You know, ignorance and malevolence are a bad, bad combination. Nothing illustrates this more than some Baptist responses to the news that Beth Moore has joined an Anglican Church and she assisted in the distribution of the Eucharist.
A few crazy folks seem to think that:
Anglican is exactly the same as Catholic.
Anglicans believe in transubstantiation.
Anglicans are apostate.
Wearing robes makes you a priest.
It is heresy for women to distribute communion.
What kind of bad hombre attacks a woman for participating in a religious worship service? As Rev. Prof. McGowin puts it:
Of course, this is a minority of Baptists doing this hating, so I’m glad to say that I got some Baptist friends like Rev. Griffin who are a careful voice of rebuke.
If you don’t like Anglicanism, fine! Just make sure you know what you’re talking about if you trash it!
To those Baptist crazies, Beth Moore going Anglican is the least of your problems, here’s what you should be angry about:
Advent greetings to you all!
To those who don’t know what the heck they are talking about, you should shut the heck up! Since joining our Parish, Beth and her husband Keith have been absolutely WONDERFUL people to get to know and worship with!
For those Baptists, who for the most part don’t know a damn thing about Liturgical and Sacramental worship, to be criticizing her for wearing “Priestly Garb” during the Service don’t know a damn thing about what they are talking about.
First of they are called Vestments. What she is wearing are NOT Priestly Vestments. She is a Lay Reader (she reads the prescribed Scripture readings appointed for that particular Sunday, from the Old and New Testament). A Deacon or Priest reads the Gospel reading appointed for that Sunday. Beth has also volunteered her TIME and TALENT to also become a Lay Eucharistic Minister, which involves her dispensing the Consecrated wine from the Chalice. The Vestments she is wearing are a Black Cassock and a White Surplice. Those Vestments are worn by Lay members of the congregation who are participating as members of the Altar Party during the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist. I have personally worked with Beth in her new liturgical roles and she is FANTASTIC! She has a zeal and fire for serving the Lord in these capacities! I personally couldn’t be happier to have Beth as a member of our church family! Also, in the past 10 years or so, there have been several other high profile evangelical fundamentalist Protestant clergy who have come to know a fuller and more satisfying relationship with God through liturgical and sacramental worship.
You should be ashamed of yourselves for attacking a fellow Sister in Christ, because she has found the the fulfillment of her faith journey through the liturgical and sacramental worship handed down to the Church by the Apostles themselves!
God bless Beth as she continues her new journey!
Michael Daigle
She’s actually dressed as a Lay Reader and a Chalice Bearer rather than a priest. So much Christian love and kindness here!