My virtual friend and blogfather, Rmj at Adventus is hanging it up - he is giving up blogging. I am sorry. He taught me so much. He made me think. He pricked my conscience. He even got me to read Kierkegaard. I have never been quite the same person since reading Fear and Trembling. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
Although I have many years on him, I call him my blogfather, because he was my model. I don't have his knowledge, nor his scholarship, but I patterned my blog on his and then threw in a good bit of foolishness. For the good you see here, I owe him much. For the not-so-good, I take full responsibility.
I wish Rmj would pick out the best of Adventus and leave those posts on the internet, but that's his choice to make.
God bless you and keep you, Robert, and please don't disappear from the scene altogether. Let us hear from you from time to time.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Jena Not Unique In US
Allison Hantschel, who writes for the Daily Southtown in Chicago, has a fine column which gives an overview of the Jena 6 story, along with reminders that racism is not confined to the South in this country.
She writes as Athenae at First Draft. I met Allison and her husband in New Orleans when we worked together gutting a house that was flooded when the levees broke after Katrina.
She writes as Athenae at First Draft. I met Allison and her husband in New Orleans when we worked together gutting a house that was flooded when the levees broke after Katrina.
Burma Bloggers
Please visit Jane R at Acts of Hope to read about the Burma bloggers and another story on the significance of monks in Burma.
The Feast Day of Lancelot Andrewes
From James Kiefer at the Lectionary:
Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626), Bishop of Winchester, was on the committee of scholars that produced the King James Translation of the Bible, and probably contributed more to that work than any other single person. It is accordingly no surprise to find him not only a devout writer but a learned and eloquent one, a master of English prose, and learned in Latin, Greek, Hebrew and eighteen other languages.
Before the day was done, I had to write about Lancelot Andrewes - and don't you love that extra "e" in his family name? - because I read a wonderful book called God's Secretaries, by Adam Nicolson, on the history of the writing of the King James Bible.
In my humble opinion, the KJB is a literary masterpiece. I'm told by those who know more than I that the translation is not as accurate as later versions, and I believe them, but the literary quality of the language is unmatched by any subsequent translation.
Imagine! A literary masterpiece written by a committee! However, the author says that the masterpiece came forth precisely because of its being written by a committee of scholars.
As Nicolson says:
The translation these men made together can lay claim to be the greatest work of prose ever written in English. That it should be the creation of a committee of people no one has ever heard of - and who were generally unacknowledged at the time - is the key to its grandeur. It is not the poetry of a single mind, nor the effusion of a singular vision, nor even the product of a single moment, but the child of an entire culture stretching back to the great Jewish poets and storytellers of the Near Eastern Bronze Age. That sense of an entirely embraced and reimagined past is what fuels this book.
Thanks be to God for Andrewes and the fellow members of the committee. The KJB served the church well for many a year. Now we have superior translations, but nothing even close to it in quality of expression.
READINGS:
Psalm 63:1-8 or 34:1-8
1 Timothy 2:1-7a
Luke 11:1-4
PRAYER (traditional language)
O Lord and Father, our King and God, by whose grace the Church was enriched by the great learning and eloquent preaching of thy servant Lancelot Andrewes, but even more by his example of biblical and liturgical prayer: Conform our lives, like his, we beseech thee, to the image of Christ, that our hearts may love thee, our minds serve thee, and our lips proclaim the greatness of thy mercy; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
UPDATE: Since I have seen references to Lancelot Andrewes as a "prayer warrior", I have included one of his prayers.
Faith
Coming unto God,
I believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him:
I know that my Redeemer liveth;
that He is the Christ the Son of the Living God;
that He is indeed the Saviour of the world;
that He came into the world to save sinners,
of whom I am chief.
Through the grace of Jesus Christ
we believe that we shall be saved
even as our fathers withal.
I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
My Response To The HOB Statement
Last night, I reacted to the statement of the House of Bishops in the comments of other bloggers, such as Richard at Caught By the Light and Fr. Jake at Fr. Jake stops the World. In the light of the morning, what I said last night deep in the comments does not look bad, so I hope that Richard and Fr. Jake don't mind if I steal my own words.
From Caught By the Light:
Grandmère Mimi said...
"Richard, I spent today in a glum mood, because the number of troops that have died in Iraq turned the 3800 corner and because I expected the statement that actually did come out of the HOB meeting.
They cannot have it both ways regarding our LGBT brothers and sisters.
