A CHRISTIAN MUSLIM EPISCOPAL PRIESTESS
Trumped Toothpaste, & Dual Faiths?

 

 

Q. What do you call an Episcopal congregational leader who has declared she is both a Christian and a Muslim?

A. Definitely Trumped—YOU’RE FIRED!

This is a free country and folks can believe that they are minty toothpaste. As long as they don’t try to brush my teeth, it is not my place to demand they climb back into the tube.

OK, by any standard, someone is confused. This is the story:

A Seattle Times journalist, reported that Ann Holmes Redding has announced that she is a Muslim. But this story has momentarily squished my freedom-loving instincts. Ms. Redding is an Episcopal Priest! I will relate portions of the news story and interject some of my thoughts below:

Episcopal priest given ultimatum

“Episcopal priest who announced last year that she had also become a Muslim remains steadfast in her belief that she was called to both faiths but says her decision to follow that call has been exceedingly painful at times. . . . Bishop Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island, who has disciplinary authority over the Seattle priest, said a church committee had determined that Redding ‘abandoned the Communion of the Episcopal Church by formal admission into a religious body not in communion with the Episcopal Church.’ (Rev Redding) does not believe she has abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church. ‘I’m saddened and disappointed that this could not be an opportunity’ for the church to broaden its perspective and talk about what it means to adhere to more than one faith, Redding said.”

OK—STOP RIGHT THERE. THE CHURCH IS NOT A DEMOCRACY BUILT ON THE MAJORITY VIEW, THE MOST INCLUSIVE PERSPECTIVE, THE MOST CONVINCING SPEAKER IN THE QUORUM, OR ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER. REV. REDDING HAS BEEN A PRIEST FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS & A MUSLIM SINCE 2006. PERHAPS SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE ASKED HER ABOUT HER BELIEF IN THE BIBLE?

“Redding says she understands why people might be upset that a priest would also profess another faith, given that a priest represents the church. But she firmly believes she did not break her ordination vows. Following both faiths ‘is a gift,’ she said. ‘I feel privileged to see God in more places, rather than fewer places.’ Practicing two faiths has enabled her to answer people’s questions from the perspective of someone inside each faith, she said. People who say they’re Christian and Buddhist or a mix of other faiths are relieved to be able to talk to her because ‘they feel illegitimate sometimes themselves, that what they believe is not proper.’ . . . If things proceed as expected, Redding will be defrocked a week after the 25th anniversary of her ordination. She said she will miss standing as a priest with people ‘as they try to make sense of and live out their relationship with God.’ Her one regret, she said, is not realizing that some parishioners at St. Mark’s would feel betrayed that they were forming their Christian faith with someone who also professed to be Muslim.””

ISN’T IT GRAND THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS THE DAMAGE DEALT TO THOSE WHO TRUSTED HER?

“And there is this: As one of the first African-American women the denomination ordained, Redding was sometimes the first female or African-American priest some parishioners had ever seen. ‘My symbolic role has been an incredible honor.’ Now she fears that some ‘will think I’ve somehow let them down.’ ” Janet I. Tu, Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

GOLLY GEE FRIENDS—WHAT DO YOU THINK? PERHAPS WE MIGHT REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR THE DEFROCKED PRIEST AND THE CONFUSED WRECKAGE IN HER WAKE.

Of course, some would suggest I am confused. I live in a world of dual faiths. I am Jewish. I am a Christian. If you’re interested, ask me how it works. I can tell you a bit about wreckage but I promise to keep it in biblical terms.

Sorry to confuse anyone with this stuff but it seems like this mess in Seattle ain’t never goin’ back into the tube! The best comment I saw on this came from my dear friend Dr. Ric Walston (who would never write “ain’t never goin’ back in the tube“). However, he did write,

“Wow . . . Simply astounding.
There has to be a fundamental breakdown in the most basic aspects of theology (from both perspectives) to believe that you can be both a practicing Christian and a practicing Muslim. Christians say that Jesus is, indeed, divine. Muslims say that Jesus is, indeed, NOT divine.

You cannot (logically) both affirm and deny the deity of Jesus Christ. He either is God or he ain’t. You can’t have “isain’t.” There is no third option.

For those who might want more explanation of this, see this article, “Islam and Christianity: Concepts of God’s Identity Revisited” at http://www.columbiaseminary.edu/coffeetalk/124.html

Also, in the same vein, this is a good one: C. S. Lewis’ Lunatic, Liar, or Lord: The Trilemma at http://www.columbiaseminary.edu/coffeetalk/033.html

Blessings,
Ric Walston

Here’s more: Episcopal priest given ultimatum

Please let me hear your thoughts: CrossTalk - On the Web with Randy

Shalom,

Randy Weiss

~~~

Readers Respond:

Her syncretism may be laudable by some who push plurality at the cost of truth. However, there are opposing tenets of faith between these two religions. It seems to me that Redding is diluting the orthodox Christian faith as handed down for 2,000 years. "Redding does not believe that God and Jesus are the same, but rather that God is more than Jesus. And she believes that Jesus is the Son of God insofar as all humans are the children of God, and that Jesus is divine, just as all humans are divine — because God dwells in all humans." She is approaching Islam by making Jesus other than God. She has drunken the potion of "Muslim prayers [that] moved her profoundly" and been poisoned with the lie to deny our Lord. Regards. — Darryl Wooldridge

I once was attempting to become ordained in the Episcopal Church. I had a mentor in seminary who was a Priest, and I guess I thought they would be like him. He had run the school of pastoral care for Agnes Sanford and was part of the Pentecostal Dialogues with the Pope that happened many years ago. Anyway one thing that I did find out during my time in that church was that the Bible really is not the foundation of their belief system. In fact in debating things Christian, the Bible held very little sway concerning making one’s point. While I did find many of the nicest people I have met during the time I attended the two churches and being assistant pastor of another, they come from a totally different starting place than Evangelicals do. It is interesting however that they read more Scripture in the service than most Evangelical Churches do and hold a great reverence for Scripture yet seem not to let it effect their lives at least in ways that are counter to their feelings. While I believe that we could learn a great deal from them in the area of liturgy and reverence for the Eucharist, the other things made it very hard to take being involved in their Church. That said, I am not surprised at all that a priest could hold that position. I have had priests flatly say that they do not believe certain things that are a basic part of Biblical theology. — Rick L.

 


 

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