The gay and lesbian coalition has turned Lambeth Conference on its ear. The focus has shifted from the Cross, if the focus was ever on the Cross, to diversity, inclusion, and equality -- the trinity of self-aggrandizement.

The Episcopal News Service headline tells the story: "'A wave of love': Episcopal bishops join march in support of LGBTQ+ inclusion in Canterbury."

The Eskimo language has 52 words for describing snow and 36 descriptive words for love.

The English language is devoid of descriptive words for love which pick up the various nuances. The four letter word "l-o-v-e" covers all aspects of love from a mother's love for her child to a soldier's love for the flag. The boy's love of his puppy or someone's love of guacamole. An Olympic athlete's love of his gold medals or a musician's love of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor.

There are four types of love described in the Greek text of the New Testament Scriptures: "phileo" (brotherly love); "storge" (family love); "eros" (romantic love); and "agape" (sacrificial love). C.S. Lewis wrote a book, The Four Loves which never mentioned homoerotic love as one of them.

The Apostles experienced phileo with each other. Joseph and Mary lived in storage with Jesus as the Holy Family. Priscilla and Aquila were a married couple and eros would have been a part of their marital relationship. But it was Jesus on the Cross Who exhibited the highest degree of love -- Agape. A total, unselfish, unconditional love.

Even Peter and Jesus got into a nuanced discussion on love in John 21:15--17.

Jesus asked Peter: "Do you Agape Me?" Peter answered: "I phileo You."

Again, Jesus asked Peter: "Do you Agape Me?" And Peter answered: "I phileo You."

So, Jesus tried a third time. "Do you phileo Me?" Exasperated Peter answered: "Lord, You know everything; You know that I phileo You."

In English that conversation is simply boiled down to: "Do you love Me?" ... "I love You." The nuances are missed.

However, it is the Lambeth bishops marching for LGBT rights that reveal another type of love "philautia" -- a selfish love revealing the regard only for one's own personal happiness, the living out of the trinity of self-aggrandizement.

The chant is: Love ... love ... love. Love is love. Love knows no gender. Love wins. Love has no labels. Love is a human right.

This philautia -- this hubris -- is not concerned with the soul. It is only concerned with the genitals -- the rubbing of skin to skin to produce sexual gratification.

These bishops are not concerned with your soul or my soul. They're not even concerned about their own souls.

Sure, in the gay "marriage" there is some storge and phileo but it would be a warped version of storge and phileo because the strongest "love" in the same-sex relationship is eros. Agape, the love of self-sacrifice for the care and well-being of the soul, is missing.

But that storge and phileo was not enough to keep Bishop Vicky Gene Robinson (IX New Hampshire) from divorcing his beloved Mark Andrew in 2014. Even eros couldn't keep them together.

Most gays and lesbians are in-your-face about their proclivity for their disordered sex lives.

Christmas is celebrated for 12 days (Dec. 25-Jan. 6). Gay Pride is celebrated for a month -- the 30 days o f June. Advent is just a run up to Christmas, it is not the celebration of Christmas. Although modern society thinks Christmas runs from the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) to Christmas Day then everything abruptly ends. Christmas night and the decorations start coming down and trees are kicked to the curb on December 26.

June used to be Dairy month, now June is PRIDE month, the stores and the businesses and the churches deck the halls with rainbow colors, and spill out into the street for massive and provocative Pride marches.

God forbid, if a Christian puts up a simple Nativity scene, honoring the reason for the season -- the Birth of Jesus Christ. They are hauled into court for violation of separation of church and state, or for being offensive to their neighbor.

The LGBTQ crowd has already made great strides within the church and society. There are gay and lesbian deacons, gay and lesbian priests, gay and lesbian bishops. There is even a scattering of transgendered deacons and priests in The Episcopal Church at least. But that is not enough.

Society readily gives into their very wants and whims and wishes. Many countries have already legally codified gay marriage, and the churches perform them. The LGBTQ are protected by the court system. Bakers are hauled into to court and forced to pay huge fines for not baking a rainbow wedding cake, photographers are run out of business for not taking gay wedding pictures, wedding venues are shut down for not hosting lesbian nuptials.

Sanctioned or unsanctioned same-sex marriage is already a staple in several Anglican provinces such as United States, Canada, Scotland and Brazil. Other provinces do not perform same-sex marriage as such but will formally bless same-sex unions including New Zealand, Australia, Wales. The Church of England permits only priests to register as same-sex civil partners. But Ireland is relegated to only offering a prayer for the "happy couple."

In other Anglican provinces, particularly in the Global South, same-sex church marriages are not permitted. The Provinces include but are not limited to: Alexandria, West Indies, Bangladesh, South East Asia, Burundi, West Africa, Malaysia, Ceylon, Uganda, Mexico, Southern Africa, Jerusalem & the Middle East, Kenya, Indian Ocean, Nigeria, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Central Africa.

What the marching Lambeth bishops are clamoring for is that the biblical definition of traditional marriage -- between a man and a woman -- is scrubbed from the Anglican way of doing things.

The gay bishops are in the minority; however, they have the loudest voice, the biggest bully pulpit, and the largest cricket bat. So, through sheer intimidation and fear they intend to persevere and force the rest of the Anglican Communion to capitulate to their warped understanding of love and marriage.

The Lambeth Call on Human Dignity, including the fight for traditional marriage, is to take place on Tuesday (Aug. 2).

Lambeth 2022 will be a test to see if faithful Anglican bishops persevere in maintaining the understanding of Scripture which "upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union."

Two 19th century hymns honoring the Cross were penned by Anglican clerics.

ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS was written by Sabine Baring-Gould, a simple parish curate at Horbury in West Yorkshire. He wrote the children's favorite as a processional hymn for children walking with a cross and banners from the Horbury Bridge to St. Peter's Church on Whitsundsay in 1865. The curate used it as a way to teach the children that they were a part of the "Church Militant" while living on Earth.

LIFT HIGH THE CROSS was written by George Kitchin. Although he was an Anglican priest he was in academia, serving at Twyford Preparatory School, King's College, Oxford, and Durham University. He wrote the hymn in 1887 while he was dean of the Winchester Cathedral. The hymn was especially written for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and it was first performed as a festival hymn at Winchester Cathedral.

ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

1: Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the Cross of Jesus going on before Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; Forward into battle, see His banner go!

2: At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell's foundations quiver at the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!

3: Like a mighty army moves the church of God; Brothers, we are treading where the Saints have trod; We are not divided; all one body we, One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

4: Onward, then, ye people, join our happy throng, Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song; Glory, laud, and honor, unto Christ the King; This thro' countless ages men and angels sing.

LIFT HIGH THE CROSS

REFRAIN: Lift high the Cross, the love of Christ proclaim till all the world adore His Sacred Name

1: Come, Christians, follow where the Master trod, our King victorious, Christ the Son of God.

2: Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
the hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.

3; Each newborn servant of the Crucified
bears on the brow the Seal of Him Who died.

4: O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
Thy Death has brought us life eternally.

5: So shall our song of triumph ever be:
praise to the Crucified for victory!

Perhaps a concluding line: The victory, the triumph of which these divines sing must await us in eternity for it is not happening at Lambeth.

TO READ MORE CLICK HERE: https://virtueonline.org/lambeth-begins-your-face-gay-march

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline