"...now we have the idea gaining acceptance that biological sex and one's personal gender identity can be at variance with each other, with more and more gender identities being invented." --- San Francisco Cardinal Salvatore Cordileone

It is a fact that Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner, for all the struggle he may endure and goodness he may have, is a man. No matter how much hormone therapy he receives, no matter how many surgeries he undergoes, he will never have an actual female reproductive system and every cell in his body will maintain the chromosomal truth--XY. --- Robert Vega

The opinion by Judge Sutton of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit -- upholding traditional marriage points out that "[n]obody in this case ... argues that the people who adopted the Fourteenth Amendment understood it to require the States to change the definition of marriage." DeBoer v. Snyder, 772 F.3d 388, 403 (6th Cir. 2014) (emphasis added). Laymen logically deduce that's the end of the matter. After all, Justice Douglas succinctly described the Amendment in his autobiography: "The Fourteenth Amendment was passed to give blacks first-class citizenship."

The idea that one's sex is a feeling, not a fact, has permeated our culture and is leaving casualties in its wake. Gender dysphoria should be treated with psychotherapy, not surgery. --- Paul McHugh, Witherspoon Institute

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
June 12, 2015

Traditional/conservative/orthodox Christians have lost, and lost decisively, in the battle over same sex marriage. The battle is no longer in the public square; it is within our churches.

This week the announcement came that social justice evangelist Tony Campolo has rolled over on same sex marriage and now supports persons in such relationships. He wasn't the only one. Former Christianity Today editor David Neff on Facebook praised Campolo's move. As he put it in an email clarifying his comment, "I think the ethically responsible thing for gay and lesbian Christians to do is to form lasting, covenanted partnerships. I also believe that the church should help them in those partnerships in the same way the church should fortify traditional marriages."

NO, NO, NO. You cannot change the ontology of marriage ordained and created by God as male and female and make it into something else. God has not changed His mind because a bunch of folk at the beginning of the 21st Century think He has or that they think they can change God's mind for Him. They can't and He hasn't.

The Rev. Canon Dr. Vinay K. Samuel, founder of the Oxford Centre of Mission Studies and Executive Director of The International Fellowship of Evangelical Mission Theologians, says this is a critical time for western evangelicals, particularly American evangelicals. "Culturally Transformative agendas are now forcefully driven by anti-traditional, anti-Christian, largely secular forces. American evangelicals are finding it difficult to be cultural defenders let alone cultural transformers. If the western bastion of biblical faith falls in this area the gainer will be Islam and the pressure on African churches from Islam will increase. I think evangelicalism will divide on this issue in the States and that will roll into UK as well.

"We need to be prepared and alert the nonwestern church to be prepared as the campaign to co-opt nonwestern evangelicals to the inclusive evangelical side will get stronger. What TEC is doing will be done by some evangelical groups in America who will become inclusive on the SSM issue."

If you want to know how it's done, read and learn. The gay strategy has become all too clear. Exploit the "victim" status; use the sympathetic media; confuse and neutralize the churches; slander and stereotype Christians; bait and switch (hide their true nature); and intimidation. "The six ways homosexual activists manipulate public opinion" http://tinyurl.com/ncfpz6r is the same formula used by the feminist movement to devastating effect in the Church. See also "To be joined together" here http://tinyurl.com/orph6sv

*****

Former Episcopal Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold, who coined the terms "pluriform truths" and "generous orthodoxy," confirmed six persons Sunday at the Church of the Good Samaritan -- once a landmark evangelical episcopal parish in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. He was joined by a GAFCON Kenyan bishop from the Diocese of Bondo who was also invited to the service.

The rector of the parish, Fr. Richard Morgan, an Englishman, elected to call Griswold -- even though the former Presiding Bishop single-handedly did more damage to the Episcopal Church by ordaining an openly practicing homosexual priest, Gene Robinson to be the bishop of New Hampshire in 2003, causing the biggest exodus from The Episcopal Church resulting in the formation of the Anglican Church in North America.

"Being part of the communion of the church means being in communion with all sorts of people who we don't always agree with. Relationship is always better than hostility," Morgan told VOL in an e-mail.

A layman in the parish told VOL that the invitation was an "appalling act of institutional ignorance."

A priest critical of Morgan's answer that "fellowship is always better than hostility" asked, really? Does fellowship always equal "full communion in the life of the church" because the only other option is abject hatred?