They cannot say this:
We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church.
and this:
'to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.' The House acknowledges that non-celibate gay and lesbian persons are included among those to whom B033 pertains.
and this:
We, the members of the House of Bishops, pledge not to authorize for use in our dioceses any public rites of blessing of same-sex unions until a broader consensus emerges in the Communion, or until General Convention takes further action.
and expect us to believe that the first statement and the two latter statements can be true at the same time.
That they probably could not have done very much more, makes it no easier to swallow.
Just as with the war in Iraq, in which only the troops and their families and friends pay a price and are asked to sacrifice, with the rest of us living our lives as usual, so too, with the HOB. What sacrifice do the bishops make, even as they ask their GLTB brothers and sisters to bear the brunt of the sacrifice?"
8:15 PM, September 25, 2007
And then, when I read at Fr. Jake's that some of my virtual gay and lesbian friends felt that this was the last straw and that they would be heading out of the Episcopal Church, I issued this plea from my heart. I don't blame them at all, and I have no right to ask them to sacrifice themselves, but I did anyway:
From Fr. Jake Stops the World:
"...all of you GLTB folks here, you should not have to ask for recognition of your humanity. It's unconscionable. And that this request comes from those who are responsible to God as your shepherds makes it all the worse.
I won't tell you what to do, but I will tell you that I need you to stay. It's your choice whether to stay or whether to go, but I will be diminished if you go.
I believe this fight is for now and for those who come after. Time is on our side - maybe not enough time for many of us as individuals - but as MLK said, 'The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.'
We need your help in the fight. You are witnesses as I can never be a witness. I have not ever experienced cruelty or prejudice as you have. I have only your words and your presence to bear witness for me."
Grandmère Mimi | Homepage | 09.25.07 - 9:53 pm | #
From Caught By the Light:
Grandmère Mimi said...
"Richard, I spent today in a glum mood, because the number of troops that have died in Iraq turned the 3800 corner and because I expected the statement that actually did come out of the HOB meeting.
They cannot have it both ways regarding our LGBT brothers and sisters.
They cannot say this:
We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church.
and this:
'to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion.' The House acknowledges that non-celibate gay and lesbian persons are included among those to whom B033 pertains.
and this:
We, the members of the House of Bishops, pledge not to authorize for use in our dioceses any public rites of blessing of same-sex unions until a broader consensus emerges in the Communion, or until General Convention takes further action.
and expect us to believe that the first statement and the two latter statements can be true at the same time.
That they probably could not have done very much more, makes it no easier to swallow.
Just as with the war in Iraq, in which only the troops and their families and friends pay a price and are asked to sacrifice, with the rest of us living our lives as usual, so too, with the HOB. What sacrifice do the bishops make, even as they ask their GLTB brothers and sisters to bear the brunt of the sacrifice?"
8:15 PM, September 25, 2007
And then, when I read at Fr. Jake's that some of my virtual gay and lesbian friends felt that this was the last straw and that they would be heading out of the Episcopal Church, I issued this plea from my heart. I don't blame them at all, and I have no right to ask them to sacrifice themselves, but I did anyway:
From Fr. Jake Stops the World:
"...all of you GLTB folks here, you should not have to ask for recognition of your humanity. It's unconscionable. And that this request comes from those who are responsible to God as your shepherds makes it all the worse.
I won't tell you what to do, but I will tell you that I need you to stay. It's your choice whether to stay or whether to go, but I will be diminished if you go.
I believe this fight is for now and for those who come after. Time is on our side - maybe not enough time for many of us as individuals - but as MLK said, 'The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.'
We need your help in the fight. You are witnesses as I can never be a witness. I have not ever experienced cruelty or prejudice as you have. I have only your words and your presence to bear witness for me."
Grandmère Mimi | Homepage | 09.25.07 - 9:53 pm | #
A Healing Service
On Sunday, I missed a healing service at my church, because I went to Christ Church Cathedral in New Orleans for the Eucharist at which Bishop Katharine presided and preached. I'm sorry I was not able to be at St. John's.
From the Daily Comet:
THIBODAUX - The words were hard for the shepherd to say and even harder for his flock to hear.
“We must pray for Derrick Odomes,” said Ed Robertson, pastor of St. John Episcopal Church, during the second of two services Sunday morning.
Robertson’s words contained the sort of compassion generally reserved for a sick church member, not someone accused of killing a former pastor.
Fr. Ed is right. We must pray for Derrick Odomes.
