Ecumenical Explosion

Liverpool Anglican Cathedral & Clouds over Hope St

2010-08-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

2010-08-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

Pentecost!

2010-05-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

"In the English speaking world and especially among Anglicans, Pentecost is refered to as Whitsun or Whitsunday, Middle English Whitsonday, from Old English hwīta sunnandæg, literally, white Sunday; probably from the custom of wearing white robes by those newly baptized at this season" (http://ohioanglican.blogspot.com/2010/05/whitsunday-pentecost.html).

"A feast of the universal Church which commemorates the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ, on the ancient Jewish festival called the "feast of weeks" or Pentecost (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). Whitsunday is so called from the white garments which were worn by those who were baptised during the vigil; Pentecost ("Pfingsten" in German), is the Greek for "the fiftieth" (day after Easter)" (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15614b.htm).

"The liturgical celebrations of Pentecost in Western churches are as rich and varied as those in the East. The main sign of Pentecost in the West is the color red. It symbolizes joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Priests or ministers & choirs wear red vestments, and in modern times, the custom has extended to the lay people of the congregation wearing red clothing in celebration as well" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecost).

Whether you consider yourself "Pentecostal" or "Catholic" this feast day holds a very important meaning to the church. The amazing story of Pentecost is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that Christ had promised.

Acts Chapter 2:1-21

1When(A) the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like(B) a mighty rushing wind, and(C) it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues(D) as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4And they were all(E) filled with the Holy Spirit and began(F) to speak in other tongues(G) as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And(H) at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7And(I) they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking(J) Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and(K) Medes and(L) Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and(M) proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." 12And(N) all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13But others(O) mocking said, "They are filled with new wine."
14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15For these people are not drunk, as you suppose,(P) since it is only the third hour of the day.[b] 16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17(Q) "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares,(R) that I will pour out my Spirit(S) on all flesh,and your sons and(T) your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18even on my male servants[c] and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and(U) they shall prophesy.
19And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20(V) the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before(W) the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21And it shall come to pass that(X) everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

"We're Not Drunk!" is always a line that makes me laugh.

Yellow Journalism from the NY Times in Regards to the Pope

2010-04-20T07:33:00.000-07:00

"Yellow journalism, also known as the "Yellow Press", is a type of journalism that downplays legitimate news in favor of eye-catching headlines that sell more newspapers; sometimes, it deceives the audience it is intended for. It may feature exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, sensationalism, or unprofessional practices by news media organizations or journalists" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism).
Yes, the New York Times is guilty of spreading lies for the sake of sales and in an attempt to hurt religion. Phil Lawler from CatholicCulture.org exposes the lies the NY Times is spreading about the Pope and the Vatican in the recent scandals. "Here we have a complete rewriting of history. Earlier in this decade, American newspapers exposed the sad truth that many American bishops had kept pedophile priests in active ministry. Now the Times, which played an active role in exposing that scandal, would have us believe that the American bishops were striving to rid the priesthood of the predators, and the Vatican resisted!"
It's not that anyone is denying the abuse or downplaying the scandal itself, it's that the NY Times is trying implicate people that don't have a true involvement.
The lies are a shame, and one that many Americans, and other Westerners will believe. Read the full article here: http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=632

The New York Times discusses the formation of the Anglican Church in North America

2010-04-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

New York Times: "Episcopal Split as Conservatives Form New Group"

Read the NYTimes' account of what's happening in the Anglican Communion in the US and Canada. Interesting use of the term "reformation times'.

Easter.Ēostre.Πάσχα.Pascha

2010-04-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!

Almighty God,
through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ
you have overcome death
and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
Grant that, as by your grace going before us
you put into our minds good desires,
so by your continual help we may bring them to good effect;
through Jesus Christ our risen Lord
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Good Friday

2010-04-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

Good Friday

Today is a solem day on the Christian Calendar. We commemorate the suffering and crucifiction of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. Looking forward to Easter in anticipation of the Ressurection of Christ, today we take time to reflect on his suffering, his beating, his agony and death. For us Christ gave the full measure of Himself.

My personal reflection for today is how my sin, my transgression are the punches in the face of my Christ. They are the beating. They are the hammer coming down on the nail. They are the sting of the crown of thorns. They are the lashes of the whip. Oh, God, have mercy on me! Thank you for loving me, a sinner, unworthy of your compassion.

Today we sang this passion hym: Oh Sacred Head, Now Wounded

Take a moment today and reflect on the words of this timeless song from the Middle Ages:

Easter Worship Song: O Sacred Head Now Wounded from Brian Lusky on Vimeo.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

See, my servant will prosper,
he shall be lifted up, exalted, rise to great heights.
As the crowds were appalled on seeing him
– so disfigured did he look
that he seemed no longer human –
so will the crowds be astonished at him,
and kings stand speechless before him;
for they shall see something never told
and witness something never heard before:
‘Who could believe what we have heard,
and to whom has the power of the Lord been revealed?’

Like a sapling he grew up in front of us,
like a root in arid ground.
Without beauty, without majesty we saw him,
no looks to attract our eyes;
a thing despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering,
a man to make people screen their faces;
he was despised and we took no account of him.

And yet ours were the sufferings he bore,
ours the sorrows he carried.
But we, we thought of him as someone punished,
struck by God, and brought low.
Yet he was pierced through for our faults,
crushed for our sins.
On him lies a punishment that brings us peace,
and through his wounds we are healed.

We had all gone astray like sheep,
each taking his own way,
and the Lord burdened him
with the sins of all of us.
Harshly dealt with, he bore it humbly,
he never opened his mouth,
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter-house,
like a sheep that is dumb before its shearers
never opening its mouth.

By force and by law he was taken;
would anyone plead his cause?
Yes, he was torn away from the land of the living;
for our faults struck down in death.
They gave him a grave with the wicked,
a tomb with the rich,
though he had done no wrong
and there had been no perjury in his mouth.

The Lord has been pleased to crush him with suffering.
If he offers his life in atonement,
he shall see his heirs, he shall have a long life
and through him what the Lord wishes will be done.

His soul’s anguish over
he shall see the light and be content.
By his sufferings shall my servant justify many,
taking their faults on himself.

Hence I will grant whole hordes for his tribute,
he shall divide the spoil with the mighty,
for surrendering himself to death
and letting himself be taken for a sinner,
while he was bearing the faults of many
and praying all the time for sinners.

O merciful God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor wouldest the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live: Have mercy upon thine ancient people the Jews, and upon all who have not known thee, or who deny the faith of Christ crucified; take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word; and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy fold, that they may be made one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.

