The story of Jesus is the story of a God who keeps promises. As St Paul wrote to the Corinthians, 'however many the promises God made, the Yes to them all is in him'. God shows himself to be the same God he always was. He brings hope out of hopelessness – out of the barrenness of unhappy childless women like Sarah and Hannah. He takes strangers and makes them at home; he brings his greatest gifts out of those moments when the barriers are down between insiders and outsiders. He draws people from the ends of the earth to wonder – not this time at the glory of Solomon but at the miracle of his presence among the humble and outcast. He identifies with those, especially children, who are the innocent and helpless victims of insane pride and fear. He walks into exile with those he loves and leads them home again. (My emphasis)
Inevitably, my mind moves to the daft Anglican Covenant. If the covenant is put in place, the result could be to raise barriers between member churches of the Communion, rather than bring barriers down, to declare certain members insiders and other members outsiders, or the lesser discipline, to label certain churches of the Communion as second tier, not quite up to par, assigned to the fringe as "not like us".
I cannot resolve in my mind the seeming contradiction that the man who speaks such words in the sermon about bringing down barriers, at the same time, urges upon the member churches of the Anglican Communion the exclusionary and divisive Anglican Covenant. I don't get it.
Archbishop Williams goes on:
And lastly, a point that we rightly return to on every great Christian festival, there is our solidarity with those of our brothers and sisters elsewhere in the world who are suffering for their Christian faith or their witness to justice or both. Yet again, I remind you of our Zimbabwean friends, still suffering harassment, beatings and arrests, legal pressures and lockouts from their churches; of the dwindling Christian population in Iraq, facing more and more extreme violence from fanatics – and it is a great grace that both Christians and Muslims in this country have joined in expressing their solidarity with this beleaguered minority. Our prayers continue for Asia Bibi in Pakistan and others from minority groups who suffer from the abuse of the law by certain groups there. We may feel powerless to help; yet we should also know that people in such circumstances are strengthened simply by knowing they have not been forgotten. And if we find we have time to spare for joining in letter-writing campaigns for all prisoners of conscience, Amnesty International and Christian Solidarity worldwide will have plenty of opportunities for us to make use of.
Our Christian brothers and sisters call out for help and we must pray for them, support them, and help in any way possible.
Those who suffer for conscience sake as they strive for justice and equality deserve our same help and support.
But what about our brothers and sisters who suffer persecution, violence, and even death in areas of the world because of who they are? What about our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, many of them Christians, many of them Anglican? A mention urging prayer, support, and help for LGTB persons is strangely absent from the archbishop's Christmas sermon.
Is it just me? Is my habitual nitpicking of the archbishop's words and actions in play here in an unjust manner?
Nope, Mimi, you nailed him. I have long since ceased caring what he says about anything except for the damage it does. That, unfortunately, is extensive.
ReplyDeletePaul, you nailed it, too. It's because of the damage his words do that I care.
ReplyDeleteNo - you see the contradictions of talking and not walking the talk.
ReplyDeleteNo Mimi, you nailed it. I had the same reaction when I read it, especially as it came one week after we had hosted Bishop Christopher Senyonjo at St. Luke's.
ReplyDeleteI think it is perfectly acceptable to hold him to a higher standard because he is responsible for the spiritual well-being of millions of people---and the physical safety of countless thousands of LGBTs has been endangered because of his hypocrisy.
ReplyDeleteThe Gospel is a dangerous thing, as I have learned over and over. It requires hard things of you--and you'd better not proclaim it unless you are ready to be flattened and humbled by it....
I have long thought that the man has a blockage between his head and his heart. Intellectually brilliant (at least, that's what we're consistently told), but he is the Grinch all year long - his heart is ten sizes too small.
ReplyDeleteI applaud you for listening to him. I no longer have the stomach.
Ueber-G, how tragic that the ABC does not stand in solidarity with the courageous Bp. Senyonjo.
