Lots of Liberal Anglican Priests/Bishops?

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Does it seem to anybody else that many Anglican Priests/Bishops are Liberal in theology? The reason I ask is because I recently read over 33% deny the virgin birth and the resurrection and many of the most famous liberal theologians are Anglicans. So, is it more common for an Anglican Priest to be Liberal? And why would that be so?
 
Pieman333272 said:
Does it seem to anybody else that many Anglican Priests/Bishops are Liberal in theology? The reason I ask is because I recently read over 33% deny the virgin birth and the resurrection and many of the most famous liberal theologians are Anglicans. So, is it more common for an Anglican Priest to be Liberal? And why would that be so?
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In the West, more specifically the US and Canada, many are “liberal” in the sense you mean. World-wide, that is not the case, and that includes the majority of Anglicans.

Of course in Canada we have the Liberal party, and I expect many who are very orthodox are Liberal in that sense.
 
Bluegoat said:
In the West, more specifically the US and Canada, many are “liberal” in the sense you mean. World-wide, that is not the case, and that includes the majority of Anglicans.

Of course in Canada we have the Liberal party, and I expect many who are very orthodox are Liberal in that sense.
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Yes. Exactly, like say for example, in Russia, the small Anglican church that remains there is much more conservative than what it is in Canada or the United Kingdom.
 
Pieman333272 said:
Does it seem to anybody else that many Anglican Priests/Bishops are Liberal in theology? The reason I ask is because I recently read over 33% deny the virgin birth and the resurrection and many of the most famous liberal theologians are Anglicans. So, is it more common for an Anglican Priest to be Liberal? And why would that be so?
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Within the official Anglican Communion, and with respect to the Anglicans in the developed world, as opposed to Africa and Asia, yes. Liberal is possibly not a strong enough term.

In other places, among other sorts of Anglicans, it is otherwise.

GKC
 
They deny the Resurrection?

Why are they priests or bishops if they deny that?

St. Paul said that if Christ didn’t raise from the dead, that preaching is useless and that our faith is also useless.

How can a person graduate seminary and deny the Resurrection and that Mary conceived of Jesus through the Holy Spirit?

33%!

Could you post that article? I’d like to read that study.
 
highbeam.com/doc/1P2-13001983.html

"A quarter of Church of England clergy do not believe in the Virgin Birth of Christ, according to a new survey.

The poll came as a Catholic bishop criticised a television documentary for suggesting that the Virgin Mary may have been raped by a Roman soldier.

Some 27 per cent of 500 clerics questioned said they privately doubted the story of Jesus’s birth.

However, most of those who expressed scepticism said they would conduct traditional Christmas services that emphasised the miraculous nature of Christ’s birth, which is a vital part of the Nativity.

A Hampshire vicar, who declined to be named, said: "There was nothing special about his birth or childhood - … "
 
telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1416824/Quarter-of-clergy-do-not-believe-in-the-Virgin-Birth.html

By Chris Hastings and Fiona Govan
Published: 12:01AM GMT 22 Dec 2002

"Many of the sceptics who took part in the survey, one of the biggest ever conducted by a newspaper, said that the story of the virgin birth was a product of poor biblical translations and literary tradition rather than divine intervention.

The Rev Dr Keith Archer, who is based in Salford, said: “It is not particularly important because it is a debatable translation of a Hebrew prophecy which first appeared in Isaiah.”

Another vicar added: “Writers at the time used to stress a person’s importance by making up stories about their early life. I think that is exactly what has happened here.”

Most of those who cast doubt on the virgin birth admitted that they would be presiding over traditional Christmas services which stressed the miraculous nature of Christ’s birth.

Dr Archer said: “We will be having a traditional service because that is what people expect and enjoy. There are times and places for this debate.”

A colleague added: “I do not believe in the virgin birth but I would not argue for that point of view in a sermon because I simply don’t believe it is that important an issue.”

The Gospel according to St Luke recounts how Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel and told she would give birth to the son of God.

When Mary questioned how this could be because she had no husband, she was told: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the son of God.”

Traditionalists seized upon the survey’s findings as evidence of a Church in decline.

