The Episcopal Church in the USA has recently elected a new Presiding Bishop. This is the very top job, a position of considerable responsibility and one of considerable influence. This in itself is not an unusual thing. Presiding Bishops are elected every nine years and it was that time again. But what is unusual this time is that the new Presiding Bishop just happens to be a woman.

The election of Katharine Jefferts Schori to this position is a highly contentious move that has had a huge impact for the entire Anglican Communion world-wide. It is seen as an occasion of great sadness for all who care about the unity of Christians, and as the pathway to heresy by those who adhere to a conservative and traditional understanding of Holy Scripture.

In the mid-seventies the Episcopal Church unilaterally decided to ordain women to the priesthood, and since then the Church of England has followed suit. However, the more recent commotion in the global Anglican Communion was sparked by the ordination of Gene Robinson, a practicing gay priest, as bishop of New Hampshire, USA. From a conservative and traditional theological position, the ordination of women, and the ordination of practising homosexuals, is not supported by Scripture. Women have a different kind of ministry, not one of headship that is the perogative of men. When Mother Theresa was once asked for her view on the ordination of women priests, she was quite dismissive of the idea, saying simply “women have other things to do.” But this is a very unpopular position in today’s world where feminism has influenced our thinking considerably, and the Apostle Paul (by whose apostolic authority women were forbidden in such roles, a reflection of his understanding of God’s purpose in the wide-reaching Creation story) has become regarded as the penultimate misogynist worthy only of contempt for his obvious chauvinism. That is a secular and cultural view, but not a Biblical view. And when it comes to practising homosexuals, again the secular and cultural view reigns over the Word of God where homosexuality is clearly a sin, and to live in constant unrepentant defiance of His Word on this matter is contrary to pursuit of a holy lifestyle befitting of ordained clergy.

Some months ago the Lambeth Commission on Communion issued the Windsor Report which proposed that the Episcopal Church apologize to the Anglican Communion for difficulties caused by the election of Gene Robinson and that a moratorium be declared on ordaining gay bishops and blessing same-sex unions. Bishop Schori was highly critical of the Windsor Report, and her election is a decisive repudiation of its recommendations. She is an unequivocal supporter of Gene Robinson and of the blessing of same-sex unions. Bishop Schori is also reported to be a friend and strong supporter of the retired Bishop John Spong, perhaps the most leftist of all Episcopal bishops, and who has long agitated against core doctrines of historic Christianity such as the inspiration of Scripture and the divinity of Christ.

Following her election as the new Presiding Bishop, Dr Schori signalled her feminist credentials in a sermon that drew on the writings of the 14th-century Julian of Norwich. She said: “Mother Jesus gives birth to a new creation — and you and I are His children. If we’re going to keep on growing into Christ images for the world around us, we’re going to have to give up fear.” Her sermon was defended by Liberals in Britain and America as being in a long tradition of writings by women theologians that use the metaphor of Jesus as mother.

The transcript of Bishop Schori’s homily provides some context:

Colossians calls Jesus the firstborn of all creation, the firstborn from the dead. That sweaty, bloody, tear-stained labor of the cross bears new life. Our mother Jesus gives birth to a new creation — and you and I are His children. If we’re going to keep on growing into Christ-images for the world around us, we’re going to have to give up fear.

This idea of a “Mother Jesus” giving birth to creation is an example of gynecological theology. This is opposed by Biblical Christianity as definitely un-Scriptural. Creation is not birthed from some kind of divine womb. It is spoken into being by a divine Word. We are not the children of Jesus, not without even more laxity of interpretation, but children of God the Father whose Son is Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.

The likely direction that the Episcopal Church will be led by this new Presiding Bishop is well away from Biblical Christianity, and when the Biblical truths are revised and distorted, what we have is no longer Christianity but some other pseudo-Christian aberration instead. Those who are unhappy with this are also placed in the position of being accused increasingly of intolerance and bigotry. As the secular and cultural thought fashions redefine theology, fuelled by the various political activist “rights” movements, soon it will become “hate speech” and “unlawful discrimination” to repeat Biblical truths. Already those who believe God has called homosexuality a sin are being wrongfully described as “homophobic”. I wonder how much longer before it is insisted that we accept “as Gospel” only those Bible translations that have been made “gender neutral”… and whatever else that can be dreamed up to appeal to the politically correct postmodern liberal thinkers of this age.

By whose authority will these changes be declared valid? God has already spoken - His Word is already written. So often it seems to me that many have tipped everything totally upside down and need hear the reminder - God is the Creator, and we are His creatures. We have no authority to re-create God and make Him our creature, in our own likeness. To get this the wrong way around is nothing less than appallingly arrogant, and utterly foolish and sinful idolatry.

The following is part of a clear statement from a traditional Biblical perspective regarding homosexuality among members of the Christian Church, as expressed by the 114th Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Conference, June 27, 1992.
I believe it “hits the nail on the head” regarding the unsuitability of practising homosexuals in the ordained ministry of the Church.

Since beliefs about the sinfulness of homosexual behavior, like beliefs about the sinfulness of lying, stealing, murder, greed, etc., are an essential part of our commitment to the supreme authority of the Bible in all matters of faith and conduct,

and since a person who believes that lying, stealing, murder or greed are Biblically acceptable lifestyles would not and should not be deemed qualified to serve in the leadership of our Conference, or teach in its educational institutions, or serve as pastors of Baptist General Conference churches, or as principals or teachers of all church-sponsored schools, or as missionaries of the Baptist General Conference,

therefore we affirm that, in the same way, those who believe that homosexual behavior is a Biblically acceptable lifestyle are not qualified to serve in the leadership of the Conference, or to teach in its educational institutions, or to serve as pastors of Baptist General Conference Churches, or as principals or teachers of all church sponsored schools, or as missionaries of the Baptist General Conference.

To read the entire statement on this subject, click on Source

Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper and Wayne Grudem offers the most complete and extensive refutation of the egalitarian position. All of the authors in this book are well-established scholars, and each chapter provides a book's worth of insight. This on-line book can be downloaded in PDF version from the site you are taken to by clicking on the book title above.