Why?

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I do not know why we as a nation cannot learn that as a culture and as a nation that how we act elicits reactions. Perhaps it is just a minority that happens to be in power?
The ideals that cause so many people of the world to look to the United States for hope, for justice, for peace, for so many things, are being perverted, abused, squandered, and jettisoned for reasons of revenge and vindictive punishment. We are saying that we will force the world to accommodate us and abide by our desire. We seem to be bent on empire by force. This is nothing new, I know. Yet, there is a difference with this administration.
Some may claim that they and we as a nation will do anything to protect the United States and the American people. Why are our innocent civilians any more important or valuable than are innocent civilians in any other country – especially if we consider how God views us all? If what we do only causes more potential danger and more hatred among the world’s population for the United States, how are our actions and attitudes going to accomplish this goal of safety? Our actions work counter to our goals.
If our foreign and domestic policies continue on their current course, we may have short-term safety (even if only in our imaginations), but we will not have long-term peace or safety.
I cannot say they donÂ’t understand, because these are intelligent people. Yet, it seems they simply cannot see; they do not seem to understand. The crime, in my opinion, is that many of these same people claim Christ as their example – they attitudes, ideas, and actions are so contrary to the example and call of Christ that it is mind-boggling. The nation of the United States has become their idol.

The Disappearance

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“As we don’t know what we are living, we don’t know what we are losing.”
Genevieve Jurgensen The Disappearance: A Primer of Loss
The implications of this little statement: Consider how far we fall away from our ability and potential as we insist on continuing in the “way of the world” rather than living fully into the Kingdom of God.
We do not know how to live the life God calls us to, therefore we completely miss the life offered to us by God through Jesus Christ. We do not even realize what we are missing – we do not know what we are losing every moment of every day.

Substitutionary Sacrifice

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From the House of Bishops/House of Deputies Listserv:
A priest wrote a post presenting a portion of writing from Dr. John R. W. Stott (see below) on substitutionary atonement (which brings worth much consternation here at General). A second person commented on “substitutionary atonement” and the way we do theology. Here is his comment:

“> A substitutionary sacrifice … we are obliged to conclude …
When we apply logic to metaphor, parable, poetry, image or symbol, we oblige ourselves to conclude strangely. That God first loved us is not logical. It is counter-intuitive, counter-deductive and counter-cultural. My gut, my head and my world each “conclude” in their own way that substitutionary sacrifice makes more sense than the no-strings, upside-down Good News of God.
Substitutionary sacrifice, however, is neither Catholic nor catholic
tradition. It was enshrined in popular piety by a tradition of preachers, long before Mel Gibson, who discovered how easy it was to preach and to use in a manipulative way.
We do well to observe the traditional distinction between positive and speculative theology. The former seeks to discover creedal kernels of the church catholic, e.g., Trinity, Incarnation, Atonement, Resurrection, Real Presence. The latter has to do with past and continuing attempts to gain some insight into those beliefs in our necessarily limited way. To canonize one or another way of understanding those beliefs is to conclude strangely.
“For us and for our salvation” I truly believe. That’s positive theology.Substitutionary sacrifice? That’s speculative theology… far from anything all are obliged to conclude… There’s a huge difference. Destructive divisions occur when people don’t get that.
Bill Lewellis, Communication Minister/Editor, Diocese of Bethlehem

Click below for the text of the origional post.

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Theological Education

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The following is a portion of the Provincial Eastertide Statement by The Most Revd Gregory Venables, Primate of the Province of the Southern Cone commenting on the recent Anglican PrimatesÂ’ meeting in Ireland.

“You may also know that I continue to chair the Primates Commission for Theological Education for the Anglican Communion (TEAC). That has proven to be a very important group. The current crisis that assaults the Communion would not have risen if we had adequate theological education.”

I find it quite funny, if not sad, to hear Venables make this kind of statement. I do not wish to denigrate the education of the clergy of his province, but the implication of this statement is that Canadian, American, and other Northern Hemisphere provinces are sorely lacking in theological education. In many provinces, priests do not have to undergo any formal theological education.
If only we had adequate theological education Gene Robinson would not be bishop, homosexuals would not be welcome in Anglican churches, and a strict and narrow fundamentalist interpretation of Scripture would be enforced as Anglican dogma. In other words, we would not be Anglican as Anglicanism has historically been understood and practiced, but just another fundamentalist denomination.
What he is talking about, of course, is not education but indoctrination.
Click below for his entire statement –

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Whitewash

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We all sin and fall short of the glory of God. There is a difference, however, between recognizing the sin, admitting it, repenting, receiving forgiveness, and moving on, and reveling in the sin!
Frankly, too many of us who claim Christ spend far too much time justifying ourselves and reveling in our own sin rather than seeking God’s will and freedom.
This is an affront to the Passion of Jesus, defames the cause of Christ, and is a rejection of the Kingdom of God. Hypocrites! We are all engaged in self-whitewashing. And the people who seek relief and freedom and fulfillment and self-actualization and joy and peace and honesty and integrity all yell HYPOCRITES. No wonder.