*****

The Archbishop of Kenya, the Most Rev. Dr. Eliud Wabukala blasted the Kenyan bishop for participating in a confirmation service by former Episcopal Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold in Paoli, PA on June 7.

"It is a matter of great regret to learn that the Bishop of Bondo (the Rt. Rev. Johannes Angela), in my province recently took part in an Episcopal Church confirmation service with former Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold.

"It was under Bishop Griswold's leadership that the Episcopal Church of the United States took the decision to consecrate as a bishop Gene Robinson, a man in an openly homosexual relationship. In this way, the Episcopal Church defied the common mind of the Anglican Communion and set in motion the unhappy divisions we have to deal with today. We do of course long for reconciliation, but true reconciliation comes from repentance and the Episcopal Church seems determined to press forward in its rejection of biblical truth.

"I must therefore make it entirely clear that the Bishop of Bondo represents only himself and his action contradicts the position of the Anglican Church of Kenya."

*****

In Ft. Worth, TX, the court left All Saints' Episcopal Church property in the Diocese led by Bishop Jack Iker. Attorneys for the Diocese, Corporation, and parishes returned to district court this week for oral arguments concerning two pieces of property held in trust for All Saints' Church. All Saints' had been severed out of the main property ruling issued in favor of Iker's diocese by the Hon. John P. Chupp on March 2.

Today's decision by the court was consistent with that earlier order. Judge Chupp found that the main church building and parish hall, as well as the original rectory, are properly owned by the Diocesan Corporation and held in trust for the faithful members of the All Saints' congregation remaining in union with the Diocese.

*****

An openly homosexual Church of Ireland priest has called for a split between north and south due to "seismic differences of theological understanding" separating the two regions.

In response to the Republic's referendum on same-sex marriage, Portadown-born Rev. Tom Gordon, the Dean of Leighlin in Co Carlow, said the "yes" vote has resulted in a crisis within the church. He is in a civil partnership with his same-sex partner of 20 years.

Gordon caused considerable controversy in 2011 when he entered into a civil partnership -- leading the General Synod to set up a select committee to consider matters of sexuality.

Writing in the latest edition of the "Church of Ireland Gazette", he said a "reality check" could emerge, adding, "If the Church of Ireland in the Republic is to survive, it may be time for us to reflect on the seismic differences which now exist between the church's southern and northern constituencies."

You can read the full story in today's digest.

*****

The Scottish Episcopal Church is to vote next week on whether to set in motion a process for allowing its clergy to wed same-sex couples.

Legislation allowing for same-sex marriage came into effect December 31, 2014, but to date the traditional church denominations have not revisited their own definitions of marriage. Both the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church remain -- at this time -- opposed to conducting same-sex marriages, while the Episcopal Church's canon law unequivocally defines marriage as "between one man and one woman".

A committee of the Scottish Episcopal Church plans to review and potentially change this point of canon law. The doctrine committee believes that there is no easy scriptural definition of marriage and that there exists a theological basis on which to bless same-sex unions. While not drawing firm conclusions, the committee's report suggests that the purpose of marriage is "mutual comfort and support" and suggests, that "complementarity speaks not of essential male or female characteristics but of a dynamic within couples that exists regardless of sexual identity".

This will be the first time that the Episcopal Church -- or indeed, any mainstream denomination in Scotland -- has voted specifically on the question of conducting same-sex marriages.

The vote will not be final, but instead will set in motion a process by which canon law can be changed.

The Bishop of St Andrews, the Most Rev David Chillingworth, commented, "What is likely to attract most attention at this year's General Synod is the beginning of a process through which the Church shall consider whether it wishes to consider change to its Canons on Marriage."

*****

Mary Irwin-Gibson, dean and rector of St. George's Cathedral in Kingston since 2009, has been elected the first female bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal in its 165-year history.

Irwin-Gibson, 59, who served parishes in the diocese of Montreal between 1981 and 2009, was elected bishop on a fourth ballot on Sat., June 6, over another woman candidate, the Rev. Karen L. Egan, 57, director of pastoral studies at the Montreal Diocesan Theological College. She will succeed Bishop Barry Clarke, 62, who is retiring in late August after serving since 2004.

"Montreal has always been in my heart," said Irwin-Gibson after her election was announced. The bishop-elect served as rector of Holy Trinity Church in the resort community of Ste. Agathe des Monts, in the Laurentians, from 1991 to 2009.

