Ecclesiastical Confusion

Anglicanism in Northern Ireland is still seeking to 'suck' ministers from the non-conformist tradition into its ranks, and has had some success.

In the past, in their ecumenical drive, they have appointed non-conformists to the role of canon in St Anne's cathedral in Belfast, and now they have appointed a female Methodist minister and a Romanist priest as canons of the cathedral.

I can understand the Romanist priest having no difficulty in accepting this appointment given that his religious tradition is identical to that of Anglicanism.

But for non-conformist ministers to accept such a dubious honour is for them to betray their past and also to forget all that Anglicanism has done to oppose the Gospel and to eject some 2,000 ministers from their churches because they refused to conform to the dictates of Archbishop William Laud in the seventeenth century.

The Methodist female academic views it as a great honour to be so 'elevated' to the role and rank of canon within Anglicanism.

This shows one very clear thing: these people are totally ignorant of the Scriptural teaching regarding the offices of the church, and secondly, they are ignorant of church history.  Further, all forms of Anglicanism have been resolutely opposed to the Gospel and to Gospel preachers, yet even evangelicals within Anglicanism will shore up the church at all costs.  Why?  Because the church always comes before the Gospel in the minds of ecclesiastics of every denomination. 

That the church of Christ in our land is hopelessly confused about the basics of the Gospel and church order is abundantly clear.  That the church must have another reformation and revival of true and vital religion, is also clear.

But so long as its ministers and members are prepared to shore up what they know to be rotten to the core, so long will reformation and revival be delayed.  Yes, they will pray for revival and have their half nights of prayer for revival, but in so doing they are merely mocking God.  they themselves are not prepared to do anything to sort out the spiritual and ecclesiastical mess in which they find themselves.

Until the church leaders are convinced of the need for church reform according to the Scriptures, there will be no change.  Men can bring change into the church as visible, and they must do it; but only God can give life.