Andrew Marr of the BBC interviewed Bishop Gene Robinson and the great actor, Ian McKellen, who is also gay. Gene radiates the love of God in the interview, and Ian McKellen is, as always, a delight to watch. Here's a link to the
Here is a transcript of the video from the BBC.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
From Our Allie At Lambeth
Remember Allie Graham for whom we asked a little financial help to defray her travel expenses to work as a steward at Lambeth? Help came in, thanks to you, my readers and others, and she is now there and blogging at Tales From A Lambeth Steward.
The picture above shows what the stewards will wear as they perform their duties. They look like outfits for traffic guards, which I suppose they are in a way, shuffling people here and there to their proper places.
Below is a picture of Allie with our beloved Luiz Coelho. Allie says:
In case you are interested, here is a picture of me with fellow blogger, Luiz Coelho.
Luiz and I both serve on the Stewards Worship Group, and its been wonderful working with him and getting to know him.
Allie, we are quite interested. Don't they make a lovely couple? Go to Allie's blog to see more pictures and read about the work the stewards will actually be doing.
In the next day or so, I hope to make a list of bloggers at Lambeth and post it on the sidebar for the duration of the conference.
UPDATE: I fixed the picture of Allie and Luiz a little.
Bishop Gene Heckled During Sermon
From TransWorldNews:
Gene Robinson, an openly gay U.S. bishop was forced to stop his sermon at a west London church after a member of the congregation began to heckle him, calling him a “heretic” and demanding he “repent.”
Robinson began his sermon declaring the Anglican Church was tearing itself apart but was interrupted by the man who shouted it was the bishop’s fault for the fracture.
Robinson halted his sermon while a hymnal began playing. The man was escorted from the south west London church at which time Robinson resumed his sermon and asked for the congregation to pray for the man.
Here's the video from the BBC. It isn't pretty.
Gene Robinson, an openly gay U.S. bishop was forced to stop his sermon at a west London church after a member of the congregation began to heckle him, calling him a “heretic” and demanding he “repent.”
Robinson began his sermon declaring the Anglican Church was tearing itself apart but was interrupted by the man who shouted it was the bishop’s fault for the fracture.
Robinson halted his sermon while a hymnal began playing. The man was escorted from the south west London church at which time Robinson resumed his sermon and asked for the congregation to pray for the man.
Here's the video from the BBC. It isn't pretty.
In The Forgotten War
From the New York Times:
KABUL, Afghanistan, July 13 — Taliban insurgents mounted a large-scale attack on an American forward operating base in eastern Afghanistan in the early hours of Sunday, the senior NATO commander in the country said.
Fierce fighting in the area, which continued through the day, left nine American soldiers dead, making the Taliban assault the single deadliest attack on Americans in Afghanistan in several years, the Associated Press reported.
Remember the Taliban? Remember Osama bin Laden? The war we started and didn't finish against those in a country in which the terrorists were being trained, the war that we turned away from because we rushed to invade Iraq, which had not harmed us in any way, is now coming back to haunt us with rising numbers of dead and wounded troops.
The violence in 2008 was certainly greater than in the same period in 2007, and 2007 was worse than 2006, he said. NATO officials have said that attacks on its forces have increased by 40 percent from the same period last year.
So much for cheery words about things getting better all the time in Afghanistan.
General McKiernan said that militant insurgents are firing almost daily across the border from Pakistan at Afghan, American and NATO military border posts. Those attacks are a main factor in the sharp increase in combat violence in Afghanistan in the last few months, he said.
But...but...but Pakistan is our friend! And they have the bomb! And we're not threatening to attack them. I pray we don't, for with the rising bellicosity of the threats against Iran, we could be engaged in three wars, and we cannot manage wars in three countries at this time, much less four. Our troops can't do what we ask of them now. They are worn out and stressed out already, and it would be heaping abuse upon abuse to ask them to do more. I wonder if the war-mongering folks in the Bush maladministration understand that. I doubt it. And what about the top people in the Pentagon? Where are their voices?
