Evangelical-gate: Rick Warren and James Robinson

An interesting post at apprising.org re: the capitulations of Warren and Robinson, both non-confessional, non-liturgical, enthusiastic, advertising-driven, numbers-oriented and results-controlled Anabaptists.  Need one say more?  "They are what they are." 

http://apprising.org/2011/12/18/james-robison-and-rick-warren-working-to-reverse-the-protestant-reformation/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+apprising%2F2+%28Apprising+Ministries%29

JAMES ROBISON AND RICK WARREN WORKING TO REVERSE THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION

By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Dec 18, 2011 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Features, Rick Warren, Southern Baptist Convention

Apprising Ministries continues to warn of growing syncretism within spiritually spineless evanjellyfish with its Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along,” theology; inflamed as it is with lust for the approval of the world.
First of all, I’m telling you again that with every passing day nafarious Word Faith heretics like modalist T.D. Jakes continue slithering closer to full-on mainstream acceptance; take for example Megachurch Pastors Joel Osteen And T.D. Jakes Unite And Why You Should Care.
The second area where Satan’s deceitful spirits are penetrating the church visible with their teachings of demons concerns apostate Roman Catholicism. You will receive a vivid picture in high definition in Pathetic Protholics Like James Robison Are Reversing The Reformation. In that earlier article I included the video below, which is the opening segment of James Robison’s Thursday, December 1 Life Today TV program.
As you’ll see, James and Betty Robison’s guest is “Father” Jonathan Morris, who is a Parochial Vicar at an historic Roman Catholic church called St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in New York. In addition, Morris is also a news analyst for the FOX News Channel and author of God Wants You Happy: From Self-Help to God’s Help (GWYH). Below you’ll hear the Robisons rave, not only about GWYH, but also about Morris himself.
Since it’s not the point of this particular piece, as it concerns Jonathan Morris, here I’m only going to remind you that this is a well-informed practicing Roman Catholic priest. In other words, we’re not dealing with an individual Roman Catholic who may not realize their church has long ag0 condemned the very Gospel of Jesus Christ itself. That’s the primary reason that Jesus raised up the Protestant Reformation. Yes, God did so.
Pastors and leaders need to know that this pouty postmodern (all about how I feel) time of timid tolerance was the perfect vacuum into which Satan could inject his infestation of divination in corrupt Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism under the guise of so-called Spiritual Formation. It’s not merely a coincidence the teachings of demons that comprise the mythology of spurious CSM came from the monastic orders of Rome.
Like poisonous spores CSM flowered throughout the Roman Catholic Church and so infected its theology over the centuries that it eventually placed its—never changed—anathema upon the Lord’s glorious Gospel of salvation by God’s grace alone (sola Deo gloria), through faith alone (sola fide), in the finished work on the Cross (no need for the Mass) of Christ alone (solus Christus). The solas of the Reformation defend the Gospel.
Yet the pretending to be Protestant James Robison lavishes the following praise upon the apostate (at best) Roman Catholic priest Jonathan Morris:

When you open your mouth, that what you say is so consistent with the Word of God, with the heart of God, with the spirit of God—and the spirit of Christ—that I marvel.
And I—I’ve often said, “I wish most Protestant preachers had the sensitivity, and discernment, and gift to communicate that you have…[as a] wonderful man of God. (from transcript following below)

Well, it’s crystal clear that the spiritually obtuse Robison hasn’t much discernment himself, that’s for sure. Turning now to my personal copy of Morris’ book GWYH, you’ll see below that Robison’s not the only person of note praising Morris’ mythology (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4). On the front cover of GWYH we see:

Here we have a faithful Mormon praising a Roman Catholic priest by spouting classic mystic-speak about the myth mystics muse regarding some supposed “true self,” which they dream is a “spark of the divine” within all of mankind; Christian or not. As I recently showed you in Thomas Merton And The Gospel Coalition Blog the mystic monk Merton lays this mythology out plainly below:

At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusion, a point of pure truth, a point or spark which belongs entirely to God,…[1]

Well, James Robnison and the Mormon Glenn Beck aren’t the only ones heartily praising the devout Roman Catholic priest Jonathan Morris. Take a look at what Rick Warren, arguably one of the most influential pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention, says on the back cover of his good friend’s GWYH:

This reversal of the Reformation and the acceptance of the Roman Catholic Church as a Christian denomination, albeit with the caveat of one with which they supposedly have “significant differences” with, is now the typical evangelical position concerning the RCC; especially so in its younger sectors. This is why my friend Sarah Leslie of Herescope and I coined the term Protholic; someone not really Protestant, but not quite Roman Catholic…yet.
Now, as far as Rick Warren is concerned, you might remember a couple of years ago that the ever-ebullient PDL Pope posted this Bull:

Mother Teresa once said, “Holy living consists in doing God’s work with a smile.”… The last thing many believers need is to go to another Bible study.
They already know far more than they are putting into practice. What they need are serving experiences in which they can exercise their spiritual muscles. (Online source)

Proving yet again that the only thing Rick Warren has in common with the Protestant Reformers is a sinful nature just like the rest of us. There’s no evidence whatsoever that the universalist mystic Mother Teresa was even a regenerated Christian; and Warren’s Bible-twisting is legendary. Like I said before, the spread of the delusions of CSM—which are quite literally everywhere now within evangelicalism—is working to, once and for all, completely reverse the Reformation.
In closing this, for now, I remind you again that 1) the Protestant Reformation was first and foremost a battle about the very Gospel of Jesus Christ itself, and 2) it matters not one whit what an individual Roman Catholic may believe about the Church of Rome. The fact is, all the canons and anathemas from the Council of Trent re. the Gospel, as well as its antibiblical sacramental system remain. For your see, by pronouncing her dogma infallible, Rome cannot change.
Of course we should love Roman Catholics; but the faithful are in need of the genuine Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I’m forever grateful Deron loved me enough when I was one of them to preach it to me. So, in the Lord, today I exhort you to join me—as well as others like me—and come into conflict with compromisers like James Robison and Rick Warren. The truth is, they need to be admonished to repent of their double-mindedness concerning apostate Roman Catholicism.

