“Finding the right spirit for the Chruch…the Chruch needs the Holy Spirit.
And that is not the spirit currently serving the Chruch.
You cannot serve two gods.”
Bishop Gavin Ashenden
The Church ought to have noticed that one of the aspects of the New Left and its
ambition for culture is that it literally hates ‘Judaeo-Christian’ values.
At this point, the new alliance between Islam
(given a special pass by the New Left as both an ally in destroying Judaeo-Christianity,
and because it is a minority in Europe) and the Left makes it impact energetically felt.
Bishop Gavin Ashenden
(cyclists in Cophenhagen, Denmark)
I recently watched the latest offering of Anglican Unscripted…
I’ve posted the clip below.
In the conversation between Kevin the host and Bishop Ashenden the guest,
a conversation which primarily focuses on the ailing Chruch of England as well as
her sister affiliation, or perhaps more like her red-headed step-child–
that being The Episcopal Chruch here in the US, the conversation deviated toward a recent
trending news story coming out of London.
It seems that the mayor of London, who is Muslim, complained publically that there is not
enough ethnicity amongst those who cycle throughout the streets of London.
Huh?!
It seems that the fact that the majority of cyclists, be it those who are cycling for exercise
or cycling as a means of transportation, are predominately white middle-aged males.
This small observational fact troubles the mayor.
He is calling for a more diverse population of cyclists.
Hummmmm…
How does one go about such a task?
Advertise to those of varying skin tones, ethnicities, and genders, etc. that cycling
through the congested and rather traffic-heavy streets of a major global city would be fun
and a good idea?
This coming on the heels of rising reports of severe injury and even death amongst those
who are currently opting to bike these so-called undiverse streets.
Maybe the ethnicities and varying genders are wise in that they prefer not to play
‘dodge the truck and car’ while opting not to breathe the noxious and deadly exhaust fumes…
But it is this very nonsense of a mayor who is over-reaching to extremes in wanting to mix up
the colors he’s noticing on his streets riding bikes, that the Chruch of England is also
headed…headed to a dangerous precipice in her own over-reaching.
The Church of England is promoting the idea, nay enforcing the mandate,
that the pulpits throughout the UK should be more full of diversity.
More homosexuals, more women, more varieties of skin color and more transgender individuals.
Bishop Ashenden notes in a recent article that piggybacks off of his Anglican Unscripted
interview,
“It has been said that we don’t get ideas; they get us.
Two announcements have been made recently by parts of the Church of England.
One was that it looked to increase the quota of ethnic and other minorities ordained
to the Christian priesthood,
and the other was the promotion of transgendered people as clergy.”
The good Bishop continues….
“The second idea is simply an intensification of the first.
We have been hearing so much about minorities and diversity in recent years,
it can be hard to remember that these are artificial political categories that have not been
around very long.
By artificial, what I mean is that they are all to do with category and not with content.
The categories are political ones that allow a language based on power to be used and developed.
What is an ‘ethnic minority’?
It all depends on where you use the word.
In England it becomes a euphemism for non-indigenous people.
What would it mean in India.
There an Englishman or woman would be part of the ethnic minority.
Do you ever hear anyone show concern for the English as an ethnic minority in India?
No, of course not.
This is a strategy of what we are calling the New Left, and it’s a very dangerous one.
Its intention is to capture both politics and culture and radically change them.
But this in itself has terrible implications. The whole idea of the incarnation,
is that God became a human to save His lost children.
But one of the very clear elements in the Bible is that God deals with people individually
and not collectively.
He engages with us at a direct personal level,
not through our parents, tribe skin colour, intelligence or sex.
In fact, St Paul goes further with the matter of homosexuality and talks only of acts,
sexual intimacy entered into.
There are no such thing as gay or homosexual Christians.
Secularists might want to describe themselves as gay or homosexual,
though even then it seems strangely shallow to sum up a whole human being through the
filter of their sexual appetite.
In fact, it represents a decadent and sad diminution of the way one looks at people.
Even Gore Vidal, one of the homosexual revolutions most articulate advocate despised the idea
of calling people gay.
