Church leader delivers confused message on the Resurrection | thebereancall.org

TBC Staff - EN

Church leader delivers confused message on resurrection

The leader of the liberal Episcopalian Church has issued an Easter message that has respectability, but an expert suggests it is lacking in some respects.

Jeff Walton with the Institute on Religion and Democracy follows events in the Anglican Church. He says the statement from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori contains language familiar to Christians, and he is pleased she draws attention to the suffering of the church in countries such as Pakistan.

On the other hand, Walton says, “Schori seems to identify the resurrected Body of Christ, not only as the church in one sense, but possibly as only referring to the church. And it is possible to read this message and infer that she is not referring to the resurrection as a literal, physical event, but as an allegorical understanding for Christ's mission and message rebirthed through the church.” 

For traditionalist, orthodox Christians that poses a big concern.

“Our belief would be that Christ's death and resurrection are quite literal, Walton adds. “And while the different members of the church do serve as Christ's body in a capacity, there is also a literal resurrection that takes place.”

So Schori is possibly describing the resurrection as a concept rather than reality, but it's also possible that she is lightly putting aside Christ’s physical resurrection. As an Anglican, Walton says his understanding is that it is "not something that happens in nature. It's a supernatural act and it's an instance of God directly inserting himself into human existence to resurrect Jesus Christ."

http://onenewsnow.com/church/2014/04/11/church-leader-delivers-confused-message-on-resurrection#.U064y0RPIlI

[TBC: Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Luke wrote, "And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee" (Luke:24:5-6).]