Thought For The Day

There's a vast difference between faith that God exists and trusting God to catch us when we go over the cliff.

Then Again, Maybe Not

From Bishop Michael Smith's blog on August 2, 2009, in reference to the possibility that a diocese or a congregation may adopt the first three sections of the Ridley-Cambridge Draft of the Anglican Covenant, which, the bishop notes, have already been approved by the Anglican Consultative Council:

A diocesan convention could adopt the Covenant. That diocese’s bishop would then be recognized by the Archbishop of Canterbury as “in communion” with him.

A congregation in a non-Covenant diocese could adopt the Covenant and request of the diocesan bishop an “Episcopal Visitor” from among those bishops recognized by the Archbishop as being “in communion” with the See of Canterbury.

An individual in a non-Covenant congregation in a non-Covenant diocese could simply have his or her “letter” moved to or baptism recorded in a Covenanted-congregation.

Or, perhaps the Communion Partners initiative could become a “Mission Society” or a “Christian Community” as described in Canon III.14.2(a) as “a society of Christians (in Communion with the See of Canterbury)…”

Then again, maybe not. Referencing a Sept. 28 letter to the Rt. Rev. John W. Howe, Bishop of Central Florida, from Archbishop Rowan Williams The Living Church says:

“As a matter of constitutional fact, the [Anglican Consultative Council] can only offer the covenant for ‘adoption’ to its own constituent bodies (the provinces),” the archbishop noted. But “I see no objection to a diocese resolving less formally on an ‘endorsement’ of the covenant.” Such an action may not have an immediate “institutional effect” but “would be a clear declaration of intent to live within the agreed terms of the Communion’s life and so would undoubtedly positively affect a diocese’s pastoral and sacramental relations” with the wider Communion, he said.

A diocese, congregation, or individual may endorse, approve of, really, really like the covenant, but they may not adopt the covenant. Only at the level of the province is adoption of the covenant possible.

Bishop Smith also says:

The General Convention of The Episcopal Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury are moving in different directions. How’s that for the understatement of the year?

There are those who think that it's possible that the Episcopal Church will adopt the covenant, depending on the completion of Part 4. Bishop Smith and many amongst us may yet be in for a surprise. I hope that TEC does not adopt it, but others think it could happen.

Bishop Smith is bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota and one the seven bishops from the Episcopal Church who recently visited with Archbishop Rowan Williams. He is also a candidate for bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana.

"Pellucid Prose"

Tobias Haller at In A Godward Direction posted The Coinherent Bishop, which title I misread at first. Surely you can understand why. Switch around a few letters in "coinherent", and you will be reminded of someone many of us know and love, (because Jesus says we must). Here's a teaser for you:

Certainly we've had enough of incoherent bishops of late, from the abreactions of Durham to the megalomania of Pittsburgh, as well as somewhat less than pellucid prose from the chair of Augustine.

Good, no? However, Tobias' post, which concerns the ministry of bishops in the church, is quite serious and well worth reading.

Should I Have A Spiritual Director?

Not since the days of my youth, when I was rather seriously afflicted with a case of scruples for a good many years, a malady not uncommon to Roman Catholic youth, have I had anything resembling spiritual direction. Perhaps, the youth of other denominations suffered from scruples, too, but mine was a predominantly Roman Catholic world, so I can't speak with any authority of other denominations. The "sins" about which I worried that I was losing my soul were trivia. I'd give you examples, but they're far too embarrassing.

Certain of my "sins" had to do with "impure thoughts", which the nuns regularly warned us against, however they never spelled out examples of "impure thoughts", I assume because to explain them would be embarrassing, plus the nuns and the students would have to think the "impure thoughts", and, lest we all fall into sin by lingering on the thoughts, we'd be bound to immediately wrest our minds away from them. All was therefore left vague, which meant that those of us of a scrupulous inclination were left with a large and fertile orchard from which to pluck the forbidden fruit of "impure thoughts" which we were absolutely forbidden to think. There's nothing like repression to lead to obsession!

My cure from scruples came when I was in college, when the Jesuit philosophy professor who was counseling me told me that if I had any doubt whatsoever as to whether something was a sin, I should consider it not a sin. I believed him and followed his advice, and, before long, I was cured. Back then, I thought that if a priest told me to do something, it was always the right thing to do, which makes me thankful that I was never around sexually abusive priests, but in the case of the scruples, the advice worked.

The priest who helped me before the philosophy professor was a professor of theology, a kind and caring man, but he became ill and went into a mental institution. I sometimes wondered if listening to my petty worries about trivia (which were not trivial or petty to me) and those of other students like me (he attracted the woebegone like flypaper attracts flies) finally sent him over the edge. That was another addition to my pile of scruples. Was it partially my fault that he became ill?

