[St. Louis Post Dispatch] Giving up Church for Lent - Episcopal cleric tries Islamic rituals for Lent
BY CYNTHIA BILLHARTZ GREGORIAN cbillhartz@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8114 | Posted: Saturday, March 12, 2011 12:05 am
(NOTE: A correction on dietary restrictions was made in the sixth paragraph)
The Rev. Steve Lawler should have just given up chocolate or television for Lent.
Instead, Lawler, of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Ferguson, decided to adopt the rituals of Islam for 40 days to gain a deeper understanding of the faith [in distinction to The Faith of Jesus Christ].
On Friday, he faced being defrocked if he continued in those endeavors.
"He can't be both a Christian and a Muslim," said Bishop George Wayne Smith of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. [Wait a minute, some gal already pulled that off in Seattle!] "If he chooses to practice as Muslim, then he would, by default, give up his Christian identity and priesthood in the church."
I can't post any more here. Follow the YELLOW BRICK LINK.
Only in the Episcopal Church, folks! Unless you are in the ELCA, PCUSA, or UMC.
