In one long section, Jefferts Schori provides a bizarre interpretation of the Biblical book of Ruth that talks about the beautiful and faithful love between Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth. Jefferts Schori writes, "Naomi tells Ruth, 'Go get gussied up, then get yourself over to the barnyard, hang around, and show yourself off. Don't make yourself known to him until after dinner, but find out where he sleeps.' ...When she's figured out Boaz's sleeping arrangements, Naomi tells her daughter-in-law to hightail it over there and 'uncover his feet'-another euphemism-and to lie down beside him and let nature take its course. Naomi is a very canny widow." (30) Jefferts Schori writes about this story, "It could probably only be made into a movie if it carried an X rating."

Jefferts Schori believes that Naomi provokes Ruth into becoming a sexual predator who seduces Boaz. Jefferts Schori concludes, "God is at work in all this 'inappropriate sexual behavior.'" (31)

Jefferts Schori glibly asserts that God works through this X-rated sexual behavior. Now, thanks to David Virtue's articles, (www.virtueonline.org) we know the ugly history of Jefferts Schori's ordination of the sexual predator Rev. Bede Parry. Jefferts Schori might think that the illegal and inappropriate sexual contact between an adult and a minor is acceptable, and God works through that also. In fact, she dismisses traditional sexual morality but concedes, "Many Anglicans and not a few Episcopalians still fervently hold traditional views about human sexuality." (167)

As she "un-forms" the Christian faith, Jefferts Schori's modus operandi is to dismiss other Christians and even the divine Incarnation by applying objectionable cultural symbols to them. As we approach the grand celebration of Jesus as both human and God in the divine Incarnation, I apologize to readers for even repeating Jeffert Schori's words about our Savior. What she is doing needs to be seen so she does not lead others into her own pit.

As Jefferts Schori presents her new religion, she dismisses Jesus' divinity as she describes the Son of God as, "Jesus and the prophets before him." (63) For added emphasis, Jefferts Schori writes, "Jesus' work as prophet, particularly as a prophet of God's imminent and ultimate reign, is central to his identity, and central to his call to his followers. This is the vision that drives my ministry, and where I think I'm called to follow." (124) In this Islamic idea shared by Jefferts Schori, Jesus becomes only a prophet, not the divine Incarnation and all people are capable of having the same status equal to Jesus. Jefferts Schori believes that she has the same ontological being as Jesus and writes, "Our mission is the mission of Jesus-and our job is to be able to say, as he did, 'Today, this scripture is being fulfilled in our hearing' (Luke 4:21, my translation.)" (18)

Jefferts Schori continues to diminish Jesus by describing him in astounding terms. "This good shepherd Jesus hangs out with anybody and everybody, and joins the outcasts and the forgotten. This isn't sanitary Jesus, robed in Mr. Clean whites and looking saintly on an old stained-glass window. This is Hell's Angel Jesus on a Harley, rounding up toys for poor kids. This is gang leader Jesus pushing his homeys to fill an old lady's grocery cart, and then haul it home for her and put the food away." (115)

Jefferts Schori has the impact of making Jesus into a nothing character: she pushes him into her own understanding and Jesus comes out looking like a dominant Hell's Angel gang member, probably abusing drugs with his exaggerated macho image. She even puts down Jesus and the disciples' fishing ability saying they are "going fishing (or at least messing about in boats)." (121) These constant references to Jesus are designed to make the Son of God and his disciples look spiritually ineffective but active in a sexual and violent world.

For the Presiding Bishop, Jesus rides on a macho Harley-Davidson, so Jefferts Schori is clearly trying to imply he is not celibate. He is taking toys to poor people (a dismissive way of understanding the gift of the Incarnation). She then gets worse and writes, "He [Jesus] made a habit of feasting so much so that some people called him a party animal." (4) Saying that Jesus is a party animal implies excessive chemical consumption and wild sexual activity.

Jefferts Schori memorializes her new theology of sexual behavior by her interpretation of Christ's genealogy in Matthew 1:1-16. Her understanding of sexual behaviors present in this genealogy includes seduction, prostitution, incest, premarital sex, and adultery. She writes, "God is at work in all of this 'inappropriate sexual behavior.'" Jeffert Schori's theology of new and acceptable sexual practices is based on the concept of the continuing and progressive revelation of God (also an Islamic idea).

