Anglican Controversy

The Anglican Church (in America called “Episcopal”) has in recent times been embroiled over ordination of gay clergy. The consecration of a gay Episcopal clergyman as bishop of New Hampshire has brought worldwide criticism from the Anglican communion, and rightly so. Such repercussions apparently had not been anticipated, and the newly consecrated bishop of New Hampshire issued a statement of regret for having caused such a disturbance among Anglicans.

We meant to comment earlier on another controversy among Anglicans which preceded this one. It has to do with Free Masonry. It is no secret that this secret society has had its adherents even among Anglican clergy. This practice came under censorship when Rowan Williams, the new archbishop of Canterbury, took office. He said that he had “real misgivings about the compatibility of Masonry and Christian profession.” In Australia, the Anglican Synod of Sydney called on its members to choose between the lodge and their church, stating that Freemasonry “teaches and upholds a system of false religions and spiritual beliefs.”

It is encouraging to hear that others besides confessional Lutherans speak out against the false teaching of Masonry. The ELS, for one, has throughout its history opposed the Masonic Lodge. It was not a popular stance to take. Following God’s Word means opposing a religious system that teaches salvation by works. If they are to make a true confession of their faith, they have no other choice. For, “What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:16).

Debating The Decalogue

Readers will recall the outcry by libertarians and others over the Ten Commandments a year ago. Chief Justice Ray Moore of Alabama refused to remove a granite monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments (Decalogue) from the judicial building in Montgomery. He then lost his job as chief justice and the monument was removed from the building. Since then the monument has traveled 14,000 miles through twelve states on the back of a flatbed truck. As it stopped for exhibit at various towns it became quite an attraction.

Last October atheist protesters confronted this monument to the Ten Commandments on the mall in Washington, D. C. As reported in Christian Century magazine, a tense debate arose between them and a group of Christians who had come to pay their respects to the sculpture. The atheists used the occasion to call for a separation of church and state. One wonders whether that noble objective was not just subterfuge for a deeper reason to oppose the memorial, namely a desire to eliminate the Ten Commandments from society altogether. By definition an atheist believes there is no God, and if there is no God there are no divine absolutes, and there then should be no definite right and wrong. That pretty well eliminates the Ten Commandments from their world.

Yes, we want to guard the separation of church and state, but a world without that safeguard is still safer than a world without the Ten Commandments.

Why? Because they describe the fundamental morals of our society, and because God uses the Law as “our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).

Moral Values: An Increasing Role?

Are moral values receiving more consideration in our country? Judging by what the entertainment industry provides, it would not seem to be so. However, the last presidential election did seem to indicate that moral values are a concern to be reckoned with. It is asserted that this concern was the “sleeper issue” that brought people to the polls, and that one out of every five voters turned out because of moral values. The concerns that appeared to matter most were issues like abortion and gay marriage.

Many Europeans are puzzled by the way Christian values influenced the political scene in this country, values held by adherents of both parties. They are disturbed by a president who is not ashamed to express Christian convictions. Perhaps we should not be surprised by this kind of reaction from European countries. It wasn’t long ago that a poll showed only 21 percent of Europeans considered religion very important as compared to 60 percent of Americans. This statistic is in keeping with a growing secularization of European churches, which for years have shown a marked decline in religious interest and church attendance.

It indeed appears that moral values still play a role in the direction of our country. We pray that it is not just window dressing for political leverage, but the sincere conviction of a people who truly believe that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12). Truly blessed are the people who trust in Jesus as their Savior.

Paul Madson is a retired pastor living in North Mankato, Minnesota.