Grace and Favour

A Wednesday round up:

Cranmer's Curate, affirming Christopher Hitchens demolition of 'religion', reminds us that our Christian faith is grace or nothing:

"In common with the other churches of the Reformation, the Church of England, in its 39 Articles of Religion, holds to the biblical doctrine of ‘justification by faith alone’.

'Of the Justification of ManWe are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works and deservings'."

His conclusion is:

"In abhorring the religion of the Pharisee, it is odd to be in agreement with such a public atheist, who incidentally writes like an angel.

But that does not alter the fact that the title of his book could not be more wrong if applied to the God and Father of Jesus Christ. The true and almighty God, who saves depraved mankind by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, is great."

Anglican Curmudgeon draws attention to the continuing itinerary of the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church: a few days at home presiding over a meeting of TEC's executive council. The council has a few things on its plate. The decisions it makes could be very interesting.

Preludium, in common with some other blogs, takes umbrage at the thought that the ABC may have asked the PB not to wear her mitre when presiding at eucharist in Southwark Cathedral. (If this is so, one presumes the apparent 'inhospitality' of such a request was in tension with the C of E's present state of not yet formally recognising the ministry of women bishops within its own jurisdiction).

When the Presiding Bishop is welcomed onto the marae (meeting place) in Christchurch on Sunday 27th June she will not speak in the exchange of speeches which is part of the powhiri (welcome). Someone else will speak for her: a man, in fact, because that is the context and culture of powhiri, where women do not speak. I hope this will be understood from afar. Yet grace and favour will be shown, for Presiding Bishop Schori will be honoured by being seated in the front row with the men leading her party onto the marae.