After the service, Horgan’s sister said her brother believed in forgiveness and true healing can only begin if people apply his teachings to their own lives.
Those are beautiful words from Kay Hardee, and I do believe that Fr. Horgan would have counseled forgiveness.
In The Lord's Prayer, we say, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us...." It seems to me that we ask God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive others. They're hard words to bear, but Jesus, himself, taught us to pray this prayer.
For purely selfish reasons, I believe that forgiveness is a good thing. As we harbor unforgiveness, it eats away inside us. If, by the grace of God, we let it go, we are healed from its ill effects.
Robertson told his congregation to pray for Odomes, citing a verse from the Bible’s first chapter of Timothy that says “pray for them all without distinction.”
“It might be a bitter pill to swallow, but that which saves our enemy saves us too,” Robertson said.
Amen.
My prayer for the relatives and friends of Hunter Horgan and for the congregation at St. John - for everyone who loved him and misses him - is that "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
From the Daily Comet:
THIBODAUX - The words were hard for the shepherd to say and even harder for his flock to hear.
“We must pray for Derrick Odomes,” said Ed Robertson, pastor of St. John Episcopal Church, during the second of two services Sunday morning.
Robertson’s words contained the sort of compassion generally reserved for a sick church member, not someone accused of killing a former pastor.
Fr. Ed is right. We must pray for Derrick Odomes.
After the service, Horgan’s sister said her brother believed in forgiveness and true healing can only begin if people apply his teachings to their own lives.
Those are beautiful words from Kay Hardee, and I do believe that Fr. Horgan would have counseled forgiveness.
In The Lord's Prayer, we say, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us...." It seems to me that we ask God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive others. They're hard words to bear, but Jesus, himself, taught us to pray this prayer.
For purely selfish reasons, I believe that forgiveness is a good thing. As we harbor unforgiveness, it eats away inside us. If, by the grace of God, we let it go, we are healed from its ill effects.
Robertson told his congregation to pray for Odomes, citing a verse from the Bible’s first chapter of Timothy that says “pray for them all without distinction.”
“It might be a bitter pill to swallow, but that which saves our enemy saves us too,” Robertson said.
Amen.
My prayer for the relatives and friends of Hunter Horgan and for the congregation at St. John - for everyone who loved him and misses him - is that "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
"Attention must be paid!"
Once again it is my sad duty to take note of another corner turned. According to Iraq Casualty Count 3800 American troops have been killed in Iraq, with the numbers of wounded standing at 36,943, and 122 dead from self-inflicted wounds. I keep the turning of the 100s.
That's not counting those wounded in mind and spirit, many of whom get less than optimum care once they return home. That's not counting the large percentage of families broken by divorce among those who have served.
According to Iraq Body Count between 73,606 – 80,224 Iraqis have been killed in the war. I have seen other numbers, but all are estimates, therefore, for today, I will go with these.
All these casualties for what?
"Attention must be paid!"
For those who have died:
Deliver your servants, O Sovereign Lord Christ, from all evil, and set them free from every bond; that they may rest with all your saints in the eternal habitations; where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, forever and ever. Amen. "Book of Common Prayer" (paraphrase)
For those who have been wounded in body, mind, or spirit:
O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servants the help of your power, that their sicknesses may be turned into health, and their sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. "Book of Common Prayer" (paraphrase)
....
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
That's not counting those wounded in mind and spirit, many of whom get less than optimum care once they return home. That's not counting the large percentage of families broken by divorce among those who have served.
According to Iraq Body Count between 73,606 – 80,224 Iraqis have been killed in the war. I have seen other numbers, but all are estimates, therefore, for today, I will go with these.
All these casualties for what?
"Attention must be paid!"
For those who have died:
Deliver your servants, O Sovereign Lord Christ, from all evil, and set them free from every bond; that they may rest with all your saints in the eternal habitations; where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, forever and ever. Amen. "Book of Common Prayer" (paraphrase)
For those who have been wounded in body, mind, or spirit:
O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servants the help of your power, that their sicknesses may be turned into health, and their sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. "Book of Common Prayer" (paraphrase)
....
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
"Episcopal Leaders Consider Barring...Gays"
From Yahoo News:
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer Sun Sep 23, 6:30 PM ET
NEW ORLEANS - As Episcopal leaders consider barring more gays from becoming bishops to prevent an Anglican schism, the world Anglican family is already dying by a thousand cuts.
We shall see, Rachel.
