Reappraisal of the AMiA's Policy of Ordaining Women to the Deaconate

Here is a link to an article written by the Rev'd J.S.S. Patterson regarding this important issue. The article is on the side bar of his parish's website in .pdf format.

(Biretta tip: Fr. Chandler Holder Jones, SSC)

Update and New CD

Sorry I have not posted anything recently. We just arrived in Vero Beach, Florida on Monday. After going through seven straight days of moving "hell" (packing, unpacking, etc.) things are finally beginning to calm down a bit. There is no internet connection where we are staying, so I have to drive a few miles to Panera Bread to use their free wi-fi network. I hope to go back to regular posting soon.

I will leave you all with this. Just before moving I bought a new CD by the Choir of King's College called "Gregorian Chant". It consists of the Sarum mass for the Octave of the Nativity of the BVM, and first vespers for the same. It is a gorgeous recording (I think they do Gregorian Chant very well), and it contains the entire service, including the chanted Epistles, Gospel, preface, etc. I recommend it!

School's Been Blown to Pieces

Someone stole my most recent copy of New Oxford Review from the mail (theft of mail is big problem in my experience in Baltimore ), so I had them send me another. And I am so glad I did, because in this issue is an article in it on the sorry state of Catholic Schools here in the U.S. As a former Catholic school teacher myself, it really hit a nerve. The man's basic point is that the schools are not teaching "official" Catholic theology.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore's policy is that anyone can teach in a Catholic, so long as it is not the religion class, which must be taught by a "practicing" Catholic. So at my school, me, and two other students were the only Catholics. The science teacher was an armchair Buddhist. The English teacher was some kind of Baptist (a woman) who was also an "ordained minister". The principal was a Lutheran - which officially was in violation of archdiocesan policy (the principal must be Catholic, so they just gave her a different title). The other teachers didn't even go to church. So it was a real grab bag.

The problem with this approach is that it assumes faith and "religion" doesn't have any impact on other fields of study. It seperates faith and life. But religions are always part of a larger worldview, and the different elements in a worldview build on and interact with each other. One need only watch the evening news to see how the scientific establishment and the Catholic Church go at it over issues like embryonic stem cell research and so on. How important, then, for the science teacher to be in tune with Church's teaching. So, the archdiocese's "open" policy is really not very wise in my opinion (unless of course they want to continue to ruin the Catholic Church, which maybe they do). It undermines the wholistic mission of the Catholic Church. Conservative Protestant/Reformed schools are much better in my opinion in hiring people who "tow the party line". Why the Catholics don't do that, and don't see the benefits in it is beyond me.

Church Insurance Program

Does anyone know which continuing Anglican jurisdictions have insurance programs for clergy and other employees? The APA and REC do not. I think the ACC had one at some point. What about the others (APCK, DHC, ACA, etc.)? I have been doing some research on this and would like to know. Thanks!

The Anglican Federation

Here is a link to the Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas which is an umbrella group to promote communication, fellowship, and cooperation among the various Anglican bodies in the states. I would encourage everyone to have look at this.

On another note, I was looking at 'members' section, and went to the AMiA's website, and it is very nice looking. Why do so many other Anglican jurisdictions have such bad looking websites? The best that I have seen so far are the AMiA's and APCK's (a big improvement over their last one). The APA's, REC's, ACC's, and ACA's are really bad and unprofessional looking. They reflect badly on our churches. The continuing churches might not be able to errect a bunch of stately new parish churches everywhere, but we could at least hire professional web designers to make a nice looking websites for the national church instead of all of this "mom and pop" stuff.

Resurrection Window

This past weekend I had the privledge of celebrating the Holy Eucharist at St. Mark's Church, Vero Beach, where I will soon be serving as curate. St. Mark's has a gorgeous set of windows by artist Lyn Durham who is one of the top painters in the American stained glass field. I will be posting pictures of the various windows for everyone to see them. Here is the "Resurrection" window. This is only the center lancet. It is actually a tryptych.

