Reformed Living

Excellent blog post from James White- comments to it are very interesting , too

http://www.churchandculture.org/Blog.asp?ID=5162

My major reason for attending an Episcopal Church is to participate in Holy Communion every week.  My  experience is that participation in the entire Eucharistic Book of Common (BCP) Liturgy is participation in spiritual reality.  It is clear that The Lord’s Supper (or as it has been known from the first Century- The Eucharist) was the very center of corporate Worship from the beginning of the Church. This is because it is the Word, the Gospel, made visible.  More than that, BCP Worship, particularly Communion, is the God-given portal into the Presence of God.  Through it we may approach the Unapproachable.

I.)  Emphasis about GOD, His attributes

transcendence vs immanence

greatness, holiness vs goodness, love

II.)  Emphasis in emotional response to God during Worship

awe, fear vs intimacy, warmth

focus on attributes of God vs  focus on feelings about God

focus on mission & work of the church vs focus on fellowship

focus on Christian living & service vs focus on spiritual warfare & victory

III.)  Emphasis in Mood of Worship

solemn, serious, reserved vs  celebrational, joyous, spontaneous

intellectual, mental vs  emotional, physical

quiet, listening to the Word written & spoken vs usually loud, enjoying upbeat music

music: words and doctrinal content instruments vs feelings, instruments

sermon: intellectual, rational over personal stories, narrative

IV.)  Emphasis of Purpose in Worship

to honor God & praise of God, offer thanksgiving vs actively seeking and experiencing the presence of God

V.)  Target Group

established, traditional Christians vs  newer or younger Christians & seekers

The above categories are not mutually exclusive.  They are comparisons of emphasis on a sliding scale

1. What role does personality or personal traits have in one’s approach to worship?  in determining emphasis?
2. What role does custom or culture play in determining what one prefers or is comfortable with in worship?
3. What role does Theology & the Bible have in determining the emphasis in worship?

The Scripture makes it clear that a local church is a Family and needs a Father as it Shepherd or Pastor [that is the only title and role I am concerned about here]  There certainly are gifted and qualified women in the Church who can and do serve it well, many with pastoral and administrative skills and abilities.  That is not disputed at all.  But women can not serve as Fathers, even though many do function that way in real life.  I accept that female Pastors are here to stay, but I will not approve them. This is the same argument I use about Marriage.  Marriage by Biblical definition, a union of a man and a woman and therefore is impossible for same sex couples.  This is true even though the latter may have very loving, committed relationships and function well together. I accept the reality of "Civil Unions" and of female Pastors, but I still insist that neither are Scriptural.  And to support the latter, logically requires support of the former.

All that said, I am opposed to a woman as Pastor because I believe strongly in the church as a Family with a Father.  Biblical Marriage and Family is a seriously endangered species, under attack and undermined at ever turn.  This in turn is a serious threat to the well-being of our Society.  The Church should offer an example, the Model, of what Marriage and Family is meant to be and not aid and abet those forces and behaviors that attack and undermine it.