TRANSCRIPT:
James Robison: (to studio audience) We’re so glad to see you. (to camera) and we’re glad to see you. Welcome to Life Today, I’m James Robison. Betty and I are thrilled to have a Catholic priest, Father Jonathan Morris. Now let me just tell you something: Here’s a book that he’s written, God Wants You Happy and—and this uh, Catholic priest knows the source of happiness is joy; and that joy comes from a relationship with the Lord Jesus, and—and I’m telling you, this man is a blessing. I want you to welcome Father Jonathan Morris to Life Today. Would you give him a welcome?
Jonathan Morris: Thank you very much.
Robison: (shakes Morris’ hand) I’m glad to see you. Now, I—I’ve told you (pauses)
Morris: (reaches over to shake Betty Robison’s hand)
Robison: I’ve told you personally, ah, and on more than one occasion I have said—wh, “I watch you on—on FOX; and you’ll come on many of the different programs—you’re on FOX and Friends a lot in the morning. They’ll have you on often times during special uh—holidays, or, or let’s say “Christian” seasons whether it’s Christmas or Easter; and then they’ll ask you questions at various times of the year when there’s some question that comes up of a theological nature, Biblical nature, or spiritual nature—in their opinion—and sometimes they don’t really know the spiritual from the secular, but they’ll—they think they do.
Morris: They try. They do their best.
Robison: Whenever you’re on—and I’m just tell[ing] you this straight on as an evangelical—as a Protestant, every time you talk—every time I see you, I see Jesus.
Morris: Mm. Thank you.
Robison: When you open your mouth, that what you say is so consistent with the Word of God, with the heart of God, with the spirit of God—and the spirit of Christ—that I marvel. And I—I’ve often said, “I wish most Protestant preachers had the sensitivity, and discernment, and gift to communicate that you have. (quickly turns to audience) Don’t you agree that you see Jesus in this (applause)—wonderful man of God?
Morris: (to audience) Thank you very much.
Betty Robison: That’s what I—I’m appreciating; every time I’ve seen—seen you on FOX—is because there’s that—there’s that calmness and a peace that—and a sureness too—of where your beliefs come from an—and it’s just evident that God is first.
Morris: Can I say something to you all? It takes a lot of courage quite honestly—(unintelligible)—for a Protestant, evangelical, Bapti—I don’t know what you call yourself James—(laughter) to have a Catholic priest on. And I know that you do it not because you believe every, single theological thing that I believe—and we would probably have some dis—disagreements on things, but you said it—it’s about the person of Jesus Christ. And if you can have the courage, James, to have a Catholic priest to talk about things that we care about, I can say, “Let me tell you, I’ve accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.” You don’t hear many Catholics say it because we don’t know how to say it; we’re not used to saying it. We say, “Well I was baptized; and like, I can’t remember it, you know?” But you know what?
So much—we have so much in common, but we have one person in common and that is Jesus Christ and we have to work together and we have to have courage to work together no matter what anyone says. “Father Jonathan, what are you doing going on that “Life thing Today” we’ve got a quote from James Robison 1975 (audience laughs) you know—he didn’t like those Catholics too much.”
Robison: Oh God forgive me! (audience laughs) I’ve got public confessional.
Morris: But I think we all know right now that the world’s problems today are so much bigger than our differences and we have to have courage not because we’re perfect, but because we have a God who’s perfect and who loves us, and has a plan for us and that’s why we’re here today.
Robison: Absolutely. And I’ve told—I’ve told this to him. I—I’ve chewed Billy Graham out for having Catholics in all of his meetings (audience laughta). I’ve even chewed him out for having Pentecostals and charismatics. You talk about Baptist buddy—I was Baptist bought, bred, and born.
Morris: I’m glad I’m over here.
Robison: Scary, scary, scary—I think I used to scare God. (audience laughs) I used to tell people I—I—I put so much fear of hell in them nobody wanted to go—I just scared the hell out of them. It’s just—you know, here’s the thing God has—Billy Graham is the one that—he asked me, “Do you know these people you’re talking about and telling me to stay away from them?” And, I didn’t. And I—and I’ve said this—if you watch me you’ve heard me say this many times, we don’t know Him (pointing heavenward) as well as we should because we refuse to know them. And as a result of us not knowing one another and even being an answer to the prayer of Jesus that we be one, we’ve not learned as well as we should. and—and—Father, listen I—I’ve developed such wonderful relationships I’ve got to be honest with you, if…if Catholics, evangelicals, Protestants, if we would just come together on common ground.
Morris: Mm hmm.
Robison: You talk about a city set on a hill that cannot be hid. You talk about a city set on a hill that could light up the way the world should walk and reveal the way not to walk as well as to walk, I think it’s going to happen. I want you to tell me.—what—what do you want people to hear when you think about God Wants You Happy because I know you know it’s beyond frivolity—
Morris: Yes.
Robison: It’s not triteness, it’s not trivial, it’s not “hip hip hooray” there’s some depth here, that’s what you communicate. What do you want people to hear?
Morris: Even if the book is yellow and a smiley face looking (audience laughter) you know it’s…the subtitle of this book is, From Self Help to God’s Help. And there’s a self-help industry out there that has a lot of—I would say—pearls of wisdom, but unfortunately this industry has cut itself off, has divorced itself from the origin of true happiness.
Robison: Mm hmm.
Morris: And so yes, we can help ourselves, but we can only get so far and then the grace of God has to intervene. And what I, you know…on FOX News, on other secular…uh media venues, I…I look at mostly ethical issues as you mentioned James, right? Social issues, political issues that have meaning for our lives as families and as individuals and…and what I try to do is help people take (as we were talking at dinner tonight) baby steps…
Robison: Mm.
Morris: Right? Baby steps to understanding truth and goodness and beauty but, there’s more to it than taking baby steps…there’s something called walking and there’s something called running in the presence of God. And what I try to do in this book is to help people to go through…specifically through the theological virtues of faith, hope and love and begin to live in the presence of God through living faith, through living hope, through living love. And, God wants that for us and He wants us to be happy because He wants us to flourish at every single level of our existence; suffering included (of course), but flourishing with that spiritual joy that you talked about, James.
Robison: Well, you exemplify it. I mean, you really do and I’m not…I have no reason to just try to be patronizing or just say well, okay this is the kindness of the Evangelical Protestant to the Catholic
Morris: (laughs)
Robison: I…I am telling you that…that I believe that…that I’m going to get to see and be a part of Jesus’ prayer for us to have a oneness with the Father and to see a perfected…perfectedness and perfection coming from a supernatural unity and the world will know that we’re His disciples because of our love that I…I think that I’m going to get to see that. And…and…and just knowing you the little exchanges that you and I’ve had – really in the last weeks – have been quite remarkable and…and…and I…I’m thankful. Now, you…you’ve said in our conversations that you’ve seen some things…what you hear in my expressions that encourage you.
Morris: You know, um…I…on the plane here today, I read from cover to cover the manuscript you sent to me of your new book, Indivisible, and I’m reading it and I’m blown away. I’m saying, “You know what? Here we have (and I think you wrote it
Robison: With a Catholic..
Morris: With a Catholic.
Robison: Jay Richards.
Morris: Jay Richards…and I’m reading, you know…here we have our evangelical, well-known pastor, writing about things that I would write about. Here I am reading a Catholic who helped you, writing about evangelical things that I need to learn! And we need to help each other.
Robison: Absolutely.
