Okay, here is the issue: Why am I finding myself so angry at times? I’m not bust-a-vain-angry, but angry nonetheless.
Today in the opening Eucharist, various parts of the Eucharist were in Spanish. Is there anything wrong with having various parts of the Eucharist in Spanish? No. Other than this – some try so hard to be “inclusive,†but in the end means that there is not much left of “common,” as in “common prayer.” If the majority of the people do not understand the language being spoken, then how can they honestly enter in other than simply observing? Then, there is an “angry step-mother†attitude that “you’re gonna do it whether you like it or not.†It is maternalistic/paternalistic, and I don’t like it.
Yes, for those who only speak Spanish (or any particular language outside the norm), this happens all the time when the service is in English. Alright, that is a given. When I was in Germany working in campus ministry, I was often in services where I had no clue what was being said. I did not expect all those churches and peoples to change just for me.
Sometimes, some churches would have translators for those who did not speak the native language. At this morning’s Eucharist, there were translators for those who spoke French and German. So, why did those planning the Eucharist not include German and French in the Eucharist itself? Might not have the native German and French people feel neglected or excluded from the service? What about the Brazilians? My point is that when political correctness runs amok, we complete loose any sense of “common prayer.” There is nothing wrong with saying – this is in English, because the vast majority of those present understand English. I’ve very glad that we provided translators – even for the deaf, which thrilled me.
American, white, liberal guilt propagated through political correctness will only lead to more division and chaos, primarily because we lose any common thing to unify around.
Why not do a whole service in Spanish or French or German – heck, why not in English? I would be more inclined to participate in an entirely French service, than one that jumps back and forth between language.
So, why am I getting so angry about this? I don’t know. I don’t feel guilty about being a male, white, Anglo-Saxon, or speaking English. I know great atrocities were done by males, whites, Anglo’s, and Americans. You know what; ever culture in every time has perpetuated evil upon others. I don’t see why some in this Church feel the overwhelming need to be guilty about being an “English” church – after all, that is where we came from and the vast majority of our members speak English.
Yes, Americans should speak more than one language. Yes, we desperately need to understand other cultures. I’ve always been a big advocate of such things. One of my favorite times in Europe was when we were singing praise songs in a small group – African, European, Asian, and American – in different languages. But, because of American, white, liberal guilt, there is a sense where anything that smacks of America, Caucasian, English speaking, or male is absolutely bad and needs to be put down to make way for something else. What? No one seems to know other than “not this.” I absolutely value and want to experience cultures other than my own. But, I don’t expect them to accommodate me when I am in their churches, in their countries, or hear their languages. It is nice when they help, and I want to help non-American/non-English speakers too, but this castigation of who and what we are in order to ease some peoples’ misplaced feelings of guilt just needs to end.
Hospitality does not mean we have to stop being who we are. We may become something else than what we are right now, but we don’t have to be determined to destroy what we are right now in some misplaced compulsion to be something, anything, other than what we are.
Why am I so perturbed? Because I fear loosing what I have discovered to be a wonderful thing? Perhaps because I don’t like to be included in other people’s psychoses? I should not be angry, and I should not sink my claws into something that is temporal, anyway. I really do simply want to love God and my neighbor. It is in the doing of these last two things that the trouble begins.
Category Archives: personal
On the Move
I am about ready to leave for General Convention in Columbus. I am nervous. I am nervous that this Anglican treasure that I discovered is about to implode. I am nervous that the extremist forces on both sides of the issues will pull apart this Church and then the Communion. I am nervous that something valuable to The Church universal will be lost – a valuable thing that is largely unnoticed in world Christianity as a whole.
The spirit of Anglicanism may live on (well, it will in me and others I know), but this notion of a world communion, of an expression of Christianity that freely allows questions, doubts and the divergence of opinion and piety as we all move closer to a truer and more honest understanding of ourselves as humans and of God, may not live on in a formal sense.
A “fundamentalism” has risen in all areas of our society worldwide – both from the right/conservative and left/liberal perspectives. Political, social, and religious “fundamentalism” that will not entertain that their ideas and/or actions may be wrong no matter how sincerely they are held or undertaken – no humility. A “fundamentalism” that is determined to wipe out opposing opinions and ways-of-doing-things concerning the good and proper formulations of social, political, and theological theories or practices – an extreme arrogance.
Without debate, trust, respect, and compromise, democracy is impossible. Anglicanism is impossible without a willingness to sit down at the table and believe that our opponents are of good will and are honestly seeking God as best they can, no matter how divergent our opinions.
Gotta go. I’m hoping to post throughout convention, if I have the time. Of course, my opinions are my own and do not reflect the positions of anyone or any organization I may work for, serve, or represent in other venues!
World Cup
In 1990, I was in Europe doing campus ministry work. An American college group was in Austria for a two week mission trip, and I went with them. After the mission was over, they took an extra week and went into Italy to do some sight-seeing, and I went with them.
We arrived in Venice in the evening. It happened to be in the middle of the World Cut finals – Italy vs. Germany. As we strolled through the completely deserted streets of Venice we heard only the sounds of the World Cut wafting out of the open windows of house after house after house. It was so odd to have the city to ourselves, for all practical purposes, as the natives sat in their living rooms cheering on Team Italia.
Today, the first day of another World Cup, it is fun seeing people all dressed up in team regalia walking the streets of New York. For most Americans, this is a non-event. For most of the rest of the world, it’s the biggest thing ever. Of course, most of the people dressed in team colors and insignia are probably not American. Living in a truly international city gives me (us) the ability to at least vicariously and to a far more limited extent experience the international frenzy and excitement that is the World Cup.
GC 2006
General Convention is fast approaching. The rhetoric from some quarters is definitely heating up.