Jefferts Schori continues her humiliation of the Incarnation. She writes, "It may have been fine for Jesus to live out of a suitcase, but most of us are meant to have homes to live in." (9) Note the word "may" here; Jefferts Schori will not even grant that Jesus' ministry was the right choice. Maybe this was fine for him but maybe not. The implication here is that Jesus is mentally deficient who didn't seem to get the importance of having a material house.

For Jefferts Schori, Jesus lives out of a suitcase, probably so he can make it to the next party quickly. And for the Presiding Bishop, Jesus was not the Atonement as he went into the crucifixion. Instead, "He's going to insist that God's reign is one of peace and abundant justice for all, not just a few powerful human beings who exploit and subject others for their own ends." (46) He came to ensure that a few people stop exploiting others.

Jefferts Schori claims that churches are "territorial about Jesus." (178) So if Jefferts Schori taunts Jesus enough, her hope is that we will all give up seeking him as being very God of very God. She even taunts Anglo-Catholic worship practices, writing, "We are in cardiac crisis if we think we can close the doors, swing our incense, and sing our hymns, and all will be right with the world." (91) She redefines the resurrection as a metaphor, calling it "that rich and deep breath of life." (107)

She has thrown the Christian faith out the window and left us with a Hell's Angel motorcycle-riding homeless gang leader who only cares about material belongings.

As Presiding Bishop, Jefferts Schori works to un-form the Episcopal Church and re-make it. She claims Islamic principles as truth. Islam believes in the progressive revelation of God and regards Judaism and Christianity as earlier and less-developed levels. Beyond encouraging worship and property purchase with Islam, she now gives examples that support Islamic values while deserting traditional Christian doctrine and values.

The answers about how these Islamic principles moved directly into power in the Episcopal Church need more research. What is clear though is that this was the intention of the Islamic leaders. Indeed, on September 7, 2006, when the former president of Iran, Mohammad Khatami spoke at the Washington National Cathedral, he stated that this would happen, saying, "The Islamic orient can fill the enormous void of spirituality and estrangement from the truth of existence, which today is the great affliction of our world, by reliance upon its moral heritage and transcendental wisdom."

Indeed what Jefferts Schori is doing is moving the church toward the acceptance of Islamic principles, about which I will say more about below. The principles that guide her thinking are directly out of Islam (for more about Islam see Revealing World Religions by Cynthia Eller, Ph.D.)

As she prepares for the new interfaith communities, Jefferts Schori has already started her propagation of the values of Islam that differ from those of Christians. Islam does not value celibacy, though Christians traditionally do. Islam considers the very idea of Jesus as Incarnate God as heresy and says he is only a prophet. Christianity has always understood Jesus as the Incarnation. Islam proclaimed the special relationship of Jews, Christians and Moslems whom they call People of the Book. Christians have never seen this as the favored trio (at least until the time when the Washington National Cathedral invited the former President of Iran Mohammed Khatami to speak in 2006.) Islam understands marriage as a duty. Christians do not and in fact, as said before, think of celibacy as a positive and holy life. Islam does not consider the state of the heart as important but only behavior. Christians believe that the redemption of the heart by the Son of God is crucial. Islam does not accept the transgression of Adam and Eve leading to the Fall and the need of a Savior. Faithful Christians place their very lives on our Savior Jesus who has sacrificed himself for us.

If you look at these differences between Islam and Christianity, what Jefferts Schori is doing becomes apparent. She is in her words "un-forming" the Episcopal Churches and already putting forth ideas that will allow Episcopal Churches to become interfaith community centers, as she desires. To have all three faiths operating simultaneously, Jesus needs to lose the status of divine Incarnation; so she presents an ineffective and unattractive image of Jesus, as well as his revered Jewish ancestor Ruth.

So pulling Jefferts Schori's ideas together, Naomi makes Ruth into a predator, and Jesus into a Harley riding chemical-imbibing party animal with a pathetic ministry of looking for toys to amuse kids. And we are to stop being so territorial about Jesus and worship with Islamic folk. If for one second I thought that the Son of Man I was following was riding on a Harley (or even a Vespa) looking for the next party, I would surely give up my territorial claim on this odd nobody called Jesus.