In an interview with the London Times his interviewer wrote,
“Vidal says that he hates labels and has said he believes in homosexual acts
rather than homosexual people.”
The moment a Church starts talking about gay Christians it has been captured by an
anti-Christian idea, some would go further and say ‘an anti-Christian spirit.
Our dear Bishop closes his latest post offering with the following wisdom…
At what point might the Church of England notice that is has given up the life and language of the New Testament and the grace of the transforming Holy Spirit for the death and incoherence of politicisation and the stagnation of the spirit of the age?
There is a way out. There is one door through which the Church can pass in order find its freedom, but it is the door of repentance of action and ‘metanoia’, a transformation of the mind and soul.
In the language of the Church, in order to be the Church, trans needs to stand for transformation, not trans-sexual.
The Church of England , that most English of Englishness, with its marvelous church architecture and centuries of largely unchallenged religious domination all headed by the Queen are relics of the past.
It desperately tries to make itself relevant while still cherishing memories of tea and sandwiches on the vicarage lawn, ladies in their Sunday best arranging flowers and running tombola stalls while, overhead, our brave lads fly off to do battle in Spitfires and Hurricanes and the Bishop has just been caught LBW in a game of cricket. And did those feet …in ancient times…”
They didn’t have to deal with gender issues or even race issues.
Men worked, women didn’t and we just do not talk about gay unless someone like Wordsworth or Auden and poetry was included in the conversation
What we are witnessing in fact is the beginning of the end.
The English have no need for the Church and because they are apathetic about it so the church is, in reality apathetic about itself.
David Robertson is astute in his observations regarding the Church of Scotland and a similar demise is very likely on the cards further South, beyond Hadrian’s Wall.
And into the breach … Islam will slot very nicely thank you.
Good to find a bit of common ground of thought Arc
I am surprised to read this, Julie, as
I suspect the demise of the C of E will be the death knell for all major Christian denominations.
The tenets of its foundations, being wholly based in the supernatural are completely untenable.
The C of E have been trying to find some way of bringing this supernaturalism into the mainstream and have, by and large, failed.
It seems the only way to ensure the survival of Christianity is by what in effect amounts to severe indoctrination of children, as can be witnessed in Young Earth Creationism and other more biblically literal evangelical sects.
But such extremism has similar traits as Islamic indoctrination and if you can see the negative effects of this then one should be honest enough to look in one’s own backyard.
We’ll see.
It will be a slow (ish) process but it is inevitable.
now I wouldn’t call that “severe indoctricnation” but teaching a child the way of Truth…and we were just so close and yet so far..but a little common ground is a good thing..onward and upward Arc 🙂
There is truth and there is Christian Truth.
If one wishes to teach Christian Truth then it MUST measure up against what is universally recognised as truth – what everyone recognizes irrespective of creed colour or religion.
That is the honest, decent way to approach a child’s education in this regard.
Surely you would agree with this?
If not then there is no room to criticize any other religion.
now hold up Arc…not skirting off on a pigtrail…back to the C of E…yes, I do believe that death knell is sounding and that a Judaeo Christian foundation is to be shaken.
And yes, I believe in dinosaurs Arc..and I believe, think and feel more than you most likely assume…it’s just that I opt not to engage in debates and bantar of this and that…which skirts away from what I wish to stay on point with…
it’s the teacher in me Arc…we’ve got to stay on point…that is unless we have one of those teachable moments…
but I am of the belief that the the word of God is Truth…that He is the great I AM and it is He who has made us and not we ourselves….and I “get” that you my friend do not…and so it is that which we may agree upon
🙂
To further the point.
Teaching children that dinosaurs existed with humans, and that children who do not beleive in Jesus will go to hell is severe indoctrination and most certainly not th way of truth. It is a flagrant lie and nothing more than abuse.
We criticize similar teaching in Islam – and rightly so – yet why should Young Earth Creationism and the more extreme example of evangelical Christianity go through on the nod?
May Heaven help us! Sigh… Love you, Julie!
Truly a disturbing trend… and I agree about the mistake of labeling “minorities.” I especially like this: “even then it seems strangely shallow to sum up a whole human being through the
filter of their sexual appetite.” J.