I am very nervous. There are those who honestly think that this will all blow over and nothing particularly harmful will happen, aside from some blowing off of steam. I can’t buy that. I know the mindset of the reactionaries too well, and for them this is the line drawn in the sand. I am fearful that a large number, although not the majority, will move to leave the Church after the convention.
I am hoping that sanity will prevail and an honest Anglican spirit will have the day. I am prepared, however, for the worst. If the worst does happen, I suspect I (and those like me) will become the new “conservatives.” I really don’t want such a title, but if the current conservatives leave, then I guess the moderates become the new conservatives.
Alan Jones, the dean of the Cathedral in San Francisco, wrote a book recently published laying out his ideas of Anglican orthodoxy. I’ve only read the first few pages of the introduction, but I think this is going to be a very good book. Finally, it seems thus far, someone is writing in a way that I can strongly affirm. A middle way, a via media, seems to be his MO. I am hoping this may be the book that gives voice to the vast middle ground of the Church.
It is finished. It’s only beginning
Yesterday, June 3rd, along with three others ordained to the transitional diaconate, I was ordained a priest. It all went well, aside from my mistake of coming forward too early as the then prospective deacons were signing their oaths. Oh well.
This moring as I was looking through the Morning office and came to the pronouncement of forgiveness after the confession of sin, I realized I no long have to change the ‘you’ to ‘us’ and the ‘your’ to ‘our.’ There will be a whole lot of new things coming up.
Stuff and priesting
A very common sight on the streets of Manhattan is two people walking their dogs and as they meet they look down at their dog, then the other person’s dog, and start talking to their own dog, “ooh, looky, another dog.” The two dogs either do their normal sniffing or growl at each other. The owners normally speak to one another and at times neighborhood friendships develop.
Today, while sitting at a table outdoors in the suburb of West Orange drinking coffee, I saw to families each with 16-month-old babies. These two groups of parents did the same thing with their two babies that I’ve witnessed on the streets of Manhattan with dog owners. The babies did not sniff each other, by the way, nor did they growl.
While I was sitting there drinking coffee in a few stolen moments of being still, it suddenly dawned on me that in six days I will be ordained a priest. The next thought I had centered around the fact that I will not have the time to really think about this – no pre-ordination retreat, no time to sit and really think about what this means. I have a Medical Trust conference to help with all week.
This is really not the way to do this. Nothing over the past year has worked in a way that seems either normal or preferred.
At least there will be a conclusion to this seven-year quest. Since graduating from seminary, I just haven’t had the time to think about what this means in a way I think I should.
Crazy
The next month is going to be absolutely crazy. Tonight, driving to Baltimore for Gene’s graduation party on Saturday. We probably won’t get in until around midnight after a 31/2 hour drive. Not good for me since I tend to fall asleep when I drive at night! Drive back tomorrow and get in late.
I have to preach on Sunday. It will be an experience in extemporaneous preaching. Where is the time? I may also have to officiate, since Fr. Cullen won’t be there and the supply priest has at times forgotten to show up. It will be an impromptu Deacon’s Mass.
Then, on Monday May 29th, I fly to Ashville N.C. for the Medical Trust’s Lake Logan Conference. Fly to Cleveland on Friday May 2nd. I’ve got to carry all the vestments I need from Newark to Ashville to Cleveland and back to Newark.
Friday, rehearsal for ordination and then the Bishop’s ordination dinner. Saturday morning June 3rd, 10:00 am, I’m finally ordained priest along with the new transitional deacons.
Sunday June 4th, I fly back to New York. Work the following week.
Sunday, June 11, I fly to Columbus to attend General Convention with the Medical Trust. On Sunday, June 18th, I fly back to New York. This gives me two weeks to try to find a new apartment, since the one in which I’ve been living for the past 9 months in New Jersey has been sold to a new owner. I have to be out by June 30th. This is going to be a crazy month.
A good thing – as of Memorial Day, I am a full-time employee of the Medical Trust, after a year of being “Casual Part-Time.†I get benefits!
Why does this keep happening?
I really don’t understand why this keeps happening. Over the last 15 years or so, I keep getting hired to do jobs that I’m not really very qualified to do, even when I keep saying that there are others who are far more qualified. How in the world do I keep finding myself in this position?
But, the jobs I really want to do (like a full-time ministry position – on a university campus, perhaps) I can’t seem to get.
Not too well
I haven’t been feeling too well these past couple of days. I went with Ashton to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association national championships in Harrisburg, PA last Thursday through Saturday. (In the Alumni division, he came in third in the nation on the flats and fourth over the jumps.)
I really don’t eat all that much beef any more. On Friday evening, I had a very good steak and a hamburger on Saturday. I think part of my not feeling too well has to do with eating too much beef in such a short period of time. Of course, that could be all in my imagination.
I fly to Ohio tomorrow for my final interviews with the Commission on Ministry. I should hear by the 15th whether they approve me for ordination to the priesthood. I hope I’m feeling alright by tomorrow. It will be nice to see my family!
Then, Saturday, we drive down to Columbus to attend my nieces’ dedication in the church my sister has been attending. I don’t know what to expect.
Its official
Well, the date is set and all that is left to do is pass my final interview with the Commission on Ministry next Wednesday, which at this point shouldn’t be a problem.
So, June 3rd at 10:00 am at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, I will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests, a Presbyter in Christ’s One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church (aside from the fact that certain large segments of that Church don’t recognize Anglican Orders. Oh the joy of it all!). I will be ordained along with the Transitional Deacons, one year after my diaconal ordination.
I regret that my ordination will not be at St. Paul’s in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, where I now serve, but if I want to be ordained before General Convention, this is what has to happen. The next two months are going to be crazy, and I do hold a bit of anxiety about what will happen after General Convention.