Maunday Thursday / Holy Thursday

2010-04-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

"The feast of Maundy (or Holy) Thursday solemnly commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and is the oldest of the observances peculiar to Holy Week. In Rome various accessory ceremonies were early added to this commemoration, namely the consecration of the holy oils and the reconciliation of penitents, ceremonies obviously practical in character and readily explained by the proximity of the Christian Easter and the necessity of preparing for it" (New Advent).

There are 2 important traditions associated with Holy Thursday: The Washing of Feet, and the Mass of the Lord's Supper.

"The action of Christ after the Last Supper (John 13:1-15) must also have invested it with a deep religious significance, and in fact down to the time of St. Bernard we find ecclesiastical writers, at least occasionally, applying to this ceremony the term Sacramentum in its wider sense, by which they no doubt meant that it possessed the virtue of what we now call a sacramental. Christ's command to wash one another's feet must have been understood from the beginning in a literal sense, for St. Paul (1 Timothy 5:10) implies that a widow to be honoured and consecrated in the Church should be one "having testimony for her good works, if she have received to harbour, if she have washed the saints' feet". This tradition, we may believe, has never been interrupted, though the evidence in the early centuries is scattered and fitful. For example the Council of Elvira (A.D. 300) in canon xlviii directs that the feet of those about to be baptized are not to be washed by priests but presumably by clerics or at least lay persons. This practice of washing the feet at baptism was long maintained in Gaul, Milan, and Ireland, but it was not apparently known in Rome or in the East. In Africa the nexus between this ceremony and baptism became so close that there seemed danger of its being mistaken for an integral part of the rite of baptism itself (Augustine, Ep. LV, "Ad Jan.", n. 33). Hence the washing of the feet was in many places assigned to another day than that on which the baptism took place. In the religious orders the ceremony found favour as a practice of charity and humility" (New Advent).

"If we listen attentively to the Gospel, we can discern two different dimensions in the event of the washing of the feet. The cleansing that Jesus offers his disciples is first and foremost simply his action - the gift of purity, of the "capacity for God" that is offered to them. But the gift then becomes a model, the duty to do the same for one another. The Fathers have described these two aspects of the washing of the feet with the words sacramentum and exemplum. Sacramentum in this context does not mean one of the seven sacraments but the mystery of Christ in its entirety, from the Incarnation to the Cross and the Resurrection: all of this becomes the healing and sanctifying power, the transforming force for men and women, it becomes our metabasis, our transformation into a new form of being, into openness for God and communion with him. But this new being which, without our merit, he simply gives to us must then be transformed within us into the dynamic of a new life. The gift and example overall, which we find in the passage on the washing of the feet, is a characteristic of the nature of Christianity in general. Christianity is not a type of moralism, simply a system of ethics. It does not originate in our action, our moral capacity. Christianity is first and foremost a gift: God gives himself to us - he does not give something, but himself. And this does not only happen at the beginning, at the moment of our conversion. He constantly remains the One who gives. He continually offers us his gifts. He always precedes us. This is why the central act of Christian being is the Eucharist: gratitude for having been gratified, joy for the new life that he gives us" (Vatican).

" Some congregations reenact the foot-washing ritual on this evening. However, the true climax of Maundy Thursday worship is the celebration of the Lord's Supper. This night is the "anniversary" of the sacrament and therefore a memorable event, even in churches that celebrate Holy Communion every Sunday. After the sacrament has ended, the stripping of the altar takes place. The ministers and several assistants remove all vessels, crosses, books, candles, linens, paraments, banners, and other decorations from the altar and chancel area. This ancient ritual is a powerful and dramatic reenactment of the Lord's humiliation at the hands of the Roman soldiers. As the altar is being stripped, Psalm 22 -- a portion of the Old Testament containing clear prophecies of Christ's suffering -- is chanted or read. The altar, left bare or adorned only with black paraments, is transformed from the communion table of Maundy Thursday into the tomb slab of Good Friday" (St. Paul's Kingsville).

I hope and pray that you, your family and your friends can truly enjoy this liturgical season, and that it will enhance your understanding of Christ, His Passion, and His Love for You.

Praise and glory to you creator Spirit of God;
you make our bread Christ's body
to heal and reconcile
and to make us the body of Christ.
You make our wine Christ's living sacrificial blood
to redeem the world.
You are truth.
You come like the wind of heaven, unseen, unbidden.
Like the dawn
you illuminate the world around us;
you grant us a new beginning every day.
You warm and comfort us.
You give us courage and fir
and strength beyond our every day resources.
Be with us Holy Spirit in all we say or think,
in all we do this and every day.
Amen.

Palm Sunday & Holy Week

2010-03-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week which leads up to Easter, the biggest celebration on the Christian Calendar. While we look longingly to declare, "He Is Risen!" we can't hide the fact that Christendom is in a state of panic amidst various controversies, scandals, and shameful revelations.
Fr John Hunwicke SSC on his blog "Fr Hunwicke's Liturgical Notes" stated very wisely, "How very, very, appropriate that this malevolent evil should be reaching its climax in Holy Week. Satan has a real sense of liturgy."
While I had intended to do my typical write up of Palm Sunday, and encourage it's observance and shed some historical light on it, I have decided to go another route. Let's face it, Christianity is under attack. We face our own moral failings. We are being attacked by a growing atheistic resistance. We are being marginalized and challenged by Islam.
Why? In my opinion it's because we're weak. Just as Christ had His temptation and trial before the Passion, the Christian Community has as well. Unfortunately, we have failed. We came up short.
The point of this season, though, is Triumph, it's Victory, it's the Glory of Christ and the Power of God. Jesus overcame death, and now the power of ressurection is ours! Why not harness that this week? We could focus on scandal and failures, or division and controversey. I'm not saying we should ignore the problems, but I'm saying we should look to God for new life, and a renewal of strength. Christendom needs to overcome her death and be reborn this Easter.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you humbled yourself in taking the form of a servant
and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation.
Give us the mind to follow you
and to proclaim you as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.

Just a Thought...

2010-03-26T23:46:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or are there some Anglicans out there that are more Roman than their Tiber Swimming Counterparts? This far, far right...yes the ones embracing with zeal the Anglicanorum Coetibus...seems to me to be quite reactionary. Don't misunderstand me, I'm no fan of what the US Episcopal's are doing. However, it's odd at how much they are embracing Rome. I don't know exactly what will keep them Anglican-ish. Who are the Christians in the middle? The Left keeps getting leftier, and the right is in the blackhole of conservativism. I wouldn't dare make the fence-riding analogy, or use the term lukewarm. Balance, and levelheadedness are needed in Christianity. We are balancing the sideshow-esque nature of Evangelicalism with the secret-society-toned Catholics. Where does one fit in and find Christ? Both claim to have seen Him.