John Roberts, an evangelical preacher who heads The Lord’s Day Observance Society, said: “If you take away the virgin birth you might as well take away the entire Christian message. The miracle of the Christian faith is that God came down to us. If you lose that miracle you lose the resurrection and everything else.”
 
This is nothing new. Many Anglican priests (in the UK and probably America) are flat-out atheists.

In England, the priesthood was historically a respectable position for the lesser nobility and a respectable income.

Charles Darwin’s atheist father encoruaged his atheist son to become an Anglican priest for this very reason-- it was a respectable position with income-- even though both were the most serious of materialist atheists.
 
It is not surprising that Anglican leaders are very liberal. If you had followed the news as to what has been happening in the Church of England and its sister group in the U.S., the Episcopal Church, you would have heard of large scale fracturing as people in this religious group respond with horror at the rapidly advancing liberalism there. A few days ago five Anglican bishops announced they are becoming Catholic.
Why is this happening?. What is happening to Anglicanism in the Western world mirrors what is occuring in Western secular society in general. For example, many in the secular world affirm the gay lifestyle, and so this church in Europe and North America affirms its full acceptance by making gay men clerics and bishops in their church. God protects and inspires the Church Christ founded, the Catholic Church, but not groups men founded like the Anglican church. This is one evidence that the Anglican church comes from men. Look at what is happening to the Anglican church. Does it look like God is protecting and inspiring the Church of England and the Episcopal Churches? As degraded lifestyles come to be accepted and promoted by many in the secular world, they come to be accepted and promoted also in the Anglican church.
 
1ke said:
This is nothing new. Many Anglican priests (in the UK and probably America) are flat-out atheists.

In England, the priesthood was historically a respectable position for the lesser nobility and a respectable income.

Charles Darwin’s atheist father encoruaged his atheist son to become an Anglican priest for this very reason-- it was a respectable position with income-- even though both were the most serious of materialist atheists.
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It seems to me that this is really is not quite the truth of the matter.
 
Depends on which Anglicans you ask. Anglicans are a diverse lot, a motley crew. It is a mistake to try to characterize Anglicans.

Did I get it right, Jim? 😛
GKC said:
Within the official Anglican Communion, and with respect to the Anglicans in the developed world, as opposed to Africa and Asia, yes. Liberal is possibly not a strong enough term.

In other places, among other sorts of Anglicans, it is otherwise.

GKC
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I remember an episode of Yes, Prime Minister where he was in charge of choosing a bishop for the Church of England. Watch this clip and laugh your head off…
youtube.com/watch?v=PwkI6PZhm4A

I love it when wifey says: “Speaking as a church-goer I’d prefer you to choose a man of God.”
PM says: “Well they offered me one of those and he wants to turn the Church of England into a religious movement!”
 
Oh pooh. You’re not an exclamatory kind of guy…not in the slightest. I think I got it right! Now if I can just steer the discussion towards aviation and nuclear bombs with a touch of Lewis, Tolkien, and comic books, we’ll have a full-on GKC thread! 😛
GKC said:
Might have left out an exclamation point.

GKC
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gurneyhalleck1 said:
Oh pooh. You’re not an exclamatory kind of guy…not in the slightest. I think I got it right! Now if I can just steer the discussion towards aviation and nuclear bombs with a touch of Lewis, Tolkien, and comic books, we’ll have a full-on GKC thread! 😛
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On another board right now, I’m making comments about the Beatles and the Beach Boys.

GKC
 
huh? :confused: Big George Harrison fan here. What is the topic? Beach Boys vs. Beatles? LOL
GKC said:
On another board right now, I’m making comments about the Beatles and the Beach Boys.

GKC
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Ah yes, Pet Sounds…good vibrations. Wilson was on his biggest drug trips and phobias at that point. great album! Best Beatles album?..I’d say Revolver or Abby Road…

Do you remember the George Harrison song “Dream Away” from Time Bandits? Love that tune. “Cheer Down” is another great Harrison classic. Gotta love George…along with his buddy, Jeff Lynn from ELO!
GKC said:
I’m just sniping. Topic originally was the BB PET SOUNDS album. Wandered off into Beatle stuff.

GKC
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