Friday, January 30, 2009
TAC Personal Prelature
The internet is abuzz with stories that the Holy Father is going to receive the TAC en-masse and make them a personal prelature like Opus Dei (personal prelatures seem to be the solution to everything these days - the same route is being considered with the SSPX apparently). This is exciting news and may lead to many more Anglicans going to Rome if it goes through. I really have to wonder, though, how something like this can be pulled off. It has got to be a lot easier with SSPX because they are entirely Roman in their liturgy and ethos, but with us it is a different story. Also, what if bring in a bunch of continuing Anglicans in this way perturbs the SSPX and other traditionalists in the Roman Church and derails that? I am sure B16 and his associates have this figured out, or are going to figure it out if it goes through. Supposedly an announcement is due by Easter. As for me, entering communion with Rome in this manner is far more desirable than fooling around with this Common Cause stuff.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The shoe is on the other foot now!
I just finished reading the latest update to the "No Way APA" website. Maybe the owner should change the name of his site to "No Way REC".
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Joys of Studying Medieval Philosophy
I have just finished reading through Fr. Frederick Copleston's massive "History of Philosophy" series through the 'late medieval' section. I still have many more volumes to go before finishing the set, but am going to take a detour to read some other works in medieval philosophy that I have laying around. By the way, if you are looking for the best "History of Philosophy" series to read get Copleston. Whatever you do don't waste your time reading Bertrand Russell's. While he is much more entertaining to read, Copleston goes into far greater detail. This is to be expected as Copleston was a philosopher while Russell was just a mathematician.
Anyway, the goal of reading his series from the beginning and into the Medieval era was to grasp St. Thomas better. While it was beneficial in that respect, I have to admit that in the end I have found Ockham to be the far most interesting reading of the whole series thus far. While I will have to do more reading on him, it seems based on what I have read thus far that Ockham and the "Ockhamist" or "Nominalist" school was really the unintentional fountainhead of skepticism. Over and over again Ockham maintained that very few Christian dogmas and doctrines could be philosophically proven. Yet he maintained that they were to be believed on the basis of faith, or Church teaching. Granted other Medieval philosophers thought that way about certain doctrines (e.g. St. Thomas with the doctrine of creation), but Ockham seemed to think that about virtually every category of Christian belief. Thus he ended up creating a massive dichotomy between theology and philosophy. Centuries later that was to have disastrous results.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Hail to the Chief
Well, today is an historic day. We have a new president. A "great messiah" who will miraculously deliver us from our enemies and usher in a time of eternal peace and prosperity. Any time there is a difference of opinion on some great issue, such as abortion, same sex unions, Cuba, or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this new "messiah" will fly in and deliver some fantastic sounding speech that will save the day.
I am bracing myself spiritually and politically for the FOCA which he supports and which would force doctors and hospitals to provide abortions against their conscience and will. That this man would support this legislation while at the same time enjoying such popular support even by Christians is truly scary and depressing. 125,000 more abortions - oh wonderful... what fantastic "change" that is. Sounds like a change for the worse to me. God help us all.
Monday, January 19, 2009
God, send us an organist!
This picture has nothing to do with an organist. I just thought I'd post it. It is our "Rose Sunday" picture. The flowers were big hit. The light coming in on the reredos is from our beautiful "eucharistic" stained glass windows in the sanctuary. Actually there is just one rose in each arrangement and the rest are pink carnations. That is what we financially poor churches must do. But it's fine to do it that way... as long as there is at least one pink rose!I pray that God would send us a full time organist/music minister. We are blessed with a great interim organist (a VA Tech student who graduates in May), and we have some other good stand in organists that have helped us, and that we can call on when needed, but we need a full time person.
One of the many reasons I came here was that I recognized right away the awesome potential in this place. I knew they couldn't "offer me" tons of perks right off the bat, but I know that down the road this will, by God's grace, be a thriving parish church that will be a blessing to me, and to everyone in Blacksburg and beyond in ways that are beyond my imagination.
I just wish I could find a music minister who could join me in this endeavor. Someone who sees the potential, and all that we can do here! The sky is the limit with the musical possibilities in this parish and in this university town. Is there anyone out there who would come and join us in this work we are doing for God's glory?
Monday, January 12, 2009
Divorced and Remarried Clergy: The New Hot-Button Issue?
An interesting article on VOL. I once had lunch with Bp. Hewitt of the DHC and he was explaining to me and some other priests that the first fissure in TEC began in the late 60's/early 70's when they changed the canons governing divorce and remarriage for the clergy. That paved the way to the ordination of women, which eventually lead to the acceptance of homosexuality.
Anyway, it is interesting that the so-called Global South bishops are so strong on this issue, and on the homosexuality issue, but not on the issue of women's ordination which bridges the two. I think most of the Global South churches in the Anglican Communion ordain women - if not to the priesthood to the diaconate. Other groups, such as FiFNa churches and AMiA, ordain women to the diaconate.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, comes of this.
Anyway, it is interesting that the so-called Global South bishops are so strong on this issue, and on the homosexuality issue, but not on the issue of women's ordination which bridges the two. I think most of the Global South churches in the Anglican Communion ordain women - if not to the priesthood to the diaconate. Other groups, such as FiFNa churches and AMiA, ordain women to the diaconate.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, comes of this.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Church Growth 2
These are some more random thoughts swirling around in my head about church growth as it relates to continuing Anglican parishes. These observations refer to a typical continuing Anglican parish like St. Francis: small, no choir (much less a paid choir), Sunday parish mass with hymns.
1) Most people prefer to come to church and do as little as possible and be entertained. Extremely clerical churches where the minister does everything (e.g. Presbyterian), or entertainment-oriented "game show" churches - where the service is like an episode of "The Price is Right" - appeal to the vast majority of people because of basic human laziness. Older services like ours (and maybe the Tridentine mass) service demand a lot of people, therefore there is a natural aversion to them. We clergy should simply expect this of people.
2) Most people prefer a service that is not only reverent but easy to follow. Ours is very complex, even in its lowest (straight Prayer Book) form. So we need to try to make our services as easy as possible to follow so as to make it accessible to the broadest number of people. I think we do that by sticking as close to the Prayer Book as possible. We clergy tend to become so familiar with the liturgy that we often get bored with it, so we are tempted to add, add, add. But we need to put ourselves in the laity's shoes. Sometimes adding all of that stuff (e.g. the minor propers, the extra collects, etc.) makes the service too hard for them to follow. (especially if they have to go from Prayer Book, to Hymnal, to bulletin, and back and forth)
3) Most people can only absorb a limited amount in one hour. Again, I think that adding all of the minor propers and extra collects is simply too much to absorb. It works in the old Roman mass because much of that mass was said in silence. But it doesn't always work with us. We forget that besides the mass we have: the hymns, the announcements, the sermon, coffee hour, and Sunday school. All of that takes a certain chunk of people's "spiritual absorption" quota. When we start adding tons of beautiful but verbose prayers people just begin to zone out after a while and the whole kit and caboodle becomes ineffective.
4) Too many hymns and too much singing can definitely be a bad thing. Unless you have a paid choir, or a good volunteer choir, we need to do less singing. Why? Time and taste: our typical mass music is pretty dreary (Willan, Merbecke), and adds lots of unnecessary time to the service. There is no rule that those parts MUST be sung, so if you have a small group just recite them and sing only the hymns. Why else? Our culture is becoming less and less musical. Average people do not sing much anymore, or even read music, so they feel awkward doing too much singing (especially of such alien music). Why else? Their voices get tired after a while from all of the responses and recitations; they are also tired from kneeling, and from it being so early in the morning. So I think the less music we have the better. I think it is best to try to get the biggest bang for your buck with the music - if there is going to be singing, let it be just the bare minimum of hymns, and just recite the ordinary of the mass (except maybe on special occasions). Too much music, especially when it is bad, just drives people away.