Much Kudos to the Assemblies of God USA's Official Statement on Immigration

2010-03-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

Assemblies of God USA's Official Statement on Immigration
After having a quick read of this statement I was quite impressed and proud of it's release from a denomination that is chock full of right wing conservatives who'd rather shoot Mexicans at the border than extend the hand of Christ. Yes, I know that is a sweeping, over-steretype of the members of the AoG and sorry if I offended anyone, but it's how I feel, like it or not, based on way too many conversations. While my personal view may be more liberal than the AG stance, it is compassionate enough and written with true concern for doing as Christ would have us do.

The NAE Immigration Resolution seeks to combine the compassion toward immigrants
required in Mosaic Law and obedience to just laws of civil government required in
Romans 13 to our present situation. This resolution, in the view of the Executive Presbytery, is a biblically-based, theological reflective, carefully balanced, concise document.

Have a read for yourself. I'm just thankful that someone realized how contentious this debate was getting and how out of hand the ultra right were getting.

Finally, the Papal Respone to Ireland

2010-03-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

After waiting for something from the Pope in regards to the Irish Sexual Abuse Scandal a letter has been delivered to be given to the Irish Church. I'm not sure what anyone expected. I think most who are deeply bitter will remain that way. It's not as if a letter from the Pope is a magic formula to make the past disapear. So, obviously this will be faced with mixed reactions. Below I will post some of those reactions along with a link to the official letter:

"Pope Benedict XVI's unprecedented letter to Ireland apologizing for chronic child abuse within the Catholic Church failed Saturday to calm the anger of many victims, who accused the Vatican of ducking its own responsibility in promoting a worldwide culture of cover-up" (Associated Press).

"Pope Benedict called for healing, reparation and renewal in the Irish church but essentially his remedy is more prayer. His letter called for no resignations of bishops, although a few have already volunteered to leave their posts" (Belfast Telegraph).

"Clerical abuse survivor Andrew Madden reiterated his call for the resignation of Pope Benedict and Cardinal Seán Brady after studying the Papal pastoral letter this afternoon. Expressing disappointment with the document, he said: 'It changes nothing. They should both resign.' Mr Madden said that the document represented 'not an inability to do the right thing, but an unwillingness to do the right thing'. He did not feel that the pope would be any more willing to do it on a visit to Ireland than in Rome"(The Irish Times).

"The strongest point in the Pope's letter to Ireland is his unambiguous apology to victims of sexual abuse. By openly expressing his 'shame and remorse', he has accepted on behalf of church authorities the blame for past crimes and injustices. The most attractive aspect of his pastoral letter is his appeal to young people not to lose heart and his optimism that they can bring their 'much-needed enthusiasm and idealism to the rebuilding and renewal' of the church" (The Irish Independent).

"The Pope's statement may fall short of demands by victims' groups for an admission that abuse was systematically covered up, says BBC Religious Affairs correspondent Robert Pigott. The only direct reference to cover-ups is a reference to 'a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal'. The leader of one Irish victims' group said she was disappointed the Pope's letter did not recognise any responsibility of the Vatican in the crisis" (BBC).

PDF Link: PASTORAL LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER POPE BENEDICT XVI TO THE CATHOLICS OF IRELAND

Collect for Saint Patrick from the Church of Ireland

2010-03-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

O almighty God,

who in thy providence didst choose thy servant Patrick

to be the apostle of the Irish people,

that he might bring those

who were wandering in darkness and error

to the true light and knowledge of thee;

Grant us so to walk in that light,

that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life;

through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord.

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

2010-03-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

Seeing as we're only a few days from St. Paddy's, I thought I'd gently remind everyone of the spiritual signifigance of our beloved Saint of the Irish. So, I would like to draw attention to an old hym taken from Pádraig's own words: Saint Patrick's Breastplate.
According to The Catholic Encylopedia, "The beautiful prayer of St. Patrick, popularly known as 'St. Patrick's Breast-Plate', is supposed to have been composed by him in preparation for this victory over Paganism." From Wikipedia, "The words were translated into English verse by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1889 and set to two traditional Irish tunes, St. Patrick and Deirdre. The hymn, also known by its opening line 'I bind unto myself today', is currently included in the English Hymnal, the Irish Church Hymnal and The Hymnal (1982) of the U.S. Episcopal Church. It is often sung during the celebration of the Feast of Saint Patrick on or near March 17, as well as on Trinity Sunday."
The words are classic, and to me are a true invocation of God's presence on ones life. This prayer/statement of faith affirms the belief in the Trinity and the need of the Armor of God (a reference to the letter's of St. Paul: Ephesians 6:10-11; 1 Timothy 6:12). Patrick also reminds us of the spiritual battle that we face everyday (again a reference to St. Paul's writting in Ephesians 6:12). These are the words of Patrick, his thoughts, his prayer:

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

Clerical Celibacy and the Sexual Abuse Scandals

2010-03-11T23:29:00.000-08:00

Pope Benedict XVI has his hands full. After Ireland released the Murphy Report, worldwide attention has been turned again to a horrible blight on the face of the church and all of Europe seems to be coming out with similar claims. The NY Times has reported that the Pope, speaking through the Vatican “shares the outrage, betrayal and shame” of the sexual abuse scandal.
I know I'm not the first to raise this question, but is mandated Clerical Celibacy more of a stumbling block than an aid to the clergy?
"Celibacy remains important for the clergy, the Vatican has reaffirmed, after Austria's Archbishop Christoph Schoenborn reportedly suggested a link between celibacy and abuse and urged for an "unflinching examination" of the possible reasons for paedophilia" (Cathnews). In Contrast to this and similar statements, prominent theologian, Fr. Hans Kung, has not only publicly questioned clerical celibacy but provided his answer. The Times reports:

“'Why is it so prevalent in the Catholic Church under celibate leadership?' He said that celibacy was not the only cause of the misconduct but described it as 'the most important and structurally the most decisive' expression of the Church’s uptight attitude to sex. Citing the New Testament, he says that Jesus and St Paul practised celibacy but 'allowed full freedom in this matter to each individual'. St Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians wrote: 'Because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.' Peter and the apostles were married and their ministries did not suffer, he said, pointing out that thousands of priests protested when the new law was introduced as late as the 11th century. Father Kung said: 'Compulsory celibacy is the principal reason for today’s catastrophic shortage of priests, for the fatal neglect of eucharistic celebration, and for the tragic breakdown of personal pastoral ministry in many places.'"

