Saturday, June 23, 2007

An Episcopal pastor who's Muslim

You read that right. (Via the Seattle Times)
Redding doesn't feel she has to resolve all the contradictions. People within one religion can't even agree on all the details, she said. "So why would I spend time to try to reconcile all of Christian belief with all of Islam?

"At the most basic level, I understand the two religions to be compatible. That's all I need."

She says she felt an inexplicable call to become Muslim, and to surrender to God — the meaning of the word "Islam."

"It wasn't about intellect," she said. "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.

"I could not not be a Muslim."

Redding's situation is highly unusual. Officials at the national Episcopal Church headquarters said they are not aware of any other instance in which a priest has also been a believer in another faith. They said it's up to the local bishop to decide whether such a priest could continue in that role.

Redding's bishop, the Rt. Rev. Vincent Warner, says he accepts Redding as an Episcopal priest and a Muslim, and that he finds the interfaith possibilities exciting. Her announcement, first made through a story in her diocese's newspaper, hasn't caused much controversy yet, he said.
Well ...
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.
I'm not going to make any comments. Go read the article.

3 comments:

St. Elizabeth of Cayce said...

Can you say iffy catechesis?

How did she get through seminary? (Don't answer that -- I'll be too depressed...)

As for what drew her to Islam, she could be having "all those dates with God" via the Liturgy of the Hours (which many Anglo-Catholics do...)

Seems to me that there's a Bishop who needs to do a bit more shepherding, take more diligent care of his flock.

(and maybe that's what happened with/thru the layoff -- I do hope she's not in a pulpit now.)

St. Elizabeth of Cayce said...

Read the article on page 9 of the Diocesan June 2007 Newsletter.

masalai said...

One hopes that she doesn't get so carried away that she visits a Muslim country. There are people on death row in Pakistan, condemned for blasphemy far milder than hers would be construed to be. Imagine how a Saudi madrasa would react to her.