Apostasy is a strong word. It is a word with a direct correlation with the Anti-Christ. Hence, it should not be used lightly in connection with a person, church, or denomination. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 says: “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come (the second coming of Christ) unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (NASU). The ESV translates “apostasy” as “rebellion”. Apostasy is an active rebellion against the true God (and thus, the truth) which leads to the ascension of false gods and false teachings within the heart of the Believer and within the doctrines of a church or denomination.

Therefore, to say a person or organization is guilty of apostasy is a serious accusation. But to remain silent and turn a blind eye to the truth when doing so has the potential to damage, if not destroy the spiritual life of others is even more serious. Thus, I am compelled by my conscience to speak words that may offend and anger some. That is not my intent, but I cannot remain silent when so much is at stake.

The Episcopal Church (TEC) is guilty of apostasy. The denomination is fracturing over the issue of homosexuality. In 2003 V. Gene Robinson was consecrated by TEC as the bishop of New Hampshire. That ignited a firestorm that had been smoldering for years.

Ironically it was the Anglican Communion (TEC is the North American branch of Anglicanism) in Africa that was among the first to respond to this blatant violation of biblical teaching. Africa, a continent known for the practice of witchcraft and other demonic activities, a continent that was for years an intense focus of Christian missionary zeal due to its pervasive spiritual darkness from which it earned its ignoble nickname “The Dark Continent”, this continent has become the source of Light to a denomination that has willingly chosen to embrace the darkness. But when TEC was reminded by the African Anglican Communion of the truth they had forsaken, replacing the authority of the Bible with the authority of manmade doctrines, political correctness, and cultural proclivities, it was summarily dismissed with the smugness of one convinced of his own superiority.

The apostasy of TEC deepened on Friday, July 20th when its General Convention in Anaheim, California ended. Members of the House of Deputies, comprised of priests and lay members, along with the House of Bishops overwhelmingly approved two resolutions. One, D025, endorses opening the office of priest and bishop to all qualified persons. This will allow the legal ordination of homosexuals and lesbians to the clergy and the consecration of bishops. The second, C056, authorizes church leaders to develop services for the blessing of same-sex unions. The members of the convention sought to strengthen the legitimization of this resolution by noting the growing number of states that allow homosexual “marriage”, civil unions, and domestic partnerships. In effect TEC is being influenced to condone immoral lifestyles by the passage of secular laws. It is a direct negation of Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (ESV).

But what brought The Episcopal Church into a state of apostasy that is so egregious it can no longer be considered a Christian denomination? It did not happen overnight. Apostasy, like most deeply embedded sin, is rarely the result of one sudden cataclysmic event or decision – a blowout if you will. Rather, it is the result of a series of smaller, less noticeable, or even seemingly innocent events or decisions – a slow leak. It is the frog in the kettle syndrome where a frog is placed in a kettle of cool water that is heated slowly enough to be imperceptible to the frog. He continues to swim and enjoy life not realizing the water is reaching a lethal temperature. He dies unaware of his danger because he has been slowly acclimated to surroundings, surroundings he would have naturally avoided if exposed to them suddenly. TEC is the frog. The world is the kettle. The fire is demonic teachings that have been slowly introduced over a number of years and eventually accepted as truth. It is to some of these teachings and one particular man that has been the source of these teachings that we now turn.

James warns those who would be teachers: “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment” (James 3:1 NASU). Every time I preach a sermon, teach a Bible class, or write an article I hear these words. I am very cognizant that I will give an accounting to my Lord for every word I speak or write. It gives me pause, as it should. Unfortunately, the “Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1 ESV). The Episcopal Church has one very prominent member who fits this description. He has done great harm to TEC specifically and Christianity in general. That man is John Shelby Spong.

Spong was ordained into the priesthood of The Episcopal Church in 1955. In 1976 he was consecrated as Bishop of Newark, a position of great power and influence within TEC. He retired in 2000, but that has not stopped him from teaching demonic doctrines to any who will listen. He has been called a heretic by some, a very serious accusation. Is he? You can decide for yourself.

