Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Episcopal Bishops consider gutting confirmation.

A report came out yesterday that the ECUSA House of Bishops is considering eliminating confirmation as a requirement for church office and may be considering doing away with confirmation altogether.

I find this a sad outrage. In Episcopal confirmation, one still has to state one’s intention to follow Jesus “as my Savior and Lord” and must affirm the Apostle’s Creed. It requires a clear public profession of faith. And someone joining the church should want to do that. If someone doesn’t, they have no business holding a church office. A strong case can be made they shouldn’t be considered a full member of the church at all.

But maybe weakening or eliminating confirmation is appropriate for ECUSA. There really hasn’t been any requirement to believe much of anything to hold office in that denomination for some years now . . . except perhaps the Holy Dennis Canon and the rule of bishops, of course.

Also, this exercise on the part of the House of Bishops illustrates how detached from reality many of them are. The Primates are gently but firmly disciplining them and expecting a response. ECUSA is on the verge of being sent out of the Anglican Communion with the kick of a velvet boot. And yet the bishops spend time on possibly weakening the sacraments and the requirements of church discipline – NOT what the current situation calls for.

The Hayride to Hell continues.

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