God help us all!
KABUL, Afghanistan, July 13 — Taliban insurgents mounted a large-scale attack on an American forward operating base in eastern Afghanistan in the early hours of Sunday, the senior NATO commander in the country said.
Fierce fighting in the area, which continued through the day, left nine American soldiers dead, making the Taliban assault the single deadliest attack on Americans in Afghanistan in several years, the Associated Press reported.
Remember the Taliban? Remember Osama bin Laden? The war we started and didn't finish against those in a country in which the terrorists were being trained, the war that we turned away from because we rushed to invade Iraq, which had not harmed us in any way, is now coming back to haunt us with rising numbers of dead and wounded troops.
The violence in 2008 was certainly greater than in the same period in 2007, and 2007 was worse than 2006, he said. NATO officials have said that attacks on its forces have increased by 40 percent from the same period last year.
So much for cheery words about things getting better all the time in Afghanistan.
General McKiernan said that militant insurgents are firing almost daily across the border from Pakistan at Afghan, American and NATO military border posts. Those attacks are a main factor in the sharp increase in combat violence in Afghanistan in the last few months, he said.
But...but...but Pakistan is our friend! And they have the bomb! And we're not threatening to attack them. I pray we don't, for with the rising bellicosity of the threats against Iran, we could be engaged in three wars, and we cannot manage wars in three countries at this time, much less four. Our troops can't do what we ask of them now. They are worn out and stressed out already, and it would be heaping abuse upon abuse to ask them to do more. I wonder if the war-mongering folks in the Bush maladministration understand that. I doubt it. And what about the top people in the Pentagon? Where are their voices?
God help us all!
Yes, He Would!
Dr. Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales, and Gene Robinson, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire
From the Telegraph:
The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, told The Sunday Telegraph that practising homosexuals should not be barred from becoming bishops.
He accused conservative Anglicans of being “exclusive” and narrow-minded in their opposition to gay clerics.
....
Dr Morgan said that he was in agreement with the decision of the American church five years ago to consecrate the homosexual cleric Gene Robinson as a bishop - the move which has pushed the Anglican church to the brink of schism.
He said that if his fellow bishops in the church in Wales voted for a practising homosexual priest to be consecrated, he would back their decision and approve it.
....
The man at the centre of the controversy, Bishop Robinson, was set to preach in a London church. He told this paper he fears for his life and said he believes the Church of England will appoint its first openly homosexual bishop within a matter of years.
“There are a huge number of gay clergy and gay partnered clergy,” he said. “There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be bishops and they will be. We’re not arguing about if, we’re just arguing about when.”
Good news, indeed! I can't think of anything to add to the article, except that, as a member of the Episcopal Church, I'm offended that the duly elected and consecrated Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire is not permitted to attend the meetings at Lambeth, and I'm more than pleased with the supportive comments from the Archbishop of Wales. The Episcopalians in New Hampshire have no representative at Lambeth, and that's not right. Because of his physical absence from the meetings, his presence in spirit will be all the more powerful.
Please pray for the bishops at Lambeth. On the upper right sidebar, is the prayer for Lambeth.
Thanks to Doug for the link.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
"On The Inspiration Of Scripture"
Scripture is the inspired Word of God, but it is always written in a human tongue. People do not speak God’s language, or have God’s knowledge, so God, when speaking to people through inspiration, must employ the human language of the culture and time of the one inspired, in order to impart any knowledge at all. God always “talks down” to us, and our finite human capacity always limits how well we understand the infinite God, and express that understanding. One cannot put the ocean in a bottle; and new wineskins must be used for new wine. As Jesus himself would later say, “I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:12-13)
Please read the entire post. It's not long. The link is below. Tobias gives a simple and concise explanation of inspiration in Scripture.
From Tobias Haller at In A Godward Direction.
UPDATE: Tobias on the use of "Word" and "word" in the 1928 BCP:
Ultimately, I think the point is that we ought not think that the Bible is the same as the second person of the Trinity.