To destroy the faith in the Incarnation, Jefferts Schori starts by destroying his Jewish ancestor Ruth, as stated in the gospel of Matthew's genealogy. So in Jefferts Schori's rant she seems to say, "Why, these aren't holy people at all. Naomi was a scheming, manipulative old lady, seeing a financial opportunity in that wealthy Boaz. And sends Ruth to sell her body and crassly get the man. Who cares if a marriage happens as long as the sex happens? We can keep that Boaz in desire-filled torment the rest of his life. Hah. This stupid man can't see beyond this woman throwing herself at him. I'll ruin them both."

As written about by Jefferts Schori, Ruth seems to say, "Even though faith has carried me through the death of my husband and out of my country, now is the time to get rid of faith and grab what I need. So now, it all comes down to me getting the man and his money, whatever it takes."

Through the work of Jefferts Schori, our beloved Biblical characters become vulgarized: Naomi (the mind behind the crime), Ruth (the criminal seeking money above all else), and Jesus (the gang member who parties at orgies). Get the point? In writing, we see the writer's values. I fear to draw the conclusion, but it seems like sex, money and crimes are the values present, at least in Jefferts Schori's fountain pen. We interpret Bible verses by our interior, spiritual state of mind. I have to wonder at the forces at work in writing this book.

As for Jefferts Schori, what part of being a violent gang member does she not understand? Gangs commit murders, rapes, and rampant crimes. Yet Jefferts Schori uses the term gang "homey" as if this is a joke. Maybe she thinks that God is at work in gang rapes or any sexual contact so we don't need to think about the law anymore. Put off your prudish morals is the theme here. "God is at work in all of this 'inappropriate sexual behavior.'"

No, Jesus was not a gang member or a Harley rider or merely one of the prophets. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the King of Kings, the one who can save someone as sinful as I am or any homey looting and stealing from innocent people.

But everything is up for grabs with Jefferts Schori' vulgar crassness. Her spiritual void though is clearly being filled by Islam and with some potpourri of New Age thrown in.

Sadly, we now see these values worked out in the Episcopal Church. Let the priests have whatever sex they want, get those faithful Anglicans out of the buildings, and take the money and run with it.

My point being Jefferts Schori is crazy like a fox here. Her MO: taunt and humiliate anyone enough and they will seem like a loser party animal. And then, those formerly following Jesus fall into a despairing trance. Without the Spirit, they end up worshipping facing Mecca without realizing what had been done to them.

In later articles I will point out more of Jefferts Schori's plans, but now let's turn our gaze back on this woman. She cannot interpret the Bible; she knows nothing of the Son of God; she dislikes the Archbishop of Canterbury enough to talk about him publicly; and this is the one chosen to lead the Episcopal Church? She wants to count preschools, AA meetings and soup kitchens as faithful Episcopalians because on her watch the plug has been pulled on the Episcopal Church and centuries of work in the Anglican Communion is being washed down the drain.

She is dangerous because she ordained a sexual predator and defends herself about it. The ordination of Bede Parry was no accident, but the fulfillment of her theology in which she is equal to Jesus, instead of acknowledging she, like all of us, is a fallen human in need of a Savior. After all, for her "God is at work in all of this 'inappropriate sexual behavior.'"

Her complacency about all sexual predators, especially Bede Parry, reveals her blindness. We cannot follow her into the pit she has dug for herself.

For Jefferts Schori, Jesus is not the Holy One who miraculously bore in his breast both God and man. For traditional Christians, the beauty that Christ in utter humility approaches us with gentleness and folds us in unity with God the Father overwhelms us and we worship naturally from our heart. What wonderful news-Jesus intercedes always for us. In his earthly life, He carried the very power of God the Father within his human breast and yet did not use it for our destruction, but loved God always. Because of this, we, too, can trust the Father. Jesus, the Messiah, carries us through this life and into eternity, saying words that are trustworthy and true, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

In this holy season of Advent as we prepare for the celebration of the Incarnation, I don't want to end this article with the corrupting and bizarre ideas of Jefferts Schori. We remember the faithful words of Ruth expressed to Naomi, "For where you go, I will go and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16) And as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior and King, we hear, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

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Sarah Frances Ives, Ph.D. resides in the District of Washington and is a regular contributor to Virtueonline