In 2005, five years after he retired as Bishop of Newark, he wrote a book called The Sins of Scripture. (He is the author of many books, including Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture and Why Christianity Must Change or Die). Sins is the culmination of Spong’s beliefs. Allow me to quote a few passages from this book.

“I (Spong) had come to the place where I recognized that the Bible itself was often the enemy.” “All life has developed from that first cell of living matter that was born in the sea some four billion years ago.” “Human beings were not created in the image of some external deity; we developed out of the evolutionary soup as part of the fabric of life itself.” “One of the most sexist institutions in the Western world is the Christian church.” “This book (the Bible) must be removed from its position of power, a lofty position that has allowed irrational ignorance to flow from its religious pipelines into the corporate life of our society, where the damage it has caused is still beyond measure.” “No one today, outside the most rabid fundamentalists, thinks of Adam and Eve as real people.” “If the Christian scriptures have been a primary source of negativity toward women throughout history, then those scriptures have to be either jettisoned or reinterpreted.” “This woman (Mary, Martha’s sister who Spong identifies as Mary Magdalene) was Jesus’ wife.” “We now know that orientation (homosexuality) to be perfectly normal. It is like other minority positions within the human family: left-handedness, red hair.” “That is certainly what is revealed in the Pauline tirade recorded in Romans 1 – a frightened gay man condemning other gay people so that he can keep his own homosexuality inside the rigid discipline of his faith.” “Let me state this boldly and succinctly: Jesus did not die for your sins or my sins.” “We are not fallen, sinful people who deserve to be punished.” “The idea that Jesus had to pay the price of our sinfulness is an idea that is bankrupt.” “A religionless Christianity must be born; a humanistic Christian must come into being.” “No one holds a corner on the market of salvation. There is no one way into God that all must follow if they hope to arrive.” “The Bible is not the ‘Word of God’. It was never intended to be the ‘Word of God’”.

Dozens more quotes could be given from this one book alone, but these will suffice. Spong does not believe in an external God. For him “the way into divinity is to become fully human” which is the ultimate goal evolution is moving toward. He is a devout evolutionist who believes that Christians reject Darwinism because we are “simply not ready to face the fact that human beings might be nothing more than one more species of living animals that inhabit this earth, perhaps of no more ultimate value or worth than a cockroach or a bird.”

Spong denies the divinity of Jesus, His virgin birth, His literal, bodily resurrection, the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, the historicity of Adam and Eve, Judas Iscariot, or a number of biblical stories. He believes Jesus was married. He believes Paul was a closet homosexual, afraid to face the truth.

Spong is a radical feminist. (His Bible translation of choice is the New Revised Standard Version – NRSV – the first widely used Bible translation with feminist language overtly used to mute the masculine and thus to the feminists, offensive and patriarchal tone of traditional Bible translations.) He vigorously fought for the ordination of women into the priesthood and episcopate. He was wildly successful. In 1976 TEC officially sanctioned the ordination of women. In 2006 Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori became the first female leader of The Episcopal Church.

With the ordination of women firmly established Spong turned his energy and place of authority in TEC to securing the same rights of ordination to homosexuals. In 1989 he became the first bishop to ordain an openly homosexual man to the priesthood. That violation of Scripture led to the consecration of V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. Six years later TEC further abandoned the authority of Scripture as pointed out earlier by overwhelmingly passing the pro-homosexual resolutions at their recent General Convention. Spong is no doubt bursting at the seams with pride. Spong, a man who says, “I am a Christian, a deeply committed, believing Christian”, has rejected the Truth and has deceived himself into believing lies, lies he has foisted upon others. He is a heretic and is at least partially responsible for the demonic spirit that now grips TEC.

The Episcopal Church’s slow leak toward apostasy has reached a reprehensible, yet predictable blowout. And it began when the authority of Scripture was first questioned and then abandoned. It is a lesson all Christians must learn. Once the authority of Scripture has been forsaken in favor of political correctness or to allow man to do what is “right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25 ESV) apostasy will be the result. And with apostasy comes the “man of lawlessness”, “the son of destruction” to take his seat in the temple of God.

Perhaps it is a good time to remind you that “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NASU) and the seat the Anti-Christ first desires to rule from is the throne within an apostate heart.

 Soli Deo Gloria!