Two other candidates, nominated in advance, dropped out after polling behind the two women in the first two ballots. Bishop Dennis Drainville, 61, of the diocese of Quebec, was seeking to promote the merger of his diocese, in central and eastern Quebec, with the diocese of Montreal.

Irwin-Gibson listed nine priorities, of which the sixth was, "to continue the Diocese of Montreal's inclusive policy of ordaining partnered gay people." She was the only one of four whose statement mentioned the topic.

*****

Are things that bad for evangelicals in America? Missiologist Ed Stetzer of LifeWay Research talked with scholar and sociologist Dr. Rodney Stark at Baylor University. He does not identify as an evangelical.

Stetzer: What's your kind of perception of the state of evangelicalism now?

Stark: Well, I think this notion that they're shrinking is stupid. And it's fiddling with the data in quite malicious ways. I see no such evidence.

Stetzer: It seems that that's the prevailing narrative now, though.

Stark: I'm writing a book called The Global Religious Awakening, because there is more religion going on in the world than ever before. And I've got data from 163 countries collected by Gallup annual polls. The section on the United States when I get to the end, the whole section is going to be called, "Bad News Bearers."

*****

What happens when the transcendent and Christianity part company. For the Anglican Church of Canada, Easter Day now becomes Earth Day.

Postulants for this new religion are given the LED of Christ and a baptism of a near-waterless shower. This Koinonia of the malodorous must piously recycle, reuse, compost, and abstain from braking, accelerating, dirty investing, and driving on flabby tires. If that isn't heaven on earth, I don't know what is, writes orthodox Anglican writer Samizdat.

In lieu of public self-flagellation with bound copies of the Truth and Reconciliation Report, backsliders, will be permitted to recite 100 Hail Marks of Mission under the direction of an eco-bishop. Indulgences may be purchased here.

An ACoC press release revealed this: "An Easter people respond to climate change by proclaiming the good news, by proclaiming the good news through taking actions that honor our Creation......

Here are some things we can do:

1) Use water efficiently. Every time you shower, wash your hands, wash dishes, or drink water, give thanks for this resource and consider how you might avoid wasting it.

2) Reduce waste and recycle. I just spoke with someone this week who has a friend who has two young children, but together as a family they have pledged to go an entire year with zero waste. Perhaps you can't get to zero waste, but consider how you might reduce your waste, by composting, using reusable products or buying products with less packaging.

3) Drive smart, avoid hard accelerations or braking, get regular maintenance, check your tire pressure. Or better yet, give the car a break now and then and take public transit. On your next car purchase, buy a fuel efficient vehicle.

4) Use LED light bulbs.

5) Reuse and recycle all you can.

6) Review your investments and divest from those companies known to be the biggest polluters. Start with the much published list of the 200 dirtiest companies.

7) Write letters to our leaders and tell them combating climate change must be a priority.

Like what happened to the ORIGINAL Easter story...not to be found apparently.

*****

It is with tremendous sadness that Dr. Tony Campolo, well-known evangelical activist, educator, speaker, and founder of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education (EAPE), released a statement on his blog announcing his official change of heart and mind on LGBTQ inclusion in the church.

In the statement he writes, "While I have always tried to communicate grace and understanding to people on both sides of the issue, my answer to that question has always been somewhat ambiguous. One reason for that ambiguity was that I felt I could do more good for my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters by serving as a bridge person, encouraging the rest of the Church to reach out in love and truly get to know them. The other reason was that, like so many other Christians, I was deeply uncertain about what was right. It has taken countless hours of prayer, study, conversation and emotional turmoil to bring me to the place where I am finally ready to call for the full acceptance of Christian gay couples into the Church."

His wife, Peggy has been an advocate for full inclusion for many years, while Tony has notably remained unchanged in his position about what the Scriptures teach about same-sex relationships. Until now.

He was promptly taken to task by David Robertson, Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland. He says that for years Campolo has accepted homosexual relationships and SSM. When he says he didn't, he was being "economical with the truth."

Robert Gagnon, Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, writes, "I have known for about a decade that Campolo accepted homosexual unions. In my view, he kept it quiet so that it wouldn't affect his book sales and speaking engagements in an evangelical context."

