The Episcopal Church In Louisiana Loses A Great Man

Drell’s Descants is one of those devoted people that have been a witness to the Anglican Faith in Louisiana and the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana. In his post My Thoughts On Anglican Church of North America (which is A Body compromised of Dioceses that are getting out of Episcopal Church USA) he announces he is leaving too.

He says in part:

...............I hate to be the one with the mercenary attitude in the Anglican blogosphere. However, this is the reality of the situation, as sad as it is.

I would hope after GC2009 Western Louisiana would wake up and realize we need to leave TEC, together, as a family. Reforming TEC is a futile effort at best. I’ve been to General Convention as a deputy, and I know what I am talking about. I am going one more time, to press for the Anglican Covenant, knowing that it will fail, and I will be a witness to this failure and the effort put into attempting to obtain its passage.

I will share this with the Diocese upon my return, and they can make the collective decision on what they will do.

But, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15. At the end of 2009, my terms as deputy and member of the standing committee will both be up. That means I will not stay in a TEC that rejects the Anglican covenant as they proudly deride other Christians and claim enlightenment from their own knowledge rather than from the Lord. I will not stay in a TEC whose leadership spouts old heresies and claims this is some new thing. I pray that Western Louisiana will wake up; realize what is going on, and take action.

I am hopeful, but not certain, that Western Louisiana will ultimately do the right thing. This uncertainty mostly stems from the financial bondage under which our clergy are held. I do not judge them; for I know not these chains of my retirement, my insurance, my chances of future gainful employment, being dependent on TEC.

I don’t know what I would do if I were to face poverty or bankruptcy as a clergyperson due to my faith. One thing is for certain - I call on all my readers, particularly in Western Louisiana, to pray for our clergy in the coming months...............

When TEC starts losing people like Brad well the gig is up. I pray and hope the Western Diocese of Louisiana follows suit.

I think it is occurring finally to many American Anglicans that what their leadership is doing has far reaching effects outside the USA. That Christians in Africa and the Middle East are suffering because of it and it gives ammo to the radical Moslems that are well killing them to be blunt.. That in effect it is causing damage to the whole Body of Christ.

As Pope Benedict said in New York this year at a gathering of Christian leaders:

Too often those who are not Christians, as they observe the splintering of Christian communities, are understandably confused about the Gospel message itself. Fundamental Christian beliefs and practices are sometimes changed within communities by so-called “prophetic actions” that are based on a hermeneutic not always consonant with the datum of Scripture and Tradition. Communities consequently give up the attempt to act as a unified body, choosing instead to function according to the idea of “local options”. Somewhere in this process the need for diachronic koinonia – communion with the Church in every age – is lost, just at the time when the world is losing its bearings and needs a persuasive common witness to the saving power of the Gospel (cf. Rom 1:18-23).

I think it is apparent that Benedict was addressing in part the Anglican Clergy in the room since these "prophetic actions” of the TEC is why in part they claim they are right in what they are doing.

Anyway God Speed Brad.