As long as active clergy homosexual activity persists, the Church will continue to fracture and split, where eventually it will all but collapse and disappear. --- Kevin Wells

The push to normalize homosexuality within the church is not letting up. One of the arguments pro-gay theology advocates make is that Christians have made grievous interpretive errors in the past and are making the same mistake with homosexuality today. When you look closer at the details of their claim, it turns out pro-gay theology advocates are the ones who are repeating yesterday's errors. -- Alan Schlemon

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
www.virtueonline.org
November 24, 2023

IT'S been a remarkable two weeks since I last wrote to you all.

The Economist magazine says that Donald Trump poses the biggest danger to the world in 2024. I thought Satan is. No matter.

The Pope fires an orthodox bishop because he is too Catholic. It doesn't pay to be a vocal critic of the leader of a billion souls apparently.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and his Synod approve the blessing of same sex unions despite 3,000 years of biblical teaching that says sex can only stay within marriage between a man and a woman. Schism could be in the air for the flailing Church of England. Justin Welby disingenuously did not vote saying that he didn't want to be a source of disunity in the Communion. Comparisons with the hand washing Pilate should not go unnoticed. The GAFCON and GSFA primates were not buying it and forged ahead to reset the communion.

A tsunami of antisemitism floods the world that we have not seen in 90 years, a lot of it on American campuses where people are taught to think, or so we thought. We have seen it on the streets of major streets and in front of synagogues.

A war grinds on in the Middle East with over 14,000 dead. Israel agreed to a four-day cease-fire with Hamas agreeing to release 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinians being released from Israeli prisons. Globally people can be heard reciting "from the river to the sea," code for wipe out all the Jews. This is holocaust talk.

Wars and rumors of wars fill our television screens. Earthquakes and floods seem almost routine.

On a truly sad note, a fellow scribbler, Michael Voris founder of Church Militant an orthodox Roman Catholic News Service said he was stepping down "for breaching its morality clause." Two other staff members also resigned. Though a staunch Catholic he appreciated VOL's unique ministry, and I saw his ministry in much the same light. This is truly heart-breaking news. Will Church Militant survive? Time will tell. This failure is right up there with Ravi Zacharias, and a host of mega-church pastors who have fallen from grace.

In a victory for free speech, the Helsinki Court of Appeals dismissed all charges against Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who were both tried for "hate speech" in August, having publicly expressed their Christian beliefs. They had the temerity to say homosexuality was wrong. Score one for God.

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From the Anglican World came news that the Church of England Synod approved prayers for same sex blessings; a move VOL predicted. The action by the Mother Church roiled around the Anglican Communion causing theological and moral havoc and chaos. It might be the final push for schism in the CofE. While evangelicals and Anglo Catholics have made no move at present to leave, other Anglican receive fleers. Time will tell.

Archbishop Justin Welby has turned out to be the Benedict Arnold of Anglicanism, an evangelical turncoat. May God forgive him...or not. Heresy comes with severe penalties in Scripture.

Welby is on the wrong side of the war in the Middle East and homosexuality in his church. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/welbys-presidential-address-wrong-war-and-sex

I wrote that NOW is the time to leave the Church of England if evangelicals want to retain their integrity. You can read my piece here: https://virtueonline.org/evangelicals-must-flee-church-england-retain-their-integrity

You can read Susie Leafe's fine piece on Welby's disingenuous refusal to vote on SS blessings for the sake of Anglican unity. GAFCON and GSFA primates were not buying it. They will continue to reset the communion. https://virtueonline.org/does-anyone-care-archbishop-canterbury-abstained

CofE evangelicals launched a flying bishops' idea to make provision for evangelicals. https://virtueonline.org/ceec-responds-general-synod-decision
They have also set up an Ephesians Fund to review their giving to the Church of England. The Ephesian Fund provides an alternative and is designed to help giving go to local churches that are committed to biblical faith. The Ephesian Fund also provides Parochial church Council (PCC) with a way to give their parish share to the Diocese in support of similar churches. You can read it here: https://ceec.info/ephesian-fund/

You can see a podcast here on same sex trial services here: https://virtueonline.org/briefing-church-england-trial-services-same-sex-blessings-podcast

The Gospel Coalition has an excellent take here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/church-england-same-sex-vote/

A satirist with a nose for the absurd wrote A Diabolical Synod. You can read it here: https://virtueonline.org/another-diabolical-synod

A vicar writes to his congregation about the Synod decision on 'gay blessings'. Spoiler alert; "I will not 'ask for, or declare God's blessing' on relationships, and/or sexual activity that are contrary to God's word." You can read his moving piece here: https://virtueonline.org/vicar-writes-his-congregation-about-synod-decision-gay-blessings

Should I go or should I stay; reflections of a layman by Chik Kaw Tan It is a well written piece which you can read here: https://virtueonline.org/should-i-go-or-should-i-stay-church-england

