecessary.

But the message was clear to the Rev. Donald Perschall, rector of St. John's
Episcopal Church in Centralia, Illinois, as he left the convention hall Tuesday,
shocked by the events of the day. "On top of leaving the Anglican Communion,
we've decided to leave Jesus Christ behind as well."

It was not a surprise vote though; the liberalization of the Episcopal Church
predates 1982. Episcopalians have made it clear by their rejection of traditional
marriage and other recent innovations that a new set of principles now dominate
the Episcopal Church. Though the trend toward liberalism in the Episcopal Church
has been ongoing for decades, it was in 2003 that the consecration of a homosexual
as Bishop of New Hampshire crystallized the departure of the denomination from
its bearings in classical Anglicanism.

Dr. Michael Howell of the Diocese of Southwestern Florida and a member of the
Special Committee that deliberated the Convention's response to the global
Anglican Communion's Windsor Report, told VirtueOnline that the discharge
of Resolution D058 is "very much related" to the failure of Resolution A161
moments earlier.

A161 would place a moratorium on the consecration of homosexual bishops
and the blessing of homosexual unions in a minimal effort to comply with the
Windsor Report. It was soundly defeated on the floor of the House of Deputies
Tuesday.

"If we cannot affirm the unique salvific power of Jesus Christ as our Lord and
Savior, we are no longer a Christian church." Switching to a sarcastic tone, Howell
declared, "We have no need for a Creed. Why do again what we did in the past?"

"This clearly shows that we are of a mind that does not affirm Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior. And we should not be surprised that our church is dying
spiritually," said Howell.

The final tally on the electronic vote was 70.5 percent for discharge (675 votes) and
just 29.5 (242 votes) to consider the resolution affirming Jesus Christ as Lord.

FULL TEXT RESOLUTION D058 SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST ALONE
Discharged in committee. Discharge upheld by House of Deputies, 75th General
Convention.

Resolved, the House of _____ concurring, That the 75th General Convention
of the Episcopal Church declares its unchanging commitment to Jesus Christ
as the Son of God, the only name by which any person may be saved
(Article XVIII); and be it further Resolved, That we acknowledge the solemn
responsibility placed upon us to share Christ with all persons when we hear
His words, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

No-one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6); and be it further
Resolved, That we affirm that in Christ there is both the substitutionary essence
of the Cross and the manifestation of God's unlimited and unending love for all
persons; and be it further Resolved, That we renew our dedication to be faithful
witnesses to all persons of the saving love of God perfectly and uniquely revealed
in Jesus and upheld by the full testimony of Holy Scripture.

END

http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=4311

_____
VirtueOnline
The Voice For Global Orthodox Anglicanism

http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/index.php