Seismic Shift Time

If you've followed along, you've noticed that this summer has been one of seismic shifts for me. It's almost like I experienced conversion again, not just in any small way, but a seismic move of the Spirit like I experienced in Germany when I finally repented of my sin of being in the closet and denying myself before God. I haven't felt the Holy Spirit moving so strongly in me since that time. I have noticed that I am coming into my own as a disciple again. As I do reading, books that don't come from any particular reading list, just ones that pop out at me from various suggestions from friends, or things that draw me at the bookshop, I feel like it is a providential revelation.
As I've said before, I've noticed now that I don't jive with the "liberal" establishment of the Church, the Spongs, the Borgs, the Crossans of the Church. Neither do I jive with the fundamentalists. I find that my faith jives with John Stott, N.T. Wright, the so called "open evangelicals". As I've read and studied, I also can more comfortably identify as an evangelical (to the horror of some of my friends). I've come to a place where I can trust God's Word and God's will for my life and the life of the Church. As I have grown in my trust of God, my worship and prayer has become deeper and more powerful. As I agonize in prayer for the gay community and for those who are hurting, I feel ever closer to God.

These words only barely express the tip of the iceberg of the transformation that I'm experiencing because of the Gospel. As I write this, I'm almost crying in thanks to God for the wonderful work He is doing. Praise the Lord! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Address to General Convention Delegates

This is addressed to all GC delegates. My heart has been so troubled by all of the mudslinging and partisanship in the Church, and this is one way of letting that out. Keep in mind I also issued this statement as an Integrity, Inc. official

TO: General Convention Delegates for the Diocese of Arizona

Dear Delegates,

First, I hope you all understand the significance and the historic nature of the upcoming Convention. At this Convention, we have many resolutions, which will be presented to you that deal with the issues of the GLBTQ population in the Episcopal Church. We will be questioning whether or not to go on with the moratoria legislated as part of Resolution B033 of the 2006 General Convention. Various parties will be presenting a variety of resolutions regarding the blessings of same-sex unions, and perhaps even one resolution to modify the Book of Common Prayer to delete all gender pronouns in the Solemnization of Marriage and other parts of the Book of Common Prayer. The decisions you make on behalf of parishioners in the Diocese of Arizona will make a history. It is with this in mind that I offer these thoughts on your work at Convention in 2009.

With Regard to The Current Situation in The Church

Today, there is a threat in our church that is as real as could be. We are threatened with the prospect of a major schism, which in the unfortunate cases of the Dioceses of San Joaquin and Pittsburgh has occurred and soon will occur in the Diocese of Fort Worth. This schism threatens to destroy the unity of the Church, which Christ prayed for in the Gospel of John (John 17:20). It also threatens the unique philosophy and approach of Anglicanism in the Episcopal Church, where we are united in the essentials of the faith and in the non-essentials we practice diversity and charity. What is even more unfortunate is that this schism is occurring because of something that I would not regard as an essential point of the Christian faith as has been delineated in our Creeds and historically in the Articles of Religion. We are getting to a point in our Church life where both liberals and conservatives will no longer engage in dialogue with one another, creating a “my way or the highway” approach to communal life in the Body of Christ.
I hope that as General Convention delegates you will do everything in your power to work for unity in the Church and to foster dialogue between disagreeing parties and points of view. This is the only way we can begin to heal the partisan thinking that has so poisoned our Church and our society. In so doing, we also respond to the needs of the community and not so much the individuals. Both sides, liberal and conservative, must be willing to cede ground in order to bring about true reconciliation and unity in this Church. Now you may ask me: “Well such side has not ceded ground, why should we?” Well, we must be the first to cede ground and offer an olive branch. The scriptures tell us: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39ff). If we fail at this, we may never be the same again. It is my hope that Convention not devolve into a partisan quagmire of endless debate without practical solutions for the reconciliation of our fractured communities.

Implications of Our Stance on GLBTQ Issues

As I previously said, you will encounter many resolutions that will affect the life of GLBTQ people not only in this diocese but in the entire Episcopal Church. Some of the proposed resolutions are radical in nature and seek to effect rash and hurried progress towards full inclusion, which in turn may result in more damage to our already fragile communion in the Episcopal Church and in the Anglican Communion. These resolutions are being proposed by people within the organization I represent, Integrity, Inc. However, from conversations with GLBTQ people and their friends in the diocese, I have not heard much support for rash moves towards inclusion and blessing of same-sex unions. Instead I have heard much support for measured progress that is mindful of the needs of various parishes and dioceses as well as the human concerns of all members of the Church.
In summary, we do not support resolutions which would unduly jeopardize the unity of the Church and force anyone to make a decision to leave the Episcopal Church on the basis of such a resolution. At this time, we do not support resolutions to modify the Book of Common Prayer in any way, or to force dioceses in any way to bless or sanctify in any way the blessing of same-sex relationships under the umbrella of a national policy or rite. In view of the progress achieved by the GLBTQ community in the Diocese of Arizona over the past year, we believe that the best option is to support resolutions that give the discretion and authority over the administration and regulation of such blessings and rites to diocesan Bishops and the option of offering or not offering such blessings and rites to individual parishes.
Having stated that, we also strongly support making progress in the inclusion of GLBTQ people throughout the Church through education and dialogue (Windsor Report §145-146) and by instituting the listening process supported by the Windsor Report. We also support the enforcement of current national non-discriminatory Canons with respect to allowing all qualified people equal access to the life, worship and governance of the Church to include the discernment process. (Constitution & Canons Canon I.17§5, III.1§2 et seq.)