English Anglicans hit the lifeboats is another excellent read: https://virtueonline.org/english-anglicans-hit-lifeboats

The Anglican Network in Europe released a statement which you can read here https://virtueonline.org/anglican-network-europe-release-statement-cofe-same-sex-blessings-0

Vaughan Roberts, vicar of St. Ebbe's wrote a scathing piece regarding decisions by general synod. "It represents a shocking departure from the truth of God's word, which will have serious and distressing repercussions". You can read it here: https://virtueonline.org/oxford-uk-statement-vaughan-roberts-vicar-st-ebbes-regarding-decisions-general-synod

The history of pansexualists' push in The Episcopal Church has been well documented. The relentless drive from one General Convention to the next till homosexual marriage was finally brokered in in 2018 with resolution B012 was the climax of 27 years going back to 1991.

Only two sexual sins now remain in TEC. One is sexual abuse and the other is adultery. On the abuse issue, the new president of TEC's House of Deputies filed a sexual harassment complaint against a retired bishop when she came into office.

If you want to get around the adultery prohibition you need to follow Gene Robinson's example. He was married first to a woman, then divorced her, then met a man, married him, and then divorced him and has now taken up with God knows who. No bishop has raised his voice in protest. I wrote a brief history here: https://virtueonline.org/evangelicals-must-flee-church-england-retain-their-integrity

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The Middle East continues in open turmoil. Even as I write there is a prisoner hostage exchange. The broader picture remains cloudy with pro-Palestinian forces erupting around the world along side growing antisemitism.

Christian Leaders Want Ceasefire but That Only Benefits Hamas, however , the mantra "from the river to the sea" would signal the end of Israel.

Thirty American Christian leaders including Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry sent a letter to President Biden calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza. They also called for a de-escalation, and restraint by all involved. How disingenuous of them.

It isn't rocket science to know that any ceasefire with Hamas terrorists who continue to use hostages as shields, allows them time to regroup to continue the war against Israel. It benefits only them! It just sets back the timetable for Israel to complete its mission to seek and destroy this terrorist group. You can read my take here: https://virtueonline.org/christian-leaders-want-ceasefire-only-benefits-hamas

Anglican theologian Gerald McDermott has written a piece on Why the Land Promises Belong to Ethnic Israel. In this essay, Gerald McDermott explores the notion of supersessionism in Christian theology, which suggests the promises made to the Jewish people in the Old Testament, including the land promise, have been superseded by the Christian church. He contends this view has dominated Christian interpretation since the fourth century, leading to the marginalization of the New Testament's references to the land promise. McDermott posits evidence in the New Testament that contradicts supersessionism, and he argues that recognizing the ongoing significance of the land promise is vital for understanding God's trustworthiness and the fulfillment of his promises. You can read his fine piece here: https://virtueonline.org/gerald-mcdermott-why-land-promises-belong-ethnic-israel

There is one story that the mainstream media has not picked up on and that is the small Christian population in Gaza who are trapped by the war. The cry has gone up, "Israeli leaders, please evacuate Palestinian Christians out of Gaza and into the West Bank immediately -- these Christians face genocide by Hamas if they are forced to move south."

Palestinians who love Jesus Christ and are called to follow Jesus are not members of Hamas. They are not supporters of radical Islamist terrorism. They do not support the terror attacks on Israel. They just want to live in peace and be free to follow the Bible and love their neighbors.
The piece by Joel C. Rosenberg can be read here: https://virtueonline.org/very-urgent-israeli-leaders-please-evacuate-palestinian-christians-out-gaza-and-west-bank

For a good blog on the Middle East situation, you can read Dr. Dr Daniel Juster's TIKKUN GLOBAL, Israel at war blog here: https://www.tikkunglobal.org/2023#israel-at-war

IN OTHER NEWS. Who is to blame when Episcopalians and Methodists Leave the Church? VOL correspondent Mary Ann Mueller explores this theme and drops a dime on the bishops; leaders of the flocks. You can read her in depth piece here: https://virtueonline.org/who-blame-when-episcopalians-methodists-leave-church

New Anglican Missionary Society (NAMS) has new leadership. Bishop Josep Rossello will take over as Servant General from Canon Dr. Jon Shuler who has led the ministry for more than 30 years. Rossello will usher in the next chapter in the organization's journey. NAMS, which began as a North American Missionary Society, expanded into a global religious order of church planters under the guidance and vision of Jon Shuler, and the oversight of Archbishop Moses Tay and Bishop Albert Vun. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/bishop-josep-rossello-lead-new-anglican-missionary-society-nams

To Reconquista or not to Reconquista, that is the question. Former TIME correspondent and GetReligion writer Dick Ostling has written a piece on the new "Operation Reconquista" www.operationreconquista.com/ protest launched on Reformation Day to rescue evangelicals in the mainline denominations. Blame for the division lies squarely on liberalism.

