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June 25, 2005
WHOSE NAME IS IT ANYWAY? PART II
It has been difficult for me to engage in this kind of a conversation. However, to speak the truth in love is what is right. Here is the second email.
At issue here is some truth. St. Paul's, St. Thomas', St. Theodore's, and St. Andrew's are the churches in northwest Arkansas that are members of the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas and The Episcopal Church. That's just a fact. Your church is a different denomination with a heritage that is grounded in the Episcopal Church tradition. That's just fine. But honesty and integrity demands that you present yourself in a non-duplicitous way.Your argument is the same one I might make should I say that the Roman Catholic Church violated the "truth once delivered to the saints" with its pope and other accretions, and that my church is the true Catholic church. So, from now on, I would advertise my church as St. Paul's Catholic Church or even St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church. How false and confusing that would be to Catholics moving into NW Arkansas. It would be dishonest of me.
And here is my response:
I am not questioning your committment to Jesus Christ and your faith. It is what has been featured in your columns that I questioned. My take is not the same as yours. Definitely, you may be "holier than me". I agree. But I question what your opinions may do to simple people and their faith.
Coming to the issue. Your email did strike a nerve with me. Imagine if the situation were reversed and I came to you asking you to change the name of your church because of your subscribing to the same sex blessings. I have had difficulties with my people and others who inquire in clarifying that we are not ECUSA and that we are "Episcopalian" but do NOT belong or agree with the practices of ECUSA. I am sure you are aware that there are many people who take a firm stand against same sex blessings and liberalism in ECUSA and don't want to be associated with ECUSA for these reasons. Neither do we at UECNA.
To answer your question, St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church never advertised itself as part of ECUSA. Our Crest clearly would prove the significance of our identity. You are St. Paul's Episcopal Church (ECUSA). We are St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church (UECNA). For one thing St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church has been so called for over two decades. How come your eyes opened now and you need this change? It was called so even prior to my coming here. So what's the point in going this route, I wonder?
Secondly, in reference to your example of Catholicism, yes we are catholic. Does it sound crazy? The answer is, Yes we are as long as we proclaim the Nicene and Apostolic Creeds. If someone is ROMAN catholic, that's fine, but they can not claim exclusivity to the title. If so, where then do Greek Orthodox Catholic churches go? or Russian Orthodox catholic churches go? In the same way you are St. Paul's Episcopal Church, that is okay.
It seems that your church is undergoing a lot of change. In order to accommodate that you want people around you to change. Please go wherever the Lord leads you. But I will speak what I am convinced of and will stand up for it, as far as the Scripture and Traditions teach me and as the Lord leads me. My honesty commensurates with the time tested faith for which millions have shed their blood as martyrs and hence my duty as His servant to defend and proclaim it.
And I hope that we don't visit this issue again. You brought up this issue. Not me.
I hope this would address the issue and that we don't visit it again. But at times, we are called to fight this spiritual warfare and stand up for what we believe in, namely Christ and His values of His Kingdom.
Posted by frleo at June 25, 2005 1:51 PM
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Comments
I can't help but wonder if this pastor so concerned with protecting his flock from the supposed duplicity of laying claim to the term episcopal has made similar complaints to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. If not why not? Surely they too must threaten his flock with confusion. Or his confusion focused solely on episcopalians who disagree with the ECUSA?
Posted by: Brendon at June 26, 2005 5:46 PM
Brendon, this very topic was raised during our discussion yesterday at the church. I'm pretty sure that your last sentence nails it on the head.
Posted by: Matt at June 27, 2005 8:56 AM
Your responses to him are much more gracious than the responses that, I'm afraid, popped into my head. I guess his tolerance doesn't quite extend to Episcopalians who hold views different from his own.
Posted by: Bethany at June 30, 2005 2:39 PM
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