Tuesday, June 22, 2010

No Safe Place: Christ Church San Antonio Splits

Sad news comes this month from Christ Church San Antonio: this large heretofore orthodox parish is splitting over whether to remain in The Episcopal Church. This comes after the retirement of rector Chuck Collins. His reason:

. . . my decision to take early retirement is because of a crisis of conscience. Even though I was born and raised in The Episcopal Church, it has moved further and further away from the Gospel to which I committed my life and I have concluded that there is no future for me in this spiritual environment.

And now a majority of the vestry and both wardens have also decided there is no future for them in the Episcopal Church and are leaving.

From time to time, I have asserted that there is no safe place for the orthodox in the Episcopal Church. And this sad episode illustrates one reason why. It is difficult to impossible to keep committed faithful orthodox people in this heretical denomination. Even a seemingly strong orthodox parish in an orthodox diocese, such as Christ Church, can keep its orthodox heart for only so long in such an environment.

Please, for the sake of the gospel and of your parish, if you can take your parish out of the Episcopal Church, pray and consider doing so as quickly as possible. And that even if you will lose the building. Better to lose even the most beloved property than to lose the faithful heart of your parish.

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