The Oregonian had written an article over our leaving The Episcopal Church and Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Think Out Loud feature a discussion between our priest, FR. David Humphrey, and the Bishop of Oregon Rt. Rev. Michael J. Hanley Or priest admit this was not the kind of publicity we need and did a good job on the show. The Oregon article was not bad but some of the comments give reason for my reason in voting to leave.
In regards to Rt. Rev. Hanley comments, I am one who decided along with 100 or so to leave church for St. Mathews Anglican church. Like many I am bothered by those who think this just an anti -homosexual issue rather the greater one of the authority of scripture, for example as expressed in the Nicene Creed and the Thirty Nine Article of Religion:
VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.
An example of the divide happened during the conversation on OPB’s Think Out Loud. between FR. Humphrey expressing final authority and interpretation of scripture, allowing scripture to interpret itself and the Bishop’s relativistic view of scripture. Rt. Rev. Michael J. Hanley explains the Episcopalian view of the issue as “where get your source of truth” and engages your source of truth”. (Starts at 19:07 of the audio) “The bible is indeed the important and indeed essential source of truth, but the bible is informed by tradition, reason and by the human community engaged in the life of conversation about where the sprit of God is working.” The big difference is we believe scripture it final in it authority and interprets itself though illumination the Holy Spirit contrasted to that of the interpretation derived through conversation and consensus within the human community. It is not lost on me in Rt. Rev. Michael J. Hanley use of the words such as yours, in order to discredit the believe of scripture is own authority but a matter of personal interpretation. This issue of Homosexuality is not the main issue but a symptom of a the problem.
I seen this shift form scripture being out final authority for over 20 years I am born, baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church and raised in an Episcopal family. Like many teens, I left the church feeling it was too boring but missed the important issue. I came to the knowledge of saving grace in Christ in 1981 and decide to attend a Cavalry Chapel rather than return to the Episcopal church because I never heard, except fro a sing Episcopal parish, the gospel preached as Christ dying for our sin and resurrected for our salvation. Again I saw the shift, while attach to the 7Th fleet and an Episcopal Chaplin. Finally, in 2008 I left the Baptist church and spent a few months on a “Walkabout” visiting various Episcopal parishes around where I live.
Still, I did not see the changes in the Episcopal Church as a reason to leave, feeling ST Mathews should be the light of the Gospel for the Episcopal Church, but unlike Rt. Rev. Dr. Johncy Itty, there was no guarantee the present bishop or Diocese of Oregon will leave St Mathews alone. My vote to leave was more of a vote of lack of confidence.
It is time for prayer for both churches. I fear our church will come under scrutiny by the intolerant left and St Mathews Episcopal who, in my prediction will face a clash of cultures between may whom chose to stay and will see face of the Episcopal Church, as many churches on the left will offer support.
