Episcopalianism?!?

[Jac3510]

Ok, so obviously the Episcopal church isn't in and of itself aberrant, but I couldn't think of a better forum for this little gem!

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Business/Defa ... ?id=597368

ANAHEIM, CA - Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori says it's "heresy" to believe that an individual can be saved through a sinner's prayer of repentance.

In her opening address to the church's General Conference in California, Jefferts Schori called that "the great Western heresy: that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God."

The presiding bishop said that view is "caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus."

According to Schori, it is heresy to believe that an individual's prayer can achieve a saving relationship with God. "That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy."

Now, obviously I agree with the prayer part (John 3:16 doesn't say anything about prayer), but COME ON?!?!?!? And, yes, I know this doesn't reflect the entire Episcopal Church, but COME ON!!!

Who knew it was idolatry to think you could be saved . . .

[For_Narniaaa]

The Bible says that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9) That's it. Plain and simple. I think many people do the "confess with your mouth" part by prayer. Prayer is just talking to God...it doesn't have to be some fancy ritual. You can just say, "Jesus, I believe what You did and I want You in my life."

How is that not salvation?? What do the Episcopalians believe brings salvation, then?

Other verses:

"...Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved..." (Acts 16:31)
"...Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16b)
"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God..." (John 1:12)
"...through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38-39)
"...for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

For numerous other verses, check out this site: http://www.scripturemenu.com/BibleVerse ... topicid=31

[BavarianWheels]

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I didn't click the link and read the whole, but based on the blurb, I would say what was meant was that a person cannot be saved simply by repeating some words without their heart's conviction giving meaning to them.
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[cslewislover]

Wow, that seems really weird. Sour grapes, I say. Greg Laurie does a big Harvest Crusade in Anaheim every year (where this Bishop said this), and tons of people come down to say the sinner's prayer. And Laurie and all the others involved know that not everyone seems to be sincere about it when they say the sinner's prayer; they know that in the long run, not all those that come forward end up staying in the faith. It's not some magic formula, no, but it's like Narniaaa wrote.

(I just looked up the Harvest Crusade website. The number that have made decisions for Christ at these events is 317,600. The number that backslide is not listed there.)

[secretfire6]

or it could be a reference to those who "pray in tongues" as a sign of salvation and believe they have some special relationship with God that others don't. That would be heresy. salvation isn't about what you say or do or don't say and don't do. It's about what's in your heart and if you truly believe In God's saving act as Jesus Christ. If you believe, you are saved.