Religious Wolves In Clerical Robes

Rick Tryon1 Comment

The Episcopal Church has become little more than a platform for far left cultural and political ideologues to ‘preach’ their ‘woke’, anti-scriptural nonsense to a rapidly diminishing congregation.

Yes, that’s Washington Bishop Mariann Budde on the right in the picture below from the Episcopal News Service. She was the subject of much attention, and an opinion I wrote here last month, stemming from the the political lecture, disguised as a sermon, that she aimed at President Trump, Vice President Vance, and both of their families during the National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral the day after Trump’s inauguration.

Read the article below outlining Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s (center in the picture) recent sermon, and I think you may end up with a few of the same conclusions and questions I did.

Presiding bishop in cathedral sermon: Jesus puts the marginalized at center of his kingdom
  • How can you speak “out against contemporary political divisions as ‘not of God’…” while at the same time in the same sermon introduce rhetoric that includes divisive political language, specifically against President Trump and his agenda?
  • Exactly where in the Bible does it say that “immigrants, transgender people, the poor and other marginalized communities” are “central to the kingdom Jesus envisioned…”? The King himself and God Almighty are at the center of the coming mediatorial and everlasting Kingdom of Heaven. The Bible says explicitly in Matthew 7:13-14 to, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” All are welcome. Jesus Christ is the gate.
  • Furthermore, Bishop Rowe said, “Those who have been considered at the margins are at the center. They are the bearers of the salvation of the world. Their struggles reveal to us the kingdom of God.” Who is the bearer of the salvation of the world??? This isn’t just nonsense, it’s completely antithetical to everything the Bible explicitly teaches.

As I pointed out earlier, the Episcopal Church is bleeding membership and losing all spiritual credibility and standing.

The Episcopal Church has been experiencing a decline in membership over the past few years. According to the latest reports, the church saw a significant drop in membership, losing about 40,000 members in 2023 alone. This brings the total membership to approximately 1.547 million people.

Despite this decline, there has been a slight increase in average Sunday worship attendance, which reached nearly 411,000 in 2023, up from 373,000 in 2022. This increase is seen as a gradual recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, when worship attendance had significantly dropped due to lockdowns and public health concerns.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/episcopal-church-loses-40k-members-but-worship-attendance-grows.html

The decline in membership and attendance has been attributed to various factors, including the church’s increasingly progressive theological direction and the challenges of maintaining older buildings and utility costs.
https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2023/09/21/episcopal-churchs-latest-parochial-reports-highlight-denominational-decline-hope-for-future/

Latest U.S.-Israel News

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Photo via cottonbro studio at pexels.com

Bible Rebel continues to keep a watchdog’s eye on international and domestic news and events. Here’s some of the latest.

President Donald Trump Signs Executive Order Combating Antisemitism
This order directs federal resources to address the rise in antisemitism, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The order calls for federal agencies to report actions that can be used to fight antisemitism within 60 days and emphasizes the need to quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation. – The Hill

Netanyahu Heads to U.S. for Ceasefire Talks with Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to the United States to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal. The ceasefire has allowed for a surge in international humanitarian aid to Gaza. – Al Jazeera

American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 2 Other Hostages Released in Gaza
American-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was among three hostages released by militants in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. The hostages were handed over to Red Cross personnel before being transferred to Israeli forces. – CBS News

Father of Released Israeli Hostage Thanks Trump
The father of newly released Israeli hostage Agam Berger thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his efforts in securing his daughter’s freedom. The release was part of the ongoing ceasefire and hostage-exchange deal between Hamas and Israel. AP News

Faith News From Around The World

Rick TryonLeave a comment
Image via Josiah Lewis at pexels.com

Bible Rebel is keeping a watchdog’s eye on recent world events and religious/faith news and bringing it to you. Stay informed by checking in every day.

The Greek Orthodox Christian Network launches an online magazine. Interesting articles include a piece on ending homelessness.