And so you should. But you surely do not believe they ran around with humans? Please tell you don’t believe this nonsense.
Assuredly …
Based on what I have read and seen on You-tube, including a few Christian blogs, the C of E (and Christianity in general), has failed to keep abreast of change and in modern society and in trying to stay relevant, has made itself almost irrelevant.
As an example to add to your points regarding compromise in ref.to gender and gays : You will have read the many less than complimentary comments regarding the sermon at the recent Royal Wedding, no doubt, because of the apparent lack of references to your god etc?
I did not follow any of it ( other than a brief mention on David Robertson’s blog) so I can’t really comment other than to mention it in context here from what I have gleaned from others regarding the sermon.
I’ll take it as a given you feel it is your solemn duty/responsibility to teach those in your charge the truth based on evidence, yes?
Do you teach from a secular point of view or a Christian one?
Imparting religious beliefs no matter if one is a teacher at home or in school runs the risk of indoctrination,unless an individual is provided with material to compare one claim against another and not pressurized to accept any one in particular.
That way a child or adult may arrive at a decision regarding faith based on evidence.
And now you can see why religion ( and to stay in point, the C of E) is struggling to be relevant.
Belief does not always equate to truth or fact.
I was a public educator Arc who retired 6 years ago.
I taught high school art for 31 years.
As far as dinosaurs…they are in the past and not on point with my post.
But speaking of…the C of E has allowed itseld to become divisive within itself.
It has deviated from the Word of God…
in turn causing a great rift between those who worhsip at the altar of all things cultural vs the Word of God.
Now you’re not going to agree with that little observation of mine, of which I know and completely get and understand…
my Truth is not your truth…I get that….so that’s that.
Hope all is well in South Africa—sunny and nice here today.
Goodness me, Julie! I know they are not ”on point” but you mentioned you believe in them and I was just clarifying that you did not believe Mr. Neanderthal ran around with a T Rex.,
Your evasive answer suggests you are my be a Young Earth Creationist or are afraid to ofend … some others? This is a cause for some serious concern as it will influence everything else you adhere to.
What am I to think Julie? And please, I am asking politely, don’t ignore this response or hand wave it again. Such things are extremely important.
When you say the ‘Word of God” and the C of E, ( staying on point) do you therefore believe that homosexual should be stoned?
As you consider the church should stick to your god’s word it seemed from the bible that the Word was quite clear.
Don’t you think this is a bit extreme?
Of course we can agree to disagree.
But this does not answer whether you teach what you believe to be your god’s word or you simply believe what you believe, do not preach it or spread it, unless asked, and let others do likewise?
And to gently remind you re: the dinosaur question. I would like a straightforward answer please.
Sunny and cold here in Johannesburg. Winter is almost upon us!
What in the heck is a young earth creationist?
See Arc, I don’t run in such circles…I just do my thing here in my small corner of the blogosphere…about a techy as I get…I suppose my world is pretty small as I follow only a handful of other blogs.
And as for the dinos…I don’t know who was running around with them as Jurassic park movies have runined me with dinosaurs…they simply scare me.
🙂 Valosoraptors and T-rexs…not a fan.
I’m not into stoning either…nor for getting stoned —be it from pot or rocks…
What you read here that I write, pretty much sums me up…
God is God and I am not…He is the Creator and I am the created.
No arguments, no debates, no proving this or that…I state my beliefs and I can’t force anyone to adhere to them, but I can teach and preach them or what I prefer is rather to share them…and so I share.
If you want to cuss and discuss…there are those out there who are happy to oblige you Arc…that’s not what I want nor what I do.
And I don’t bog myself down by droning and on and beating a dead horse…it serves me no purpose.
I just share Arc…that’s about as boring as it gets. If you don’t like reading what I share, no problem as there are so many other folks out there writing about things you’d like and enjoy…
And what I have figured out is trying to give a straight answer just leads one further and further away down a crooked road. I’m now far too busy to wander down crooked roads.
So I guess you may surmise what you wish…those who read what I write pretty much know me. So I suppose you may say that my ciricle is small and that’s ok.
