My husband the scientist was watching football last night, so I decided to pull out a book. I grabbed The Catholic Mystique, a book of individual conversion stories of former female ministers who gave that up to join the Catholic Church. (It was a good read, although it didn't completely solve the question for me of why women aren't ordained - I'm hoping the book I recently ordered will do that!)
I turned to one of the chapters that was particularly dog-eared, and it was by a woman named Linda Poindexter, a former Episcopalian preacher. One of the neat parts of re-reading is that you pick up on different things, and I found myself dog-earing the bottom of different pages this time! The following quotes resonated with me last night, perhaps because I've been writing about authority lately and also thinking about misguided compassion. The issues she brings up regarding the Episcopal Church ring true with many other Protestant denominations. So I thought I'd share!
"The Episcopal Church is completely preoccupied with the human sexuality issues with which the whole world has been dealing. Over time, I became disheartened by many of the clergy who were coming to believe that homosexual unions were something that could be blessed by the church and that sexually active homosexuals could be ordained. I know they were trying to be compassionate and just; but instead, they were leading people astray, encouraging that which is not from God. Those of us who disagreed - and there were many - were told that we were unchristian and unloving. No longer was it acceptable to love the sinner but hate the sin.
I was now beginning to see the problem with leaving it up to individuals to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. I felt great sadness and pity for the people who had been faithful and devout members of the Episcopal Church their entire lives, trying to come to grips with the constantly changing standards for truth in their church. For many others, the changes in the Episcopal Church's positions were a source of pride; Episcopalians were keeping up with the world. Colleagues defended their pro-choice position by pointing to the fact that the Anglican Church did not always approve of contraception, as if it were self-evident that contraception is a good thing. ...
The good Lord was gradually teaching me that there are reasons for authority, for a Church that is unafraid to speak God's will and Word to His people." 91-93
"As with many other issues, Episcopalians consider it a strength to have no clearly defined doctrine. I now believe such an attitude leads to the false impression that there is no knowable truth." 97
"I can honestly say I have never looked back. Almost every time I pray, I give thanks for being Catholic. I have come to a fuller understanding of most of the teachings I once questioned. When it comes to those that still trouble me, I am more able to honestly say I am not the final authority; I can trust and rely upon the authority of the Catholic Church. To members of my former church, this may seem like mental laziness or simplemindedness. I believe it's faith. I am often asked by those near and dear to me how I can reconcile my former beliefs with those of the Catholic Church. Of course, they needn't be reconciled, for one's beliefs can change in light of greater revelation." 101