Morris: And you know what, James? I think the center of this book is showing that the God given….the God given gift of faith…where’s the origin? Well, it’s God given…it’s from God, but we also have a God given gift of reason; and that gift of reason when it is well-formed, when it’s not polluted by all the junk that’s out there in the media, on the news, when we purify it…helping each other purify it, that gift of reason goes together with that gift of faith and they’re two wings upon which we can fly towards new heights. And, if we’re doing it together…
Robison: Mm hmm.
Morris: As evangelicals and Catholics; Christians, anyone of good will, I believe that our country can take steps forward and we can gain…not looking back, “Remember when back in the 60s or 40s or the NO! How about the 2020s?”
Robison: Yes!
Morris: Right?
Robison: Yes!
Morris: We can do it. And I believe there’s a…there’s a evangelical/Catholic movement that’s going on…
Robison: Yeah.
Morris: Right now. Not only two groups coming together, but Catholics who are evangelistic.
Robison: Mm hmm.
Morris: And evangelicals that are going back to traditions and finding the best of it and not being afraid of it.
Robison: Absolutely. Isn’t that…do you like hearing what you’re hearing? (Audience applause) I think, “Thank God!”
Morris: Thank you, James.
Robison: And I really believe…I…I’m excited about what I believe God is doing. I don’t…I don’t see hopelessness. You know, you’ve been on FOX where…where Glenn Beck has been and Glenn and I happen to be friends, but one of the things I keep saying to Glenn…I say, “Man, let’s have some hope.” I say, “I always have hope. I mean, you talk about doomsday. Man, you’re the doomsdayest guy sometimes I’ve ever heard (audience laughter) and I…he loves me and he listens
Morris: Yeah.
Robison: And we have great fellowship…and I’m saying, “Glenn…Glenn get your hopes up a little bit!” I…I believe the blessed hope is not just the return of the Lord, but is the hope Christ in us.
Morris: Yeah.
Robison: The hope of the manifestation of His glory, which I see on you; and I get the feeling that…you know…when we were having fellowship and…with other Evangelicals and we were eating together, it looked like you could see hope in this…this beautiful girl right here (pointing to Betty) and you could see hope in the others. Don’t you think that we have this hope that people are looking for and if they see it, they’re going to be drawn to it? I…I feel like that’s what you say when God wants you to be happy to have a life that is attractive in which Christ is lifted up…
Morris: That’s right.
Robison: Not just some dull religion.
Morris: And this is not hope that’s like, “Hey, positive thinking…optimism…hey, c’mon, wake up…get up…have some coffee (laughts) that’s not it! You know, optimism is a mere emotional state of the soul. Hope is being positive…positive thinking, positive acting. Why? Because we know that Christ has already had the victory. And so, whether I feel like (pauses) bad (audience laughter) or whether I feel great, that emotional state of the soul is less important than the deep, theological, spiritual conviction that God is on my side, that He’s with me…
Robison: Mm hmm.
Morris: And that He’s not going to abandon me; and we have to be that for one another.
Robison: That’s good preaching (audience laughter).
Morris: What do you all say here down in the south? “That that’ll preach?”
Robison: That’ll preach.
Betty Robison: I love the title of your…God Wants You Happy, but I believe God is happy when He sees His children fellowshipping together and getting along together.
Morris: ?? rejoicing in heaven, right?
Betty Robison: Amen.
James Robison: He does. I believe the angels rejoice. I believe the Father rejoices. I know Jesus who’s daily making intercession for us…I believe He has turned to His Father and says, “Father prepare to get an answer. We’re getting together.” I….don’t you like what you see? And don’t you know God likes for us to come together? (audience applauds) Let me…let me just ask you a serious ??? that I think is really remarkable because this just shows that religion isn’t the answer…a relationship with the Jesus you talked about right up front…the priest that was over…
Morris: Mm hmm.
Robison: Over your head…
Morris: Religious order.
Robison: Your fellowship. He failed.
Morris: Yup.
Robison: But your faith didn’t fail. Explain that to us.
Morris: I wrote about that a little bit in this book. Um…just as a basic primer…there are two types of priests: There are religious order priests – you might have heard of them…Jesuits or Franciscans and then there are parish priests or Diocesan priests. And I was part of an order that was founded in Mexico and the founder turned out to be…he was a very charismatic guy…he had turned out to be basically a big fraud. And, it wasn’t found out until sixty years after he was running this…and tremendous good people got involved and did wonderful things, and then we found out another whole aspect or many aspects of his life…of the humanity…the broken, frail humanity; and if we put our faith in any specific person…even your wife or your husband, a specific pastor, um…a boss, or a hope that I might have to have such and such a position, or money…we’re going to be, ultimately, disappointed. And, that’s a very good thing to be disappointed when we’ve placed our hope in a place that does not deserve our hope.
Robison: Yeah. Our trust.
Morris: Yes, it was hard. You know, here I’m writing this book, God Wants You Happy, and I’m going through all this stuff, you know…yeah…whatever! Right? (laughter) And, but isn’t that how God works? In the midst of our pain He’s helping us and pushing us along and uh…so yeah, it was painful, but hey, we uh…it’s good for us sometimes.
Robison: Yeah, He looked beyond our sin and gave us forgiveness and grace; and we can look beyond our pain and the failures of others and see His adequacy and His sufficiency. I…I want to encourage you to get Father Jonathan Morris’ book, God Wants You Happy, in the truest, purest sense of the word. And then whenever you see him…and I’m praying that God will open doors beyond anything he’s ever imagined…I pray this for him, and matter of fact, he’s come on this program where so many people highly visible in evangelical circles have been, I’ve never heard anyone put it any clearer, any plainer, any more precisely, any more directly pointing to Jesus than he did and I…I believe I’m watching (just what he referred to a moment ago) I’m watching something happen in the family of God that lifts us above all those barriers that have been put up, always in defense of the faith… always, but often times in the defense of the faith we destroy the demonstration of the faith and the high impact potential of the faith; and I believe God’s going to heal that. And…and…you know Father, I don’t see that as a compromise. I see we’ve been compromising over our various differences and we’ve really missed the power of the real Difference Maker
Morris: That’s right.
Robison: The Lord Jesus.
Morris: And it’s not about us or even about (gesturing to entire audience) right? It’s about us with God, right? Who’s going to help us because hey, what can we do? We’re limited human beings with a limited scope that even with the Internet and television, it’s nothing (laughter) that’s nothing compared to the suffering of individuals, the needs of families…
Robison: Absolutely.
Morris: And we can’t do it on our own, but we have to do our part and be the junior partners with the Holy Spirit to bring about a wonderful work of God.
Robison: Amen. We all say amen to that (audience applause) Here’s the book. You pray for Father Jonathan Morris, and I…I’ll just tell you here right now…you’ve got an invitation…and I don’t know how often you want to leave up in the, you know New York or in the happy, happy grounds or whatever and come down here to hot, uh Texas…you know…somebody said, “All Texas needs is a little more air conditioning and you know a little bit more water,” and somebody said, “That’s all Hell needs.” (laughter) But if you…if you want to come down, you’ve got an invitation if you’ll just let us know you’re coming this way, or you would just say, “You know what? I’ll make it a part of my schedule.” We’d love to have you come.
Morris: Well, let’s do it. Let’s play golf, too.
Robison: Let’s do that! (laughter) Shake on that. Let’s do it! Say thanks to Father Jonathan Morris (audience applause). I want to again say thanks to Father Jonathan Morris and remind you that God Wants You Happy and I just pray that all of us evangelicals, Protestants, whoever…every Catholic…every professing Christian would be the kind of witness and the kind of light that Father Jonathan Morris is. Would you say thanks to the Father?
Morris: Thank you.
Robison: Thank you. Thank all of you for watching. Thank you for your support. We love you. Thanks for loving us.