The Day the Worlds Collide

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What happens when the taste for this world collides with the taste for the Kingdom of God?
The woman caught in adultery was dragged before Jesus by a bunch of self-righteous hypocrites who cared-less about the woman but only wanted to trip-up Jesus so they could, what? – humiliate him, kill him – anything other than caring about the welfare of the woman.
Jesus didn’t say to them, “Men, where are your accusers?” He did not say to them, “Go and sin no more!” These were reserved for the woman, used as a pawn in the schemes of these addicted men, her accusers, religious leaders of Israel.
Surely she sinned. According to the Law, she was worthy of punishment and her accusers where justified – according to their understanding and application of the Law. Perhaps she was not without hope. Perhaps she could yet experience transformation and redemption. Perhaps a small taste of this Kingdom of God, which she had just received, would have so engrossed her that the taste for this world became like dung.
Jesus didn’t even try with her accusers. Where they not worthy of his attention? Surely they were, just as this woman was worthy. Perhaps their taste for this world was so engrained that they could countenance no other. Perhaps they were so addicted to the drug of what? – power, attention, renown, pride, arrogance, indignation, this world – that they could not even begin to image anything greater, let alone far superior, to that of which they imbibed.
We are all given the privilege and ability to take a taste of this thing called the Kingdom of God. Many do and realize that it is that which they have sought all their lives, and that this taste draws them into a Kingdom of freedom, joy despite circumstances, and the presence of one who will never leave them nor forsake them. Many do not, perhaps because they are just fine with that which at the moment tastes so good (how could anything… anything… be greater), but in the end when the aftertaste comes, is but dung. Perhaps many do not because of their addiction to this world (and religion can also be one of these addictions).
I am so saddened when we see our religious leaders and they have no idea what we are talking about when we say we have tasted something so wonderful. They have no clue. I am so grieved when these men and women attempt to lead God’s church and are so in love and addicted to this world. They are ignorant or possibly hypocrites at best, and charlatans at worst.
I learned yesterday of some of the internal goings-on of certain past leaders in a certain diocese of the Episcopal Church. There is no wonder why parts of this Church are dying. The Church of Jesus Christ cannot exist when it is lead by men and women who are so addicted to this world and have no clue of transformation/translation into that far better Kingdom. We all sin, but they revel in it. How can they proclaim the Kingdom of God when they know nothing of it? They cannot. They become religious leaders and accusers. All they can do is feed the addictions by which this world enslaves them. They far prefer the taste of this world at this moment. They are the accusers of the woman caught in adultery. The Kingdom of God is made available to them, because it is the property of God to always have mercy, yet they have never tasted and cannot understand – worse yet, they refuse to.
I hope that I am that woman. I hope that my own sin is revealed and that I can recognize that that sin, that addiction, is so pale and truly tastes so awful when compared to that which Jesus offers. God help me.

Deployment

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I have been having a difficult time these past couple of days. Today isn’t so bad – just been working on finding a job. The thought of only a few short weeks left before I am out of seminary and having to support myself once again (aside from all the students loans that will come due), is trying. I’m in debt, have no care or home, nor any prospects for a ministry position. Things are very tight this year, at least for those just leaving seminary.
I have determined by some of my conversations during interviews that I may prefer to enter a parish setting as the deacon-in-charge. A little tougher, I suspect, but I think I could do a decent job in a smaller parish. Ideally, I would like to be in a university setting as a chaplain, but those positions are even fewer.
Yes, all the questions of whether this was a wise move, whether I’ve got what it takes, whether I can actually do this kind of stuff runs through my mind. I have a lot to offer, I know that. I especially have a lot to offer concerning evangelism (I’m not afraid or embarrassed by the concept or doing the work), the understanding of the Evangelical mindset (I predict many, many Evangelicals will be migrating to somewhere else as the Religious Right continues to politicize American Evangelicalism). I致e come into an understanding of catholic piety (which Anglicanism is well suited for younger generations who seek mystery, the ancient, and an allowance for questioning) and great appreciation for the daily offices. I am experienced with discipleship and Christian formation.
Anyone want to hire me? I know I can trust God, yet I’ve been a bit blue.

Church Politics and Individual Opinions

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Here are a couple posts in blogs of fellow Episcopalians worth reading (I think):
Father Jake Stops the World: A Closer Look at the Attempted Coup
and a response:
Drell’s Descants: A Response to Fr. Jake – A Closer Look at The Attempted Coup
We sit back and watch. Those who are determined to “win” will do whatever is necessary to do just that, even if it means the Church is destroyed or looks nothing like a traditional Anglican church – whether the “who” is either conservative or progressive. It is beyond the Gospel, and those of us who care about this Anglican Way and this Church must call these individuals and their organizations back to the Gospel.