Robertson rips Campolo and pleads with him, "You were seeking to deceive and manipulate the people of God to turn away from the Word of God. You are using the age-old trick of the ultimate father of lies -- "did God really say?" Even your latest statement is full of manipulation and emotional bullying. You want the church to be more 'welcoming' thereby accusing those of us who hold to the biblical position as being unwelcoming. That is just simply not true. It does not follow that you cannot welcome sinners into the church if you do not agree with their particular sin. We are welcoming to all people, because all are sinners who need a saviour. But please do not ask us to excuse sin, whether in ourselves or others, in order to be welcoming. I actually think it is 'unloving' to our homosexual and lesbian brothers and sisters to welcome them and then distort the Word of God."

He pleaded with Campolo, saying, "I don't believe that 'lying for Jesus' can ever be justified. I don't claim to have never done that. But I know there is forgiveness at the foot of the cross, and that is where I would plead for you to turn. Turn away from the manipulation, lies and false teachings of our culture. Be radical. Return to the cross. Return to the Christ of the cross. Return to the word of the Christ of the cross..."

In the interests of full disclosure, I was on the board of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education (EAPE), Tony's public ministry, an umbrella organization for a number of social justice initiatives for more than 20 years. I travelled with him to Haiti on one occasion, so I am deeply saddened by his departure from the faith on this issue. Despite his compassionate concern for homosexuals, he has failed to make the case theologically or ontologically for pansexual behaviors of this kind. I believe it will undermine a life time of ministry and for that I am deeply sorry. His wife has always fully accepted homosexuality as normative. Recently, their son Bart announced that he had left the faith altogether to become a humanist.

However, it's not at all certain that the rapid cultural shift in America on gay marriage will be mirrored in the Christian church. North American and European Christians who believe in gay marriage are a small minority in these regions; churches that ascribe to a more liberal sexual ethic continue to wither. Meanwhile, poll Christians in Africa, Asia, and practically anywhere in the world, and you'll hear a resounding "no" to gay marriage. Scan the history of the church for 2,000 years and you'll have a hard time turning up any Christian who would support same-sex marriage. The church has been and remains overwhelmingly united. It's undergoing stress, certainly. But the evidence doesn't support a narrative of division and collapse on this point.

*****

On Saturday, June 20, Holy Redeemer Anglican Church, Montross, VA, will celebrate the 408th anniversary of the first communion service at Jamestown, VA. The Anglican Church of Virginia(ACOVA) bishop will be present and the Virginia Scots Guards Drum and Bagpipe group will lead the procession.

*****

Is Britain still a Christian country? According to the latest British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey, the answer would appear to be a resounding no. The Church of England is shown to be in its sharpest decline yet; the numbers of people identifying themselves as belonging to it have fallen from 40 per cent of the population in 1983 to just 17 per cent today. In the meantime, other religions have increased from two per cent to eight per cent, with Islam doubling its official figures to nearly five per cent of the population.

According to Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, the numbers conceal demographic time bombs of various kinds. The Muslim population, for example, is set to keep on rising because of both larger families and immigration. In some parts of the country, children from Muslim backgrounds already form a large part of the school age population. At the same time, the Black-led churches are also growing, for similar reasons: immigration and births. People of other faiths - Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism - are also increasing (only Judaism is on the decline), so it's not just about the expansion of Islam. Immigration has affected, to a greater or lesser extent, the numbers of all religious communities. The figures of the Roman Catholic Church are holding up, largely because of Eastern European, Asian, African, and Latin American immigration. Statistics for the Church of England would be much worse, especially with the low figure in London, without the fact of substantial immigration over the last 50 to 60 years.

Nevertheless, the proliferation of other faiths and backgrounds in Britain needs to be addressed, in order to avoid the dangers of isolated, segregated communities, which can be vulnerable to radicalization in terms of religious ideology, as well as to the political manipulation which we have witnessed most recently in East London.

*****

In Newcastle, Australia, Police have renewed calls for Anglican clergy abuse victims to come forward. A police strike force in the Hunter Valley has renewed calls for survivors to come forward. It has been nine months since police launched Strike Force Arinya-2 to investigate alleged child sexual assaults associated with Anglican clergy and lay people in the Hunter Valley, dating back 40 years.

The strike force is focusing on allegations of child sexual assault by those associated with the Newcastle Diocese, including the handling of assault allegations.

