Is The Advent Letter Good Enough?

The Anglican Scotist, in reviewing the Archbishop of Canterbury's Advent Letter, quotes these words of Archbishop Williams:

Williams: Thus it is not surprising if some have concluded that the official organs of The Episcopal Church, in confirming the election of Gene Robinson and in giving what many regard as implicit sanction to same-sex blessings of a public nature have put in question the degree to which it can be recognised as belonging to the same family by deciding to act against the strong, reiterated and consistent advice of the Instruments of Communion.

In response Scotist says:

Scotist: Robinson is not addressed as bishop, but as an individual with a scandalous sexuality. He is being treated here as the exception, subjected to the unique authority of the Archbishop as a means to securing the Communion's unity: a sacred man or, in another conceptual framework, a scapegoat.... He has done this sort of thing to Robinson before and shows no sign of letting up--a merely personal tick?

While I agree with Scotist that it appears that the archbishop is treating Gene Robinson as a "special case" and making him a scapegoat, I part company with him, when he concludes:

Scotist: Still, this letter is good enough to work with. We would probably do well not addressing Williams' personal idiosyncracies head-on; they are not that important, and we need less wrangling. We already know, for instance, he does not view--even in this letter-- TEC or any province as a real church, he treats Robinson as a scapegoat, and he questions the legitimacy of our episcopate. While it would be tempting to take these views on, we would probably do better ignoring these oddities.

I wonder why it is that Scotist - and many others - don't ask Gene Robinson's view of not being addressed as a bishop and, even more important, whether he is willing to play the role of the scapegoat, while the rest of us refrain from objecting to the views expressed by Archbishop Williams in the letter. Again, we are talking about the person most affected by the words in the letter, without bringing him into the conversation. It's easy for me or the Scotist to say, "Well, yes, this letter is good enough to work with," when we have a much smaller stake in the game than Bishop Robinson.

The consecration of Bishop Robinson is not the cause of the divisions in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. His consecration may have widened the divisions, but the divisions were there already. I have been attending my Episcopal Church for 11 years, and long before Gene Robinson became a bishop, I knew folks who said that they would not take communion from a woman priest, and who mocked them by calling them "priestesses", intimating that they were not legitimate priests.

Even more recently, when we were in the process of searching for a rector, I asked if any of the women priests who had visited would be given consideration as serious candidates, I was told that calling a woman priest would only be setting her up for failure, therefore the women would not be considered.

Archbishop Williams knows quite well that the troubles did not start with the consecration of Gene Robinson as a bishop, and he is wrong to suggest that. As of this day, there are no women bishops in the Church of England. Bishops in the US are permitted to restrict ordinations of women to the priesthood in their dioceses. The Communion is not yet of one mind about the ordination of women, yet it has held together, if ever so tenuously, in spite of differing views.

And I'm not even taking on the question of whether we can be "recognised as belonging to the same family".

Thanks to Jim Naughton at the Episcopal Café for the link to the Anglican Scotist.

Fra Angelico

Image from Wiki

Church of England Bishops To Get Sacked?

From the Telegraph UK:

More than a fifth of the Church of England's bishops could face the axe under new proposals being drawn up by its leaders.

The information comes from "secret documents" from the Church Commissioners, who handle the financial affairs of the Church of England, and is likely to make certain bishops angry. The bishops don't earn large salaries, but since some of them live in palaces and castles, their upkeep may be expensive. No "final decisions" have been made, but up to a fourth of the bishops' positions could be affected, according to the Telegraph.

The House of Bishops' Standing Committee, whose chairman is Archbishop John Sentamu, of York, is considering the recommendations. Some critics see the Church of England as too top heavy.

They (the critics) want more money to be pumped into missionary initiatives to attract people back to church such as Fresh Expressions, the Archbishop of Canterbury's scheme to promote alternative worship.

I'll leave it to the Brits to parse Fresh Expressions for us, but I picked up on a couple of quotes from the website:

A key element in vision building and advocacy is the clear articulation of the message that the church is not abandoning its traditional practices and the parish and circuit system in order to invest in fresh expressions of church life: we are seeking to move towards a mixed economy, valuing both. We also need to be very clear that developing fresh expressions of church life does not take away the need for continuous change and development towards mission in the life of every congregation. Because we are seeking to resource a process of change, Fresh Expressions needs to work across the whole church at every level, not simply among those initiating new ventures.

Here's the description of the "Mission shaped" course:

An inspiring and encouraging course, ideal for leadership teams, PCCs , whole congregations and larger gatherings.

