Preludium, Anglican and Episcopal futures

When I retired, I retired from diocesan convention...

2013-05-14T15:05:46.975-04:00

When I retired, I retired from diocesan conventions, clergy gatherings and "Their sisters and their cousins and their aunts."

God is good.

Jay Croft

“I am not a member of any organized political part...

2013-05-13T08:21:52.069-04:00

“I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.”

—Will Rogers

Hey --I'm a direct descendent of Cotton Mather...

2013-05-12T15:02:18.360-04:00

Hey --I'm a direct descendent of Cotton Mather (and, more gladly, Ann Hutchinson and Mary Dyer!)!

I, too, would prefer not to have folks use a 'title' --but, there we are!

Sure PsedoPiskie... what I'd appreciate is tha...

2013-05-11T22:30:48.860-04:00

Sure PsedoPiskie... what I'd appreciate is that you post it as an insert into something you wrote (an intro note or whatever)give attribution and do a hyperlink to the url for the blog piece itself.

That would be very helpful.

I had a problem in the past with someone who posted a blog of mine with a different title, left my signature on it and it looked as if I was supporting the view his title gave and writing on his blog.

Thanks for asking. Some don't.

May I link to this on Facebook, please? Like you, ...

2013-05-11T21:13:46.902-04:00

May I link to this on Facebook, please? Like you, I dislike titles and have been criticized often for ignoring them. If you introduce yourself as Mark, I assume that's what you want to be called. I used to work for a man who was highly respected, almost revered by others. He introduced himself as Ken and that is what I called him till he died. A few years later I met his widow. She said he always liked that. Being called Dr. seemed so pretentious which he really wasn't if one gave him a chance to be real. Thanks.

Hey Mark, Stringfellow's summation points to ...

2013-05-09T08:01:01.813-04:00

Hey Mark,
Stringfellow's summation points to a basic reality: the wrath on the Cross was, of course, ours. (unless you believe God engineered the will of political, religious and mob actors - all at once!) WE killed him and hence as Stringfellow's buddy Jacques Ellul pointed out the wrath or judgement here is revelation. And so as Stringfellow would then conclude what is at stake on the cross and the empty tomb is the possibility of our death, i.e the death of our attachment to those human features and activities which lead us to kill. This is what the wrath of God accomplishes.

By the way, our cathedral in Christchurch NZ is no...

2013-05-07T23:37:53.806-04:00

By the way, our cathedral in Christchurch NZ is not 'plowed' under, nor has a formal and final decision been made about what to do re three options (restore old, build a rough mimic of the old, build a new cathedral).

You are right, Mark, all such options represent future liabilities!

The parish of St. Patrick is a thriving parish. Gi...

2013-05-05T11:15:54.292-04:00

The parish of St. Patrick is a thriving parish. Gidget in her comments says she was asked to leave. She was asked to leave because she was a troublesome parishioner who was constantly trying to split the parish. It is too bad, when someone doesn't get their way all they do it try to tear something down for others. This is also what is happening with The Abbey. Gail, please move forward and find peace within yourself.
A parishoner

The praise song in question, “In Christ Alone” can...

2013-05-03T23:08:05.577-04:00

The praise song in question, “In Christ Alone” can be experienced on YouTube here. The tune is catchy; the rhymes are often charming; but the setting is in some ways defective; and the theology is decidedly wrong. The song is very popular in evangelical circles.

Thanks for these thoughts, Mark. Your reflection...

2013-05-03T19:33:22.111-04:00

Thanks for these thoughts, Mark.

Your reflections bring to mind a comment by David Earle, "there is a really important point at the start of Bosco’s post which has got lost in the argument – that the words of songs should be read to mean what they mean in plain English to the person who has just walked in the door and should not require a course in NT theology to explain their deep and hidden meanings."

I am pleased that there is some thoughtful reflection like yours as a result of my looking again at a regularly-sung song.

Christ is risen.

Bosco

You might look around for a less unfortunate acron...

2013-05-03T14:03:20.673-04:00

You might look around for a less unfortunate acronym than WOG. Tricky things, acronyms. There's a reason the Bush administration ditched The War Against Terror in favor of The War On Terror.

Nice to see Eocene in word verification.

But dioceses are not 'bishops' simpliciter...