1) Most people prefer to come to church and do as little as possible and be entertained. Extremely clerical churches where the minister does everything (e.g. Presbyterian), or entertainment-oriented "game show" churches - where the service is like an episode of "The Price is Right" - appeal to the vast majority of people because of basic human laziness. Older services like ours (and maybe the Tridentine mass) service demand a lot of people, therefore there is a natural aversion to them. We clergy should simply expect this of people.
2) Most people prefer a service that is not only reverent but easy to follow. Ours is very complex, even in its lowest (straight Prayer Book) form. So we need to try to make our services as easy as possible to follow so as to make it accessible to the broadest number of people. I think we do that by sticking as close to the Prayer Book as possible. We clergy tend to become so familiar with the liturgy that we often get bored with it, so we are tempted to add, add, add. But we need to put ourselves in the laity's shoes. Sometimes adding all of that stuff (e.g. the minor propers, the extra collects, etc.) makes the service too hard for them to follow. (especially if they have to go from Prayer Book, to Hymnal, to bulletin, and back and forth)
3) Most people can only absorb a limited amount in one hour. Again, I think that adding all of the minor propers and extra collects is simply too much to absorb. It works in the old Roman mass because much of that mass was said in silence. But it doesn't always work with us. We forget that besides the mass we have: the hymns, the announcements, the sermon, coffee hour, and Sunday school. All of that takes a certain chunk of people's "spiritual absorption" quota. When we start adding tons of beautiful but verbose prayers people just begin to zone out after a while and the whole kit and caboodle becomes ineffective.
4) Too many hymns and too much singing can definitely be a bad thing. Unless you have a paid choir, or a good volunteer choir, we need to do less singing. Why? Time and taste: our typical mass music is pretty dreary (Willan, Merbecke), and adds lots of unnecessary time to the service. There is no rule that those parts MUST be sung, so if you have a small group just recite them and sing only the hymns. Why else? Our culture is becoming less and less musical. Average people do not sing much anymore, or even read music, so they feel awkward doing too much singing (especially of such alien music). Why else? Their voices get tired after a while from all of the responses and recitations; they are also tired from kneeling, and from it being so early in the morning. So I think the less music we have the better. I think it is best to try to get the biggest bang for your buck with the music - if there is going to be singing, let it be just the bare minimum of hymns, and just recite the ordinary of the mass (except maybe on special occasions). Too much music, especially when it is bad, just drives people away.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
The rewards of being an artist
Being an artist is just as intense and demanding a vocation as being a priest. Like the priesthood, the artistic life has its highs and lows, and ups and downs. But the rewards of both vocations are immeasurable. I have been very blessed to touch many lives through my art - from people around the world. Recently I was sent this note about an icon that I did: (I gave it to a client who passed it on as a gift, and the client sent me the comment that follows.)
"The crucifixion painting you gave me has already been a treasure. As you may know, I suffer from phases of deep depression and take medication for that depression, but as with all things, there is a very spiritual dimension to my depression. When I am able to look at something like a painting of the crucifixion, it both makes the crucifixion real and brings me great comfort. I am going through such a time right now and this afternoon I propped the painting up by my bed so that I could look at it as I tried to rest. So I thank you very very much for it."
It is a tremendous blessing, and very humbling, to be able to touch so many peoples lives artistically and ministerially.
"The crucifixion painting you gave me has already been a treasure. As you may know, I suffer from phases of deep depression and take medication for that depression, but as with all things, there is a very spiritual dimension to my depression. When I am able to look at something like a painting of the crucifixion, it both makes the crucifixion real and brings me great comfort. I am going through such a time right now and this afternoon I propped the painting up by my bed so that I could look at it as I tried to rest. So I thank you very very much for it."
It is a tremendous blessing, and very humbling, to be able to touch so many peoples lives artistically and ministerially.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Church Growth 1
All that I have been thinking about the last couple days is church growth, not only because of trying to grow/revitalize this parish (though I wonder, based on the numbers in the books, if it was ever "vitalized" to begin with), but because many "continuing Anglican" (CA) parishes seem to be stagnant or in decline. And that is a major concern on many levels.