This is the part of the article that I wanted to highlight:
The strain on Anglican relations with other Christians was clear at an ecumenical service in the Morial Convention Center here Thursday night with the archbishop of Canterbury and Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.
Catholic Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans didn't attend. A spokeswoman for Hughes said he had a scheduling conflict and that Baton Rouge Catholic Bishop Robert Muench was participating in his place. But Muench sat in the audience so far back from the stage that few people knew he was there until an Episcopal leader asked him to stand up and wave.
This is no small snub. Anglicans and Catholics have been in high-level negotiations for years to rebuild ties between their churches. Those talks have been complicated not only by Robinson's election, but also by the ordination of women in Anglican provinces.
At the time, it seemed kind of funny. Perhaps Bishop Meunch thought his presence would not be noted, but I wonder if this could be a story manufactured by the press. It did not occur to me that this was a major snub, but perhaps it was.
Anyway, I don't care if it was. I'm tired of reading about Episcopal bishops and Anglican archbishops begging for scraps at Rome's door. Give it up, please. The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church believe that theirs is the only true church, and they are not ready to accept other Christian denominations as equals. Let them be.
Ephraim Radner has the final word:
If Anglicanism continues on the path of slow but steady splintering, it will effectively do as much harm as a formal schism. Anglicans in Africa, who derive much of their stature from their global ties, will become just another church. The 2.2 million-member Episcopal Church, which has played such a central role in U.S. history, will also be marginalized.
"If that happens, people will say, `This wasn't much of a church anyway,'" said Ephraim Radner, an evangelical Anglican and a theology professor at Wycliffe College in Toronto. "The results will be the disappearance and dissolution of Anglicans as a whole in North America."
So. The Episcopal Church may be marginalized. Maybe on the margins is a good place to be. Maybe we stand closer to Jesus Christ when we are marginalized.
Lord, have mercy on the House of Bishops
Lord, have mercy on us all.
By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer Sun Sep 23, 6:30 PM ET
NEW ORLEANS - As Episcopal leaders consider barring more gays from becoming bishops to prevent an Anglican schism, the world Anglican family is already dying by a thousand cuts.
We shall see, Rachel.
This is the part of the article that I wanted to highlight:
The strain on Anglican relations with other Christians was clear at an ecumenical service in the Morial Convention Center here Thursday night with the archbishop of Canterbury and Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.
Catholic Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans didn't attend. A spokeswoman for Hughes said he had a scheduling conflict and that Baton Rouge Catholic Bishop Robert Muench was participating in his place. But Muench sat in the audience so far back from the stage that few people knew he was there until an Episcopal leader asked him to stand up and wave.
This is no small snub. Anglicans and Catholics have been in high-level negotiations for years to rebuild ties between their churches. Those talks have been complicated not only by Robinson's election, but also by the ordination of women in Anglican provinces.
At the time, it seemed kind of funny. Perhaps Bishop Meunch thought his presence would not be noted, but I wonder if this could be a story manufactured by the press. It did not occur to me that this was a major snub, but perhaps it was.
Anyway, I don't care if it was. I'm tired of reading about Episcopal bishops and Anglican archbishops begging for scraps at Rome's door. Give it up, please. The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church believe that theirs is the only true church, and they are not ready to accept other Christian denominations as equals. Let them be.
Ephraim Radner has the final word:
If Anglicanism continues on the path of slow but steady splintering, it will effectively do as much harm as a formal schism. Anglicans in Africa, who derive much of their stature from their global ties, will become just another church. The 2.2 million-member Episcopal Church, which has played such a central role in U.S. history, will also be marginalized.
"If that happens, people will say, `This wasn't much of a church anyway,'" said Ephraim Radner, an evangelical Anglican and a theology professor at Wycliffe College in Toronto. "The results will be the disappearance and dissolution of Anglicans as a whole in North America."
So. The Episcopal Church may be marginalized. Maybe on the margins is a good place to be. Maybe we stand closer to Jesus Christ when we are marginalized.
Lord, have mercy on the House of Bishops
Lord, have mercy on us all.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Bishop Robinson Preaches At Grace Church
Bishop Gene Robinson and a number of other bishops were missing at the service at Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday, because they were preaching elsewhere in the vicinity of New Orleans.
From the Times-Picayune in New Orleans:
As the leadership of the Episcopal Church meets in New Orleans to confront dissension over the role of gays in religious life, the church's first openly gay bishop gave a sermon at a liberal church on Canal Street focused on the inclusiveness of divine love.