2013-05-03T07:31:05.703-04:00

But dioceses are not 'bishops' simpliciter. What if a diocese believes that the present BCP is theologically sound, esp on contested issues like marriage and communion without baptism? It chooses a bishop in accordance with these convictions. Will it be aloud to exist in Mr Deimel's TEC? Will its bishop not get consents because his view and those of his diocese are judged unsatisfactory?

SCM

Thank you, Fr. Mark, for this resource. I have tak...

2013-05-02T17:24:09.992-04:00

Thank you, Fr. Mark, for this resource. I have taken the liberty of promoting it on my kiwianglo website in New Zealand. hopefully, there will be some read the book who presently struggle with the concept. Agape.

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2013-05-02T16:45:37.938-04:00

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As the quote attributed to St. Irenaeus says, &quo...

2013-05-02T15:03:31.634-04:00

As the quote attributed to St. Irenaeus says, "The glory of God is the human being fully alive." Beautiful, open worship spaces are wonderful, but helping people grow into the people they are called to be in the love of God is a wee bit more important.

A thought-provoking post, Mark. "Better the ...

2013-05-02T13:50:42.111-04:00

A thought-provoking post, Mark.

"Better the cathedral of the heart, the place where the seat is reserved for Christ, not the bishop, and the nave is for the people of the world, not the people of a sect."

Lovely, lovely, lovely. Surely an idea worth pondering.

I strongly object to the notion that we should hav...

2013-05-01T10:37:26.051-04:00

I strongly object to the notion that we should have conservative dioceses, at least in the sense that the bishop is conservative and tries to conform his see to his personal theology. Likewise, we should not have liberal dioceses. All dioceses should be diverse, with room for everyone. In Western thought, the notion that the prince determines the religion of his subjects went out a long time ago. It persists in some corners of The Episcopal Church, however.

God bless you, Mark. Let us not give up hope! bb...

2013-04-28T02:03:04.262-04:00

God bless you, Mark. Let us not give up hope!

bb

Let's hope so... for that I'd love to be i...

2013-04-26T19:19:39.332-04:00

Let's hope so... for that I'd love to be invited!

So, shall we expect a Jerry Garcia Mass out of the...

2013-04-26T16:44:31.201-04:00

So, shall we expect a Jerry Garcia Mass out of the CANA contingent in response?

That's good to hear. If you are a Diocese that...

2013-04-25T07:58:32.286-04:00

That's good to hear. If you are a Diocese that is 'conservative' you will be free to reject a BCP revision with marriage rites you do not believe have warrant. TEC will allow this kind of conviction about the character of the constitution and the authority that resides in dioceses.

It will probably take some considerable work to craft the c/c to accommodate this, but one supposes it could be done with the right will.

The man needs to be called out on lies like this. ...

2013-04-24T19:17:28.194-04:00

The man needs to be called out on lies like this.

From the articles of his I have read in the past, he usually plays fast and loose with the facts but I have never read such a pack of obvious lies as his latest hatchet piece.

I think this must be the lowest the AAC can ever hope to sink.

SCM, I'm sorry, but I don't think I unders...

2013-04-24T14:45:50.770-04:00

SCM, I'm sorry, but I don't think I understand your question. Should a bishop be asked to stand down if she/he will not permit SS blessings? Is that what you're asking? If so, I would answer "no".

'Conservatives' do not just come in the fo...

2013-04-24T14:33:44.246-04:00

'Conservatives' do not just come in the form of individuals with whom one may or not be gracious.

They come in the form of Dioceses and Bishops.

The real question is whether conservative Bishops will be allowed to lead conservative Dioceses in TEC. They were unable when it came to Women's Ordination. Most believe the same treatment will await them re: new rites.

I cannot tell from what you have written what you are proposing. You pose questions for which my answer would be 'No, they should be allowed to be Bishops holding traditional views on marriage.'

Is this your view?

SCM

SCM, I will not. What I'd like to see is for ...

2013-04-24T09:35:06.946-04:00

SCM, I will not. What I'd like to see is for the church to get out of the marriage business altogether, Marriage is a civil and legal matter and should be left to the civil authorities.

As for the blessings, I'd like for the church blessing to be available to all committed couples, but what of the clergy and bishops who do not want to bless SS couples? What would you do about them? Tell them they must or leave? Would you want a blessing from a person who didn't want to bless you?

The BCP would have to change if clergy stopped doing the state's work of officiating at weddings.