A Church in Name Only: ECUSA

My hope and prayer is that someday RSP starts his own blog. But as he’s told me many times, it’s not his calling. His calling is to be a gifted reporter on the crisis within the ECUSA. Once the proud home of Presidents and heroes, my denomination is now a Church in name only. Here’s an example from RSP of a resolution that was rejected at GC ’06:
This resolution won’t be passed by this General Convention – It has been rejected in Committee:

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.

According to the Pittsburgh deputation:

“…debate in the evangelism committee indicated that many believed
this basic statement of Christian and Anglican belief about Jesus and
salvation would be controversial if debated in the house and
counterproductive to the church’s mission.”

RSP’s writings from the Convention have been a constant source of both encouragement and consternation for me. The tear in a once great denomination can only widen following this convention.

The History Behind The News Explained – An E-mail

I realize that this is somewhat lengthy; but, I think you will it quite enlightening on the “War on Terrorism “. You owe it to yourself to give it a strong scan if you don’t read it all.

It came to me via e-mail (as allot of moving and also erroneous things are).

The originally attributed facts are erroneous but the essay is still a powerful one.

If you care, find out more about the veracity of this e-mail here.

Subject: Muslims, terrorist and the USA. A different spin on Iraq war.

This WAR is for REAL!

To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WWII).

The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means.

First, let’s examine a few basics:

1. When did the threat to us start?
Many will say September 11, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us:

* Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979;
* Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983;
* Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983;
* Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988;
* First New York World Trade Center attack 1993;
* Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996;
* Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998;
* Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998;
* Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000;
* New York World Trade Center 2001;
* Pentagon 2001.

(Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide).

2. Why were we attacked?

Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms. The attacks happened during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton and Bush 2. We cannot fault either the Republicans or Democrats as there were no provocations by any of the presidents or their immediate predecessors, Presidents Ford or Carter.