Of course, if you browse the internet there are as many traditional catholic blogs and articles being written in defense of preistly celibacy. To me this is not a question of modernity. By that I'm saying that I'm not asking the church to "catch up with the times" but I'm looking back in time to the early church and asking, was there a mandate of priestly celibacy. In this scenario history is against those who defend priestly celibacy as a dogmatic principle of faith. Can we blame the sexual abuse issues soley on forced celibacy of the clerics? Of course not.

Brilliant Article from the NY Times, "Learning From the Sin of Sodom"

2010-03-06T05:47:00.000-08:00

I didn't think that I'd find an article from the NY Times that would strike some of my strongest feelings about Christianity that I would be envious of the writer. However, Op-Ed Writer, Nicholas D. Kristof, has hit the nail on the head with his article "Learning From the Sin of Sodom." It's not what you think. It's not a gay-bashing, right wing piece. It's a call for more compassion and caring and a challenge to live the Gospel:

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. St. James 1:27

I could quote and quote and quote some very good points from him and his sources, however I encourage you to go read it yourself.

"Ready to Merge"

2010-02-18T20:23:00.000-08:00

"Methodists declare "we're ready to merge" with the Church of England." When I read this headline from The Times I had one of those moments where you instantly spit your drink out (professionally known as a 'spit take'). Could this really be?
If you have ever studied the Methodist Movement and John Wesley you should note that Wesley (both of them, John and his co-founder brother Charles) had no intention of forming a new denomination as we understand it today and wished to stay within the Anglican Tradition and the Church of England (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley). What is of further note for me and some of my friends is that we were raised in the Pentecostal Movement which splintered off of the Methodistsn (http://arc.iphc.org/history/hisholi.html). Yes, a splinter of a splinter. So how do we reconcile that?
Back to the story at hand. "The Methodist Church is prepared to be absorbed by the Church of England if that is the price of unity, Britain’s most senior Methodist said yesterday. The Rev David Gamble, president of the Methodist Conference, told the General Synod of the Church of England, meeting at Church House, Westminster: “We are prepared to go out of existence, not because we are declining or failing in mission, but for the sake of mission.” Methodists were “prepared to be changed and even to cease having a separate existence as a Church” if that served the needs of the Kingdom of God" (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article7023713.ece). While this move is bold, it seems to me that it is about time. John Wesley died in 1792, and only after that did the Methodist Church properly form. For nearly 200 years Methodists have been ignoring what to me seems obvious: they should have never left the Anglican Communion.
This shouldn't come as a shock if you're in the know. Seeing as apparently most of us, including the press, weren't or aren't, this process started at least by 2002 when the "British Methodist Conference voted by a very substantial majority to seek the opinion of each District Synod and Circuit Meeting on the proposals in An Anglican-Methodist Covenant. At its meeting in July 2002, the Church of England General Synod voted by a very substanital majority to commend the proposed Anglican-Methodist Covenant to its dioceses for discussion" (http://www.anglican-methodist.org.uk/). The result of this was the signing of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant of 2003. According to some this isn't the Methodist Church "falling on it's sword," but it "is a desire for a shared communal, collegial and personal oversight, including shared consultation and decision-making, on the way to a fully united ministry. This is an expression of two bodies coming together and becoming one; not the sacrifice of a subordinate to a dominant. The real story isn't about Methodist self-immolation or throwing in the towel; it's about Christians moving forward, growing and seeking new ways of being" (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/feb/15/methodist-church-anglican-synod).
Whatever the end result, this story is a story of hope in the ecumenical process which truly propells us towards Christ's prayer to be one as He and the Father are one.

Ash Wednesday and the Start of Lent

2010-02-16T10:26:00.000-08:00

"Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return."

Ash Wednesday is "the first day of Lent in the Western Christian Church" (http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/ashwednesday?view=uk). "The name dies cinerum (day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missal is found in the earliest existing copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all the faithful according to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead — or in case of clerics upon the place of the tonsure — of each the sign of the cross, saying the words: "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. In the blessing of the ashes four prayers are used, all of them ancient. The ashes are sprinkled with holy water and fumigated with incense. The celebrant himself, be he bishop or cardinal, receives, either standing or seated, the ashes from some other priest, usually the highest in dignity of those present. In earlier ages a penitential procession often followed the rite of the distribution of the ashes, but this is not now prescribed" (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01775b.htm).
As we look towards Easter and the joyful message of the Resurection of Christ and our new life in Him we must take time to inwardly focus and to prepare ourselves spiritually. "The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ." According to The Church of Ireland:

Brothers and sisters in Christ: since early days Christians have observed with great devotion the time of our Lord's passion and resurrection. It became the custom of the Church to prepare for this by a season of penitence and fasting. At first this season of Lent was observed by those who were preparing for baptism at Easter and by those who were to be restored to the Church's fellowship from which they had been separated through sin. In course of time the Church came to recognize that, by a careful keeping of these days, all Christians might take to heart the call to repentance and the assurance of forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel, and so grow in faith and in devotion to our Lord. I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Lord to observe a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy word.

Some readers of this blog may come from Christian Communities which observe Lent whilst I know others do not. What should be taken away is the act of spiritual preperation for the Celebration that is Easter. In my personal opinion the over-commercialization and secularization of Easter has trickled into Christianity. This Holy Day used to be the largest event on the calendar, but is now overshadowed by another over-commericalized and secularized Christian Day, Christmas. Re-introducing Lent to yourself or your family can help bring back the spiritual focus that the early apostles intended when setting up the Liturgical Calendar. "The Christian churches that observe Lent in the 21st century (and not all do significantly) use it as a time for prayer and penance. Only a small number of people today fast for the whole of Lent, although some maintain the practice on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It is more common these days for believers to surrender a particular vice such as favourite foods or smoking. Whatever the sacrifice it is a reflection of Jesus' deprivation in the wilderness and a test of self-discipline" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/lent_1.shtml).

"Traditionally, the self-denial of Lent, even the foreswearing of life's little pleasures, is meant to remove self-indulgences so that we can concentrate on spiritual preparation for Good Friday and Easter" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/easter/7252200/Should-we-turn-off-our-iPods-for-Lent.html).