___________________________________________________________________________
End notes:
[1] Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander [New York: Doubleday, 1966], 158, emphasis mine.
See also:
RICK WARREN AND TEACHINGS OF DEMONS
BETH MOORE PRAISES BROTHER LAWRENCE AND OBSCURES THE REFORMATION
LET US NOT FORGET THE REFORMERS

AMiA-gate: AMiA-Rwanda Split/Flap Continues

The AMiA-Rwanda Split and Flap Continues.  A regrettable affair.  Where there's alot of smoke, there's probably a fire.  We attended an AMiA work, but the charismatic-lite (and Praise Band music), implicit semi-Pelagianism, and geographical distance (61 miles north) drove us off.  Doing "Holy, Holy, Holy" to a Praise Band was too much.  Then, the computer-geek misposting the Nicene Creed on the projector-screen at the wrong time--backwards and forwards.  Eegads.  That's for starters. We continue to live in Anglican exile while rejoicing in the historic, Confessional, Creedal, Protestant, Reformed and Catholic faith of the ages. David Virtue is virtually useless in his non-reporting, but then again, Virtue is a quasi-Montanist-Anabaptist himself.  Murphy's proposals to be a sovereign and unaccountable Bishop is not much pleasing.  He's a quasi-Montanist as well.

http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=15327

Bishops Thad Barnum and Terrell Glenn Clarify Their New Role with Rwanda
December 16, 2011

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Greetings in the Name of Jesus who was and is and is to come.

We are writing in order to send letters to you from the entire House of Bishops in the Anglican Province of Rwanda (PEAR).

As you will see, these letters were actually sent a week ago. We had hoped to have the proper mechanism to send them to every member of the clergy in the AMiA but have been unable to have access to this, despite our efforts.

As a result, we are sending them to any possible email address list that we can assemble in hopes that you, in turn, will pass it along to those you know in the AMiA.

The letters attached to this email were sent to all congregations and clergy from Archbishop Rwaje and a unanimous Rwandan House of Bishops (HoB) on Friday, December 9, in response to the resignations of most of the Anglican Mission in America bishops from the Rwandan HoB.

We also have delayed sending these letters because we needed to clarify with the Rwandan HoB the second bullet point in the letter to clergy and churches. While AMiA affiliated congregations are under the pastoral oversight of Archbishop Rwaje, they are also affiliated with the U.S. non-profit corporation, The Anglican Mission in the Americas. As a result, churches have had a type of "dual citizenship" with Rwanda and the AMiA. Unfortunately, while many of us had been led to think differently, the churches in the AMiA have never been canonically resident in the Anglican Province of Rwanda or anywhere else in the Anglican Communion. We are currently working with the Rwandan HoB to discern ways to rectify this for those congregations that desire a true membership in the Anglican Communion. At the same time, the canonical status of the clergy is clear. If you are clergy in the AMiA, (other than the 8 active bishops who resigned*) you are canonically resident in PEAR.

In addition to the letter to you from the Rwandan HoB, you will find a copy of a letter sent to the two of us appointing us "to work as a team to provide Episcopal oversight for those North American clergy and congregations affiliated to the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda." We have accepted this appointment.

We are all recovering from the shock of the resignations on December 5. Please resist the temptation to "create camps". It is easy when we are hurt, wounded and confused to fall into that, as it makes our decisions seem easier. However, it doesn't honor what is true. All involved are seeking to serve Jesus and follow him. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and we are in crisis. Please do not give way to conjecture and please do not assign motives to anyone. There have been too many damaging things written about our brothers who resigned and about our brothers in Rwanda -- and many of them are merely conjecture and speculation. Only the Lord knows the heart. We need to speak words of blessing to and in reference to one another.

In a situation in which there has been bad behavior on every side, we all have sufficient work to do to clear out our logs so that we might actually see clearly enough to be useful to the Lord as instruments of healing with one another. Our call now is to prayer, repentance and reconciliation. Clarity will come. Our Lord has promised that His Spirit will lead us to truth. But that comes as we seek Him and His kingdom. We know that many of you have questions about the moment in which we find ourselves. We will send another communication to you next week in which we hope to be able to identify individuals who can assist you in determining the most faithful direction for you and your churches as we all go forward. Please pray for our Archbishop, the House of Bishops, the leadership of the AMiA and one another. You remain the focus of our prayers.

Humbly in Christ,

Bishop Terrell L. Glenn, Jr. Bishop Thaddeus R. Barnum

*****

A Letter From the Rwandan House of Bishops

December 9, 2011

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ,

In Light of recent developments in the AMiA, Including the resignation of +Chuch Murphy and the other Bishops except +Terrell Glenn and +Thad Barnum. we convened a special meeting of the House of Bishops today at the provincial headquarters in Kigali. During our meeting, we together made the following resolutions in order to clarify the status of those congregations and clergy who server under the canonical and ecclesiastical oversight of the Province of Rwanda, through the mission outreach to North America.

