An Apostate Church?
Can a denomination move so far from biblical truth that it should be considered apostate? What about those local churches that have not embraced heresy or rejected the biblical gospel yet remain within the denomination?
Image: Eduard Militaru
After reading the article, “The Charismatic Renewal,” by historian William De Arteaga, A.D.M. responded with this comment:
I am confirmed Episcopalian. Every Sunday, the service is characterized by a tremendous amount of scripture, prayer, the Nicene Creed, confession, absolution, passing the peace of Christ, eucharist, and a commitment to remember these things throughout the week. Holy Spirit is invoked as much as it ever was in my Pentecostal experience, and there is significantly more scripture read, and greater understanding of basic Christian Orthodoxy. I am sorry that you choose to label us “apostate.” This need to point fingers, and declare others “outside” is how I ended up Episcopal.
William De Arteaga responded by saying:
Indeed, the liturgy of the Episcopal church is wonderful. I appreciate it to this day as an Anglican. And indeed there are individual congregations within the Episcopal fold that are faithful to the scriptures. But they are diminishing in numbers all the time. The Episcopal hierarchy has been thoroughly corrupted by liberal (anti-supernaturalist) theology and is apostate. I hold that to be true.
Also related to this conversation:
In this review essay, Father William De Arteaga responds to Episcopal Bishop Edward Little’s article “Living with Tares: Why I stay in a Church that has seriously strayed from biblical teaching” that appeared in the March 2006 issue of Christianity Today.
Antisupernaturalism
“Craig Keener on Anti-supernaturalism and Cessationism“
“Response to hard cessationist critic, by Craig Keener“
Category: Church History, Summer 2017
Followers
Fans