I’m happy to be done with this past winter..the snow and grey was getting to me a tad…
Enjoy the sun while it shines!
If you were not a teacher – an educator – I might buy that.
But just in case. Benefit of the doubt and all that?
A YEC believes the bible is the literal completely innerant word of Yahweh and the earth and the universe is no more than 10,000 years old. Some believe as little as 6000 years. They believe Yahweh created all life within the first six days of Creation and it all coexisted – and all went onto Noah’s Ark. Your blog pal, Wally is a Young Earth (leaning) Creationist.
Well, I certainly don’t think they got on the ark…now that would have been a really big ark! They’re older than Noah I’m pretty certain.
And no I was not familiar with YECs—sounds like a chruch youth group…but that was EYC…of which I attended as a kid.
I have no thoughs on the age of the earth…I just know that it is old.
I also taught long enough to know that I can still learn a thing or two.
I do believe dinosaurs died of something…a meteor, a catostrophic climate…something killed them off. But I don’t “study” much about that as I accept fossils and move on.
My uncle was a geologist so I always had cool things for show and tell!
And it seems I had this same conversation with Arch a few years back before his death.
He and I did have pleasant dealings despite our differences of belief.
Dinosaurs are not a sticking point with me…I think it was Noah who was around, what, 6000 years or so ago??…but I couldn’t put money on that…numbers like that don’t do much for me as I know that it was a long time ago…God is without time or space so what is a calendar to me is not a calendar to Him.
I can’t put a number on extact dates to creation, big bangs, you name it.
I accept old is old.
I try not to get caught up in the minutia of life.
God is bigger and wider than the scope of my understanding and knowledge…that is what I know.
You my friend do not buy into that and that’s ok.
I bet you drive your mom nuts! 🙂
Okay, it seems you accept that dinosaurs were not around with humans. Fair enough.
However, if I have misunderstood and if you ARE suggesting they may have been or don’t know then please tell me … okay?
Seriously , there is ample fossil evidence if you are interested. Fascinating stuff.
Attenborough did a doccie on the largest dinosaur fossil found to date down in South America. It’s on You Tube.
Incredible.
Your uncle being a geologist he would have known how old the earth was – more or less.
I am guessing that if YEC was a family belief you would have been told.
I suppose I can almost breath a sigh of relief you are not on Wally’s band wagon in this regard.
Oh, and you realize Noah was not a real historical character I hope?
Tell me you don’t actually believe all that two by two stuff for kids?
In my world, Adam was, Noah was, Moses was, on down the line they go.
And being raised an Episcoplain…with you I’m guessing being perhaps raised in the Anglican fold…you know we don’t cover the Bible as throughourly as our Baptist cousins…so I am a bit lost on a lot of theory and lingo. I’ve learned from Bible studies and my own reading.
And for my uncle…he and I never discussed the age of the earth..he just brought me neat rocks and fossils everytime he came to visit.
And as for Wally, I will say that Wally knows his stuff…a liken him to a Chrisitan Bulldog.
We all have gifts…mine is not being a bulldog his is and I admire him for that, …athough I did attend the University of Georgia and we are the Dawg Nation 🙂
But yall simply butt heads, so that is what it is.
Sorry, Wally might be able to recite the bible but he doesn’t know his stuff, as he never questions what he espouses or studies its source or history.
Adam and Eve are fictional characters – simply myth – as shown by the Human Genome Project, which is the work of evangelical Christian Francis Collins and a large team of scientists.
There is no evidence for the Patriarchs and if you wish to research rather than me just trotting out links etc you will discover this is fact.
Noah’s Flood is based on the Epic of Gilgamesh. There is some evidence of quite extensive localized flooding around this time but no evidence whatsoever of global flood.
That notion is pure fantasy.
Moses is a work of historical fiction. There is no evidence of him or the Exodus, and in fact, the Settlement Pattern of Canaan demonstrates that the ancient Israelites emerged from within Canaanite society.
This has been known by archaeologists for several generations.
It is the unfrotunate stubborness f those wh are biblically inclined and especially evangelical fundamentalists that refuse to accept the evidence.
The majority of Jews do not accept this as a literal event, so why on earth do Christians?