Giving something up from lent can be as simple as not eating chocolate druing the season to as hardcore as fasting the full 40 days. Practices observed during Lent also include fasting of meat on Fridays, from which the slang term "Fish Eaters" derives, as fish is not considered meat in the Abrahamic Faiths. "'Fish Eaters' is a moniker given to Catholics by anti-Catholics based on the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays. Because of this Friday abstinence, Catholics often eat fish on that day, a food which is not considered meat (nor is it considered meat by Jews or Muslims, by the way). On a deeper level, the name can be seen as pertaining to those who eat Christ -- "Ichthys" or "Fish" in the Greek acrostic -- in the Eucharist" (http://www.fisheaters.com/contact.html#name).
I encourage you all to join with me and your Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world in this time of fasting and reflection. Having said that, let me remind you of the words of Christ taken from St. Matthew Chapter 6:

‘When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.’

Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt...

2010-02-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

To follow up on my post on 'Agnostic Christianity' I woke up this morning to find the latest 'Stuff Christian Culture Likes' in my inbox:

Knowing Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt

It just seemed fitting.

Saint Æthelwold of Lindisfarne

2010-02-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

Today, 12 February 2010 is the Feast Day of Saint Æthelwold of Lindisfarne.

Who was Æthelwold? Well, I'm glad you asked. Æthelwold, also spelled Aethelwald and/or Ethelwold was "Bishop of Lindisfame, England, a disciple of St. Cuthbert. Ethelwald served as prior and then abbot of Old Melrose in Scotland. St. Bede praised Etheiwald, who succeeded St. Eadfrith at Lindisfame in 721." (Catholic.org)

According to The Venerable Bede:

"I came," says he, "to the island of Fame, with two others of the brethren, desiring to speak with the most reverend father, Ethelwald. Having been refreshed with his discourse, and asked for his blessing, as we were returning home, behold on a sudden, when we were in the midst of the sea, the fair weather in which we were sailing, was broken, and there arose so great and terrible a tempest, that neither sails nor oars were of any use to us, nor had we anything to expect but death. After long struggling with the wind and waves to no effect, at last we looked back to see whether it was possible by any means at least to return to the island whence we came, but we found that we were on all sides alike cut off by the storm, and that there was no hope of escape by our own efforts. But looking further, we perceived, on the island of Fame, our father Ethelwald, beloved of God, come out of his retreat to watch our course; for, hearing the noise of the tempest and raging sea, he had come forth to see what would become of us. When he beheld us in distress and despair, he bowed his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in prayer for our life and safety; and as he finished his prayer, he calmed the swelling water, in such sort that the fierceness of the storm ceased on all sides, and fair winds attended us over a smooth sea to the very shore. When we had landed, and had pulled up our small vessel from the waves, the storm, which had ceased a short time for our sake, presently returned, and raged furiously during the whole day; so that it plainly appeared that the brief interval of calm had been granted by Heaven in answer to the prayers of the man of God, to the end that we might escape." (Saints.SQN.com)

Saint Æthelwold of Lindisfarne is credited for both commisioning and his massive contribution to the Lindisfarne Gospels (see wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindisfarne_Gospels). "He is the last Bishop of Lindisfarne to have been revered as a saint. He should not be confused with his near contemporary, Saint Æthelwold of Farne." (Wikipedia)

O GOD, by whose grace the blessed (abbot) Æthelwold enkindled with the fire of thy love, became a burning and a shining light in thy Church: Grant that we may be inflamed with the same spirit of discipline and love, and ever walk before thee as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Ohio Anglican)

Agnostic Christianity?

2010-02-11T10:55:00.000-08:00

"I can't say for certain whether the main postulates of the Christian faith are true. Even though many people try prove them true using logic or empirical evidence, I find such 'proofs' to be severely inadequate and unconvincing. I recognize that my 'personal experience' is insufficient to 'prove' them true to anyone, and that such experience is not at all unique to my faith tradition. In all honesty, I think that a position of uncertainty is probably the most reasonable position a person could take in a discussion of religion, but I personally still think Christianity is closer to truth than other faith traditions...for what it's worth."

OK, so these words aren't actually a quote, but they're a quote I wish I could say I've read from a Christian author, heard from a Christian authority figure, heard preached from a Christian pulpit, or even heard Christians say to me in private. This seems like a perfectly civil way to approach religious difference and the question of uncertainty and doubt. But in my experience, I have rarely, if ever, heard a 'believer' say anything approximating this declaration. In fact, I've often heard quite the opposite, that if one does not declare with certainty, condemn doubt, and experience the divine first hand, then that person has no business calling themselves a 'Christian'. It's entirely possible that this is due to my own personal limited experience and exposure to Christianity in an Evangelical North American setting, but history seems to suggest that this sort of posturing is not unique to Evangelicals (or Christians for that matter!).

My thinking for some time has been that uncertainty is OK, and probably the most intellectually honest position a person could take with themselves and others. Sure, there are practical aspects of 'the gospel' that are easy to buy into (i.e., caring for society's 'least', loving your enemies), but believing that Jesus is God, that he was born of a virgin, or that he was raised from the dead are not at all necessary for those practical aspects to appeal to socially minded humans or to be applied and have functional value in society. I've heard believers and unbelievers alike argue that those practical aspects would not even exist if it were not for Jesus' declarations, and that without belief in Jesus' divinity, they carry no authority. But, even if these are ideas that originated with Jesus (a suggestion that I can accept as potentially true, but probably is not true) they can still be acted upon whether Jesus is divine or not. And, as far as whether anyone would take these suggestions seriously unless Jesus is divine, well, I find that suggestion suspect, since I haven't observed any correlation between 'belief' or 'disbelief' in Jesus' divinity and concern for the 'least'...in fact, quite frequently I've observed what appears to be a complete disregard or even contempt for the 'least' coming from Christians and I've seen 'unbelievers' demonstrate the sort of compassion that I believe Jesus was talking about.

Last year I came across this brief article about T.H. Huxley (AKA 'Darwin's bulldog) and his conception of 'agnosticism'. It discusses his understanding of agnosticism to not be some middling position of indecision, but an assertion that he didn't think we could know some things with certainty...namely whether there was a God, but also that there was no God either. While he tended to think that there was no God, he made no bones about the fact that he was not 'certain' about that thought, thus the article refers to him as the 'agnostic atheist'. While I have no idea about the historical accuracy of this depiction of Huxley's position, it does sound like a reasonable position (for both atheists and believers). And, with that, I'd like to suggest a new category of Christian, the 'agnostic Christian' to refer to a person who hopes some aspects of Christianity are true (i.e., there is a God, he loves us, he intervenes on our behalf even if we don't understand it) or tends to live according to Christian principles (i.e., care for the least, love one's enemies) as a result of this hope, but is entirely comfortable with expressing the uncertainty that is inherent when speaking about things that can not be 'proven' and is perfectly OK with that uncertainty.

