Episcoblog - The Online Journal of the Rt. Rev. Leo Michael

Perhaps a better title for your piece would have been “Growing away from the scriptures.” It seems fairly obvious that you consider current wisdom superior to the faith of the Apostles, Saints and Martyrs.Never mind that the first three-quarters of the editorial was built on some of the worst logic I’ve ever seen in print. You consistently confused culture with theology. To use your own example of slavery in New Testament times, the very fact that Paul admonished Christian masters and slaves to love one another as brothers does more than condemn slavery. It was a challenge to the very institution of slavery.How preposterous it must of seemed to a 1st century slave owner to be told to love a piece of property as a member of his family!

But the most egregious portion of your editorial was saved for the
last. First, you bring up the role of women. However, I noticed that
you were particularly vague in this regard. Are you talking about the role of women in the home? The Church? The workplace? The bedroom? I suppose it better serves your purpose to keep things vague so that your readers can assume any number of trendy hot-button issues about which to get worked up.

And secondly, about the issue of the place of homosexuality in today’s church. I have read many times in your columns that Jesus never addressed homosexuality. Thus, you feel comfortable in subscribing to the modern day views about the gay lifestyle. However, Jesus had quite a bit to say about marriage did he not? And without fail, when he spoke of marriage it was in the context of the union of a man and a woman,the bride and the bridegroom. It would stand to reason then that anything that does not conform to the model that Jesus proclaimed would be contrary to his teachings.

Which brings us to the rub I think. The more I read your words, the
more I question if you even believe in Christ. You are awfully fond of the phrase “the spirit of Jesus.” But frankly that is a phrase I can hear from just about any New Age quack in the self-help section of the local bookstore. The very fact that you are open to “discussing whether our religion is the only one true religion” makes me fear for your eternal soul. Even a cursory reading of Church history and the Church Fathers would reveal how far you have strayed from the faith once given. And what, may I ask, do you say about the Scriptures themselves and the very words of Jesus that state unequivocally that He is the only Way? As the estimable C.S. Lewis wrote Jesus was either who He claimed to be, or He was a lunatic and a liar. There is no middle ground to His claims.

I noticed in your example of your friend’s testimony regarding John
3:16 that you never got around to the part of the verse “whosoever
believes in Him.” I supposed that part of the verse is just too rigid for you and your friend’s tastes. I can think of no other reason why you ignored that one portion of the verse.

You are entitled to your views, sir. But I think it’s high time you
consider calling yourself something other than Christian. Your views
are an insult to every drop of blood shed for the cause of Christ, from Jesus himself all the way down to the modern-day martyrs of Asia and Africa. You preach a cheap grace, sir. One that says nothing of sin or repentance.

Apostasy. Heresy. These are the words that describe what you’ve been
writing. And every faithful Christian who reads or hears your words
should denounce you as apostate and heretic.

Sincerely,
Phil Gilbreath