ONE OF LARGEST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES TO LEAVE

Reacting to the liberal drift of the Episcopal Church, one of its largest congregations is walking outh:

Christ Church Episcopal has announced that it will leave the denomination because it can no longer abide by the national church's decisions.

Leaders of the conservative Plano congregation announced their plan Monday, a week after the Episcopal Church elected Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori as its first female presiding bishop.

Jefferts Schori supported the 2003 consecration of V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop. She also supported the creation of locally authorized blessings for gay unions.

"The mission of Christ Church is to make disciples and teach them to obey the commands of Christ," said a statement approved by Christ Church's leaders this weekend. "The direction of the leadership of the Episcopal Church is different and we regret their departure from biblical truth and the historic faith of the Anglican Communion. ... We declare our intention to disassociate from ECUSA as soon as possible."

Others will certainly be emboldened by the move.

And at National Review Online, R. Andrew Newman reflects on the Episcopal crack-up, and includes a quote I had not read previously:

If General Convention showed anything, it’s that no longer will there be a need for such creative hermeneutics. Scripture simply isn’t important enough.

At the convention’s closing Eucharist, the new presiding bishop preached, “Colossians calls Jesus the firstborn of all creation, the firstborn from the dead. That sweaty, bloody, tear-stained labor of the cross bears new life. Our mother Jesus gives birth to a new creation – and you and I are His children.”

Our mother Jesus?

Bishop Schori felt no need to cloak her language so as not to scandalize the average Episcopalian. Tossing aside the New Testament, she transgendered the Lord without a qualm in the world — and for all the world to hear.

And so the Episcopal Church becomes as essentially pagan as the culture of Rome against which Paul waged his war.