ReplyDeleteDoxy, the Gospel is indeed a dangerous thing, as I have learned through personal experience.
Elizabeth, I can't even imagine what it's like to live with the kind of split that appears to exist in the ABC.
I like Elizabeth's conjecture that his heart is ten sizes too small.
ReplyDeleteLinked this to No Anglican Covenant Coalition on Facebook
ReplyDeleteAmelia, if we just didn't know that the ABC knows better....
ReplyDeleteAnn, thanks.
Unlike those Catholics who tend to every mot from the pope's lips, I don't pay too much attention to the ABC's words. I look at what he does and that tells me that I don't want to listen to him.
ReplyDeleteActually, Muthah+, most Catholics, at least in this country, do not hang on every word that comes from the the pope's lips -- au contraire. Most Episcopalians (and Lutherans) do not realize or acknowledge this.
ReplyDeleteI know this from experience as well as observation so trust me on this one.
Most Catholics really don't follow the pope's pronouncement. If you like (or know)what he says---fine. .If you disagree(or know)what he says---fine, just ignore what he says
ReplyDeleteBut you Anglicans go ape over what the Archbishop says. Kind of strange. Do you see the irony? Mary
All I can think to add is, AMEN!!
ReplyDeleteMuthah and Mary, as I've already said, I pay attention to Rowan's words because of the damage they do. I know that my words have no effect on what Rowan will say or do in the future, but he is not irrelevant. I only wish he was. I wish deeds followed his words.
ReplyDeleteMary, the pope's words cause damage, too, and I cannot ignore them either, although I am no longer a member of his flock.
When I speak out against the religious leaders, I follow the advice of two men whom I greatly admire, both Roman Catholics, one dead and one living.
“Let those who have a voice, speak out for the voiceless.”
Oscar Romero
"Silence is the voice of complicity."
Fr. Roy Bourgeois
Their words remind me to continue to speak out.
Susan, thank you.
'Most Roman Catholics don't follow the Pope's pronouncement.'
ReplyDeleteI for one am Catholic but neither Roman or Anglo....
Please distinguish correctly and carefully. But in this action you are either inclusive or exclusive.
However,...
Rowan needs to stop trying to appease everyone and focus on teaching love to everyone. Then perhaps society will follow suit.
Rowan needs to stop trying to appease everyone and focus on teaching love to everyone.
ReplyDeleteTom, amen to that.
I'm curious. You say Catholic but neither Roman nor Anglo-. Are you just "Catholic" or is there an addition to your description?
You can be Old Catholic or Liberal Catholic or some other Independent Catholic.
ReplyDeleteI ignored his words. In a parallel universe, Rowanov Treetri had made his own reference to the Anglican Communion Covenant in his Christmas message. Presumably here the Archbishop of Canterbury will have a New Year message on the BBC.
Adrian, I know about the other kinds of Catholics, but the use of Catholic alone is mostly appropriated by Roman Catholics, some of whom think of themselves as the only "real" Catholics.
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed that you won't give us your version of the sermon. I looked forward to it.
No, it is not 'just you.' He carefully missed the beleaguered Christians in several places who are facing rape and violence because they are "different."
ReplyDeleteDr. Williams is not stupid (I guess) so it is impossible for me to think hat neither he nor his staff(dishonest as some of them may be)expected a different reaction.
I do read both his sermon and B-16's because as much as we and our Roman cousins think we are not listening the fact is those two set the agenda for a lot of people. Not all, there are other liturgical folks, but many. And as usual, the incumbents disappoint. ;;sigh;;
FWIW
jimB
Jim, I'd be better of I could ignore both Rowan and Benedict, but I can't, even though I realize that I'm mostly preaching to the choir.
ReplyDeleteNo - keep preaching -- someone new hears you everyday. Speaking truth to power is time honored-- it does not matter if Rowan does not read you - all the people who do discover that what he says- does not match what he does.