We reaffirm our love for you and our commitment to you as the family of Christ, especially during this particular moment. In everything you remain our prayers.

We reaffirm and reassure all the congregations that have been affiliated with AMiA their canonical standing and residence remains in the Province of Rwanda as long as they desire it.

We reaffirm that all Clergy that have been affiliated with AMiA have canonical residence in Rwanda and are therefore Clergy in PEAR as long as they desire it.

We resolve that all the Bishops who have willingly resigned from the Province of Rwanda have forfeited their authority over those clergy and congregations that have been affiliated with Rwanda through AMiA.

We formally appoint Bishops Thad Barnum and Terrell Glenn to provide Episcopal oversight, for the sake of those North American Clergy and congregations affiliated with Rwanda. Furthermore, we will meet again soon as house of Bishops and we will work with Bishop Barnum and Glenn to chart a course forward for sustainable future mission together.

We resolve that any clergy or congregations who desire to disaffiliate with the Province of Rwanda should do so in writing directed to Bishop Barnum and Glenn.

In spite of these difficult circumstances, our House of Bishops enjoy an unprecedented level of unity and fellowship in the Holy Spirit during this time. As a united House, we again urge you to keep your focus on the higher calling of following the Lord Jesus in mission and ministry.

Signed at Kagili, Rwanda on this day, the 9th of December 2011

*****

Archbishop Rwaje writes to Bishops Barnum and Glenn

December 9, 2011

Dear Bishops Thad Barnum and Terrell Glenn,

I greet you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

In light of the recent developments within AMiA and after consulting with the House of Bishops, I am writing to let you know that we have appointed both of you to work as a team to provide Episcopal oversight for those North American Clergy and Congregations Affiliated to the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda.

As House of Bishops we are planning to meet with you to seek together for God's guidance for a sustainable future of the ministry. We are praying for God's wisdom as we all continue together to serve Him both Rwanda and North America.

Yours in His Service,

The Most Rev. Dr. Onesphore Rwaje
Archbishop of PEAR

Rev. Tipton Accuses Dr. Michael Horton of Lutheranism and Semi-Pelagianism

http://reformedforum.org/media/ctc/ctc207.mp3

Mr. Lane Tipton accuses Dr. Michael Horton of Lutheranism on "union with Christ" and, hence, semi-Pelagianism.

Eegads.

Denise Sproul Departs the Church Militant to Church Triumphant

HT to Triablogue re: the news.


http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2011/12/denise-sproul.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2Ftriablogue+%28Triablogue%29


Ligonier reports: 
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/denise-sproul-home-lord/


Denise Sproul, wife of RC Sproul, Jr., has departed this life for the next world.  Denise was and is the daughter-in-law of RC, Sr.  She entered the Church Triumphant under HM's governance.

We lament this.  We pray HM's consolations for Junior and his children.  The children lost a Mum.  Junior lost his wife. RC Sr. and Vesta lost their daughter-in-law.

SGM-Mahaneygate: SGM-Cofounder Tomczak Whines re: Mahaney

Yellow for highlights.  Blue for our comments. They are all self-righteous, sectarian and ignorant Sectarians, the whole lot of them.

Larry Tomcak, a Co-founding
Noisebox, Tub-thumper
Ignoramus, and High School
Graduate, Like Mahaney

 http://www.larrytomczak.com/Docs/departure_sgm.pdf

— Larry and Doris Tomczak (November 2011) 

As you read of our time with Sovereign Grace Ministries, we are sharing some traumatic experiences (Larry, there are 1000s of others besides you...glad to see the plural noun here), yet endeavoring to do so accurately (Is there any other way?)  and redemptively. I want to say at the outset that I am not blamless.    (In other words, I, Larry Tomczak--like the rest of them--was a proud and hubristic Pentecostalist with absolutely no education like Mahaney yet with a loud mouth, was an arrogant and ignorant Sectarian thinking PDI/SGM was "it," was an elitist without credentials of any kind in any field, was self-righteous never understanding the Gospel of the Reformation, the catholic history, tradition, liturgy or confessions, was judgmental about all others, lacking integrity and acted with deceitfulness, and proceeding as an abuser like Mahaney), but I at times yielded to a spirit of fear  (With such a puny view of God that I quaked in my boots...I was an arrogant wimp) when told I “lacked discernment” (While all of us "Apostles" claimed apostolic infallibility like CJ, Brent, Dave Harvey and others on the "Apostolic" and "Prophetic A-Team"...just like the Pope at Vatican 1, 1870) and was at times cowardly (Like a wimp, child, sniffler, baby-bottle-man and whiner while Marines and Soldiers live and die on battlefields.  How many $$ were you and CJ making in 1998?  Didn't you say you and Doris feared loss of income, position, place and speaking opportunities in "Reckless Abandonment," page 95?) when I should have (Where were your ethics?  Clearly not catechetized) addressed unrighteous behavior. Where we participated (Details requested) in any unredemptive treatment of God’s people, we ask for your forgiveness. (Granted, but forgiveness is not co-extensive with trust.  While granting the former, the latter is surely withheld and with cause.) Over the years Doris and I have met with numerous people to ask forgiveness and people have been most gracious to us. Feel free to contact us if you feel a need to revisit any past experiences.  

Tomczak, like Mahaney, the author
of illiterate books

Thank you in advance for your mercy and love. (Thanks in advance?  Now, that's presumptive, Larry.  In advance?  Why should we give you an advance without an analytic inquiry and cross-examination? Good, Larry, now move along.  You were integral to the abusive culture of pride, self-righteousness, arrogance, judgmentalism and the Shepherding movement...talking while ignorant yet disclaiming a need for knowledge.)  Let us (Exhortation not accepted...your authority is rebuffed and rebuked)  unite in prayer that what we communicate will help many, bring healing and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ. 

“But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones. So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Gen. 50:19-21 (You apply this to yourself Larry, ignorantly?  The narrative is about Christ the promised Seed and redemption, not you, CJ, Brent, Dave and the other backwoods exhorters.  Your incompetence in exegesis, ancient languages, theology, history and other important disciplines is noted...again.  While we're at it, you're books are sophmoric, like CJ's)

“Encountering departures and desertions from our ministries—we must see them as tutors—revealing our real motives and deficiencies in our methodology. These are tests from God. They will reveal our hearts.” -Dave Harvey, SGM Leader  (Dave is still trying to rescue "his ambition."  Do not pay one nickel for Dave Harvey's "Rescuing Ambition," Crossway, 2010, a sophmoric affair for illiterates.))