Now, we have had growth at St. Francis since I have been here. We have added some five new university students, one older professional, and one retired professional. I am VERY THANKFUL for that growth! And, thanks be to God, most CA parishes, dioceses, and jurisdictions can probably claim the same type of growth - though the demographics are different based on where they are located (i.e. we are across the street from VA Tech, so we have a number of college students; other parishes are in retirement communities, so they have lots of older, retired folk, etc.). So we ARE growing at St. Francis! And other parishes in the APA and in similar CA jurisdictions are also growing! The numbers prove that. As I have seen it said on other CA sites: "We are growing, slowly, but we are growing."
But is the growth keeping up with 'inflation'? In other words, how much of our parish growth is actual "new adult conversions to Christianity" growth verses getting folk from other Anglican parishes, or other churches? And how much of our growth is getting folk who are converts from some other tradition, such as Presbyterianism, Anabaptism, Romanism, etc.? From what I know it is far to say that most of our very small and slow growth comes in those areas, which is not bad (no growth is "bad", per se), but not good either. Very little growth (and none so far in my tenure here at St. Francis) is growth in terms of adult converts to the Christian religion! To be honest, in my whole life I know of only one adult person who went from being a complete, unbaptized pagan to becoming a Christian entirely in a continuing Anglican church! I am sure there are more out there, but I personally only know of one. And incidentally he is no longer CA but Orthodox, I am told. But is this an inditement of CA churches alone? By no means!
The sad truth is that across the board according to statistics ALL denominations (in America) are "growing" more in transfer of membership from other churches RATHER than by adult baptisms and conversions (Source: "Comeback Churches" Setzer/Dodson) - even the so-called "true church" - the Roman Church. That is warning to ALL Christians. We are supposedly "growing" (and megachurches are "growing" a lot, so it seems), but it is not real growth! It is just baptized people transferring memberships and attendance around! In other words, the growth of the Kingdom of God is not keeping up with the growth of "paganism" at this point! The bottom line is this: the Church (across the board) is NOT growing... if anything it is slowly shrinking. The statistics prove it. The question is what are we Christians going to do about it? More important, what are we so-called "continuing Anglicans" going to do about it?
Now, we have had growth at St. Francis since I have been here. We have added some five new university students, one older professional, and one retired professional. I am VERY THANKFUL for that growth! And, thanks be to God, most CA parishes, dioceses, and jurisdictions can probably claim the same type of growth - though the demographics are different based on where they are located (i.e. we are across the street from VA Tech, so we have a number of college students; other parishes are in retirement communities, so they have lots of older, retired folk, etc.). So we ARE growing at St. Francis! And other parishes in the APA and in similar CA jurisdictions are also growing! The numbers prove that. As I have seen it said on other CA sites: "We are growing, slowly, but we are growing."
But is the growth keeping up with 'inflation'? In other words, how much of our parish growth is actual "new adult conversions to Christianity" growth verses getting folk from other Anglican parishes, or other churches? And how much of our growth is getting folk who are converts from some other tradition, such as Presbyterianism, Anabaptism, Romanism, etc.? From what I know it is far to say that most of our very small and slow growth comes in those areas, which is not bad (no growth is "bad", per se), but not good either. Very little growth (and none so far in my tenure here at St. Francis) is growth in terms of adult converts to the Christian religion! To be honest, in my whole life I know of only one adult person who went from being a complete, unbaptized pagan to becoming a Christian entirely in a continuing Anglican church! I am sure there are more out there, but I personally only know of one. And incidentally he is no longer CA but Orthodox, I am told. But is this an inditement of CA churches alone? By no means!
The sad truth is that across the board according to statistics ALL denominations (in America) are "growing" more in transfer of membership from other churches RATHER than by adult baptisms and conversions (Source: "Comeback Churches" Setzer/Dodson) - even the so-called "true church" - the Roman Church. That is warning to ALL Christians. We are supposedly "growing" (and megachurches are "growing" a lot, so it seems), but it is not real growth! It is just baptized people transferring memberships and attendance around! In other words, the growth of the Kingdom of God is not keeping up with the growth of "paganism" at this point! The bottom line is this: the Church (across the board) is NOT growing... if anything it is slowly shrinking. The statistics prove it. The question is what are we Christians going to do about it? More important, what are we so-called "continuing Anglicans" going to do about it?
