An Episcopal Church was burned to the ground earlier this year because the arsonist decided that it held to unbiblical beliefs…

Link: Church fire called act of intolerance — Page 1 — Times Union – Albany NY:0:.

Lussier, of Plymouth, Mass., is a student at the Word of Life Bible Institute in Schroon Lake, not far from Christ Episcopal. Investigators said he acted out of a religious zeal that also may have played a role in a fire at another church in his hometown and in threats against three other houses of worship.

Warren County Sheriff Larry Cleveland said Lussier thought the members of Christ Church were hypocrites who deviated from the teachings of the Bible and the word of God.[emphasis added] He allegedly robbed the church twice in May. On one occasion he left behind a message written in a Bible: “You’ve been warned.” On May 30, a fire at the 77-year-old church burned out of control before firefighters arrived.

Just in case you’ve not seen this article already. There’s a part of me that’s been wondering when the Episcopal Church was going to start being actively persecuted for the stances it’s taken.

I know that when I was rector of a parish in Bethlehem PA we had people drive by the parish in the evening calling out “Fag Church!” and then speeding off down the street. Given the level of irresponsible rhetoric that’s out there in the wider church community at present, I guess I’m just grateful that this sort of thing hasn’t happened more often.