Given the entrenched church leadership these insurgents oppose, the effort looks quixotic, but it could become noteworthy even if no gradual turnarounds of the denominations ever occur. It's potentially intriguing if these insurgents at least re-create the largely defunct organized conservative beachheads within denominations that are ever more resolute in their doctrinal liberalism, he writes. Can it be done? Unlikely, as schism has already hit The Episcopal Church with the formation of the Anglican Church in North America. The remaining evangelicals and Anglo-Catholic will be gone as soon as the next tranche of bishops comes along, because they could not wear the miter without affirming B012 on gay marriage.

FACTOID: As of Saturday, there have been nearly 7,300 successful disaffiliations from the United Methodist Church (with more yet to some). For context, the entire Episcopal Church reported 6,249 U.S. parishes and missions in the most recent reporting year (2022).

Bishop David Pytches, founder of New Wine and Soul Survivor has died at the age of 92. He was a prominent evangelical charismatic Anglican vicar of St Andrew's Chorleywood, where the Christian festival "New Wine" started. His influence was profound. One of the tributes to him is from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who said he and his family had "transformative encounters with Jesus through New Wine". New Wine gave birth to Soul Survivor and Mike Pilavachi was appointed its leader, remaining until his abuse of young men was discovered this year. Premier Christian News reports that he has broken his self-imposed silence to pay tribute to David Pytches, a man he described as his spiritual father around whom "things kept happening." You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/david-pytches-1931-2023-bishop-charismatic-pioneer-and-father-faith

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CULTURE WARS

his year Target's LGBTQ Christmas lineup includes such items including a nutcracker holding a Progress Pride flag and wearing a Pride hat. Did not Target learn from this year's Pride Month debacle which was pushing "tuck-friendly" swimsuits for children? Or from the flap that developed in 2016 when Target unveiled its transgender bathroom policy. In her piece Disabled Santas and queer nutcrackers Mary Anne Mueller unpacks all this here: https://virtueonline.org/disabled-santas-and-queer-nutcrackers

The Men's Marriage Strike: What the Political Class Has to Lose. The Men's Marriage Strike: Professional conservatives will lose the most, and they know it writes Stephen Baskerville.

The conservative political class has become apoplectic. What has them so agitated that they inveigh against it with such frenzy? Transgenderists mutilating children? Family-court judges castrating boys? Homosexualists proclaiming a right to sexually molest children?

No, what really drives the promoters of "family values" into a frenzie is that men are not marrying and having children. For this, the men are castigated as "puerile", "cowardly," "unmanly", and worse. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/mens-marriage-strike-what-political-class-has-lose

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THEOLOGY

Protestants need to get back to basics, writes Carl Trueman. Much of modern evangelicalism sorely needs to recover "classical theology"--the term one used to describe orthodox Christian doctrines as set forth by the creeds, the Great Tradition of theology exemplified by the ancient ecumenical councils, and traditional Protestant confessions such as the Westminster Confession. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/protestants-need-go-back-basics

THE PRESERVATION AND PERPETUAL PROFESSION OF THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES - PART ONE by Roger Salter is excellent reading. Dr William G.T. Shedd (1820-1894) was a leading Reformed theologian who taught at Union Seminary, New York, for a period of twenty-eight years, his last academic appointment. His expertise and eminence is worthy of comparison with Charles Hodge of Princeton Seminary and Robert Lewis Dabney, co-founder of Austin Theological Seminary, two veritable giants in the firmament of American Christian scholarship in the 19th century. The fact that these three men were Presbyterians should not deter Anglicans from appreciating them and learning from them. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/preservation-and-perpetual-profession-thirty-nine-articles-part-one

The life and times of Samuel Seabury and Charles Simeon by the illustrious Chuck Collins can be read here: https://virtueonline.org/samuel-seabury and here: https://virtueonline.org/charles-simeon

VOL. We are moving into Advent season and we are in need of funds as to go into 2024. We need to keep the lights on. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to help defray costs. There are no salaries but we have correspondents to pay around the globe who keep us all informed. A donation of any amount helps us keep on keeping on. You can send a check to the address below:

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David

BREAKING NEWS

It had to come sooner or later; a bill aimed at officially severing the Church of England from the British government is set to be introduced in Parliament next month.

The Disestablishment of the Church of England bill, scheduled to be introduced by Liberal Democrat lawmaker Paul Scriven on Dec. 6, was selected earlier in November from a bill ballot from private members of the House of Lords, according to British secularist groups.

Calling his bill "long overdue," Scriven said the measure would bring an end to the "privileges" enjoyed by the Church of England, which has an estimated 85 million members in 165 countries. You can read more here: https://virtueonline.org/atheist-groups-cheer-uk-parliament-set-consider-bill-severing-cofes-ties-govt