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Infinity of Little Hours
I am reading an interesting book entitled An Infinity of Little Hours: Five Young Men and Their Trial of Faith in the World's Most Austere Religious Order. It is the true story of five men and their life and experiences in the English Carthusian charterhouse of Parkminster in the early 60's. It was recommended by a friend, who had also recommended it to a mutual friend of ours who is soon going to be testing his vocation with the traditionalist RC Benedictines in Oklahoma. (A curious recommendation since the Benedictine life is very, very different from the Carthusian life, as anyone who knows or has read anything about monasticism will tell you.) It is a good book and fun to read, and I have not found it to be in anyway negative towards the Church or the monastic life of the Carthusians. It is quite simply a portrait of these five men.
In reading a book like this it is sometimes tempting to wonder why anyone would want to devote his or her life to such a vocation when it seems so unnatural and austere - especially with an order like the Carthusians. But we simply cannot always probe and grasp someone else's vocation or God-given spirituality. God calls different people to different types of jobs in life, and gives people different spiritual compositions, so one can't (in most cases) say, "That vocation is stupid. The way you mortify the flesh is worthless. Your Lenten discipline is not good enough." I get so sick and tired of hearing idiotic nonsense like that... mumbo jumbo that suggests that everyone is the same, and God speaks to everyone in exactly the same way all the time, and deals with everyone the same. What a bunch of nonsense. But I guess we're all guilty of thinking that way about others from time to time. I know I am.
If a person feels a call from God to test a vocation to the religious life, or to some other task - such as being a missionary - he MUST obey that call and test the vocation, and everyone else around him just has to accept it, even if it doesn't make much sense at first. The life of a continuing Anglican priest is an utterly meaningless vocation, and a waste of time and talent, to a lot of outsiders, and to those who do not have the calling. Yet it is my vocation, and the way that God has called me to work out my salvation. The same is true for those in the religious life.
In reading a book like this it is sometimes tempting to wonder why anyone would want to devote his or her life to such a vocation when it seems so unnatural and austere - especially with an order like the Carthusians. But we simply cannot always probe and grasp someone else's vocation or God-given spirituality. God calls different people to different types of jobs in life, and gives people different spiritual compositions, so one can't (in most cases) say, "That vocation is stupid. The way you mortify the flesh is worthless. Your Lenten discipline is not good enough." I get so sick and tired of hearing idiotic nonsense like that... mumbo jumbo that suggests that everyone is the same, and God speaks to everyone in exactly the same way all the time, and deals with everyone the same. What a bunch of nonsense. But I guess we're all guilty of thinking that way about others from time to time. I know I am.
If a person feels a call from God to test a vocation to the religious life, or to some other task - such as being a missionary - he MUST obey that call and test the vocation, and everyone else around him just has to accept it, even if it doesn't make much sense at first. The life of a continuing Anglican priest is an utterly meaningless vocation, and a waste of time and talent, to a lot of outsiders, and to those who do not have the calling. Yet it is my vocation, and the way that God has called me to work out my salvation. The same is true for those in the religious life.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Blue Christmas
No, I am not talking about "blue" vestments used in some churches in Advent, but Christmas services here at St. Francis. The turnout, even though it was higher than last year (thanks be to God!), was lower than I had hoped - especially in the wake of much advertising and two big newspaper articles. That goes to show that newspaper articles do very little to help churches like us. There is just too much other stuff in the news, etc. for an article or two - even if big - to translate into visitors.
Looking at the parish register, I think that a major part of the problem is that back in 2000 the church changed the time of the Christmas Eve service from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 6:00 is the worst time for ANY evening church service no matter WHAT time of year it is. Dinner, work, and the commute always trumps church! Next year the service will be later. Plus, I think people prefer to go to late services on Christmas Eve anyway, and ours would be too early even if no one was doing anything that night.
Otherwise it was an okay service. We actually had some good music, amazingly enough, thanks to the organist from a nearby Episcopal parish filling in for us. And it was GREAT to spend the night with our beloved parishioners (sans the college students, who are all away for the holiday).