Look up names such as Dever Finkelstein, Ze’ev Hertzog.
There are hundreds more. These are three of the ”famous” ones.
Kathleen Kenyon established the dating of Jericho and it has never been scientifically refuted.
Joshua’s tale is nonsense.
Again, I want to reiterate I am not simply spewing out non -believers nonsense , This is all well established and is accepted by the overwhelming body of scientists, paleontologists, geologist, archaeologists Egytologists etc etc.
Take some time. Read a bit. It will make a wold of difference, I assure you and be well worth it.
Like I say, you’ve got to drive your mom nuts 🙂
“Sorry, Wally might be able to recite the bible but he doesn’t know his stuff, as he never questions what he espouses or studies its source or history.”
Ark is so smart he states as fact that I don’t study the history of or question. In his world anybody who dares not agree with him can possibly only do so because they haven’t studied.
Why don’t you make stone brain happy and mock me or even ban me because I do happen to believe God spoke all this into existence. Poof there it was. That’s what he wants you know, divide the flock and pick off the outliers.
That’s what wolves do
Have one Rock Head
now rustling use to be a pretty serious offense in the old West…I don’t like those who’s desire is to rustle through the fold…
@ Wally
My assertion is based solely on the way you have conducted yourself on the blogs.
Your abject refusal to address biblical questions, especially those related to paleontology, geology and history, your admission that you are a Young Earth Creationist and all that /em>encompasses, not least of all the scientific understanding of the dinosaurs, and enough somewhat ridiculous throwaway lines – ”Your father is the Devil” – (paraphrase) to impress the lowliest stand-up comic.
You claim to be a born-again Christian, or at least a returnee to the fold – yet are in flagrant contravention of one of the very basic tenets that the character Jesus of Nazareth preached about.
I have no beef with what you personally believe, only that you teach it to kids etc etc.
Yeah! You tell me how to be a good Christian!
Have one
You wouldn’t accept my definition.
But you are most assuredly a hypocrite. On that we can both agree on.
Didn’t the character Jesus of Nazareth have something to say about hypocrisy?
I think Matthew 23 covers it fairly well.
Preach It! Straighten me out please! Please rabid atheist tell me more on how to be a good Christian 1
Me rabid?
No, sir, methinks you have me confused with someone else? John Branyan would be the first name that comes to mind. or hid daughter.
You are the one who continually goes off the deep end, you are the one who stated my father is the Devil – we still have a chuckle about that, by the way.
You continually call me a liar, a bully , and now rabid!
What next? My hairstyle?
There are upwards of 35,000 different Christian sects, each one believing in its own authority and its own interpretation of the bible, for which there are several versions.
I am surprised you can all keep up?
And rather than answer any of the questions you immediately launch into attack in the hope of once again deflecting and hope you can make me come across as the Bad One as you invariably try to do whenever you engage.
Do you teach the children at your Sunday school classes that dinosaurs existed with humans and the world is only around 6000 years old?
Let’s see how honest you really are.
‘Let’s see how honest you really are.’
You have met your match with Julie doug. She is much smarter than to play eternal link pong with you and address your irrelevant gripes. Notice how far you have strayed from the gist of her post.
But honesty? You? Really? When you have failed Truth Test 101 of basic arithmetic, spelling, and creation? Please, give me a break.
Play with your camera, (nobody here tells you how to operate your Canon p-900)
but leave things alone in which you are clueless, such as scripture.
The comment was directed at Wally,John, so I have no idea why you would think otherwise.
If there is a cloth nearby, wipe the egg off your face, will you?
Thanks awfully.
No doug, it doesn’t matter. You challenged Julie equally.
Adam and Eve never lived? The Patriarchswere fictional. Moses never lived, blah blah, and blah.
So yeah,, the snide remark about honesty was directed at her also, even if you try to cloak it inn humility.
No egg here, just pointing out the stupidity of the headless big mouths of goliaths and company.
Yes, John it does matter.
The Pentateuch is historical fictoion. Adam and Eve are myth – Francis Collins has unequivocally demonstrated this with the Human Genome Project.