Things to Keep in Mind

In conclusion, I ask you delegates to work for reconciliation and peace in our Church so that we may fulfill what Christ prayed for us: “that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23). By doing so, you will help share the Gospel message not just in our Church, but also in a world that is in need of God’s transforming love.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you as you prepare for General Convention.

Peace be with all of you

On the Inhibition of Ann Holmes

According to Episcopal News Service reports (story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_101582_ENG_HTM.htm), Bishop Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island has formally deposed Ann Holmes from her post as a Priest. Former Rev. Ann Holmes had formally recited the shahada or the formal profession of conversion to Islam. She was convicted of abandoning the communion of the Episcopal Church by the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Rhode Island, and the Bishop reaffirmed that decision.

Before You Read On (The Disclaimer)
This post will get a bit polemic and harsh, because frankly the doctrine of the Church is harsh towards this kind of behavior. I will be highlighting how Islam is incompatible with the discipleship and priesthood life of a Christian. This is not intended in any way to disrespect Muslims. It is intended to highlight what I think are grave issues of discussion that affect the doctrinal life of our Church and ones that ought to be discussed openly. Also, I do not regard Ann Holmes as a Priest nor as a fellow Christian, being that I believe conversion to another religion is automatic self-excommunication from the Christian fellowship of believers, therefore I will not refer to her as Reverend in any part of this post.

The Story of Ann Holmes
The ENS story records Ms. Holmes's comments as follows:

While serving at St. Mark’s, said Redding in an interview, “I was facing a personal crisis and I needed to surrender. I did know that the word ‘Islam’ means ‘surrender,” but I was surprised when I received what I believe is one of the few invitations I’ve received from God in my life, and that unexpected invitation was to surrender by taking my Shahadah.

“It’s still a mystery as to why, on March 25, 2006, which happens to be my ordination date and the annunciation, I felt called to say the Shahadah with the intention of becoming a Muslim. I’m continuing to explore what it means to be both a Muslim and a Christian, and I expect to be the rest of my life. Being a Muslim makes me a much better Christian, and being a Christian makes me the kind of Muslim I want to be. I see as my calling and privilege witnessing the deep reality of one God.”

So that's the basis of this whole debate and discussion. Now, let's get into the heart of it.

What is the Shahada?
The word as-shahada (roughly: testimony) refers to the act of bearing testimony to and affirming the principal tenets of Islam. An English translation of the profession is: There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet. However, according to Islamic practice, the Shahada must be recited in Arabic. The recitation of this fulfills the first Pillar of Islam. The Shahada must be recited honestly and in the presence of two Muslims to be considered valid. In addition there are six conditions required. This single act, completes the act of conversion and abandonment of the Christian faith (this point to be explored later).

Did Ann Holmes intend to become a Muslim? Was her Shahada valid?
Those who would question the intentionality of the statement or whether this was merely an act of solidarity must consider the circumstances in which the act was done. Although I am unsure if there were two Muslims present, Ms. Holmes herself states that she intended to become a Muslim. Regardless of whether the Shahada itself was valid in the eyes of Muslim law, the intent and commission of the act is what applies with regard to Christian considerations as to what she actually did. The mere act itself shows an abandonment of Christian principles, if it were actually valid, it would provide administrative proof to that effect.

Why is this so serious?
Unlike simply expressing a preference for a certain theological outlook, or saying that one believes in an alternative interpretation of scripture is not the same as professing to have converted to another religion. By converting to Islam, the convert is to assume that Muhammad is the last prophet and the Al Qur'an is the final and absolute word. Furthermore, as Ms. Holmes so succinctly put it herself, Islam means surrender, surrender to the principles of Islam, the loss of one's cultural identity, one's previous religious identity, in exchange for the identity of Islam.
The meaning of the Shahada and the consequences of the act are in direct contradiction to essential principles of Christian doctrine that Ms. Holmes agreed to upon her ordination. It is in contradiction to our belief that the Old and New Testaments hold all that is necessary for salvation. Furthermore, Muhammad is not accepted as a prophet in our tradition. We are, unlike Muslims, not obliged to follow his teachings. Furthermore, Islam, unlike Christianity, does not affirm grace and forgiveness for all people. God will judge all people, including Muslims. This contradicts the Christian affirmation that those who choose will be saved by grace and the atoning death of Christ on the Cross. On another point, Islam rejects the divinity of Christ, which is considered an essential doctrine of Christianity. Islam refers to Jesus as only a mere prophet or teacher.

