Stephen Cottrell, archbishop of York, made the comment during a speech about the need for unity. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

What is truly problematic is the volume of false teachers and unsound doctrine, the philosophies of the world, that have crept in, mingled with, muddied, and corrupted the faith in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Word of God.

Within what constitutes Christian church leaders and professing Christians. Not the vocal unbeliever, not the visible pagan, but from the clergy, from the congregants under the roofs that mostly bear a cross and claim to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, children of God, children of obedience to God, separate from the world, a light unto the world, the salt of the earth.

Rather, it is the clergy and the overwhelming number of congregants that are leading millions down the road to hell in their blind and foolish delusion that if they accept, adopt, and then approve of [see Romans 1]the lies of the world actually supplanting the Word of God and incorporating the lies of the world as the gospel to preach and follow, thus being obedient to the father of lies, Satan, rather than being firm in the faith, true to the Word, truly regenerated by the power of the Spirit of God they somehow are bringing people into the fold of the sheep being lead by the Shepherd, when in reality they are wolves in sheep’s clothing devouring many. Adding to or omitting from the Word and refusing to be humble, be a separate people, refusing to believe and stand boldly and firmly in the Word…

…rather than spreading the gospel of the fallen and corrupted world, which is what they are doing.

I did not have a loving, wonderful, American stereotypical father from the 1950s and 1960s. I had an aloof, troubled man who rarely spoke to me, and when he did it was to tell me how stupid I was and that I would never amount to anything in life. His disdain for me, his desire that I did not exist was evident to me from an early age. It was not a pleasant household even though both my parents were avowed hardcore legalistic outward appearance “Christians.”

Anyone that cannot distinguish between their earthly father, no matter their experience with him, or even not ever knowing him and his being absent, or abusive beyond comprehension by most ought not, should not, cannot equate God with anyone earthly, let alone their human father.

No, what is taking place here within the Archbishop of York in the Church of England is the friction and evidence of what Jude wrote of and warned of. Those ungodly people who have crept in and seek to dismantle, disparage, and destroy the Word of God by introducing what appears to be logical, loving, so-called “Christian arguments” to permit the doctrine of the world, thus the doctrine of eternal death and damnation to supplant the true gospel.

Beware.

Woe to any and all who are beguiled and seduced no less than being seduced by a prostitute, or a substance that alters reality and creates a misty delusion rather than remaining faithful and sober.

Paganism has been permitted to enter into the church. Presently the majority of what are called Christian denominations and independent churches. Accepting, adopting, and placing their seal of approval on every blatant arrogant human philosophy and way rather than living as true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, in and of and by the whole of the Word of God.

They are wholly unholy. No matter their garb, their title, their age, their status, their education, their following.

Beware!

For the following is not an isolated incident across the pond, nor a spiritual disease within a certain denomination, people, or place. The following has injected its virus into the spiritual war taking place and consuming, confusing, and carrying away hundreds of millions making those infected and losing their lives from COVID-19 pale in comparison making the pandemic that struck the world appear like a solitary individual having a minor cold. It is the war, the news, and the current event to pay the closest daily attention to and know and understand each of our places in this spiritual war and how to take up arms in and of the Word of God, faithfully, humbly, mercifully in this raging war taking more casualties and with more agents of the Enemy infiltrating than at any other time in history.

It is time, dear ones, beloved, friends, brothers, and sisters to polish up, clean, put on, and maintain always the full armor of God [see Ephesians 6] if not doing so. With mercy, as we have been shown mercy, with boldness and without compromise. For, if we do not do so now then when?

Psalm 1

Jude 1

There are two articles on this one matter found below.

Ken Pullen, A CROOKED PATH, Sunday, July 9th, 2023

Lord’s Prayer opening may be “problematic”, says archbishop

Archbishop of York tells General Synod that ‘Our Father’ has patriarchal connotations

Friday, 7 July 2023

By Harriet Sherwood

Reprinted from The Guardian [in the U.K.]

The archbishop of York has suggested that opening words of the Lord’s Prayer, recited by Christians all over the world for 2,000 years, may be “problematic” because of their patriarchal association.

In his opening address to a meeting of the Church of England’s ruling body, the General Synod, Stephen Cottrell dwelt on the words “Our Father”, the start of the prayer based on Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4 in the New Testament.