 Note: This quote appeared on the cover page of a paper I submitted to SGM leaders one year after our 1997 departure, “An Appeal for Repentance, Reconciliation and Closure.” (Poor Dave Harvey.  All he wanted to be was a "Cop."  Good quote though.  Shows Dave didn't learn alot.  Dave is owned.)

Five issues were highlighted at that time: 1) Pride, Sectarianism and Elitism. 2) Self-righteousness and Judgmentalism.  3) Blackmail and Intimidation. 4) Lack of Integrity and Deceitfulness.  5) Abuse of Spiritual Authority. (Things, I, arrogant Tomczak, was heavily involved with, like CJ, Harvey and Detwiler.  We were an arrogant brood of vipers, half-wits, hubristaphiles, and ignoramuses, for sure.  These are the same things Detwiler observed and documented.)

The paper cited the names of 61 former leaders (61?  Eegads, Larry!  How many again?  61?  Let's get the names out there...AoR apparently interviewed 60-80 defrocked clerics in Nov 2011?  Are there more?) who experienced mistreatment (the list is currently over 100 (100?  Eegads!  Is AoR up to speed on this number?)) and included an appeal for a forum where “individuals with outstanding offenses and unresolved issues could be addressed...these issues will not (Harvey and SGM are working hard to bury these issues) simply fade away but will continue lingering for years until dealt with redemptively and honestly.” I received no response (Man, the issue is coverup, not response) from any team leaders to the paper or appeal for adjudication. Date of submission: December 1998. (Said to include Detwiler and Harvey, two fellow hubrists)

“The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.” (I Tim.5:24) 

Next year I will celebrate God’s faithfulness in my 40th year (Who of weight, depth and scholarly inquiry authorized your ministry?  CJ?  Yourself?  For some, like this scribe, it's never been recognized or authorized) of full-time Christian ministry. At this juncture I sensed (The "eternal I" for enthusiasts) it would be helpful to tell the story of a painful turning point in my life and ministry. 



Old Baldy Mahaney, Enthusiast,
Abuser,
Infallbilitst, high schooler

Recently, I wrote a “Statement of Reconciliation” with CJ Mahaney, attempting to be as gracious and discrete as possible regarding specifics. But as more details surfaced on the Internet it became apparent that God wanted everything in the light. (Glad you did too, although you were as dirty, arrogant, hubristic, condescending, controlling, self-righteous and ignorant as CJ.  These are some "categories,"  Larry, Brent, CJ and Dave for your reflection.) Our experience is not an isolated case. (Try 1000s, Larry.  As a narcissistic Pentecostalist, of course there are 100os. Larry, you lost the big income, but what about the children, the abusers, the abuses, the nightmares, the PTSD, the hypervigilances, the traumas, the fears, the lost years, and the extensive pychiatric interventions...for children and families?  Frankly, Larry, you ain't that important...THEY ARE) It is probably one of the most egregious and ignominious examples of deceit and abusive behavior (Pure crap.  Huh?  Try the 8-10 sex molestation cases with coverup...Larry, sorry, narcissistic overstatement. Here's what was created, Tomczak, Detwiler and Mahaney.  We recite what was noted above by Tomczak in his confession that distinquished PDI/SGM for decades.  Here's Tomczak's points.   Five issues were highlighted at that time: 1) Pride, Sectarianism and Elitism. 2) Self-righteousness and Judgmentalism. 3) Blackmail and Intimidation. 4) Lack of Integrity and Deceitfulness. 5) Abuse of Spiritual Authority. surfacing in SGM at this time. But it did not create the crisis. 

Instead, it revealed how root (Root, branch and leaf) issues have been ignored and left unaddressed for too long (SGM Board, listen up). May we all proceed in humility and mercy, mindful of Prov. 28:13, “He who conceals his sin will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes his sin will obtain mercy.” 

After 24 years of service in the DC area (As a high schooler--like Mahaney--and backwoods exhorter) with the “Take and Give Ministry” (TAG), cofounding (Get your grammar right, high schooler, it's "co-founding."  Notice also where Larry fails to put the period where it belongs like a man with no background in college level English.)  Covenant Life Church in our home and then serving in leadership in Fairfax Covenant Church, I with my family departed disappointedly, yet hopefully, for better things in Atlanta in 1996. We knew for a number of years that I was being marginalized (Why?  Details needed?  We know Detwiler has 1000 pages of unreleased docs on the Tomczak-debacle) in Sovereign Grace Ministries (formerly People of Destiny International) and when differences with Reformed doctrine (What would you, a high school graduate, Larry, know about "Reformed" doctrine, let alone history, exegesis, confessions or liturgies?) began surfacing, the tension only increased. (Over predestination?  Eegads, high schooler.)

At a youth rally in Atlanta, one of our teen-age sons responded along with other youth to an appeal for living genuine Christian lives (This is truly a sad story here). That night at home he voluntarily shared with me areas of waywardness and his desire to change, but the door was now open to confront me for “failures at home” and “character deficiencies.” “Apostolic Team” leaders forbade me (Grossly incompetent by the "Apostolic" Infallibilists worse than Vatican 1 infallibilists) to be present for a later meeting with my son (Even law enforcement and legal officials don't do this, but again, we're dealing with backwoods enthusiasts here...hint, hint, SGMers like old Baldy, Slick Dave Harvey, and Bulldog Detwiler) where he was told to “share all your sins” with the vow of their “confidentiality” (which was later broken). (Liars)

Subsequently, the team (the Pentecostalistic Infallibilists like Mahaney, Harvey and others) said it “lost confidence in my leadership,” and agreed to a “leave of absence,” sending out a “letter of confession” written by me, then undergoing several revisions affirming SGM leadership and inserting material with which I was uncomfortable but required to include. (Standard ops for many...aside from the many who endured this, Larry, where was your courage and committment to honour, integrity, and manliness?  The same question applies to other defrocked clerics...) At the church meeting announcing the shift, I was told to nod (hint, hint...lie) in agreement for the congregation to observe (Is there no shame here?). 

The agreed upon 6-12 month period (Mens rea...intent was formed for the blackmail operation)  was short-circuited when we (Details needed) experienced a pattern of spiritual abuse, deceit, harshness and hypocrisy (including premeditated blackmail, communicated and reaffirmed on numerous occasions and subsequently left to silence and hang over us for over a decade). (This sounds exactly like the 600-page Detwiler dump at: http://www.scribd.com/sgmwikileaks) The entire apostolic team and the new senior pastor (Paid by SGMers) and his staff participated in this. (Samo, samo, samo, for dozens of others...EXCEPT CEEJIE.)  We also were told to consider uprooting to Virginia Beach or Phoenix (For cover-up reasons and to get the problem out of sight), which we said we could not do because we did not sense this to be God’s will for our family.  

