Defection.
“Two small parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia have quit the denomination over gay ordination and joined a like-minded group of dissident churches based in Northern Virginia. The break-away Anglican District of Virginia announced Friday that Christ Church in Emporia and Grace Church in Purdy had become members. The district now includes 23 parishes that have cut ties with the Episcopal Church.” [Hampton Roads]
The ironic part of the story is that the ones who are breaking away from the Epicopal church over the ordination and acceptance of GLBT community are actually going against their own church’s doctrine.
I hope that the Episcopal Church will use the considerable legal expertise and muscle of its members and established church to prevent these renegades from making off with church assets, while at the same time working towards reconciliation.
At least the Episcopaleans are confronting and working through this important issue, in contrast to the Roman Catholics who have an infallible pope.
Good let the bigots leave that church. No one wants their around anyway.
Apparently most Christians have forgotten how radical Jesus was in his day. This continued splintering will, for both bad and good, eventually make Christianity irrelevant. The funny part is the defectors haven’t a clue that is what they’re doing in their misguided effort to “remain pure.”