No Safe Place: A Sample of the New Orthodoxy and Your SIN

I mentioned earlier in beginning this series that Richard John Neuhaus almost ten years ago saw the familiar churchly old orthodoxy being subplanted by a liberal new orthodoxy that is both aggressive and mandatory.

Opposing this new orthodoxy, especially in the areas of “justice” and identity, is an intolerable sin. Yes, I used the “s” word. Us traditional types tend to stereotype liberals as ignoring the existence of sin. But liberals usually do believe in its existence. It’s just that their idea of sin can at times be the polar opposite of the traditional view of sin.

Further, much of traditional orthodoxy falls into their categories of sin. For a sample of that, read proposed resolution number 4 for the Diocese of California:

Resolved, that the 157th Convention of the Diocese of California commit the Diocese to listen to the stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, and directs Oasis/California, the diocesan LGBT ministry, to develop and implement a diocesan-wide listening process in 2007 with the support of Diocesan Council; and be it further

Resolved, that this process include: a report to the 158th Convention with recommendations to address heterosexism in our diocesan culture and institutions, and to assist congregations to embrace fully the ministries of LGBT people; a recorded history of LGBT ministries in the Diocese of California; and a “truth and reconciliation” liturgy at Grace Cathedral to repent of the sin of heterosexism and renew our baptismal promises; and be it further
Resolved, that this process and report be offered to the appropriate Episcopal Church Center Staff and the Anglican Communion Office Secretariat as a contribution to the Communion-wide listening process.

I’ve confessed I don’t understand liberals as well as I should, but let me translate anyway: “If you have a traditional view that homosexual conduct is sin, YOU are guilty of the sin of heterosexism. We do not tolerate such sin. You must repent of that sin. And here’s our friends at Oasis to help you repent of that sin.” (Translation over.)

And note that the sin is described as heterosexism. I’ll venture to say it’s put into the same category as other isms like racism, i.e. it is a sin against an oppressed person’s identity, the very sort of sin the new orthodoxy detests – and seeks to eliminate.

If you think holding, and acting upon, traditional views of morality will be tolerated in such an environment for long, think again.

By the way, isn’t a San Francisco diocese confessing the sin of heterosexism kinda like a Texan confessing the sin of, say, cheering for the New York Yankees? Oh that’s right. Liberals enjoy confessing other people’s sins.