Police have told the ABC that they are continuing to appeal for information and are strongly urging anyone who has been a victim of abuse, or has knowledge of such actions, to contact them.

The ABC has previously been told about alleged cover-ups within the Anglican Church. Former Newcastle Anglican Bishop Brian Farran said he sympathized with any victim who felt their complaints were ignored.

*****

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop and Primate Katharine Jefferts Schori has been invited by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev. Dr. John Hall, to participate in a panel discussion and preach at London's historic Westminster Abbey on June 13 and 14.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to join in the ancient worship life of the Abbey and I am grateful to the Dean for his invitation to preach," Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori commented. "I give thanks for the growing and lively relationships between our two provinces of the Anglican Communion."

On Saturday, June 13, Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori will participate in a panel discussion on Church and State relations. She will preach on Sunday, June 14 at the 11:15 am Sung Eucharist.

The Dean of Westminster said, "The Abbey welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors and worshippers from the United States each year. It will be a particular pleasure to welcome Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who has visited the Abbey on previous occasions, as our guest and preacher on this occasion. We look forward to further strengthening the historic links between our countries and churches."

Does the Dean know what she really believes...that she cannot affirm the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead, poured scorn on people who expressed a personal faith in Jesus Christ at the last General Convention, said the Apostle Paul should have listened to the girl who had a demonic spirit! Is the Dean this stupid? Apparently.

"We often in the church focus our attention on differences in reproductive customs and norms -- yet both the grape vine and the olive tree has multiple ways to be generative. Flowers can be fertilized by pollen from the same plant or another one. The fruit and seeds that result are eaten by birds and animals and left to grow far from the original plant, yet they are still related. The vine also generates new branches from its rootstock or from distant parts of its branches. But all those kinds of vines and branches are related, however they come about." Katherine Jefferts Schori (March 21, 2015)

*****

Apparently the job never amounted to much and now, in less than three years, the Rev. Michael Fuller of St. John's Shaughnessy in Vancouver, BC has quit. The former cigarette magnate -- "The Marlboro Man" -- was brought in after 98% of the parish left with the Rev. Dr. David Short to safer spiritual climes over the diocese's acceptance and promotion of sodomy under the former bullying Bishop Michael Ingham. Ingham approached Rowan Williams about finding St. John's a suitable priest to come to Canada to rebuild the congregation after Short had left the premises. Fuller had been the successful priest of an "Affirming Anglican" parish in England. He arrived with great hoopla. He inherited 50 "loyal" ACoC members, but couldn't make the church grow. On January 15, 2015, Fuller introduced same-sex blessings to St. John's, his farewell "gift" to the church.

The diocese recently "re-purposed" St. John's as the new Diocesan Headquarters, into which the diocesan offices and archives, as well as the lady bishop, have now moved (into the church hall, which the diocese refitted as its new HQ). The all show and no substance priest has quit and that, dear friends, is what the Diocese of New Westminster is all about today.

*****

The Rt. Rev. Mark Sowerby, a traditionalist Church of England bishop, now says he supports the ordination of women. The leading traditionalist bishop has changed his mind on the ordination of women in a volte face that astonished clergy and laity on both sides of the debate. The Bishop of Horsham, whose area as a suffragan covers much of West Sussex, has decided to accept the sacramental ministry of all women and men ordained as deacon, priest, and bishop "after much prayer and soul searching". He has, as a result, resigned as a member of the Council of Bishops of the Society, the body set up in 2010 to promote and maintain Catholic teaching and practice within the Church of England. It also provides episcopal oversight for parishes that do not wish to accept the ministry of a woman priest or bishop.

*****

The Anglican Church of Canada and The United Church of Canada have begun an (ongoing) dialogue on unity. These are the first formal conversations between the two denominations since the end of the Plan of Union talks in the 1970s.

*****

FINALLY. Do you know if your veterinarian is a raging liberal? Is your hairdresser a member of the far right? Is your exterminator a fan of Team Hillary or Team Jeb? No way to know, right? Well, maybe there is. A place called Verdant Labs has come up with a chart using data from the Federal Election Commission that compares political contributions to occupations. It found some definite trends, such as flight attendants tend to be liberals while pilots are likely conservatives. Taxi driver, pediatrician, chef and Episcopal priest? Most likely, they are all liberal. Big-rig driver, neurosurgeon, business owner, and Catholic priest? Chances are they are conservative.

*****

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