....
Although Robinson occupies the center of the controversy, he did not use the sermon he gave at Grace Episcopal Church on Sunday to advocate for the rights of gay ministers. The sermon, rooted in the Gospel of Luke, nonetheless conveyed his view that the church should embrace outsiders who live "on the edges of acceptable society."
....
His sermon turned on two points: The church should offer a haven for sinners and outsiders who want to repent, and it should be a place where the faithful can come to renew and recharge their commitment to seeing justice done in the world.
"You and I are called to take a risk, trusting in God who loves us beyond all our imagination," Robinson said.
Amen. We are.
Members of Grace Episcopal Church expressed pride Sunday that Robinson would make a guest appearance at their parish, and they sent him off with a rousing rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In," complete with a second line-style processional led by the rector, the Rev. Walter Baer.
The congregation of Grace Church and its rector are full of grace.
Baer called Robinson "an icon of the inclusive nature of the Episcopal Church," but he said he was not surprised that the prelate kept his sermon focused on the Gospels rather than on the church politics at hand.
"His being the lightning rod for all this controversy is secondary to his being a bishop and pastor," Baer said.
It's not at all surprising to me that Bishop Robinson preached the Gospel of love, rather than advocate for church politics.
From the Times-Picayune in New Orleans:
As the leadership of the Episcopal Church meets in New Orleans to confront dissension over the role of gays in religious life, the church's first openly gay bishop gave a sermon at a liberal church on Canal Street focused on the inclusiveness of divine love.
....
Although Robinson occupies the center of the controversy, he did not use the sermon he gave at Grace Episcopal Church on Sunday to advocate for the rights of gay ministers. The sermon, rooted in the Gospel of Luke, nonetheless conveyed his view that the church should embrace outsiders who live "on the edges of acceptable society."
....
His sermon turned on two points: The church should offer a haven for sinners and outsiders who want to repent, and it should be a place where the faithful can come to renew and recharge their commitment to seeing justice done in the world.
"You and I are called to take a risk, trusting in God who loves us beyond all our imagination," Robinson said.
Amen. We are.
Members of Grace Episcopal Church expressed pride Sunday that Robinson would make a guest appearance at their parish, and they sent him off with a rousing rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In," complete with a second line-style processional led by the rector, the Rev. Walter Baer.
The congregation of Grace Church and its rector are full of grace.
Baer called Robinson "an icon of the inclusive nature of the Episcopal Church," but he said he was not surprised that the prelate kept his sermon focused on the Gospels rather than on the church politics at hand.
"His being the lightning rod for all this controversy is secondary to his being a bishop and pastor," Baer said.
It's not at all surprising to me that Bishop Robinson preached the Gospel of love, rather than advocate for church politics.
Padre Xico Speaks
From Luiz at Wandering Christian:
FYI
The Secretary-General of the Province of Brazil has written about the
Anglican Covenant. That's an interesting piece. Too bad I don't have
many people's addresses to send it to.
Here's the link at KANTINHO DO REV.
We need only a kind of Covenant. Each Christian is sealed in Baptismal liturgy to be a signal of love, peace and justice, continuing the ministry of Jesus. Each Christian is demanded to share body and blood to transform the world in a place where all humankind feel the presence of God. Each Christian is invited to promote the inclusion of all excluded to the great Lord’s banquet.
....
The instruments of unity gradually established: Archbishop of Canterbury, Lambeth Conference, Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates’ Meeting never were seen as canonical rulers with authority to exclude anyone. The links were more heartfelt tha[n] legal. Collegiality and the shared authority were a common and truly accepted spirit of communion.
FYI
The Secretary-General of the Province of Brazil has written about the
Anglican Covenant. That's an interesting piece. Too bad I don't have
many people's addresses to send it to.
Here's the link at KANTINHO DO REV.
We need only a kind of Covenant. Each Christian is sealed in Baptismal liturgy to be a signal of love, peace and justice, continuing the ministry of Jesus. Each Christian is demanded to share body and blood to transform the world in a place where all humankind feel the presence of God. Each Christian is invited to promote the inclusion of all excluded to the great Lord’s banquet.
....
The instruments of unity gradually established: Archbishop of Canterbury, Lambeth Conference, Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates’ Meeting never were seen as canonical rulers with authority to exclude anyone. The links were more heartfelt tha[n] legal. Collegiality and the shared authority were a common and truly accepted spirit of communion.
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