Please read the entire post. It's not long. The link is below. Tobias gives a simple and concise explanation of inspiration in Scripture.
From Tobias Haller at In A Godward Direction.
UPDATE: Tobias on the use of "Word" and "word" in the 1928 BCP:
Ultimately, I think the point is that we ought not think that the Bible is the same as the second person of the Trinity.
Let The Light Of Christ Shine
From Gene Robinson, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, at Canterbury Tales From The Fringe:
Just finishing a three day conference of the Modern Churchpersons Union, north of London. This is a 110-year-old, left of center Liberal group, and proud of it. They have been a most welcoming and warm group. A VERY nice way to begin my trek in England.
....
God seems very close. As I tried to point to God and not to myself in this presentation, I was once again reminded of the need we all have to remember that we can do none of this well without the Living God. I have gotten clearer and clearer about why I'm here: as Psalm 27 puts it, I seek one thing only -- to sing God's song in this place, and to let the light of Christ in me and through me shine for all the world to see.
Our Bishop Gene is off and running. Let's keep him in our prayers.
Just finishing a three day conference of the Modern Churchpersons Union, north of London. This is a 110-year-old, left of center Liberal group, and proud of it. They have been a most welcoming and warm group. A VERY nice way to begin my trek in England.
....
God seems very close. As I tried to point to God and not to myself in this presentation, I was once again reminded of the need we all have to remember that we can do none of this well without the Living God. I have gotten clearer and clearer about why I'm here: as Psalm 27 puts it, I seek one thing only -- to sing God's song in this place, and to let the light of Christ in me and through me shine for all the world to see.
Our Bishop Gene is off and running. Let's keep him in our prayers.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Tree Queen?
From the Telegraph:
A weather-damaged tree branch revealed an image with an uncanny resemblance to the Queen when it was felled.
Uncanny resemblance to the Queen? Dame Maggie Smith? I don't think so. It's very like the portrait of me by Picasso that I have hanging on my wall. It's amazing!
Prayer Request From Being Peace
From BEING PEACE:
I saw the nephrologist today.
The kidney transplant preparation has to start now. Both kidneys have to be removed. This came as a shock to me...PKD isn't just cysts on the kidneys (which never stop growing.) It causes cysts in the liver and colon. The biggest shocker is it can cause brain anuerysms too.
It has to be done w/in the next 24 months or, well, it is going to be really bad. The thought now is to get the transplant before dialysis is necessary. Transplants can also be done w/out the heavy steroids like prednasone. I'm really grateful for that.
I'm beyond emotional at this moment. I want to cry but I don't want to break down in front of Gary. He's got enough on his heart and mind without me being a big crybaby. He wants to be evaluated as a possible donor. I don't mean to be maudlin, I just believe deeply he'd be better off w/out me. I'm not suicidal and I plan to fight. I believe I've put him through more than he deserves though.
I'm on all kinds of new drugs now including Procrit at $700 a shot. That'll be $1400 a month just for Procrit. Hopefully insurance will cover it. We won't know until it is submitted.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Love, Roseann
I saw the nephrologist today.
The kidney transplant preparation has to start now. Both kidneys have to be removed. This came as a shock to me...PKD isn't just cysts on the kidneys (which never stop growing.) It causes cysts in the liver and colon. The biggest shocker is it can cause brain anuerysms too.
It has to be done w/in the next 24 months or, well, it is going to be really bad. The thought now is to get the transplant before dialysis is necessary. Transplants can also be done w/out the heavy steroids like prednasone. I'm really grateful for that.
I'm beyond emotional at this moment. I want to cry but I don't want to break down in front of Gary. He's got enough on his heart and mind without me being a big crybaby. He wants to be evaluated as a possible donor. I don't mean to be maudlin, I just believe deeply he'd be better off w/out me. I'm not suicidal and I plan to fight. I believe I've put him through more than he deserves though.
I'm on all kinds of new drugs now including Procrit at $700 a shot. That'll be $1400 a month just for Procrit. Hopefully insurance will cover it. We won't know until it is submitted.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Love, Roseann
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