Criteria established for returning to my former role as senior pastor made that outcome an impossibility unless I embraced the Reformed doctrinal tenets (although people nationwide were deliberately misled with information to the contrary). 

My wife and I finally left PDI when things finally reached the “untenable” point. It became for us a matter of conscience. Disingenuous public statements (Disingenuous = lying and deceitful?) and letters sent nationwide (So much for Mt 18 that is so richly touted by CJ, Connolly and other enablers...Mahaney "publicly" embarrassed other defrocked clerics also) misrepresented what actually happened and I was publically slandered (Did this include the historic "gossip card"?) at Covenant Life Church, called a “liar” (with guests and non-believers present) as the leader declared, “I’d rather be dead than do what Larry Tomczak is doing!” (Telling the truth or lies?) Local leaders were affirmed leading to an almost unanimous standing ovation. (No surprises here) My reputation built upon 25 years in ministry, was debased nationally and abroad. (We're dealing here with a classical and malignant "Narcissist" without a conscience, feelings or rationality) My “Seven Reasons for Departing PDI” were not conveyed (Duh?  I bet Detwiler has those "Seven Reasons") and for 13 years this perception remained in the public domain (So speak and keep speaking), separating our family from many relatives, friends and leaders in the Body of Christ. It also resulted in serious financial repercussions for us as a family of six. (That must have gotten your attention, especially as Mahaney owns at least $1.4 million in properties--minimally on two identifed sites--in Gaithersburg and has pulled down a cool $250K/annum in the late 2000-period...there is reason to believe he owns or bought other properties too, for his kiddoes...eegads, you and Detwiler really got hosed over, financially.)

For over a decade we tried to bring CJ and the apostolic team to account for the injustice, even enlisting nationally known leaders in the effort, but to no avail. Finally, in November of 2010 he consented. (Same time when about 18-20 SGM-CLC leaders were twisting a half-confession from old Baldy) Years of confrontation by SGM leaders and CLC pastors along with the turmoil and defections of people in the network of churches brought CJ to the realization he needed to repent of longstanding (Decades?) sins, some of which were committed in our unfortunate departure. CJ later made a public confession (Now retracted and sanitized from SGM sites compliments of Dave Harvey, John Loftness, Mark Prater,  old Mickey Boy Connolly...move along folks, nothing to see here, intones Harvey) of some of his transgressions at Covenant Life Church and announced a “leave of absence.” (Which he never observed) Many believe his confession was a start but was incomplete and minimized (Then denied) the severity of the issues. We were invited to the November SGM Pastors Conference and Covenant Life Church (Hah!!  There were "too busy" and had "too much going on" Harvey told the nation)  to speak on reconciliation, but the invitation was rescinded. (The heat was too much by Oct 2011) At the conference CJ shared he regretted having taken the leave of absence. (Old Baldy is a joke, then, like now)

CJ’s example, problems surfacing in churches affiliated with SGM, and Internet disclosures from a former apostolic team member (Infallibilists "speaking the word" just like Mahaney) were catalytic in some SGM leaders beginning to come forward to repent and rectify matters with our family. One former team member had already done so years previously, after experiencing abusive treatment leading to his departure. (Like at least 61 others, if not 100) An independent advisory panel, Ambassadors of Reconciliation, has been retained to engage in a discovery process to help facilitate reconciliation with former members and leaders who believe they have been spiritually abused. (Lutherans will never--ever--understand the chaos, ignorance and legalism of SGM...they know better, the Lutheran DNA knows better...AoR will never understand the implicit Romanism and legalism of Mahaney, Detwiler, Harvey, Tomczak and other ignorant enthusiasts...Lutherans are better schooled) The panel is also collecting information to assist with reforms needed in SGM as well as assist in determining CJ Mahaney’s future status. (For close readers, the whole top, the entire SGM Board, all 10 of them, should resign.  Time for all the high schoolers to recognize that serious thinkers think it's over.  Mahaney, clearly, like Harvey, need to go.)

May the Lord guide us all (Who needs your exhortation, Larry?  The Lord will guide us all...we have the Scriptures for the exhortation, not a co-facilitator of ignorance and hubris like you Larry) as we redemptively deal with past transgressions and find His grace manifested in this time of reconciliation, reform and discipline for Sovereign Grace Ministries. (An arrogant, sectarian, judgmental, hubristic, and self-righteous ministry)  The changes are not cosmetic but substantive to effectively eradicate systemic issues and transform a leadership culture (That includes your dismissal for arrogance, ingnorance and hubris of 25 years, Larry) that has drifted (Drifted?  How about, "never knew" Biblical norms...hint, hint...like St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans?) from Biblical norms. Two of the churches in Revelation faced the practice of the Nicolaitans (“suppress the people”). One hated it; the other held to it (Rev.2:6 & 15). May SGM leaders align with the former. 

To be faithful to criteria for Biblical leadership; to steer clear of the sin of favoritism and partiality (And nepotism, like Chesemore, Bradshaw and Whitacre); and to be consistent with what was expected of former SGM leaders, I believe senior leaders should step down for a season (Larry, concur...3 years wouldn't hurt...SGM could run on auto-pilot...)  to be retooled for ministry according to I Pet. 5 and I Tim. 3 standards. (Children could do better than the current crop of leaders) Public repentance and public statements should be made along with restitution where appropriate (Harvey and Connolly, you two first, fess up). Then and only then, can the favor of Almighty God return in its fullness to this ministry and unity be restored. The warning of God’s “lampstand” (His Presence) being removed (Rev. 2:5) is very real when a church or ministry is being evaluated by Jesus and fails to respond. Many onlookers are hoping and praying that will not happen. 

Then we all can pray like Nehemiah did after he instituted reforms to restore the walls of the city of God: “Remember me with favor, O my God.” (Neh. 13:31) (More inopportune applications here, as if Neh applies to liars, muggers, deceivers and opportunists)

PS: Because the issues and contents of this statement have already been made public at church meetings and on the Internet for months, I sensed it was appropriate to release my story at this time. CJ and I are almost 40-year friends and our reconciliation statement still stands. In my study I keep a plaque he gave me decades ago. On it are the words: “My Brother, I would not be the man I am without your care and example. I am eternally indebted to you. Your Yokefellow, CJ.” I would add: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” (Prov. 27:6)

American Anglican Evangelicals?