Orthodoxy Now Quarterly Magazine—Issue 12

From Christianity Today, a story about peace efforts in Russia-Ukraine war and persecution of Russian Christians.

Moscow Continues Targeting Christians in Russian-Occupied Territories

The Parthenon in Athens, originally built to honor Athena, was converted into a Christian church from 500 AD to 1450. It became a pilgrimage center for Christians and was decorated with icons, mosaics, and frescoes.

https://greekreporter.com/2025/01/18/acropolis-parthenon-christian-church

Thousands gathered in Tirana, Albania, to pay their last respects to Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the country’s Orthodox Christian Church after the fall of communism in 1990. Anastasios, who was the Archbishop of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania, passed away at the age of 95.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/thousands-of-albanians-pay-last-respects-to-orthodox-christian-archbishop-anastasios/ar-AA1y72Nk

Death Row Letters: Dear Atheists

Rick Tryon1 Comment

Dear Atheists and Agnostics,

My previous two letters were addressed to anti-natalists and nihilists, but I think there’s a lot of common ground between those folks and y’all atheists and agnostics.

One of the most common arguments used by all four of those worldviews is the problem of suffering. How could anyone believe in an all-powerful, loving God who would allow so much evil and suffering in the world?

Well, that’s a worthy question and there are massive amounts of books, articles, sermons, doctoral theses, movies, songs, and philosophical/theological debates on that subject (referred to as ‘theodicy’) dating back centuries.

So, in the next several letters I’ll be writing to you, I’ll be giving you my take on the matter in as a straightforward and common sense way as I possibly can.

Let’s start by considering this simple proposition: In order for there to be a level playing field where human beings are able to exercise actual free will, the conditions that create the possibility for failure, tragedy, and death must exist. Free agency is meaningless if there are no negative consequences as a result of bad choices.

Matthew 5:45 – “For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.“

God is entirely just, and He has committed Himself to abiding by the conditions which allow free agency to operate in our physical world and in our current time.

God doesn’t break His own rules, and He absolutely has a grand purpose in mind which he will bring to pass by His own power and in His own time.

I hope you take some time to objectively think about that proposition. Just chew on it for awhile, kick the tires, and let it marinate a bit instead of immediately dismissing the idea entirely.

In my next letter we’ll start looking at some of what the Bible says about the problem of suffering.

Sincerely yours,
Your fellow death row occupant

Current News Of Wars And Rumors Of Wars

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Here is Jesus, in Matthew 24:6-7, teaching his disciples about the end times. But also encouraging them to ‘see that ye be not troubled’.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (KJV)

Much of what our Lord was prophesying here had to do with the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple, which would happen within 40 years or so of this prophesy and his imminent death and resurrection.

However there is no reason not to consider that he was also making a double prophecy, which is fairly common in the Bible, extending the meaning here to also warn of the time immediately preceding the Final Judgement, which is still future as of this blog post.

Let’s remember though, that people and nations in all times and places have experienced wars, famine, earthquakes, and pestilence. This prophecy is referring to a specific people in a specific place and time(s)- the people are those disciples living in the place, Jerusalem and Judea, at the time preceding the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD and also in some future time right before The End.

Even so, as watchdogs living in this time and place we should always keep our ears tuned ‘rumors of wars’ and be aware of the seasons of God’s plans and purposes.

So here is a brief recap of some of the international war news happening right now.

Ukraine-Russia War

Russian drones targeted Kharkiv, but Ukrainian air defenses intercepted a Shahed drone during the attack. Additionally, Ukrainian forces claimed to have killed 21 North Korean soldiers supporting Russian troops in a standoff in Russia’s Kursk region: Sky News

Gaza Conflict

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza for the first time since the early weeks of the war with Hamas. The ceasefire remains fragile as both sides trade blame over deal violations: AP News

Democratic Republic of Congo

Rebels have moved into the key city of Goma, leading to thousands fleeing the fighting as the situation continues to escalate: AP News

Sudan’s Darfur Region

About 70 people were killed in an attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region, according to the WHO chief. The ongoing conflict in Darfur continues to cause significant humanitarian crises: Associated Press

The Davidic Dynasty And Biblical Archaeology

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Photo via Виктор Соломоник at pexels.com

Here’s a brief recap of some of the more recent discoveries and news items from the world of Biblical archaeology. Stay tuned for this regular feature appearing in the Bible Rebel blog.