ReplyDeleteIt does matter - it matters for the church we wish to have.
I see that I made a nice elision of "off" and "if" in my response to Jim.
ReplyDeleteAnn, I'm not likely to shut up, although I admit I'm somewhat bored with the pope.
Mimi, I give you credit for checking out ++Rowan's sermon. I am like you in that I am amazed at how he can preach one thing, but can not possibly see how his actions do NOT follow his words. And it's this kind of hypocrisy that presents a huge stumbling block for many when it comes to the institution of the Church which they sadly confuse for God.
ReplyDeleteWe need to pray for the persecuted Christian minorities in places such as Iraq (they were definitely in my heart as I led our congregation in the Prayers of the People on Christmas Eve). BUT so were the LGBT people in Africa and their allies who are living in danger in their respective countries. Our export of homophobia to Africa is shameful. ++Rowan's refusal to acknowledge the Church's participation in the persecution is wrong!
A good reflection for the day of the Holy Innocents, eh?
SCG, I meant to post on the Holy Innocents today, but I did not have time. The Nativity story is not the sweet and sentimental story so many of us have made it to be. Jesus was under threat early on, and his birth is followed closely by the story of the slaughter of the innocents.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's not to mention that St. Stephen the Martyr's feast day is assigned to the day after Christmas. The Nativity story was never meant to be romanticized into warm and fuzzy.
As for Rowan, sigh....
I've begun to think the man's on a sort of "christian-talk" autopilot during his sermons/pronouncement/archepiscopal bulls.
ReplyDeleteHe has no idea what he's saying. It has as little meaning as a campaign promise.
He's a politician who uses the Church to advance himself.
A P. S. - I kept waiting to hear he'd made some grand gesture today, as it's Thomas Becket's day, and Rowan seems determined to be "Da Greatest ABC EVAH!"
ReplyDeleteI happened to check who is commemorated on December 29th. Yes, Thomas a Becket turned up. Also, Ebrulf of Ouche. I didn't look up St. Ebrulf, but the "Ouche" makes me think he was a martyr.
ReplyDeleteThe Feast of Holy Innocents brings uncomfortably to mind a present-day equivalent. Herod is said to have slaughtered many to eliminate one who terrified him. In the War on Terror(ists), the US daily fires missiles from drone aircraft into apartment buildings, offices, wedding parties, where some bad person is reported to be present. Sorry about the innocents also slaughtered. Today the Feast of Holy Innocents might be called the Feast of Collateral Damage.
If you look up "cognitive dissonance" in the dictionary, there is a picture of Rowan Williams next to it.
ReplyDeleteRowan seems determined to be "Da Greatest ABC EVAH!"
ReplyDeleteMark I doubt that history will be kind to Rowan.
Murdoch, the numbers of people killed and wounded as collateral damage in our war without end is outrageous. If you let thoughts of the outrages in the world crowd in all at once, it becomes overwhelming and paralyzing.
Chris, I will check out what you say as soon as I finish here. :-)
PS: Students occupying the Senate building at the Canterbury campus of Kent University because of budget cuts in education and tuition hikes requested that the ABC act as mediator to break the impasse between them and the university authorities.
ReplyDeleteWe are thinking he should go read them Canterbury Tales in old English
ReplyDeleteWv theavia way of goddess?
Ann, LOL! What a splendid idea!
ReplyDeleteAhh! . . . second only to Chaucer's Cantilever Tales -
ReplyDelete"Whon thot Aprille swithen potrezbie,
And thot burgid prillie givst one heebie-jeebie,
Thon the yonge manne heat is crucial!
Nextte battingge Stanley Musial."
Of course, it's a rare print, found only in an old Mad compendium, along with such classics as "I Wandered Lonely As A Clod," "Hiya, Watha!," and, of course, Joyce Killjoy's "Beer."
Mark, excellent. Thank you for your contribution.
ReplyDelete