Euan Murray Places His Faith Above His Sport

2010-02-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

Scottish Rugby Union Prop Euan Murray places his faith above his sport by refusing to play on Sundays. If you don't think this is a big deal, he actually sat in Church Service this past Sunday instead of wearing the prized national shirt against France in the 6 Nations Tournament.

In finding God, he says, Murray was able to change his path. He picks up a mug of tea and a glass of water and holds them out in front of him. “This is the tea, all dirty and horrible, this is me, yeah? That’s Jesus,” he says, motioning to the water. “Pure. He’s taken that filth upon himself and before God he says, ‘Punish me for it’. He’s been punished and look what he’s given me. That perfect goodness in the eyes of God. He’s declared me innocent.” He swills the dregs of the tea and smiles. Can it be that simple? “I’m ashamed of the things I’ve done. Of course I am. But I’m thankful I have a saviour. He’s saved me from that lifestyle. He’s given me a new life.”

While in the modern Christian world most people have an overly understanding view of people having to work on The Lord's Day, Murray resists insisting that this is a day dedicated to God. Is he right? Has Christendom been guilty of bending to fit societies demands? These are good questions that I for sure will be pondering this week and I encourage you to do the same.

Murray was raised as a Christian, his mother taking the family to church in Glasgow. But he only turned to Christ in earnest after he was knocked unconscious in a game against Munster in September 2005. For those who witnessed the incident, the images are distressing. A collision with Anthony Horgan's knee sent Murray's head snapping back. As he lay on the pitch, his face contorted, his body writhing, he suffered a horrific seizure. Those around him thought he was dying. When he finally regained consciousness he entered a state of delirium, swaying on his feet and battling with the paramedics as he roared in confusion.

"Sometimes it takes a bang on the head to wake someone up," he says. "Some people don't get that chance. For some people it's bang, dead." He laughs.

For those readers not familiar with Rugby, Euan Murray is a world class player in his position, representing his Nation, Scotland, at the international level as well as the prestigious British & Irish Lions Touring Squad. The spotlight he turns to Christ on this sort of platform is immense as Rugby is the #2 Team Sport in the World and has the 3rd highest viewership (only behind the Olympics and The Football (Soccer) World Cup).
For the full story go here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/feb/04/six-nations-scotland-euan-murray-interview

The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple

2010-02-02T05:20:00.000-08:00

Almighty and everliving God,
clothed in majesty,
whose beloved Son was this day presented in the temple
in the substance of our mortal nature:
May we be presented to you with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Today is the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. This event can be found in St. Luke 2:22-40 "When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord."
Mary and Joseph were bringing Jesus to the Temple to fulfill the Jewish custom of Ritual Purification after Childbirth. This is a foreshadow of our Christian Baptism. As Jesus is the propitiation for our sin, we too can be presented to God, clean and pure. Even if this is a Holy Day your church does not celebrate, take the time today to meditate on these thoughts and be thankful to God for his mercy and love poured out upon us by his Son and our Christ.
Links:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlemas
2. http://www.ireland.anglican.org/index.php?do=worship.collects&page=date&date=02-02-2010

Sunday Prayer

2010-01-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

Creator God,

who in the beginning

commanded the light to shine out of darkness:

We pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ

may dispel the darkness of ignorance and unbelief,

shine into the hearts of all your people,

and reveal the knowledge of your glory

in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord.

*From: http://ireland.anglican.org/

"Pope Stuck in 'Groundhog Day' Senario with Jews"

2010-01-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

According to a CNN article this morning, the Pope is compared to Bill Murray's character in the film "Groundhog Day', making the same mistakes over and over again when it comes to Catholic-Jewish relations.

The point of view of CNN's reporter, Richard Allen Greene, is one of inclusive global one-ness. One where people constantly refer to different faiths as pretty much the same. However, when one believes in absolutes, unlike the growing agnostic world we live in, you are bound to come into conflict with other faiths, creeds and viewpoints. In my opinion it is the way in which these conflicts, or disagreements, are handled which shows the character of the man, not the man's lack of ability to stand up for his faith.
People would have Pope Benedict XVI stay away from controversy and just be a loving, Santa Claus-like figure who promotes the good bits about Christianity and stays away from controversy. However that's not who Christ called the Pope to be, nor you or I.
Relationships between the Jewish community and the Christian community have been strained for more of the last 2,000 years than not. While we share a common heritage, Christians see themselves as the fulfillment of Judaism and Jews see us as cultish sect. We are bound to disagree. If we as Christians profess what we believe we are bound to annoy and possibly offend the Jewish world. It's our responses, and in this example, our continued effort to strengthen our relations when we can that show our compassion and cooperation more than backing down from our beliefs. Pope Benedict, in my opinon, is doing just that. I applaud him for his continued effort.

Pat Robertson is Bonkers!

2010-01-13T16:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, I've said it and have made it official, Pat Robertson is Bonkers. He's lost his [expletive delete] mind!
I sincerely hope that Christians with any sense will discontinue support of CBN, The 700 Club and Pat Robertson.
Why? You may be asking. Pat Robertson, today, 13 January 2010, made the following comments about the horrible, catastrophic earthquake in Hati:

And, you know, Kristi, something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, “We will serve you if you will get us free from the French.” True story. And so, the devil said, “OK, it’s a deal.”

Yeah, I'm not making that up. It's Robertson's real words, uttered on broadcast television today. He's gone mental. He's made these comments without an ounce of supporting evidence. Who are the sources for this, Pat? Mayor McCheese? I can't believe the audacity to make such claims. Here's the video of this unfortunate affair:

We, as Christians in the 21st Century, cannot let people like Pat Robertson represent us.

