Mother/Father Deemed "Archaic"

 From The Christian Institute 

The words “mother” and “father” are being dropped from the US state of Massachusetts’ family law – in order to “be more inclusive to LGBTQ+ parents”.

The Massachusetts Parentage Act, which comes into force next year, replaces references to biological sex with gender-neutral phrases such as “the person who gave birth” and “other parent”.

The legislation, which affects birth certificates, child custody, and surrogacy, was backed by abortion giant Planned Parenthood in addition to LGBT activist groups such as GLAAD.

The state’s deputy governor Kim Driscoll boasted that the Act pushes “outdated norms aside”, while Senate President Karen Spilka claimed “archaic beliefs and laws no longer stand in your way as a parent”.

The new law replaces “man and woman” with “persons”, and ditches several references to “paternity” for “parentage”.

In addition, the Act enshrines surrogacy into the state’s law for the first time.

In 2022, it was revealed that the US state of Connecticut had ditched the terms mother and father from childbirth documents.

Journalist Colin Wright revealed that the state’s documentation on birth certificates, affidavits and immunization referred to the “birth parent” and “non-birth parent” instead of the mother and father.

To obtain proof of birth, one document stated that a written statement was required “by the birth parent attesting to the date, time, and place of the live birth”.

What's next? 

Will they have to ditch the words "brother" and "sister?" If they do, the Episcopal organization may have to reinstate the archaic word "brethren" into its Prayer Book. 

As C. S. Lewis wrote in "The Death of Words",

"Words, as well as women, can be 'killed with kindness.' And when, how ever reverently, you have killed a word you have also, as far as in you lay, blotted from the human mind the thing that word originally stood for. Men do not long continue to think what they have forgotten how to say."

When Words Offend

 In this Sunday's reading from John 6:56-69 Jesus says some things that cause many of his disciples to walk away. 

Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’ He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’

 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’

When Jesus asked, "Does this offend you?" I am certain that the reference to eating him was offensive to many at the time. Today we know better, but those who have not accepted Jesus as Lord probably are more offended by Peter's words, "We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." 

That is enough to cause many to walk away from Jesus in the present age.

I wish they would give Him a chance. 

 

Taking on Water

You know times are bad when Episcopal Pravda prints things like this, 

"...The Episcopal Church still has nearly 7,000 congregations. The number of active Episcopal priests, on the other hand, has fallen over the past 20 years to fewer than 6,000.

 ...congregations of 50 or fewer worshipers make up  most of the church’s congregations (55%)

...in 2022, 12% of Episcopal congregations were served by a priest who is retired. That same year, 54% of priests were listed as part time, more than double the 26% from 2010. 

...Active priests, or those whose employers are actively contributing to the church’s clergy pension fund, peaked in 2004 at 7,886 and have since declined to the current 5,614. During that time, the number of retirees has increased. Retirees first surpassed the number of active priests in 2011 and now total 8,320."

The once mighty ship is going down as many have predicted.

So much for Presiding Bishop Curry's "Revival" plan. The new Presiding Bishop had better start working on a "resurrection plan" soon or Robert Ballard will be exploring the ship's grave site next.

Sing it!

This Sunday's text from Ephesians 5:15-20 contains Paul's thoughts about music in the Church, 

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

After moving to a small ACNA parish, I had to give up singing in a church choir. We are too small and have too few singers to do anything more than making a joyful (for some of us) noise when we gather together. In fact, I became the de facto parish musician based on my history in church and other choirs. Someday we might grow to where we can hire a real musician and have a small choir. 

Am I just dreaming?  

Words of Sanity From Australia to England

 As the Episcopal Organization of England (CofE to some) goes down the tubes, don't say that they have not been warned.  

From the Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel, comes this via Sydney Anglicans,

Jesus prays for his church that they would be made holy by the truth of God’s word. Anglicans affirm the ‘ultimate rule and standard of faith’ (ACA Constitution, Fundamental Declarations s2)) of the teaching of Jesus Christ and the word of God revealed in scripture. The decision of the Church of England Synod to approve the use of prayers of blessing for same-sex marriages and to begin moves to allow clergy to enter into same-sex marriages, is a grievous abrogation of its responsibility to uphold the primacy of scripture in the life and ministry of the church. To reject God’s plan for human sexuality is a failure to love people experiencing same-sex attraction and who, like all humanity, are made in his image and designed for his purpose.

This decision is contrary to scripture and to Anglican expressions of the teaching of scripture in our formularies, including the Book of Common Prayer, and Lambeth resolution I.10, clearly affirmed by the Archbishop of Canterbury as the standard of Anglican doctrine as recently as the Lambeth Conference in 2022.

I’m very grateful for the gracious and courageous way in which many English brothers and sisters in Christ have taken a stand in their General Synod for biblical authority and the trustworthiness of Jesus’ teaching on human identity and sexuality.

We express our support for the coalition known as The Alliance which has, in love and integrity, been a clarion voice for truth. The Alliance is a broad grouping of faithful Anglicans from across the spectrum of the church who have in common, fidelity to the scriptures in matters of faith and life, a deep love for the Church of England and commitment to its mission to the nation. Importantly, the Alliance includes Anglicans who experience same-sex attraction and who gladly and courageously affirm the teaching of Jesus concerning marriage and sexuality. We honour them all.

I’m humbled and encouraged by the stance of The Alliance and offer them the hand of fellowship and the assurance of our prayers and support as they contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

I’m grateful too for those whose conscience has not allowed them to remain in the Church of England but who remain committed to Anglican doctrine and mission as members of the Anglican Network in Europe under Bishop Andy Lines and assure them too of our friendship and fellowship in the mission of the gospel in which we are fellow workers.

We note statements from global Anglican fellowships representing the majority of Anglicans worldwide, such as the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans, GAFCON and GAFCON Australia. We rejoice in our common hope, the Lord Jesus Christ, and remain committed to the faithful proclamation of his gospel in love and truth.

…the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. Col 1:5,6 (NIV)

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel

17 July 2024.

For more about the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals to which he refers, go to their web site. 

The Whole Loaf

 This Sunday the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) slices up John 6:35,41-51. I highlighted in red the missing verses.

35 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; 38 for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’

41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ 42 They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ 43 Jesus answered them, ‘Do not complain among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

Jesus is the bread of life. It is too bad that the RCL only serves up part of the loaf. 

In Defense of Israel

Melanie Phillips writes opinion columns for The Times of London, the Jerusalem Post and the Jewish Chronicle. She has an excellent piece on the past 100 years of history in "Palestine" pointing out the legal rights that the Jewish people have to govern the area. You can find it at this link.

The Archbishop of Canterbury got it wrong when he said that Israel has been “denying the Palestinian people dignity, freedom and hope” — and that ending its occupation of Palestinian territory is “a legal and moral necessity”. 

They went to Capernaum looking for Jesus

 

A couple of years ago we went on a tour called "Into the Promised Land" and visited numerous places that are found in the Bible. This Sunday's reading from John 6:24-35 mentions one such place, a town which naturally put up a sign for us visitors.

We saw ruins of course.

But what did the crowd in Jesus' time hope to find there?

So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’

Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Jesus' words were upsetting to many then just as they would be today if you were to tell them to an unbeliever. 

Come to think of it, many so-called believers would probably have a hard time swallowing that if they were to think about it.