Looking at the parish register, I think that a major part of the problem is that back in 2000 the church changed the time of the Christmas Eve service from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. 6:00 is the worst time for ANY evening church service no matter WHAT time of year it is. Dinner, work, and the commute always trumps church! Next year the service will be later. Plus, I think people prefer to go to late services on Christmas Eve anyway, and ours would be too early even if no one was doing anything that night.
Otherwise it was an okay service. We actually had some good music, amazingly enough, thanks to the organist from a nearby Episcopal parish filling in for us. And it was GREAT to spend the night with our beloved parishioners (sans the college students, who are all away for the holiday).
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Another Newspaper Article
The Roanoke Times ran a story today called "Pastors Reflect on the Meaning of the Season" for which I was interviewed. The cool, but also funny, thing is that I made the front page of the print edition of the magazine - for the second time in one month! The readers may think that the parish owns the newspaper after seeing me twice in so prominent a place in such a short time.
They interviewed several ministers from different churches and traditions, and took shots of several of them, but only me and the baptist minister made it in! He is on the front page of the e-version.
This is all great publicity for the parish! Thanks be to God!
They interviewed several ministers from different churches and traditions, and took shots of several of them, but only me and the baptist minister made it in! He is on the front page of the e-version.
This is all great publicity for the parish! Thanks be to God!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Avery Cardinal Dulles, RIP
One of my favorite theologians, Avery Cardinal Dulles, died recently. The LA Times had a pretty good obituary on him. In seminary some of my classmates referred to him as Avery "Dullest" because his books were so heady, and we had to read a lot of them, as well as a lot of his articles. But I always though he was really exciting to read! All of his writings had a profound impact on me, but especially his books: The Craft of Theology; Models of the Church; and Models of Revelation. The last one was so profound and enjoyable to me that I actually had him autograph it when he came to Baltimore preach and celebrate the Eucharist at St. Ignatius Church downtown... he seemed to think it strange that he was being asked to autograph such a book! They are all great books and should be read by all seminarians... especially your more rigid, fundamentalist types. (Roman, Anglican, or otherwise)
Avery Dulles' books were so balanced, polished, and professional. He never talked down about Protestants, Orthodox, or Roman Catholics that he didn't agree with. In fact, he always treated their traditions, beliefs, and positions with utmost respect and dignity. He had the peculiar ability to see the best in people and positions that even he didn't fundamentally agree with. And he was able to look critically at his own Church and tradition. Needless to say, many of those qualities are sorely lacking in your average "convert" to Roman Catholicism today. Because of his faithfulness to the Roman Church and the papacy he was given the red hat back in 2001. He will be greatly missed.
"Rest eternal grant unto him, and let light perpetual shine upon him. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercies of God rest in peace."
Friday, December 12, 2008
Blast from the past
This is a picture from my confirmation in 1997 at St. Stephen's Church in Timonium, MD. Left to right is the Rev. Guy P. Hawtin, rector; me; the Rt. Rev. John T. Cahoon, Jr., bishop; and the Rev. Chandler H. Jones, curate.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Preaching
I find that I get the best reaction to sermons that have some practical instruction in them. "Try doing this. Think of these three things. This week, when something happens - try to react this way." Etc.
(Not that one preaches simply to get a "good reaction", or compliments afterwards, but those reactions often indicate that somehow something I said (or even didn't say) "connected" with the person.)
Most rank-in-file parishioners are very pragmatic, and they want to see how the faith, and that particular Sunday service, "relates" to every day life. They enjoy having a "homework assignment" of sorts... a definite "charge". I find they get bored with too much pure doctrine and theology. It ends up being a waste of time on my part to craft a sermon that is fit for a Medieval disputation, and a waste of time on their part to sit through it because they can't follow it most of the time. Plus it can take away from the centrality of the Holy Eucharist. The sermon is supposed to support and point to the mass - not utterly usurp it, and be so long and boring that people do not pay attention for the rest of the service.
