2/09/2007

Mission, Church, and One World

Over at Daily Episcopalian, Jim Naughton commented on my last blog about the Archbishop's Men. He said,

"…I think and hope that my good friend is wrong. He believes that N. T. Wright and Scott-Joynt have been acting, and are now speaking, in Rowan Williams' stead. I don't. Partly because people in the U. K. have told me that Williams didn't authorize their activities, but didn't try to stop them, either, and partly because this doesn't strike me as the kind of noise you make in the press before a big meeting if your side has the meeting wired. If you are certain of a favorable outcome, you keep your mouth shut and don't risk disturbing the favorable status quo.

Of course, I could be wrong. I am hoping to distinguish myself in the blogging community by making no predictions about what is going to happen in Tanzania."

Actually, I hope I am wrong as well. As to predicting what is going to happen in Tanzania, who knows? Much of what I have written is not about what will happen, but about the ecclesiastical mess that is swirling around us at this time. The bishops salvos are just part of that.

As we head into next week, perhaps a moment or two of respite would be in order. So, for your viewing and listening pleasure, I link three videos that pertain to mission, church and the world as one. Enjoy!

The first is this one minute video on getting it straight: The world is one and we need to think of all of us being connected. Thanks to Bill Teska putting us on to this: CLICK HERE FOR GLOBAL COMMUNITY VIDEO . I love the first line, "Yo, listen up…"

The second is from Fr. Matthews, on being a diverse church. CLICK HERE FOR DIVERSITY IN FAITH One of the things I really enjoy abot Fr. Matthews is that he does things with a kind of serious abandon. I wish I could do that!

And, for a moment of quiet in the midst of wondering about the future of the Anglican Communion, its mission, etc., This: Ennio Morricone - Gabriel's Oboe from "The Mission" concert . Whatever else our mission is about, the haunting sound of the oboe pulls a note of sadness and joy all at once.

Well, time for prayer and blessing is at hand. Analysis, prognostication, predictions, and worldly wisdom fall short. (That doesn't mean we won't try.)

Get out your handy-dandy Book of Common Prayer (your choice from among Anglican Communion's many), warm up your spirit and pray. Other aids out there include the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, and the prayers in Lent and Beyond. Of course, the best aid is simplicity of spirit and openness of heart. The words will come.


3 comments:

  1. Gabriel's Oboe is one of my all time favorite pieces of music. Thanks for the u-tube reference. I was around when CJ McNasby, SJ and some others were working of the film and the Jesuit reductions in Paraguay. I loved this film, the issues raised, the opportunities for grace ... Gabriel's solution to what would he do regarding the enslavement of the people and the division of Spain/Portugal was not "I will fight with you." It was: "I will die with you." I look at the Desmond Tutu's of the world, the righteous of Holland who risked their lives to protect Jews, Mahatma Ghandi. Huge witness to faith and grace in the world. Can someone tell me: "What are opportunities for prophetic witness in what is transpiring in the world today?" What would it mean to the Communion if +Akinola would vote to send all homosexuals to jail, and then,--- went with them?

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  2. People I know in the UK say that Scott-Joyner is known for being close to Rowan and being his "hit-man" NT is just NT - full of his own opinions

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  3. Mark, thank you for the link to Gabriel's Oboe. That may well be my favorite piece of film music. And "The Mission" is certainly among my top five all-time favorite movies.

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