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Seattle's false priestess temporarily defrocked

Apostasy has lost. At least for the moment. The Seattle Times has the details:

The Rev. Ann Holmes Redding, a local Episcopal priest who announced she is both Muslim and Christian, will not be able to serve as a priest for a year, according to her bishop.

During that year, Redding is expected to "reflect on the doctrines of the Christian faith, her vocation as a priest, and what I see as the conflicts inherent in professing both Christianity and Islam," the Rt. Rev. Geralyn Wolf, bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island, wrote in an e-mail to Episcopal Church leaders.

Redding was ordained more than 20 years ago by the then-bishop of Rhode Island, and it is that diocese that has disciplinary authority over her.

During the next year, Redding "is not to exercise any of the responsibilities and privileges of an Episcopal priest or deacon," Wolf wrote in her e-mail. Wolf could not be reached for immediate comment.

That should be that. Or, you would think it would anyway.

At the end of the year, the two will revisit the issue.

"I understand that one of my options would be to voluntarily leave the priesthood," Redding said.

At this moment, though, she is not willing to do that. "The church is going to have to divorce me if it comes to that," she said. "I'm not going to go willingly."

In other words, she wants to continue teaching her blasphemy, and she's going to fight for the right to do so. Sadly, while the largely apostate Episcopal Church has taken her privilege to teach, the Jesuits, who you would expect to understand the inherent incompatibilities between Islam and Christianity have not.

Redding is scheduled to start teaching part time as a visiting assistant professor at Jesuit-run Seattle University this fall. But she will not be able to teach, preach or work at any Episcopal church or institution during the next year, she said.

It's a shame really. True Christians believe that Jesus was both the Son of God, and God. We believe that only his divine sacrifice could atone for our sins and bring us back into fellowship with God.

Islam on the other hand believes that the Arabic moon god Allah is God and that Jesus was merely a teacher. Islam denies His divinity or the salvation he brings us.

Some also saw Redding's announcement as another sign that the Episcopal Church was veering too far away from Scripture, doctrine and tradition. The Episcopal Church, which is the U.S. branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, is already embroiled in deep conflict with the Communion over scriptural interpretation on issues such as homosexuality and the ordination of women.

Sad isn't it, that the Ecumenical movement has reduced true faith to it's lowest common denominator, accepting ALL religions as equally valid. The problem with this whole multi-cultural approach to religion though is that all religions cannot possibly be equally valid, unless they are all false.

She believes she has not violated any of her baptismal or ordination vows. And "since entering Islam," she said, "I have been, by my own estimation, a better teacher, a better preacher and a better Christian.

True Christianity is incompatible with Islam. The two religions hold mutually incompatible central doctrines. Ann Holmes Redding is a confused apostate preaching and teaching heresy. It's not her estimation that counts in the long run. It's Jesus' estimation.

I pray that the next year serves to teach her the truth. Based on the nature of her apostasy and her own statements though, I'm not expecting it to.

Cross posted at NW Bloggers.

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