1 John 2:19 Illustrated

Jon Harris and I do not see eye to eye on everything.  He’s very Baptist.  I’m very Anglican.  And he is one of the few that can make me look moderate at times.  Nonetheless I think he hit it out of the park with his analysis of “These Evangelical Women Are Abandoning Trump and the Church.”

I am not going to rehash either his video nor the article.  But several thoughts came to mind as I watched and then read:

1. If someone would leave a church over members voting for Trump, that says more about that one’s priorities and commitment to the church than about those who vote for Trump.  People voting in self-defense for Trump against the Democrats and Hillary was not wrong.  And even if you disagree, it is not grounds for leaving a church. 

And yes, I am also talking about Jemar Tisby and other whining Woke Churchers who have oh-so lamented evangelicals voting for Trump.  They need to grow up.  Better yet, they need to repent of smearing millions of Christians who voted to stop or at least slow this country’s descent into totalitarian evil.

2. Evangelical churches are not blameless for young evangelicals leaving.  And the article actually does have some valid criticisms.  I’ve railed against The Evangelical Church of What’s Happening Now, skinny jeans and all.  Many evangelical pastors probably think catechesis is a disease.  There has been too much seeker sensitive pablum and not enough making disciples.  And, yes, some churches are among the many institutions that have enabled abuse.

But the women mentioned in the article need to look in the mirror more and blame their past churches less.  I will get to that.  Hey, I’ve had bad experiences in evangelical churches, too.  I let God use that to strengthen me in the faith instead of the opposite.

3. Bad generations happen even when leadership is excellent.  Joshua was one of the best leaders in the Bible, yet after he died, “there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (Judges 2: 10,11)

Parents and churches are a vitally important influence on children.  But man is evil, and evil generations can and do arise even when led well.

And, yes, I think this generation that is leaving the church and attacking America is an evil generation.  They are not to be coddled or accommodated.  The church is to call them repentance.  The church should not change to appease them.

4. Finally, and most importantly, there is 1 John 2:19:

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (ESV)

This verse kept coming to mind again and again as I watched Harris’ video and read the article.  If someone goes to work for a pro-abortion organization or for the likes of Elizabeth Warren, she is evil.  She was not a faithful Christian in the first place.  The church is better off without her.  Yes, I said it. (* But do see below.)

Yes, the church should mourn that any, especially those once among the church, so choose to run after evil.  And the church should always look to see if it is doing anything amiss.  But at the same time a church should repel such evil.   A faith that doesn’t offend anyone is not The Faith.  Furthermore . . .

…You are to deliver [such people] to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that [their] spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

In no way should they be told that their apostasy is acceptable or justified.  They should also be told they are welcome to return if they repent.

But they left their churches and descended into such evil because they are evil.  Not because church people voted for Trump. 

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* Please note that, like the article and video, I am talking about people who once were active in somewhat orthodox churches and once claimed to be Christians.  We should not expect those never or rarely in the church to exercise Christian discernment and should be much more gentle and patient with them.  I once was pro-abortion, but I repented of that and of much more thanks to God and to patient Christians who gently taught me the truth.

Letter of Dr. Pusey Discovered

One never knows what one may find in an old book.

The Librarian of Pusey House and her assistants has just experienced this and with joy.  From the pusey.librarian instagram account:

“In possibly the most exciting volunteer shift ever to take place at Pusey House Library, our preservation assistant Kathryn has discovered a letter from Dr. Pusey to his mother, just lurking casually in one of Pusey’s old books!”

Quite a find indeed.

George Conger Goes Yard on Wokeness and ACNA

I nearly titled this post “And You Thought I’m Hard on ACNA.”  For during Anglican Unscripted 611, Fr. George Conger pulled few punches in going after wokeness, ACNA, and wokeness in ACNA.

Using his working class parishioners as examples, he pushes back against the notion that racism is America’s biggest problem, beginning around 5 minutes in.  Then after about 8 minutes in, he gets around to woke clergy in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).  Wow, did he get around to woke clergy in ACNA.  See for yourself.

Both George and Kevin rightly see that the “so woke” clergy “nuts and kooks” in ACNA need to be “roped in” lest they drag ACNA down to Episcopalian levels in 20 years.  George said part of the problem is that much of ACNA is more “The Church of What’s Happening Now” than Anglican.

Hmm, who else has been concerned about The Evangelical Church of What’s Happening Now?

He also said ACNA bishops need to step up and lead against wokeness.  He is right.  

Anyway, this video is a must see for all in ACNA.

A Timely Collect

Anyone who does not know that the traditional Book of Common Prayer is inspired by God Himself needs to examine this week’s collect and then repent.  Yes, the Collect for the 5^th Sunday after Trinity is that timely right now:

Grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness, thought Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And the peace of the church is now endangered, not only in many areas of the world where the flames of persecution rage, but now in the United States as well.  Churches are under attack by woke totalitarians.  Taylor Marshall spells out well our current situation.  (Yes, there’s some popery in this video, of course.  He is nonetheless right on persecution.)

