“Pride is the beginning of sin" said Augustine of Hippo.
Not a sentiment shared in the rudderless diocese of Monmouth where the Vicar of St Augustine, Rumney has
tweeted "proud to be hosting Changing Attitudes DC Conference here in Rumney in February."
The tweet has
links to the usual camp followers but oddly not to St Davids diocese where the bishop of St Davids is in the forefront when it comes to matters LGBT. Instead a newspaper link is included: @ImpactCardiff @EsgobaethBangor @LlandaffDio @MonmouthDCO @Swanbrec @StAsaphDiocese @ChurchinWales @XtiansAtPride @OzanneFoundn @1Body1Faith @CymruMae @TheGatheringCdf @PoblDewi.
Apparently the whole parish of St Augustine is
proud to be an inclusive church where "all God's rainbow people" are "welcomed, affirmed and included", something one might reasonably expect from any Christian church. The difference is that young, old and even pets are used to distort the gospel.
Preceding the
quoted text is "
So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples (John 6:31).
Taken out of context the quotation is misleading, aiding the cause of the bench of bishops in their promotion of same sex marriage in church.
The Church in Wales is not alone in redefining faith. Jules Gomes in his Rebel Priest
blog highlights how, in the last couple of years, Church of England cathedrals have "shocked Christians and the secular world by hosting events that are in conflict with scripture and church tradition."
His latest example highlights Derby cathedral where "graphic sex scenes, full female nudity, a pagan sacrifice and a satirical depiction of Jesus Christ" have been screened but has "banned a prominent conservative clergyman" from preaching at a student carol service during Advent.
Church involvement in gay pride parades has become commonplace but the church has gone far beyond flying the rainbow flag. It has been draped over the Holy Table while celebrating 'inclusive' LGBT Eucharistic services and over an
Icon of Christ Crucified.
Muslims have been allowed to use Cathedrals to recite the
call to prayer: "
Allah is the greatest; I bear witness that there is no other god but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah" when Islam denies the divinity of Christ, and that He died on the cross to bring salvation to the world.
The Blackburn Cathedral event is acknowledged to be an error of judgement but elsewhere mistaken clergy continue to encourage the spread of Islam in the guise of interfaith dialogue which is one way channel to the acceptance of Islam as a faith equivalent to Christianity despite its many contradictory beliefs.
Tragically, the more commonplace these events become the more normal they appear, not changing attitude but changing faith.
"Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall."
- Proverbs 16:18