“I know the word ‘father’ is problematic for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive, and for all of us who have laboured rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life,” he said.

His comment – a brief aside in a speech that focused on the need for unity – will divide members of the C of E, a body whose differences on issues of sexuality, identity and equality have been highly visible for years.

After Cottrell’s speech, Canon Dr Chris Sugden, chair of the conservative Anglican Mainstream group, pointed out that in the Bible Jesus urged people to pray to “our father”.

He said: “Is the archbishop of York saying Jesus was wrong, or that Jesus was not pastorally aware? It seems to be emblematic of the approach of some church leaders to take their cues from culture rather than scripture.”

Rev Christina Rees, who campaigned for female bishops, said Cottrell had “put his finger on an issue that’s a really live issue for Christians and has been for many years”.

She added: “The big question is, do we really believe that God believes that male human beings bear his image more fully and accurately than women? The answer is absolutely not.”

In February, the C of E said it would consider whether to stop referring to God as “he”, after priests asked to be allowed to use gender-neutral terms instead.

It agreed to launch a commission on gendered language, saying “Christians have recognised since ancient times that God is neither male nor female, yet the variety of ways of addressing and describing God found in scripture has not always been reflected in our worship”.

Most of Cottrell’s speech was devoted to the word “our” rather than “father”, as a way of urging the fractious members of the synod to be a little more brotherly and sisterly in their discussions.

He told members of the synod: “We remain stubbornly unreconciled, appear complacent about division, and often also appear all too ready to divide again […] We have got used to disunity. We think it’s normal when in fact, it is a disgrace, an affront to Christ and all he came to give us.”

One of the most divisive issues within the C of E, same-sex marriage, led to a decision earlier this year to allow clergy to offer services of blessings to gay and lesbian couples who have undergone a civil wedding.

The first blessings were expected this summer, after final approving of the wording of prayers by the synod meeting this weekend. But the presentation of the prayers, plus new rules on whether gay and lesbian clergy may marry their partners, and whether to lift the existing instruction that clergy in same sex relationships must be celibate, have been delayed until November.

Outrage as Church of England Archbishop claims saying “Our Father” is “problematic”

8 July 2023

By kit Heren

Reprinted from LBC — Leading Britan’s Conversation

The Most Rev Stephen Cottrell said in a speech that the term may upset people whose genetic fathers were abusive, and for people who have “laboured” under the “oppressive patriarchy”.

The Lord’s Prayer, considered the most important Christian prayer, begins: “Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name”.

God is also referred to in the text of the prayer as “He” and “Him” at various points.

But in a welcome address at the General Synod, the church’s legislative assembly, in York, Mr Cottrell said that the “God to whom we pray is ‘Father’,” the Telegraph reported.

He added: “And, yes, I know the word ‘Father’ is problematic for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive, and for all of us who have laboured rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life.”

His comments provoked criticism from some in the church, who asked if he was suggesting that Jesus may have been mistaken when he taught his disciples the prayer.

Canon Dr Chris Sugden, Chairman of Anglican Mainstream, said: “Is the Archbishop of York saying Jesus was wrong or that Jesus was not pastorally aware? I can’t believe he is doing that consciously, but that’s the impression it gives.

“It seems to be emblematic of the approach of some church leaders to take their cues from culture rather than scripture.”

Dr Sugden said: “If people have had a difficult relationship with their human fathers then the option open to them is to say you can rediscover the true nature of fatherhood through Christ.”

But others were more supportive. Rev Christina Rees CBE, a former General Synod member, founder member of the Archbishops’ Council, agreed that calling God ‘father’ was “hugely problematic”.

“And when women say it and have been saying it, there’s been some understanding and sympathy.

“But I think the issues that it has raised have come into sharp focus more with clergy abuse issues. Because sometimes the abuse victims have been abused by their birth fathers and gone on to be abused by their fathers in God – the local priest – so there are multiple layers why the term father is really difficult for people in the church.”

“It’s the way it’s been set for so long and so we’re stuck,” she said.

“And because Jesus called God ‘daddy’, we think we have to call God ‘daddy’. And the big question is, do we really believe God believes that male human beings bear the image of God more fully and accurately than women? The answer is absolutely not.”

Mr Cottrell has been Archbishop of York, the second most senior position in the Church of England, since 2020.