I don't even know if the sessions with the priests over my scruples count as spiritual direction or would rather be considered spiritual counseling, because I haven't regularly had anything that I could call spiritual direction since then. I suppose that having passed the three-quarter century mark of years on this earth that it's a little late to be wondering if I need a spiritual director. I suspect that I may be too headstrong and rebellious to take spiritual direction, and the thought of putting my spiritual life in the hands of another human being is quite scary to me.

So what do you think? Should most Christians have a spiritual director?

"The Archbishop Of Anglicanism Shows His Garden"

From Adrian at Pluralist Speaks:

The Archbishop of Anglicanism, the Most Rev. Rowan Tree, today took some seven bishops from across the world through his palace garden. He was leading them up the garden path, being particularly proud of his diocesan borders, where flowers and plants are named after bishops and dioceses.

Read the rest at Adrian's blog.

I've already warned him that if he continues with this sort of wickedness, his computer will be taken away, but he won't listen.

"His Angels...Will Bear You Up...."

Our friend Ann Fontaine, who is attending the convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming this weekend, sent the link below to an article about the meeting at which Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefforts-Schori is present.

From the Casper, Wyoming, Star-Tribune:

Contrary to the conventional wisdom, the Law in the Old Testament was not regarded by Jews as grim or confining, the head of The Episcopal Church said Thursday.

"The Law they called Torah is seen as life-giving, as blessing," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori told the annual meeting of the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming.

"Jesus summarizes the Law that [Old Testament scribe] Ezra reads as 'love God' and 'love your neighbor' and we might add to that frequent biblical message, 'don't be afraid,'" Jefferts Schori said during her sermon at a jazz Mass at the Parkway Plaza in Casper. "Fear not, because God loves you and the world is actually far more gracious than you can ever [imagine]."
....

The convention, which ends Sunday, follows the July national General Convention in Anaheim, Calif., during which the delegates approved resolutions allowing the ordination of homosexuals, and granting clergy the authority to marry those in same-sex relationships.

During a panel discussion Friday, Wyoming delegates recognized the risk of those resolutions.

"We stepped off the cliff with the sexuality (resolutions)," said the Rev. Ann Fontaine of Atlantic City. "We hope the angels will bear us up, but we don't know."

Anglicans have never claimed to base their decisions solely on the Bible, Jefferts Schori said. "We start there, but that's not the only piece we bring to our decision-making."

The few biblical passages about same-sex relationships may be talking about exploitive relationships, she said. "Jesus doesn't say anything about same-sex relationships of the kind the church is talking about."

Bishop Katharine's words are spot on. And there's our Ann being quoted with the jumping off a cliff metaphor, which, or so it seems to me, we are called to do quite often as we try to follow Jesus and walk the Gospel way.

Sigh.... The Presiding Bishop is still being questioned about her statement that "the great Western heresy" is that we are saved as individuals, rather than in community. I hope she continues to stick to her guns and defend her statement, because she's right.

Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling-place,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.

(Psalm 91:9-12)

Story Of The Day

I want followers who are leaders when
it comes to doing work, he said & I said
that's a good trick & he smiled & said it's
actually a miracle but that's what makes
this religion stuff so entertaining


From StoryPeople.

I love this story. I absolutely love it.

The Episcopal Church Welcomes You

Amelia at My Mother Is a Father posts on the statement by Bishop Stephen Lane of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine in support of voting "No" on Question 1, about which he says:

The passage of Question 1 would deny those [marriage] rights to certain persons on the basis of sexual orientation, and it would create two classes of citizens and deny one group what we believe is best for them and for society.

Bishop Lane's closing words remind all of us who call ourselves Episcopalians of our church's "tagline":

Our tagline of many years, The Episcopal Church Welcomes You, has never seemed more important. I hope and pray the welcome and pastoral care that same-gender couples receive in many of the Episcopal congregations across Maine will open doors to renewed participation in the lives of our congregations and communities.

(My emphasis)

Amen.

Please Pray For Roseann

From Roseann at Give Peace A Chance:

Surgery

On Monday the 12th, I will have vein graft surgery. This is being done for dialysis purposes. I don't want to do it, there is significant risk of bleeding and clotting, but my doc is insisting. With the catheter I have now the risk of infection is great. It is not a matter of IF and infection but WHEN. So what's a girl to do.


Before an Operation

Almighty God our heavenly Father, graciously comfort your servant Roseann in her suffering, and bless the means made use of for her cure. Fill her heart with confidence that, though at times she may be afraid, she yet may put her trust in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Amazing! - Not Even One Threat!

I wouldn't speak publicly on the subject before October, because, although the hurricane season extends into October, the chances of a devastating hurricane from now on are relatively slim. I hardly spoke of our quiet summer in private for fear of being proved wrong within a week or so.

Thanks be to God.

Photo from NASA.