July 6, 2007
The Bishop of Rhode Island Suspends Seattle's Muslim Episcopalian Priest
According to a report from the Associated Press, Episcopalian Church procedures (a subject I know precisely nothing about) have placed the Right Reverend Geralyn Wolf, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, at the center of the controversy concerning the “Muslim Episcopalian priest”…
An Episcopal priest who announced last month that she is also a practicing Muslim has been suspended from the priesthood for a year, according to a media report.The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding must take a year from her position at Seattle's St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral and should "reflect on the doctrines of the Christian faith, her vocation as a priest, and what I see as the conflicts inherent in professing both Christianity and Islam," the Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf, bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island, wrote in an e-mail to church leaders.
Redding, a priest for 23 years, was ordained by a former bishop of Rhode Island and remains subject to discipline by that diocese.
Excerpt:
"Christianity has historically regarded Jesus as the son of God and God incarnate, both fully human and fully divine. Muslims, though they regard Jesus as a great prophet, do not see him as divine and do not consider him the son of God. ...
Redding, who will begin teaching the New Testament as a visiting assistant professor at Seattle University this fall, has a different analogy: "I am both Muslim and Christian, just like I'm both an American of African descent and a woman. I'm 100 percent both."
Redding doesn't feel she has to resolve all the contradictions. People within one religion can't even agree on all the details, she said. "So why would I spend time to try to reconcile all of Christian belief with all of Islam?"
Redding need to read C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, where he explains quite clearly why Christianity is not compatible with the belief that Jesus was just "a great prophet."
Jesus made a lot of statements about himself which would brand him a lunatic if he were NOT the Second Person of the Trinity.
It always baffled me why people claim an affiliation with a certain religion only to ignore the basic tenets of that religion. This cookoo clock can't see a conflict with being an ordained Episcopal priest and a practicing Muslim? What next the Pope becomes a practicing Orthodox Jew? There is no controversy here. This woman is not a practicing Episcopal and should be removed as a priest tomorrow if not removed from the church entirely.
If liberals are allowed to dumb down religion as they've done with everything else they've ever touched then we're all doomed.
An Episcopalian priest who claims that she is also a Muslim? Does she have a dog that is also a cat?
The fundamental beliefs of Christianity and Islam are such that you can not believe in both, unless you somehow fashion your own third religion.
It's just as insane to suspend the minister for a year. She obviously doesn't follow the Episcopalian faith, but yet she is still allowed to lead other Epsicopalians in interpreting their faith?
Posted by: Anthony at July 7, 2007 5:32 PM"She obviously doesn't follow the Episcopalian faith, but yet she is still allowed to lead other Epsicopalians in interpreting their faith?"
That's a problem. If you wish to be a leader in your faith, you kind of have to sign an exclusivity agreement with it.
Posted by: SusanD at July 8, 2007 3:25 PMyea she has to pick which religion she is in. although islam is known to claim the same GOD of the jews n christians other ppl outside of islam dont see us as doing so cuz we dont worship jesus. is islam jesus was a prophet n it was other ppl after his passing that made claims he was GOD/INCARNATE AND not him himself who said those things. &&&&&&&&&&& if she is a practicing muslim she not doing a good job lol it is a complete rejection of faith to adhere to anything other than islam .......... we believe that GOD sent jesus and moses all the way back to adam but our final messege is the quran so she has to put that as forerunner.
Posted by: MuMiNaH at January 30, 2011 10:34 PM