Kantinho do Rev, the blog of the general secretary of the Episcopal / Anglican Church of Brazil is often a source of thoughtful analysis. Priest and lawyer Francisco Silva has written this observation which I am glad to post in its entirety.
Fear and exclusion: new challenges for the Communion
The decision of removing representatives of The Episcopal Church and of the Church of Canada from ecumenical networks represents the most drastic change amidst the theological conflict within the Anglican Communion.
In my point of view the Archbishop of Canterbury moved a piece of high risk and the consequences of such recommendations are what it is not possible to predict. The Pentecost Letter addressed to the Communion was one of the most contradictory documents in our history as Communion.
At the heart of a feast of the unity, we heard a message of discipline and exclusion. Absolutely strange for a moment in which other Christian traditions were celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit giving to the Church power to be in one faith and witness. For us, the Archbishop`s letter showed our fracture and incompetence to stay on the table of dialog, wishing to hear the God`s will.
In our Provincial Synod, we heard from the mouth of our Archbishop Mauricio that in the heart of God hasn`t place for boundaries. Our delegates approved unanimously a motion of solidarity with brothers and sisters from TEC and Canada and a letter to the Communion will be issued about punitive actions gone to Provinces who has been looking to welcome all the persons without barriers and prejudices.
Pentecost - as I wrote in an previous post - means to jump for the newness of life. To surpass the ignorance and to know the language of the love. The disciples were afraid and they were freed to speak, to welcome and to build a new community with persons who were strange for them in everything: language, customs and values.
In the installation of the National Cathedral of the Province of Brazil in Porto Alegre, at the Trinity Sunday, we had a true Pentecost. They were there Buddhist, religions afro, Roman Catholics, Muslims and people of several religious background. An unforgettable demonstration of fraternity. It is for that that purpose the Church exists: to be a sign of reconciliation and welcome.
Regrettably our Communion has not been able to surpass the challenges of the diversity. Now, besides this difficulty, we have the mark of the fear and of the exclusion.
The Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil stands in solidarity with our sisters churches in USA and Canada and our hope is that we can reaffirm our commitment in welcome people to live their faith fully and with confidence in the gracious love of God!
Thanks be to God for our brother Fr Francisco Silva, who knows the true meaning of Pentecost. Thanks be to God for our sisters and brothers in the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, who stand in solidarity with us.
ReplyDeleteWe can always count on Brazil.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Brazilians shall lead us all, away from the sectarian past and toward a future of faith and hopeful expectation in a globally cosmopolitan world.
ReplyDeleteYou know, that kind of thing is exactly what TEC needs to hear these days as the Powers-the-Be try to isolate and exclude us.
ReplyDeleteI pray that more of our supporters across the Communion will speak up -- now that the ABC has made his intentions so blindingly and brutally clear.
It seems that Brazil can often be counted on for using emotional and spiritual wisdom and great common sense by electing healthy minded leaders of Brazil:
ReplyDelete¨The president of Brazil has become the first nation leader to launch a conference with the sole purpose of promoting gay equality.
The First National Conference of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals was inaugurated by president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who called for a "time of reparation" in Brazil.
At last week's conference President Lula announced his support for gay rights, and stated he will "do all that is possible so that the criminalisation of homophobia and the civil union may be approved."
He also called homophobia "the most perverse disease impregnated in the human head.¨
http://leonardoricardosanto.blogspot.com/2008/08/emotionallyspiritually-sick-realities.html
Talk about Smack Down!!!
ReplyDeleteSuch hopeful words from Brazil stand in contrast to the doom and gloom from across the pond.
ReplyDeleteObrigado muito.