Comments in blue below by DPV.

http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/109399_14327_ENG_HTM.htm

Evangelical

The evangelical movement in the Episcopal Church (DPV:  But evangelical and Episcopal, or Anglican, is redundant...hint, hint, the BCP is evangelical)  was influenced strongly (DPV:  Far over-stated and strongly overstated) by the Great Awakening in America during the mid-eighteenth century (DPV: Eegads, overstated). Episcopal evangelicals reflected American evangelicalism in many ways (DPV:  In fact, Lutherans and Anglicans were pretty resistant to enthusiasts), including a characteristic emphasis on personal religion and religious emotion (Huh?  Evangelicals were Prayer-book reading people), personal conversion, the authority of the Bible (DPV:  Like the BCP) as centered in the revelation of God in Christ (DPV: Sorta like the Creeds?) , the importance of justification by faith (DPV: Like Articles 9-11, sorta like the Reformation? ), the preaching of the Word and the study of the gospel (DPV: Like Article 6, sorta like the preaching commened by the first 6 centuries of Churchmen, e.g sorta like sola scriptura), the centrality of the cross (DPV:  Eegads, the Gospels?) for salvation (DPV:  Like the 39 Articles and BCP), the importance of the believer's direct relationship with God (DPV: Is there any other kind?), and a desire for pure and undefiled religion (DPV: And the BCP suggests otherwise?  What does the singing of the Psalms in the Anglican suggest? ) which included a strong aversion to worldliness and threats to public morals (DPV:  And what else might the 10 commandments suggest from Holy Communion in the 1789, 1892 or 1928 Prayer Books?). Episcopal evangelicals (DPV: An oxymoron) attended prayer meetings which included informal prayers (DPV: Horrors!  Holy moly!) and enthusiastic singing of hymns (DPV: Proof?  When have we--Anglicans--ever abandoned our beloved BCP?  Our beloved hymns?  Our heritage of honour, dignity, decorum or depth?  Stop!  This is rank revisionism). Evangelicals wrote many of the hymns (DPV:  Huh?  Evidence please?) that were used in the first years of the Episcopal Church. Evangelicals in the Episcopal Church used the Prayer Book and participated in the sacraments (??  DPV:  We need evidence here)  not emphasize the importance of sacramental form or the importance of apostolic succession (DPV: Quite overstated and simplified). They saw much value in the less liturgical (DPV: rank revisionism, Evangelical Anglicans were Prayer Book folks) style of other Protestant churches (DPV:  Hogwash. Anglicans never tossed their beloved BCP) and were impatient with canonical restrictions (DPV:  More overstatements, evangelicals loved their BCPs)  that prevented their participation in the services of other Protestant denominations (DPV: This deserves a howl) or the participation of other Protestant ministers in Episcopal services (DPV: Well, yes, admittedly, rightly, they saw "true churches" outside of Anglicanism, as Anglicanism historically saw, e.g. Confessional and Reformational Lutheran, Reformed and Presbyterian.) They were opposed to ritual excess (DPV:  Like Tractarians and other Ritualists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries), which they associated with the Roman Catholic Church (DPV: Puleeeze.  Get some sophistication here, please; some of us do read ya know?). Bishop Charles P. McIlvaine of Ohio challenged the theology of the Oxford Movement in his Oxford Divinity (1841) (DPV: That received very wide support in England that most Americans do not realize;  but don't tell the ACNA or AMiA about these insights from Bp. McIvaine), which identified Oxford divinity with the Roman Catholic Church and urged that both served to undermine the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith (DPV:  Yawn, puleeze.  Historic scholarship has identified Newman with Romanistic Trent.  Ahem.). The the Episcopal Church. Evangelicals have been at the center of the overseas missionary work of the Episcopal Church since the 1830s (DPV :  Evangelical and Anglican are not antonyms despite revisionist reviews). Noted evangelicals in the Episcopal Church included Bishops Richard Channing Moore and William Meade of Virginia; Philander Chase, Gregory T. Bedell, McIlvaine of Ohio (DPV: Supporters of the early REC although they later bagged Bp. Cummins, KY); Alexander Viets Griswold of the Eastern Diocese, who later served as Presiding Bishop; and Alonzo Potter of Pennsylvania. Other notable evangelicals were Elizabeth Channing Moore, and the Rev. William H. Wilmer, who served as president of William and Mary College (DPV: An Evangelical at William and Mary College?  That's news.)  ; and Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star-Spangled Banner." (DPV:  Key, an Evangelical?) Evangelical principles guided the founding of the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, by Meade, Wilmer, and others; and the founding by Chase of Kenyon College and Gambier Theological Seminary (later Bexley Hall) in Ohio. (DPV:  Regrettably, VTS was 4-point Calvinist in 1819, a substantive step-down from classical Dortrechtian Calvinism of 1618-1619, unlike the Elizabethan Bishops who were 5-pointers until the disastrous Arminian Laud, but...this much...FAR, FAR BETTER THAN ANYTHING ON OFFER WITH TEC OR CofE in our times...these modern loons wouldn't know a TULIP if it hit them on the head.  We continue to live in the Anglican exile.  How long, O LORD, must we endure the revisionists and self-serving revisionists?)

Embarrassing Photo of Celeb Dr. Carl Trueman

Carl Trueman appears to own the picture.  See:  http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2011/12/two-disclaimers-and-bad-news-f.php

Carl says:

"First, I was only the keyboard player and we never produced singles, only albums. That limits my celebrity."


Preliminary observations that warrant answers:  (1)  Was Carl a Catechetized man?  E.g. WSC?  WLC?  WCF?   We strenuously doubt it.  As such, how does he understand the value of catechetization of youth and adults?  Given this hype, he appears to have none of it?  (2) Was Carl shaped and formed by Prayer Book Churchmanship?  Again, strenuously doubted.  What does he offer but (now muted) enthusiasm by way of background?  (3)  Embarrassing photo.  Clearly, we are not talking about classical and sacred music through the ages.  He now sings Psalms?  (4)  He sure embarrassed himself and close analysts by his endorsement of a Baptacostal hyperauthoritarian and proud enthusiast, C.J.  Mahaney.  It is one of the more stupid and unscholarly moves of the year.  This scribe has a pending letter with Carl about Mahaney.  (5)  I shan't, as an alum of WTS, be supporting WTS-east, on this and some other grounds.


The background story was at:  http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2011/11/dr-carl-trueman-exposed.html

Again, Carl appears to own the picture. 

The Celeb, Dr. Carl Trueman, Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia, is on the far left.  An unanswered question....is it the high school graduate on the far right, one whom Dr. Trueman supports for full and qualified ministry....old C.J. Mahaney?  Is that Mahaney on the right with Trueman on the left?  Trueman supports the Baptacostalist Mahaney.