You would be surprised at how many people in churches never look at what is in their church building. When I was in the stained glass field, I would point out details of windows to vestrymen and pastors, and they would be amazed at what I'd show them. Of course, if they only took a few minutes to actually look at the art up close they'd see those things too. It is like people never taking time to ponder a doctrine of the faith, like the resurrection, or the afterlife. They have in their mind a set idea of what the doctrine is all about, but because they never actually think about it beyond what is already in their own mind, they often have erroneous ideas (like "heaven" being a big golden main street with lots of mansions on it), or they don't fully appeciate whatever doctrine it may be.

May God grant us eyes to see, and ears to hear, and the grace to always be looking.

Add Your Parish to this Map

Go to this site and add your continuing Anglican parish to this map. It takes just a second.

New Mindset for Evangelism

I have written before that it is sometimes frustrating to be Anglican in the sense that Anglicanism can be hard for the outsider to understand. People don't know if it is protestant, or catholic, both, or neither. And then if they do know something about it, one must go through and explain how "episcopal" and "Anglican" are the same thing, but really they're not, and so on. So the whole thing can be very frustrating and confusing at times.

Well, now I have decided to change my mindset regarding this, and turn frustration into opportunity. Instead of being mildy annoyed at always having to explain the Anglican way (since people know so little about it) I try to see it as an opportunity to get in protracted conversation with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ. This is especially good with the unchurched. They might not have any interest in Jesus, or in going to church, but they always seem to have a curiosity about "something new" that they haven't heard of before (like Paul on Mars Hill in the Acts of the Apostles). Already this mindset as yielded some good conversations where I was able to present the claims of Jesus Christ clearly and unequivocally. And naturally the convesation turns to the doctrines of the faith, such as sacraments, the scriptures, etc., so a whole variety of topics can be discussed all based on the question, "Anglican? What's that?" So I would definitely encourage us all to use the fact that people know so little about Anglicanism as a springboard for a conversation about Jesus. The same can be done with the current Episcopal Church crisis.

I don't think we do enough one-on-one evangelism, where we actually sit down with someone and tell them who Jesus Christ is, that He died for them, and that the church is the ark of salvation, and so on. Who says that only Baptists or whomever can evangelize one on one. We can do it too, and we should, as we're all called to bear witness to Our Lord.

St. James the Average on tour?

A few years ago I used to play banjo and do some singing in a rockabilly/roots band. We played regularly at two bars in Baltimore, doing mostly covers of the Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Gillian Welch, Merril Haggard, traditional "Americana" types of songs, and a lot more. Occasionally we'd play a parties as well. But as time went on, a few guys moved away, and the rest of us got too busy to jam regularly. Some of us got married, one got ordained... so now we hardly ever get together to play at all. Anyone who's ever played in a band has experienced this, I'm sure.

It seems that the only time we do get together is when I get some of the guys to come and play at the Presbyterian Home of Maryland, where I do an Evening Prayer service every few months. One time, I got the bright idea of getting the remaining guys together to play some special music. It was also a chance for me to preach the Good News to the bandmates, but that is another post. So the band went and played a rockin' medley of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", "I am a Pilgrim", and "Were you there (when they crucified my Lord)?" It went over very well, and I was surprised that some of the octagenarians even knew who Johnny Cash was. The second time we went back as a band months later, we just did an entire concert for them, which was a blast - that's where the picture is from. That was the last time we played out.

Well, today I got an e-mail from our former bass player who lives up Boston now, and apparently he posted some of our music online. A promoter discovered it and has asked us to consider playing some shows at some larger venues in the Baltimore-Washington area! What a crazy life this is.... Anyway, that would be lots of fun, and we might even make some money at it, but unfortunately St. James the Average doesn't have time for one more thing to be added to his schedule. And I don't think they would let me play in my collar, so count me out!

Priest-Artist

Here is an article on me and my art in the Baltimore Sun. The reporter got some of the dates wrong, but it is a confusing story, so that's okay.

Clericalism is back.

Recently, I had an interesting discussion with a person about "diversifying" the leadership in churches (and this person's home church in particular - not an Anglican parish). As our discussion went on, it became apparant to me that this person was equating leadership and ministry entirely with the ordained ministry. In his mind, women should be "ordained" because they have a right to be leaders and ministers (in a generic sense of the word) as do men.