Iam mpressed yu carefully omitted Noah in you little diatribe in case we thoyght you might be a YEC and a Ken Ham affeciando.
But just in case …. that entire episode is palpable nonsense and the geology tells us.
If you wish to deny this then I suggest you sigh up for Hams newsletter and apply for a job selling tickets at the Ark Experience and lie to the kids.
Moses also is simply a fictional character that forms part of the entire Jewish foundation myth. The archeology tells us so and most Jews agree.
So no, there was no intention to make any such remark to Julie. If there was I am not so churlish to have felt the need to get at her via Wally.
That sir is your Hallmark.
Well, then to clarify. I concur with ColorStorm. He just uses nicer words.
I don’t have fancy words, so I just call you the coward, liar and bully that you are.
Have one
Hilarious. To the point further Wally. To say Adam never lived, no Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, no Exodus, no Moses, is to call the Lord Jesus Christ a liar.
Meanwhile back at the ranch……………..He IS the Truth. The sideshows of atheism has PT Barnum and the circus a leg up.
Amen, brother. Yeah, they call Him a liar, but love to quote Him when they point out how substandard a Chrisitan we are. Hypocrite much? LOL
Every Christian who has taken the trouble to educate themselves or is aware of the work done by Francis Collins – who, I take it, you know full well is an evangelical christian – knows that the story of Adam and Eve is just that … a story.
If you consider believing the truth of this makes the character Jesus of Nazareth a liar then let it be noted … you said it …
As for the rest … well, who are you to sit in your ivory tower and demand of the Jews that they must accept the Christian perspective regarding their foundational stories?
And what will you then do when your new hero Collins discovers he was missing some critical information, and then reveals his huge mistake?
Will you then have no longer use for him, or will you say he is then delusional?
There are no defects in God’s word, and Collins is simply misinformed.
Exactly as any honest individual would do. Evaluate the new evidence and act accordingly.
Which brings us to wonder why have you not adjusted your current attitude to the Human Genome Project, which is accepted throughout scientific circles. And a great many honest Christian ones as well.
Not only are you once again showing just how anti science and thoroughly ignorant you are, but your baiting is disingenuous and asinine in the extreme.
You are simply the epitome of hypocrisy.
Sorry ark, but I am apologizing to the host here for helping to derail further her initial interest….. but it’s important that I point out to you, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER PERSON, that sir Collins is not the Creator.
This must trouble you no end that there are actually believers who side with God and not Collins. His science is faulty, as is yours. God’s word can be trusted; it has been verified by the very best of men, (including He who is the embodiment of truth, Christ Himself, who spoke of Adam as a historical certainty,) as well as the apostle Paul, whose intellect is second to none, and I dare say, sir Collins should take a back seat.
And oh by the way, Mrs Adam, Evie, is the mother of ALL living, even you and Collins much to your dismay.
You creationist silliness won’t save your disingenuity, John, neither your willful ignorance.
You actually have no access to ”God’s word,” only the human interpretation of what it claims, which by the way, as far as Adam and Eve are concerned was never meant to be taken literally, even before Collins and his team arrived.
Furthermore, I feel confident that Julie is intelligent enough to be able to evaluate the evidence for herself.
And there we have it ….
You demonstrate the truth of your true nature every time you enter into dialogue.
You are dishonest, uncouth, ignorant and a blatant hypocrite.
Yeah, I’m uncouth for sure; raw like a cob. Why don’t you go away, find better company, and let this post be about what it is actually about?
@Wally
Perhaps you should read the dialogue?
I was chatting with Julie – Not you . You simply barged in and started blathering in your own inimitable style.
Open forum. Don’t like it? As the uncouth say….take a long walk from a short pier. If the blog host has an issue, she will address it. Meanwhile, as this does no service to her post, I am done with you on it.
Open forum it is.
And you are welcome to engage me. But the fact is, you never do.
You have your little tantrums, fling metaphorical faeces like an irate chimp, and then when you get called out for the outrageous and disingenuous manner in which you conduct yourself you sulk, put your YEC tail between your legs then run off like a spoiled child.
whose not who 🙂
Anywho… 😉
whowho 🙂