Tel Dan Stele Displayed in Oklahoma
The Tel Dan Stele, an artifact confirming the historical existence of King David, was exhibited at Herbert W. Armstrong College in Edmond, Oklahoma, from September 22 to November 25, 2024. This significant artifact provides evidence of the Davidic dynasty mentioned in the Bible.
The Jerusalem Post

Ancient Stone with Greek Inscriptions Discovered in Upper Galilee
A 1,700-year-old volcanic stone bearing ancient Greek carvings was found in Upper Galilee, a region associated with Jesus’ miracles. The stone, serving as a boundary marker from the Roman Empire, references two previously unknown settlements, Tirathas and Golgol, dating back to the reign of Caesar Marcus Aurelius Alexander. This find offers insights into Roman administration and land ownership in the area.
The Sun

Discovery of a 2,700-Year-Old Seal in Jerusalem
In September 2024, archaeologists uncovered a 2,700-year-old seal in Jerusalem. Such seals offer valuable insights into the administrative practices and personal identities during the First Temple period.
Bible Archaeology

Christian Zionism’s March to War – Part 1

stephen daniels4 Comments
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Editors note: the guest article appearing here does not necessarily reflect the views of Bible Rebel editors or other guest authors and contributors. Bible Rebel seeks to present a wide range of ideas and viewpoints in order to fulfill our mission to provide resources for “Curious Fearless Faith”.

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Have you ever heard a pastor expound that today’s Jews and the modern State of Israel are God’s chosen people, rightfully entitled to the “Promised Lands?” From the early 1900s onward, this belief system — known as Christian Zionism — has taken root in many churches, convincing countless believers that the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 marked the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

According to this narrative, the Jewish citizens of present-day Israel are the direct heirs of the lands gifted to Abraham’s descendants — now their eternal homeland.

It’s a story many of us have grown up with, encouraging Christians to accept, without question, that modern Jews hold a God-ordained claim to the territories sworn to Abraham, some 4,000 years ago.

But consider the consequences: as Christian Zionism’s influence spreads throughout the U.S. and Europe, a startling number of American Christians find themselves compelled — financially, politically, and even militarily — to aid Israel’s rapidly expanding conflicts in the Middle East. Men and women who might otherwise stand firmly against war find themselves supporting armed aggression, simply because they believe it serves God’s plan.

What could drive Jesus’s peace-minded followers to champion violence in the Middle East?

The shocking answer is this: this zeal springs from a misguided interpretation of prophecy — one that twists God’s words about future end-times events into a license for unyielding military dominance today.

Christian Zionist scholars and proponents suggest that dozens, even hundreds of Old Testament prophecies point specifically to the re-establishment of Israel as a nation today — and ready for battle.

Of these, here is a sampling of popular scriptures commonly quoted to garner support:

Isaiah 66:8-9: “Who has ever heard of such things? ... Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?”
Ezekiel 37:21-22: “Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations ... and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.”
Isaiah 11:11-12: “The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people ... and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel.”
Zechariah 14:2-3: “I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle ... Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations.”
Zephaniah 3:19-20: “At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you ... I will bring you home and give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth.”

Let’s dive deeper into these five commonly cited verses and test them against the Bible’s overarching narrative. Are these prophecies truly about 1948, or do they point to something far greater yet to come?

In my following articles, we’ll unravel the strange connection between these scriptures, the wars of Zionism, and “The Day of the Lord” — a central theme throughout the Old Testament. You won’t want to miss this revealing exploration of what the Bible really says about Israel’s prophetic future!