Sunday Thoughts

2010-01-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

It's a bitter cold day in Dallas, Texas. On my way to mass at Saint Matthias Anglican Church (a former Episcopal Parish at the Heart of Anglican Realignment in the US) I stopped at McDonalds for a spot of breakfast. I pulled in the parking lot at the same time as a Mexican Mother with her 3 children. I got to the door first and waited so I could, being the gentleman that I am, hold the door open for her. The look of shock on her face that then turned to gratitude spoke volumes to me.
I don't write this to blow my own horn. What struck me today was the question of who is it that Christ would wish me to be? Having grown up in a Pentecostal/Charismatic world, I was always told I had a unique calling on my life. I think everyone was told the same thing. Psuedo-Prophets would give ambiguous statements about what they saw me doing in the future, which essentially boiled down to me being at church. Being given these sorts of statements and encouraged to find my calling became a big part of my teenage years. To quote U2, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for." Today my thoughts again turned to this when faced with the question of who Christ would have me be. Maybe what Christ actually wants is for me to be the best Nate Rowlan that I can be today. Maybe if I just continue daily to be the best version of myself that God will indeed impact other peoples lives and change some part of this world.
Today, me being the best version of me was opening the door for a Mother and her young family, showing compassion for my fellow man and acknowledging their value and worth as God's treasured creations. I'm not saying that this is the end all be all of who Christ wants me to be, or how this is the fulfillment of how I can be used to establish God's Kingdom on earth. What I am saying is that I have wasted time looking into the crystal ball of evangelical ferver and missed the small picture. Allusions of Grandeur sometimes prevent us from being the Christ we need to be to those in the simplest of places.

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.
I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?
Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?
When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

The Gospel According to Saint Matthew Chapter 25, Verses 35 - 40

Wow, who's the patron Saint of pragmatism

2010-01-10T03:37:00.000-08:00

Picture: An icy St Francis of Assisi in Garston, Liverpool

Well I get to mass this morning, driving & walking on compacted snow that would answer very well as a skating rink, only to find I needn't have bothered.

Archbishop Patrick Kelly took the decision to absolve the dioceses Catholics of their weekly obligation to attend Sunday mass. A pretty big move really considering weekly mass is the cornerstone of the Catholic faith. This comes only a week after full communion, sign of peace and holy water fonts were re-introduced back into mass after they were suspended during the swine flu pandemic.

On the outside looking in these all seem pretty trivial but personally it was a bit jarring having some of the most familiar and spiritual areas of the mass taken away (I can scarcely imagine how it would be for people after a major re-ordering like Vatican2). The thing it does show is that Archbishop Kelly is taking personal responsibilty for the care of his flock rather than just leaving us to muddle through storms of ice and germs.

The immovable, unchanging nature of mass is one of the most important aspects...it's Holy mass, not just a weekly meeting. Pragmatism, however, in it's execution is something to be applauded.

http://www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/index.php?p=89

Perspectives: Baptist-Catholic Dialogue by Aaron Bonham

2010-01-09T22:15:00.000-08:00

I suppose to a certain extent, I may not live up to the idea that this blog is intended to be a dialog among 'Christians' of various persuasions since there are many ways in which I don't exactly qualify for the title (A post that I'll hopefully get to soon enough). However, no matter how I (or others) might define myself, there is much about Christianity and Jesus teachings that I fully endorse (albeit, without many of the key propositional statements that many feel define a 'Christian'). My comments about this particular ecumenical dialog are not devoid of years of experience and doctrinal training in a variety of Evangelical settings, both academic and non-academic. In other words, though my comments may be dismissed (fairly) as an outsider or non-believer, I have lived within one and intensely studied a variety of Christian denominational persuasions...so, I think I can say some things about the Christian church, particular denominations, or groups without being entirely ignorant. So here's my attempt at the current discussion.

I distinctly recall during a period of time during my childhood, there being a tract table at the Pentecostal church that I attended most of my life and where I 'came of age' as it were. Due to the 'motorcycle missionary' work of one of the pastors during this time, the table was always well stocked with Jack Chick comic book tracts. As a child trying to avoid boredom during 'adult' church I would always grab whatever of these tracts I could to pass the time as the pastor droned on. Among the tracts I remember vividly from that time period was this particular story in which a catholic is killed and because of his being a Catholic, rather than a 'Bible believing' and 'born-again' Christian, he is condemned to Hell. This tract represents my earliest 'understanding' of what it meant to be Catholic and God's position on Catholicism.

Of course, Chick is not the sole possessor of this view among various protestant denominations, he just happens to have provided a memorable source for my own formation of ideas about Catholics. One could just as easily look to famous Evangelical minister John Hagee, whose comments about the Catholic church being the 'whore of Babylon' spoken about in the book of Revelation ultimately led him to retract his endorsement of John McCain during the 2008 presidential election, to see that some protestant ideas about Catholics are fairly well established and I suspect a great number of Baptists probably don't consider Catholics as 'brothers and sisters in Christ'.

So, despite those deeply ingrained prejudices, which I can only presume are shared by many Catholics towards protestant Christians, this meeting seems to be an attempt to acknowledge the shared foundation of faith for people from both denominational categories (as broad and diverse as each actually is). I generally see any attempt to overcome prejudice and garner cooperation and work toward shared goals as a laudable endeavor. Though I must qualify that praise with the caveat that such attempts at cooperation are only laudable to the extent that they aren't designed to reinforce other stronger shared prejudices (such as those against people of other denominations or faith traditions) , in which case I find it a smokescreen for something quite sinister. The article itself suggests that this is an attempt at overcoming prejudices and contentions between two historically opposed denominations, and I take the participants at face value when they say so, in which case I find it an admirable endeavor even if true 'unity' is an unlikely outcome.

Obama's Transgendered Appointment and the Christian Right

2010-01-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

I came across a commentary about President Obama's recent appointment of a transgendered woman into a technical, non-political, position in the U.S. department of commerce. The article titled "Religious Right is Wrong on Amanda Simpson: She Deserves a Job" (click on the title to read the article). The author, Christine Wicker, is a former Evangelical Christian though I don't think she currently self identifies as Christian or any other particular religious persuasion. Generally speaking, I agree with this article wholeheartedly, though I take issue with one line in which Wicker seems to misrepresent the potential outcomes of 'hate crime' legislation on the ability of conservative Evangelicals to voice their moral objections, she says:

"Christian conservatives know that if the Amanda Simpsons of the world get government appointments, one more step has been taken toward normalization. It is just this kind of day-by-day acceptance that causes societies to shift radically. That's why conservative evangelicals oppose hate-crime legislation. It will put their moral objections into the category of hate. Gays, lesbians and transgendered people will be the accepted people, and they will be the objectionable ones – by law."

While she may be correct in the suggestion that conservative Evangelicals oppose any action in society toward acceptance and 'normalization' of GLBT people, and that they believe such legislation might impede their ability to voice moral objection to the sexual orientation of GLBT people, she fails to point out the flaws and assumptions that feed these 'concerns', and as a result (in my reading anyway) comes across as affirming that these are legitimate concerns about hate crime legislation and appointments of otherwise qualified GLBT individuals to government jobs.