I suppose this was interesting to me because the more rigorous opponents of a male-only pastorate/priesthood usually cite clericalism (i.e. the priest/pastor does everything) as being one of the great evils of Christianity... a holdover from Medieval times. But what was so intriguing was that advocates of women's "ordination" are actually perpetuating this evil of clericalism and taking it to new extremes. The person I was talking to seemed to think that one had to be ordained, and lead sacramental acts, to take positions of leadership, service, and ministry in the local and larger church! That is clericalism at its most extreme. In reality, one does not have be ordained to "minister" in the name of the Lord (sacramental acts excluded, obviously). We are all called to serve and minister, and to help bring God's Kingdom into greater realization here on earth in whatever way we can.

Gentley, I tried to point out that Mother Angelica on EWTN is a perfect example of someone who has leadership over a lot of things (a global Catholic television network - that's a pretty big deal), yet she is not ordained, and is even opposed to "ordaining" women. There are the multitude of educators, charity providers, political leaders, etc. who all serve God without being ordained. The list of women who minister in the name of the Lord without being ordained could go on forever. It is not required to be ordained to serve God. In fact laity are required to serve God by virtue of their baptism and confirmation as much as the ordained are. Now obviously, the church has by divine institution a sacramental priesthood and ministry; that goes without saying. But I think to suggest that one haas to be ordained to serve God, start and lead ministries, witness to the truth of Jesus Christ to people, etc. is false. To suggest that is simply to promote clericalism.

Dominus Vobiscum

After a lovely spaghetti dinner last week, I decided to sit back and relax by drinking some lemoncello and watching "The Godfather". Then, I suddenly remembered that my vestments would be ready on Saturday! So when Saturday came around, my wife and I got in my Fiat, popped a Puccini CD into the CD player, and drove up to Philalephia to Renzetti & Magnarelli to pick them up. (I almost took my Ducati motorcycle up, but am glad I didn't, as there was lots of rain that afternoon.) On the way up we stopped by Little Italy in Baltimore to have some prosciutto and mozarella for lunch. When we got to Philly, we picked up the vestments, and they look great! On the way back, we stopped for desert and each had a cappuccino and some tiramisu.

Here is me in my red set from today's mass for St. James.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem on Communion

Here is a delicious quote from St. Cyril of Jerusalem (circa A.D. 387) on communion in both kinds and reverence for the sacred species. This quote comes from A Manuel for Confessors by Belton.

"Make thy left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a king. And hollowing thy palm receive the Body of Christ, saying over it the Amen. Hallow then with care thine eyes by the touch of the holy Body, and partake of it, giving heed lest thou lose any part of it; for whatever thou shouldest lose would evidently be a loss to thee as from one of thine own members. For tell me, if any one gave thee grains of gold, wouldest thou not hold them with all care, taking heed lest thou shouldest lose any of them and suffer loss? Wilt thou not much more carefully be in thy guard lest a crumb fall from thee of what is more precious than gold and precious stones? Then, after thou hast made thy communion of the Body of Christ, draw near also to the cup of His Blood, not stretching out thy hands, but bending and in an attitude of reverence and worship saying the Amen, hallow thyself by partaking also of the Blood of Christ."

Artist Blog

Okay, there is one more new blog that I want to highlight, and that is my art blog. Sometimes I have so much more to say about art and culture than I do about life as a continuing Anglican, so I thought I'd start this. This new blog will have a link to my art website (which is still being updated), as well as other art-related organizations. Obviously it will touch on theology and the church here and there, as I am a priest-artist, but the overall thrust of it will be art... and my art in particular.

To the left is one of the icons (Virgin Eleousa) that will be in my upcoming show.

Fare thee well, Baltimore

In almost a month, my wife and I will be packing our bags and moving down south to Vero Beach, Florida, where I'll serve as curate of St. Mark's Anglican Church.

