Priest Imam? Father Ali?

An Episcopal priest who converted to Islam has been defrocked for refusing to renounce her Muslim faith. The former priest says she is saddened that the church has such narrow views.

The Church found out she had become a Muslim when she recited the Islamic creed in 2007. This creed basically proclaims your belief that Allah is the only god and you refuse to acknowledge anyone but him. Additionally, Mohammed is proclaimed to be the true prophet. Muslims also have this little thing where they deny Jesus was the Son of God, or that he died on the cross. Both points are rather important to the Episcopalians.

Color me goofy, but don’t you think if you are ordained as a priest in a Christian faith, and you decide to stop believing in Christianity and to begin following a totally different religion, that maybe…just maybe…the Church is not out of line for asking you to give up your position, especially after giving you almost two years to decide which faith you want to follow? That is what this lady considers a “narrow view”?

It’s not like the Church reacted strongly. They gave her almost two years to consider her options. They still call her a “a woman of utmost integrity” and said “conversations over the past two years have been open, honest and respectful.” So it’s not like they burned her in effigy.

So, what exactly is narrow about the views of the Church? I would love to ask Ms. Redding that question. I would also love to ask a follow up question – How would a Mosque react if the Iman converted to Christianity and stood up one day and read the Lord’s Prayer aloud?