Anglican Pastor: Leaving ECUSA Painful, but Theologically Necessary
by Jim Brown
August 26, 2004
(AgapePress) - An Anglican minister who left the Episcopal Church USA over its open disregard for scripture says he has no regrets. The Arkansas pastor has formed a small but growing congregation that is now part of the United Episcopal Church of North America.
St. Thomas Anglican Church in Mountain Home, Arkansas, recently held its first official service. The congregation was formed after transitional deacon Sam Seamans parted ways with the Episcopal Church USA. Seamans, once a Southern Baptist, says ECUSA's election and consecration of an openly homosexual bishop changed in form and practice what the church had taught and believed.
"Not only did I see my church parting from scripture, tradition, and reason ... I saw my church turning against those original formularies and theologies that we've held dear for centuries, all the way back [to] the first and second centuries." Seamans explains that "scripture" is the strongest leg of the "three-legged stool" written about by theologian Richard Hooker in the 16th century.
The pastor says in order to remain in fidelity to the gospel, he had no choice but to leave ECUSA. Still, Seamans says, cutting ties to the denomination was a "heartbreaking" move for him.
"When I had to choose between being obedient to Christ and being in a biblically based, biblically founded and practicing church, I knew that was going to entail leaving many friends," he says. In addition, he contends it is more difficult for clergy than for the average lay person to leave the Episcopal Church -- because pastors must find "new bishops and new ministry," he says.
According to its website, the United Episcopal Church of North America subscribes to the four essential points of belief affirmed in 1888 by an international conference of Anglican bishops in London, and follows the doctrines and practices of the traditional Anglican Communion found in the 39 Articles of Religion found in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