Don’t put in your head in the sand.  God’s holy church is a chief target of these woke totalitarians.  Totalitarians always target the church.  So pray and prepare.  This week the Book of Common Prayer gives us an excellent and timely prayer.

ACNA’s Gamble

Somewhat missed in the midst of all the mayhem lately, both churchly and worldly, is the following ACNA news reported by Jeff Walton:

Bishop John Guernsey, Dean of Provincial Affairs, has been tasked by the College of Bishops to put together a Working Group on Race, Racism, and Racial Reconciliation “to help us talk as Biblical Christians in the midst of a polarized culture.”

Given the difficulties the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), among other churches, is having in dealing with issues relating to race and racism, this is an understandable decision.  But it is also a gamble though most of ACNA may not know it yet.

I should say right off that from what I’ve been told, this Working Group is very early in its formation. If even part of its composition or remit has been determined, I am not aware of that.  Thus this post if based only on the initial information Walton has reported.  If anything is going on behind the scenes that is proving me right or wrong, I do not know.

Having said that, forming this Working Group is not without merit.  Issues surrounding race and wokeness are creating not a little discord in ACNA.  Some of you may have noticed that.  It is not only the culture that is getting “polarized.”  This contention is one more strain on unity ACNA does not need.  If done well, the Working Group could provide a relatively peaceful channel for discussion.  Further, bishops and priests who may be pressured to take sides could defer to the Working Group, saying they would like to wait and hear what it has to say.

Yes, that may seem to be passing the buck.  But as contentious as these issues are now, it might be wise to defer these to a future time with the hope that it will be a calmer time.  This might be a better way to proceed than trying to ignore these issues, which is virtually impossible anyway, or by having it out now in either an organized or disorganized fashion during this angry polarized time. 

Still the formation of the Working Group has potential pitfalls.  Bishop Guernsey, being the Dean of Provincial Affairs, was a logical choice to form it.  However, many among the more conservative in ACNA do not have a great deal of trust towards him.  Whether that lack of trust is justified or not, or is a reflection on him or on those who distrust him, I will leave aside.  But if the Working Group acts in ways that displease conservatives, they will that much more likely see those ways as intended from the start and from the highest levels of ACNA.

A related potential pitfall could be the selection of those to join the Group.  For one thing, to simply put in the Group those most interested in racial issues would be a mistake because the result would likely be a composition slanted towards wokeness since woke people are rather obsessed with race.  In any case, it is of the upmost importance that the Working Group not be slanted towards the “justice” wing of ACNA.

Another pitfall and perhaps the biggest gamble the College of Bishops of ACNA is taking by creating this Working Group is that they are raising the stakes.  Now there will be a more prominent group formed by and just below the College of Bishops that will likely be making pronouncements on these contentious issues.  Yes, there are already groups at the provincial level that have spoken to such issues, such as the Anglican Multi-ethnic Network, but these are perceived as projects.  The Working Group will be seen as of higher and more central authority.  Its pronouncements will be perceived as speaking more for ACNA.  (I am talking about perceptions here.  I am not in a position to know what, if any, authority the Group will actually have to speak for ACNA.)

Of course, if the Group’s pronouncements are wise and in line with scripture instead of in line with wokeness, that could be a good thing indeed.  Certainly, Archbishop Foley’s recent statements in this area, particularly his statement to the Provincial Council, have been helpful overall.  But it could be that, to lessen the risk of division, the Working Group may choose to avoid making statements or be very selective in so doing.  We shall see.  

Combine all this and perhaps unforeseen developments, and there is the risk that the Working Group will eventually end up being perceived as a pre-ordained effort to put ACNA in the Woke Church camp.  That this will further strain ACNA’s unity goes without saying.  Note that I see this as a worst possible scenario and that I am saying there is a risk that the result will be such a perception.  I am not making a prediction, nor am I saying such a perception would be fair.  I am saying the ACNA College of Bishops has just taken a big risk.

I am not even saying it is wrong to take this risk.  For ACNA’s current ad hoc approach to addressing this area is not working well.  Divisions within ACNA are getting worse.  An effort “to help us talk as Biblical Christians in the midst of a polarized culture” is surely needed.  So this risk, this gamble if you will, is noble and perhaps even wise.  But it is still a gamble and one worth watching.

Sorry I’ve Disappeared

Yes, I haven’t written here in a while (although still have opined and ranted on my twitter feed).  For a while, I just was neither that creative nor energetic about writing.  Then I got busy with matters outside this blog.

But I am almost past both periods.  I expect to edify and enrage next week.