The Seriousness of the Act and the Compatibility of Such Act with Christian and Islamic Jurisprudence.
Christianity and Islam, as Bishop Wolf rightly put it, are incompatible. Actually they are mutually exclusive. As Episcopalians, we have covenanted with the Lord at our Baptism that we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. We also pledge to continue in the Apostles' teaching and in the breaking of the bread together. (Book of Common Prayer p. 304ff). Being a practicing Muslim, one would naturally reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and subjugate His royal position into that of a mere teacher or prophet. Now, while I have problems with this particular type of thinking, it would not be as serious of Ms. Holmes simply stated that she agreed with multiple points of Islamic theology and attempted to somehow integrate that into the larger Christian corpus of theology (as problematic as that may seem).
It is also eminently clear that the act committed (and the stance continued to be held) by Ms. Holmes is incompatible and indeed constitutes an offense in both Episcopal and Islamic jurisprudence. The step she has taken is to publicly identify her self as a Non-Christian. From a Sharia (Islamic Law) and Qur'anic perspective, when one converts to Islam, it is to the exclusion of all other religions including Christianity. According to Sharia, her profession of still being Christian would be a form of the legal offense of Shirk (Qur'an 9:1-15, et seq.), associating Lordship with something other than Allah. From the perspective Episcopal jurisprudence, she also is in a state incompatible with her role as Priest. The Priesthood Ordination Vow (Constitutions & Canons, Art. VIII) and the Baptismal Covenant would both be breached in this case.
From the jurisprudential and theological perspectives, it would be impossible for Ann Holmes to be both an Episcopal Priest (let alone Episcopalian layperson) and a practicing Muslim at the same time. It is clearly not the case, that Ann Holmes gives any regard to this when she states: "I’m continuing to explore what it means to be both a Muslim and a Christian, and I expect to be the rest of my life. Being a Muslim makes me a much better Christian, and being a Christian makes me the kind of Muslim I want to be."

What of Her Personal Identity and Rights?
In a pluralistic and open democratic society of ours, it is not outside of the norm that one can be whatever they want. They can self-identify as they wish without consequence and practice their belief openly. So, if she wishes to be a Muslim-Christian or Christian-Muslim, she is free to do so as long as she wishes, from my perspective as a citizen of the United States towards another citizen of the United States. However, from my perspective as an Episcopalian Christian and being mindful of our tradition, our theology and our practices I must remind everyone that membership in the Church and possession of the authority of Priesthood is not a right but a privilege (albeit one that is laxly enforced). She does not have the right to hold the Priesthood if she insists on being in constant non-compliance with Canon Law. It is a shame that Ms. Holmes was not deposed sooner.
If Ms. Holmes wishes to be a layperson in the Episcopal Church, like all others she would certainly be welcome, I am sure. But, it is a totally different thing when she assumed the role of Minister of Word and Sacrament and Priest. She is then no longer her own self. She belongs to the people of the Church. She is obliged to them to teach them the Word of God as contained in the Bible and to maintain the Doctrine, Discipline and Practice of the Episcopal Church. If she wants to share her vision of Muslim-Christian identity, she is certainly welcome to do so, but the Episcopal Church is NOT the right context for her activities, and she should not be using her Priesthood Collar to lend credence to her theology or way of thought.

The ESV Study Bible is coming!

Hey friends! I'm excited to tell you that the ESV Study Bible is only 3 days away from publication! Wow! Let me tell you, from what I've seen of this Study Bible, I pre-ordered it. It contains a wealth of resources for study and interpretation and the ESV translation is unparalleled. I like the ESV because it is readable, and it is accurate with respect to the original languages. Check out this Bible for yourself, see the video I've embedded. Oh, and by the way, I haven't been paid for this endorsement.

My God Isn't a Stepford God

Have any of you seen the movie Stepford Wives where the men of the community of Stepford transform their wives in to placating, compliant women? Well, in my current reading, I'm reading The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller. He made a good analogy on a Stepford God. Sometimes, the God that we conceive for ourselves placates us and lets go whatever it is that we do wrong. We have sometimes built for ourselves a Stepford God, one that doesn't care and is just there to fulfill our desires and keep us in our comfort zones.
Well, let me tell you that I enjoy the fact that God and His Word challenge me every day to be better, and to obey His will more closely. I find that my faith is fulfilled not in building a bastion of theological comfort, but in trailblazing and finding a faith that really changes lives. So do you have a Stepford God?