Spiritual Disarmament

H/t Titus One Nine, Anglican Mainstream

From the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop-elect Jefferts Shori's sermon this morning:

"Our mother Jesus gives birth to a new creation and we are his children. We are going to have to give up fear. Do not be afraid. God is with you. You are God’s beloved and God is well pleased with you. When we know ourselves as beloved. We can recognise another beloved in a homeless man, a rhetorical opponent. We can reach beyond the defences of others. Our invitation in the last work of this convention is to lay down our fear and love the world. Lay down our shield and sword, lay down our narrow self interest. Lay down our need for power and control, and bow to God’s image in the weakest, poorest and most excluded."

Whoa, nelly! Our mother Jesus? Gives birth? Uhm, she seems to be preaching an entirely different gospel. Ahh, yes, love the World, slide into it's warm and fuzzy embrace, there is no sin here, only goodness and light. Lay down your shield (Eph 6:16)and sword, take off that cumbersome armor(Eph 6:10-12), you don't really need it. Bow to God's image (Man) in the weakest (sinful), poorest(corrupt), and most excluded (proud).


I'm not one for the schadenfreude, but this is really telling for what lies in store for not only the Episcopal Church, but via gradual osmosis, the entire Anglican Communion. The frightening thing is that there are many in the Roman Catholic Church who already think Shori's way, and would use this language if they could get away with it. If the Chittisters, Gumbletons, and McBriens in the Catholic Church had their way, we would be following the Anglicans down the same rabbit hole.

Ephesians 6:10-16
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.