New world, new church? Our world and our lives have changed radically in the last twenty years, but has the church adapted to this change? Do we need a changed church for a changing world? Are new forms of church really possible? If so, how can they be developed?

mission shaped intro looks at fresh expressions of church through a mix of
teaching, reflection and story. This course will be available for download from January 2008. It is is an enjoyable hands-on experience combining:

* presentations
* group activity
* film and music clips
* worship and prayer.

I was going to wait for MadPriest's post on this news, but he seems to be out to lunch today.

Brother Causticus Is Back And Travelling

His robes don't hang in neat folds as in the picture. They are flying. Just go read. No, I can't give you a snippet. Read the whole thing.

Guardian Angels

The picture above (or one very like it) of the angel watching over the two children as they cross the rickety bridge, was in nearly every classroom in my Roman Catholic grade school. As I child, when I took note of the picture, it gave me great comfort. My entire school experience was comforting, as it gave me a safe place to escape the turmoil of my own home. I learned the essentials of faith and morals from my teachers there, rather than from my home. My mother was busy coping with my alcoholic father and making a living when he did not work. She had little energy left for emotional engagement with me and my two sisters, after providing us with the essentials of life and enduring the stress of living with a husband addicted to drink.

I have heard stories about Roman Catholic nuns, of harshness and rigidity, of punishment with rulers hitting the hand, but, in truth, that was not my experience. They were, in the main, good and kindly women, with the welfare of the children in their care uppermost in their minds.

Back to the angel picture. We were taught that each of us had a guardian angel assigned to the task of watching over us. That I had my own personal angel guarding me was a lovely idea, especially for someone in a home environment such as mine. I remember thinking of names for my angel and praying for the angel's protection when I was frightened. I can't say when I began to doubt the story, but I confess that I have never entirely let go of the idea. It could be, couldn't it? I wonder if the nuns believed the story themselves, as they taught it. Here is the prayer we learned and prayed together:

Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
to whom God's love commits me here,
ever this day,
be at my side
to light and guard,
to rule and guide.

I gave reproductions of the picture to my children once they had children. If the picture comforted me - who knows? - it might comfort my little grandchildren. I told the little ones the story when they were young, for them to take it or leave it, but I believe that none of them took it to heart as I did.

Throughout my life, it's been the stories of God's people in both Testaments, the stories of Jesus and his early followers, and the stories of the saints throughout the ages that have always held great power for me.

UPDATE: Paul, the Baptist, (ex) to the rescue with a Bible verse to authenticate my lingering belief in guardian angels!

"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." (KJV)

Win-Win Episcopal Buckeye Challenge

At the Superdome on January 7, 2008, the Ohio State Buckeyes will play the Louisiana State University Tigers in the BCS football championship. Bishop Breidenthal of the Diocese of Southern Ohio has issued a challenge to the fans of the Buckkeyes and has pledged the participation of the diocese in the challenge.

From Bishop Charles Jenkins at the Diocese of Louisiana website:

As we Enjoy this Christmas Season and move towards Epiphany, I give thanks for you all and our shared ministry in our beloved south Louisiana.

Our special thanks go to Bishop Thomas E. Breidenthal of the Diocese of Southern Ohio for the Win-Win Episcopal Buckeye Challenge. He has pledged to support our Bundles of Hope recovery efforts in Louisiana for each touchdown and field goal scored by the Buckeyes. "There's no mention of Love thy Buckeyes in the Bible - but God does call upon us to Love our Neighbors. This challenge lets us do both," says Bishop Breidenthal.

I wholeheartedly accept Bishop Breidenthal's generous challenge, although I am concerned that the Buckeye fans won't have to buy very many Bundles of Hope. I am calling all Tiger fans to join in the spirit of competition and pledge Bundles of Hope for Tiger scores. Thanks for your help, and GEAUX TIGERS!

So what do we pray for here in Louisiana? That the Tiger fans accept the challenge? That both teams make lots of touchdowns, but that the Tigers make more? That sounds about right. GEAUX TIGERS!

Feast Of The Holy Innocents

Matthew 18:1-7, 10-14

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

‘If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling-blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling-block comes!

‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Daily Office Readings:

AM Psalm 2, 26; Isaiah 49:13-23; Matthew 18:1-14
PM Psalm 19, 126; Isaiah 54:1-13; Mark 10:13-16

PRAYER

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Let us, indeed, remember in prayer the innocents who are being killed, abused, and exploited in our own times, for they are many.