Still, the preacher must expound on the faith and teach the teaching of the Church. The great error of liberal religion is that it is "atheological" and "adoctrinal", which is why so many of the mainline churches have fallen into such damnable heresy. He must simply beware that if he gets to "heady" he will lose the people and not be doing them any service (though he will be doing himself a great service by stroking and showing off his massive ego).
The preacher must also beware of speaking in too many vagaries: i.e. speaking so ambiguously and in such generalities that he ends up saying nothing at all, or so that his words can be interpreted in any way under the sun. I would categorize broad phrases like "put God first in your life" this way. True, we want people to think about the sermon and engage it critically, spiritually, and in other ways, but we also have to provide some order and direction for their thinking.
Detailed exposition on dogma, doctrine, and theology is better suited for Sunday school classes and church study groups. For sermons it is best to have one or two strong theological points to show forth and explain, and to try to give parishioners some practical way to apply that doctrine, or way to think about it during the week in relation to their larger spiritual life.
If we simply teach rote dogma and doctrine, and do not teach people how to live a spiritual life, and practice their spirituality, then we have failed.
(Not that one preaches simply to get a "good reaction", or compliments afterwards, but those reactions often indicate that somehow something I said (or even didn't say) "connected" with the person.)
Most rank-in-file parishioners are very pragmatic, and they want to see how the faith, and that particular Sunday service, "relates" to every day life. They enjoy having a "homework assignment" of sorts... a definite "charge". I find they get bored with too much pure doctrine and theology. It ends up being a waste of time on my part to craft a sermon that is fit for a Medieval disputation, and a waste of time on their part to sit through it because they can't follow it most of the time. Plus it can take away from the centrality of the Holy Eucharist. The sermon is supposed to support and point to the mass - not utterly usurp it, and be so long and boring that people do not pay attention for the rest of the service.
Still, the preacher must expound on the faith and teach the teaching of the Church. The great error of liberal religion is that it is "atheological" and "adoctrinal", which is why so many of the mainline churches have fallen into such damnable heresy. He must simply beware that if he gets to "heady" he will lose the people and not be doing them any service (though he will be doing himself a great service by stroking and showing off his massive ego).
The preacher must also beware of speaking in too many vagaries: i.e. speaking so ambiguously and in such generalities that he ends up saying nothing at all, or so that his words can be interpreted in any way under the sun. I would categorize broad phrases like "put God first in your life" this way. True, we want people to think about the sermon and engage it critically, spiritually, and in other ways, but we also have to provide some order and direction for their thinking.
Detailed exposition on dogma, doctrine, and theology is better suited for Sunday school classes and church study groups. For sermons it is best to have one or two strong theological points to show forth and explain, and to try to give parishioners some practical way to apply that doctrine, or way to think about it during the week in relation to their larger spiritual life.
If we simply teach rote dogma and doctrine, and do not teach people how to live a spiritual life, and practice their spirituality, then we have failed.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
New North American Anglican Province
Reading the reports on the new north American Anglican province has been very interesting, but has left me with a number of questions:
1) What does the new province hope to gain since they would still be in communion with TEC and the other heretical provinces in the Anglican communion by virtue of being (or trying to be) recognized by the ABC as a new province? If they are in communion with the ABC, then they are in communion with TEC - they are "kissing cousins." That is how Catholic ecclesiology works.
2) I thought that some of the U.S. dioceses (such as Fort Worth) were now under Venables. But now I read that they are in the new North American province. Which is it?
3) What about the differences over WO and liturgy? How is having zero common theology and zero common prayer supposed to add up to anything substantial, and how is that supposed to be a return to classical Anglicanism?
All in all, like the contemporary Anglican Communion in general, the creation of this new province seems to generate more questions than answers.
1) What does the new province hope to gain since they would still be in communion with TEC and the other heretical provinces in the Anglican communion by virtue of being (or trying to be) recognized by the ABC as a new province? If they are in communion with the ABC, then they are in communion with TEC - they are "kissing cousins." That is how Catholic ecclesiology works.
2) I thought that some of the U.S. dioceses (such as Fort Worth) were now under Venables. But now I read that they are in the new North American province. Which is it?
