Episcopal Denomination, Now with Less Crazy!

Now, in an effort to get back to the funny, Lost In The World, proudly presents: Ann Holmes Redding, The Priest who doesn't bother with all that boring Bible reading. The Lost One first became aware of Ms. Redding waaaaaaaaaay back in the days of yore known as the magic land of 2007. It turns out that then Rev. Redding attended an interfaith Class, from the Seattle Times:

at a St. Mark's interfaith class, another Muslim leader taught a chanted prayer and led a meditation on opening one's heart. The chanting appealed to the singer in Redding; the meditation spoke to her heart. She began saying the prayer daily.

First, we have the obvious question: Why was a Christian church hosting an Islamic class on how to pray like a Muslim? Is it just the Lost One? Was this made a best practice while he wasn't looking? Anyways...

Eventually, Ms. Redding decided, well let's let her tell it:

"I could not not be a Muslim...At the most basic level, I understand the two religions to be compatible...I am both Christian and Muslim."

But how you say, does that work?

"There are tenets of the faiths that are very, very different,"said Kurt Fredrickson, director of the doctor of ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. "The most basic would be: What do you do with Jesus?" Christianity has historically regarded Jesus as the son of God and God incarnate, both fully human and fully divine. Muslims, though they regard Jesus as a great prophet, do not see him as divine and do not consider him the son of God.

And how did Redding respond?

Redding doesn't feel she has to resolve all the contradictions..."why would I spend time to try to reconcile all of Christian belief with all of Islam?"

Umm, because YOU'RE A FREAKING PRIEST!!!???!! So how did she get here?

"It wasn't about intellect,"

You don't say.

"All I know is the calling of my heart to Islam was very much something about my identity and who I am supposed to be."...As much as she loves her church, she has always challenged it. She calls Christianity the "world religion of privilege." She has never believed in original sin. And for years she struggled with the nature of Jesus' divinity.

So we have a radical lefty, who never actually committed to the basic tenants of Christianity. And she was both ordained and employed by a Christian organization. For 30 years. Fan-freaking-tastic.

Yet, all good things must come to an end: from CNN

For nearly 30 years, Redding has been an ordained minister in the Episcopal Church. Her priesthood ended Wednesday when she was defrocked.

Over 3 years after her "conversion". 3 Years.

James Wellman, who chairs the department of comparative religion at the University of Washington, said that while it is not unusual for people to "mix and match" beliefs, it is almost unheard of for a minister to claim two religions. "When you take ordination as a Christian minister, you take an explicit vow of loyalty to Jesus. It's hard for me to understand how a Christian minister could have dual loyalties," Wellman said.

So obvious a contradiction, even a secularist can see it.

The Diocese of Rhode Island, where Redding was ordained, told her to leave either her new Muslim faith or the ministry. A diocese statement said Bishop Geralyn Wolf found Redding to be "a woman of utmost integrity. However, the Bishop believes that a priest of the Church cannot be both a Christian and a Muslim.

3 Years. 2 years after an article was published about her. *Sigh* Well, better late then never. Via Ace (AAAE).