Hate crime legislation is not designed to mute the moral objections of individuals who would voice their objections (whether their objections are fair or not is an entirely different discussion) but to reduce violence toward and discrimination against people in vulnerable minority populations. A person needs to only look to the continued pervasiveness of racist neo-nazi literature and public pronouncements (including parades) as protected language and literature under a variety of laws protecting constitutional rights of free speech, expression, and organization to recognize that hate-crimes legislation does not can technically can not override constitutional rights. The only limitations imposed by hate crimes legislation is that if a person's literature or speech can be proven to incite violence against (whether physical or the destruction of property) a minority with the broader intention of intimidating other members of that minority group, then it is indeed subject to hate crimes legislation and prosecution.

In a free and democratic society, we must all recognize the implicit agreement that our individual freedom does not come without limitations, we must recognize that our freedoms are limited by the social contract we enter as a member of society in which we ask people to not trounce our individual rights and safety and in return we will not trounce upon the rights and safety of others. Hate crime legislation is intended to ensure such rights for even the most marginal, but law abiding, members of society. With regard to the appointment of Amanda Simpson, some members of the Christian right are vocally attempting to limit the rights of a woman to work in a position that she is highly qualified for and has earned...and because of this, it is my firm belief that such Christians are misguided and hardly acting in a manner that is reflective of the Christ they profess to follow.

Perspectives: Baptist-Catholic Dialogue by Nate Rowlan

2010-01-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

"I recall thinking as a child that Catholics were not quite Christian because they worshiped Mary and believed in works-righteousness (both of which are not actually Catholic teaching). And I have been with Catholics who regarded Baptists as followers of a different faith (http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=18618)."
I couldn't sum up the situation better. Here are two groups with seemingly nothing in common holding ecumenical talks. The collective focus of the meetings held was this issue of primacy, more pointedly the seat of St. Peter, ie. the Papacy. This seemed doomed from the start as everyone outside the Roman Catholic Church sees the Papacy as a farce, well, maybe not everyone, but a heafty majority.
Baptist Theologian, Beth Newman, asked the host of the meetings, Cardinal Walter Kasper, what he saw as the challenges to the future of Ecumenism. "He first identified larger social problems (secularism, environmental degradation, hunger, poverty, etc.) that Christians must learn to face together. But then he focused on the challenge of hope, which he described as an impulse of the Holy Spirit. And he added, 'patience (as the poet said) is the little sister of hope' (http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/4692/9)."
At the end of the day, my thoughts turn to the fact that Catholic Ecumenical thought always has reconcilliation with Rome and the acceptance of the oversite of the Pope as the end goal. I don't think this will ever happen. I could be wrong. If somehow the Pope really is who the Vatican and his predecessors claim then God through his Holy Spirit will have to do a vast amount of work beyond "talks" and meetings like this.
I think Cardinal Kasper is right on with promoting the idea of shared responsibility. The Unity we can achieve today is accepting each other's differences and proclaiming our shared beliefs and doing the work of Christ hand in hand.

Epiphany

2010-01-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

For those of us who follow the Western, Gregorian Calendar, tomorrow, 06 January 2010 is Epiphany. What is Epiphany, you might ask? It is "a Christian festival, observed on January 6, commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi; Twelfth-day" (dictionary.com). I'll be quite honest with you, you can spend a lot of time trying to understand the origins of Epiphany. I have. I still am left with a question mark over my head, as I assume most of you will too, because it even bewilders the scholars. Feel free to read the article from the Catholic Encyclopedia and draw your own conclusions.
It's not really the point to look at the origins but for us to consider the meaning and relevance of celebrating this Feast or Holy Day. Technically, Epiphany ends the season of Christmastide. For even further explanation, Christmastide is the season famously sung about in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (Christmastide). So, tonight, 05 January 2010, is the last day of Christmastide and tomorrow begins Epiphany. That was a longwided explanation of where the day falls, but what is it's meaning? Epiphany is when the church celebrates Christ's manifistation to the Gentiles. This is why the figures of the Magi are used, as they were the first non-Hebrew people to understand who Christ or The Messiah is. So, we should celebrate the fact that salvation is not only for the Jew, but also for the Gentile.
It's sad to me that the Evangelical Church, for the most part, has lost the use of the Liturgical Calendar, and with it some very important traditions which help us hold Christ dear to our hearts. What can you do to help bring back these beautiful traditions that your church and/or denomination may have passed by the way-side?

Blog: Stuff Christian Culture Likes

2010-01-05T08:39:00.003-08:00

I have several posts in mind for the near future but thought I'd kick things off with a brief link to a blog I recently encountered and find to be a pretty funny, and insightful examination of Evangelical Christian Culture: Stuff Christian Culture Likes

Having been raised around, gone to college with, and continue to maintain close relations with Evangelical Christians I share many of these observations and critiques of Evangelical culture. Many of my friends and family members would likely find this an offensive (and potentially blasphemous) affront to their faith. But, my general take is if something evokes a strong visceral response in you, rather than being offended and calling the source a variety of names or attempting to categorize the source into a neat category such as 'atheist', 'blasphemer', 'anti-religious', or 'rebellious', take a moment to think about why you're experiencing such a strong emotional response...ask whether there is any legitimacy to the critique and what point is being made by the article/object/words/person.

The Archbishop of Canterbury's New Year Message 2010

2010-01-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury commented that we live in global world, not just a local one and stated that we all shared the risks. He then asked an important question, "Can we share the hopes?"
"Because it's when we do share the hopes that we really see what it is to belong together as human beings, discovering our own humanity as we honour the human dignity of others."
His message for this new year has me thinking about what it is Christ was asking us to do. We are to establish the Kingdom of God. The older I get, the more I'm realizing that this Kingdom has less to do with Church Services and buildings and more to do with how we impact the state of humanity. If we are impacting humanity and solving the problems of the poor, the sick, the widowed, the orphaned, won't they be drawn to Christ? Isn't getting someone a vaccination a more inviting call than a 45 minute sermon about "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God? "
The Archbishop of Canterbury is right in his statements about how we viewed the dawn of the new millenium 10 years ago. We were all hoping and believing for a positive change in our world. "Ten years ago, we had a chance to remember what we wanted for ourselves and others in our world; a chance to remind ourselves what it means to see men and women as made in the image of God, a God who loves each of us beyond imagining and who stepped into our world 2,000 years ago to transform it."
I hope we can all start to rethink this "kingdom" that we share and begin to see God's breaking heart for humanity, and do what we can to help out in 2010 and beyond.
Link to full transcript of the Archbishop of Canterbury's speach: http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/2697