The new dark ages

I should say I don't like using this blog to complain about or criticize churches, especially my own. But this blog is a chronicle of my thoughts, and sometimes I think I should share things that just blow me away. One of those things is the attitude of arrogance among Episcopal elite. The "we know better" attitude. Better that who? . . . than you . . . than the saints and faithful of two millenia . . . than even the author of the Bible.

Here are two outrageous quotes, both from articles that are worth a read. From the May 4th LA Times:

The Rt. Rev. John Shelby Spong, who was bishop of the Diocese of Newark in New Jersey before his retirement in 2000, said Brust [an opponent of gay ordinations] misses the point. "There's not a scientist in the world today who supports the idea that homosexuals are mentally ill or morally depraved," said Spong, a noted author and outspoken church leader on the subject. "So I'd rather see the church split. I have no desire to be a part of a homophobic church."

And here's a terrifying quote from Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold in the April issue of The New Yorker:

It is true, Griswold says, that from "the classical point of view" sexuality "is to be exercised only within heterosexual, monogamous marriages." But he notes that the church has, through time, come to an understanding of marriage and sexuality that is less rigid than that prescribed by the Bible and church tradition. "The Episcopal Church over the years has come to, let us say, an understanding of the human person that is more sophisticated, possibly, than the understanding on the part of the Biblical authors."

The Episcopal Church knows better than the Biblical authors? One thing is for sure, the Episcopal Church should know better.

Update: General Convention deputy Brad Drell has an insightful post here showing the folly of the "those dumb old ancient people in biblical times just didn’t understand same sex affection" argument.