I will certainly miss Baltimore, as I have lived here all my life (though I was actually born in Miami). Some of the things I will miss the most will be church-related people and things. I'll my spiritual director and confessor, Fr. Charles McClean, SSC, along with everyone else at Mt. Calvary Church. I'll miss making the rounds to the various Choral Evensong services around town. I'll miss being so close to New York City and Washington, DC. I'll miss being near to the Icon and Book Service (Washington), as well as The Newman Bookstore, which is the greatest theological bookstore on the planet. I'll miss spending hours snooping around the dark recesses of the fantastic library of my alma mater, St. Mary's Seminary. I'll miss walking up the street and looking around at the Episcopal bookstore, St. Bede's, and laughing under my breath at all of the weird New Age stuff they get in. And there is so much more that I will miss that I don't have space to mention.

All of that may sound boring to some, and maybe it is. But to me it is all so exciting and enriching. It's those simple things in life that make it so wonderful and worth living. I think that many people would be much happier and more fulfilled if they took the time to appreciate the finer points of their own life as God has given it to them. When we are thankful for the little things in life, and strive to live a life of simplicity, we begin to be transformed. Slowly we cease to be concerned about gaining more possessions and power. We slow down, and find ourselves with a mind and soul that is able to contemplate greater things... the things that are really worthwhile, and that do not fade away, such as love, relationships, and God.

Blessed with Vocations

As I mentioned in my report about the recent APA Synod, we have been blessed with lots of vocations to Holy Orders in recent years. When the church has clergy that means that it has the manpower to go out and minister and evangelize. We have been blessed not only with candidates in general, but with good candidates who are personable, professional, well-educated, and committed to serving our risen Lord.

My own parish of St. Alban's seems to be a "vocations" factory. Just yesterday I learned of yet another talented and well-educated man who is interested in going to seminary and possibly pursuing ordination. So after me, and the man and his family that just left for Nashotah House, that means we have 3-4 men in our parish alone who are at various stages in the discernment process. Why do we get so many? Well, we pray for more vocations at every single mass... that's got to be the main reason, obviously. God always answers prayer. Also, the rector is a very holy man who takes his work extremely seriously, and that goes a long way in attracting men to offer themselves for the sacred ministry. Indeed I've been in parishes where the rector doesn't take himself or his priestly vocation seriously, and it reflects in the health of the parish and level of vocations.

I truly believe that God is doing a great work in the world, and that He will use us traditional Anglicans to help accomplish it. In fact, I think that God is setting the stage for something big, as He is getting many men ready to preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments to a world that desperately needs them.

Pray for vocations. Pray for priests.

Greater Organization on the Blog

I have just created a new catagory of links that lists cross-jurisdictional Anglican unity organizations and partnerships around the country. If you have one in your area that has a website, please let me know and I will add it to this list. One of the things that I hope to do is organize the links in a better way and add additional catagories so that this blog can be used as a resource by others, and also be an instrument of unity in some small way.

And another new one....

Here is another Anglican blog that looks like it'll be really good: Glad to Be Anglican

The blogger, The Rev'd David Beckamnn, is a priest of the EMC out of Chattanooga. I am partial to people and things from Chattanooga, as I attended Covenant College for a few years way back when. The APA has a parish nearby in Knoxville, Holy Cross Anglican Church, whose vicar is the Rev'd Ralph Waterhouse (and also a fellow motorcyclist).

It is nice to see that classical Anglicanism is alive and well in the Tennessee Valley!

Another Roman Catholic TV Docu-Drama

Recently I received the latest newsletter from the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in New Mexico, where I took a retreat while in seminary years ago. It said that they participated in a documentary for the Learning Channel, which will air in September or October, where they let five men and five women come and live with them in the monastery for fourty days. It should be pretty good. Initially they were reluctant to participate, but since they have they've found that a lot of good has come from it.

This monastery is a great place to visit, by the way, and I highly recommend it to all who are interested. They are a really friendly bunch of people, and they do the liturgy amazingly well.

Two New Blogs

Here are two new blogs that look like they will be intersting to follow. The first is by Joshua Mahar, a student at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, and the second by my longtime friend and associate, Jeffrey Baus, aspirant for the Diocese of Quincy, and student at Nashotah House.

A Life Learning Grace: Sursum Corda

Remnant Anglican