As MadPriest says at the post on his site, which is well worth a visit to read the post in its entirety and see the pictures:

It is highly unlikely that the massacre of children reported in The Gospel Of Matthew ever took place (at least not to the extent claimed). However, this does not, in any way, alter the fact that today's festival is only surpassed in importance by the festivals of Jesus Christ himself. I fear that this will remain true until the Kingdom of God is completely realised on earth.

"New Orleans A 'War Zone'?"

From the Southtown Star comes this column by Allison Hantschel, aka Athenae at First Draft.

A group of high school students from Rockland, Maine, wanted to go to the Gulf Coast and New Orleans to help with recovery and rebuilding, but the members of the school board turned them down. Jennifer Daniels, a member of the board, said it would be like sending them to a "war zone".

Allison says:

It would be hard to find a more bald example of insulation and privilege than Jennifer Daniels and her fellow members of the school board in Rockland, Maine.

I'm with Allison. What planet do these folks on the school board inhabit? Many groups of high school and college students have gone to help with rebuilding and recovery. Many families with younger children than high school age have worked on projects in New Orleans.

My daughter lives there, and I visit at least once a month, to see her and her family and because I love to go there, and I'm still intact. It's true; you have to be street smart and know where not to go, but I doubt that these high school students would be let loose to roam New Orleans on their own.

Pockets of the city are high crime areas, but calling the city a "war zone" is gross exaggeration. We are a fearful people. We delude ourselves into thinking that we can be safe in our gated communities and, if we do the right thing, our children will always be safe, but life remains a risky business. I was a protective mother-hen type, but I don't think I would have hesitated to let one of my kids go. The students will miss a valuable experience that could affect their lives for the good.

As Allison says, we routinely send youths of 18 and 19 into real war zones.

A Lullabye From Irma

The Divine Irma Thomas - "What Are You Trying To Do?"

Here's just the song to relax you right before going to bed. Click the arrow and listen and go all mellow. Soooo soothing - music to meditate by.



Video from YouTube.
Picture from BabyTimeOnline.

Housebuilding - New Orleans

Splotchy from I, Splotchy made his second trip to New Orleans to work with Habitat for Humanity on building houses in Musicians Village.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced many musicians to flee New Orleans. Jazz, blues, and other genres that are the city's musical score, cannot return until the musicians return, and many have lost their homes. Habitat for Humanity International and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, working with Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis, honorary chairs of Operation Home Delivery, seek to change this. Plans were announced Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005 for a "Musicians' Village."

The Musicians' Village, conceived by Connick and Marsalis, will consist of 72 single-family, Habitat-constructed homes for displaced New Orleans musicians and other qualifying Habitat partner families. Its centerpiece will be the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, dedicated to the education and development of homeowners and others who will live nearby. On January 9, 2006 NOAHH acquired eight acres of land in the Upper 9th Ward where the core area of the Musicians' Village will be located. Construction began in March 2006 and as of December 2007 70 single family homes are either complete or under construction! In addition to the homes in the Musicians' Village core site, NOAHH owns and is building on an additional 70 lots in the surrounding Upper 9th Ward neighborhood.

It's lovely that Splotchy worked in Musicians Village! Harry Connick, Jr. is donating part of the proceeds from his latest CD, "Oh, My Nola", to benefit the village. I am hugely grateful to anyone who helps in any way with the recovery in New Orleans. Much has been accomplished, but there is still so much left to do.

Here's what I said in the comments at Splotchy's blog:

Grandmère Mimi said...

Splotchy, thank you, thank you, thank you! I am a native New Orleanian, but I have not lived there for a long time. I live only an hour away, so I visit often. I am so very grateful to anyone who goes to work to help rebuild New Orleans.

I worked with a group from First Draft blog and college students from Elon University gutting a house last April. The picture of the FD group is the second down on the left sidebar at the blog. That was before we started to work and were still clean. It was hard work, but what a great group of folks I worked with. I'd say building is better than gutting. It's shit work, but someone had to do it. How exciting that you got to work in Musicians Village.

I'm going to link to this post and "borrow" a picture, as Fran did, if you don't mind. Again, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you for helping in the place that is still the home of my heart.
December 26, 2007 9:27 PM

I'm a-beggin' and I'm a-sellin' like I never did before, but the causes are all good, I promise.

Picture "borrowed" from Splotchy.

Thanks to Fran for the link to Splotchy's post.

UPDATE: You must, you absolutely must go read Splotchy on the "Food, Drink, Music" part of his trip to New Orleans.