3) What about the differences over WO and liturgy? How is having zero common theology and zero common prayer supposed to add up to anything substantial, and how is that supposed to be a return to classical Anglicanism?
All in all, like the contemporary Anglican Communion in general, the creation of this new province seems to generate more questions than answers.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Thank you, St. Joseph!
My wife and I buried this St. Joseph statue in the front yard of the house in Florida and did the novena to help get our house sold a few months back so we could move to Virginia. What happened? Well, in the midst of the Florida housing slump, in a little, dare I say "crappy" starter house that are a dime a dozen, we sold our house in a mere two months for the full asking price, in cash, without an inspection! In addition to this, during that two month period we had about two weeks when our house was without representation and in real estate limbo because our agents were switching companies. That, my friends, is divine intervention! St. Joseph really interceded for us... as did St. Jude, I suppose (sometimes these guys work in tandem I've determined).**
My former boss, the rector of all Vero Beach, Fr. Ward, was gracious enough to dig up the statue and mail it to me so I could, as the the tradition demands, put in a place of honor in our new home (the vicarage of St. Francis)! So here he is. Thank you, St. Joseph!
** Oh, and I guess I should also mention that we had the area's top real estate agents and real estate attorneys working for us as well! That helps a lot too!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Who is the best bishop of all?
Here is a thought-provoking quote from Bp. Latimer:
"And now I would ask you a strange question. Who is the most diligent bishop and prelate in all England, that passes all the rest in doing his office? I can tell, for I know who it is. I know him well. But now I think I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him. There is one that passes all the other and is the most diligent prelate and preacher in all England. And will you know who it is? I will tell you. It is the devil.” He is the most diligent preacher of all others. He is never out of his diocese. He is never from his cure. You shall never find him unoccupied. He is ever in his parish. He keeps residence at all times. You shall never find him out of the way. & call for him when you will, he is ever at home. He is the most diligent preacher in all the realm. He is ever at his plow. No lording nor loitering can hinder him. He is ever applying his business. You shall never find him idle, I warn you. Where the devil is resident and has his plow going, there away with books and up with candles, away with Bibles and up with beads, away with the light of the gospel and up with the light of candles, yea, at noon day, up with man's traditions and his laws, down with God's traditions and His most holy word. Oh that our preachers would be as diligent to sow the corn of good doctrine, as Satan is to sow darnel or cares. There was never such a preacher in England as he. The prelates and preachers are lords and not laborers, but the devil is diligent at his plow. He is no unpreaching prelate. He is no lordly loiterer, but a busy plowman. Therefore, you unpreaching prelates, learn of the devil to be diligent in doing of your office. If you will not learn from God nor good men to be diligent in your office, learn from the devil."
"And now I would ask you a strange question. Who is the most diligent bishop and prelate in all England, that passes all the rest in doing his office? I can tell, for I know who it is. I know him well. But now I think I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him. There is one that passes all the other and is the most diligent prelate and preacher in all England. And will you know who it is? I will tell you. It is the devil.” He is the most diligent preacher of all others. He is never out of his diocese. He is never from his cure. You shall never find him unoccupied. He is ever in his parish. He keeps residence at all times. You shall never find him out of the way. & call for him when you will, he is ever at home. He is the most diligent preacher in all the realm. He is ever at his plow. No lording nor loitering can hinder him. He is ever applying his business. You shall never find him idle, I warn you. Where the devil is resident and has his plow going, there away with books and up with candles, away with Bibles and up with beads, away with the light of the gospel and up with the light of candles, yea, at noon day, up with man's traditions and his laws, down with God's traditions and His most holy word. Oh that our preachers would be as diligent to sow the corn of good doctrine, as Satan is to sow darnel or cares. There was never such a preacher in England as he. The prelates and preachers are lords and not laborers, but the devil is diligent at his plow. He is no unpreaching prelate. He is no lordly loiterer, but a busy plowman. Therefore, you unpreaching prelates, learn of the devil to be diligent in doing of your office. If you will not learn from God nor good men to be diligent in your office, learn from the devil."
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