That Scottish guy on Dad's Army used to say something along the lines of this post's title. I think it's time for a round up today of eye-catching postings around the Anglinet, but right at the start let's acknowledge that some of the concerns of Anglicans pale into insignificance if the world is, indeed, on the verge of the second dip in a double dip recession. How many dips does a recession need before it becomes a depression?
Also no posting tomorrow so the links below will have to suffice for a day or two! I am off to Hokitika tomorrow - hoping there is no snow on Porter's Pass and Arthur's Pass when I cross early in the morning, nor on return late in the afternoon ... I would like to see the All Blacks play France at 8.30 pm. Priorities!
There has been a brouhaha in Ireland over the last week or so since news came out that a senior cleric has entered into a civil partnership with his male partner. Catholicity and Covenant offers a reflection on the Archbishop of Armagh's statement about this and the controversy stemming from it. Catching my eye here is an argument that the Covenant has influenced the statement of the Archbishop. There is also a very interesting point about the influence of 1.10 (1998).
There has been a little bit of discussion here at ADU re 'gay marriage.' I get the impression that quite a lot of discussion is going on in the UK these days, partly because, aside from intra-Anglican discussion, there are some political moves afoot to make changes to legislation. Cranmer's Curate offers a tale of his own role in the wider social and political discussion taking place there.
I am trying these days not to make critical comment from afar about TEC, especially if it is critical of things which are as much a problem for my own church as for that one. Nevertheless I keep an eye on developments in TEC, mainly through Preludium which I think is a blog to watch as it is written by Mark Harris who is not only an astute commentator in general but also has a particular Episcopalian insight being on TEC's Executive Council. Catching my eye this past week or so are some posts - the latest here - in which Mark gives us a window into rumblings within TEC which have nothing to do with Communion controversies, and everything to do with a church facing its present reality of lowering income and aging congregations. Potentially the rumblings could mean a large reconfiguration of the way TEC does its business.
Fr Jonathan at The Conciliar Anglican reflects on the question we might not ever think about, "What would Anglicanism look like without the Anglican Communion? Is it even possible?" That is one to think about. Would it be "Anglicanism" if it had no association with a global body?
Last night Andrew Reid challenged me to comment on a news item here in Kiwiland connected with the Rugby World Cup, namely an icon-like depiction of Jesus as an All Black which is on display at the Wellington Anglican Cathedral of St. Paul. Funnily enough, in the course of an evening spent at the Latimer Fellowship of NZ's AGM, during which the Rev. Wally Behan spoke on the Power of the Word, anchored to reflections on 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, the thought crossed my mind that the Jesus as an All Black illustration, and reporting of it, has been void of "Christ and him crucified." That is, the fun and games of wondering whether Jesus would be an All Black if he were incarnate in NZ right now, carries the considerable danger of bearing less than full witness to the Incarnate One as the Crucified One. Jesus did not come to be incarnate among us; he was incarnate among us in order to die as one of us for all of us.
Nevertheless I am reminded on occasions such as these that I once saw Jesus playing rugby ...
... it was at an inter-collegiate match at Oxford University!
And finally, in breaking news, disturbing to all conservatives, there are no absolutes. Why, you cannot even depend on the absolute truth that nothing goes faster than the speed of light! Einstein's Theory of Relativity is relative :)
A very interesting pot-pouri, Peter, on events and concatenations around the thoughts of 'communion' & 'community'. However, the Latimer Fellowship, I see, under the tutelage of Fr. Wally Behan, seems to be up with the play on matters of 'sola scriptura'. No doubt we will soon see a flurry of activity from Latimer on the upcoming controversies around the hot-issue subject of whether, or not, the ACANZP should join, or not join, the plea for a Covenant.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see their (your?) activity towards that end, and the grounds on which they will float their evangelical argument.
Hi Ron,
ReplyDeleteYour phrasing, "under the tutelage of Fr. Wally Behan seems to be up with the play on matters of 'sola scriptura'," is unfortunate and unfair. Unfortunate as you have confused two related but distinctive topics: the address he gave was not on 'sola scriptura' but on the Power of the Word. You believe as a catholic Anglican who does not subscribe to 'sola scriptura', surely, that God's Word has power to change lives?
Unfair because the word "tutelage" conveys an impression of some kind of intellectural control over the direction of the Latimer Fellowship. Wally Behan is a valued member of the Fellowship which has many members who contribute their views to the life of the Fellowship. The direction of the Fellowship is a matter of collective discernment, not of tutelage.
My over-riding belief, Peter,is in 'The Word-made-flesh', who has 'dwelt among us, full of Grace and Truth. Sadly, sometime the words in the book as presented by some exegetists, do not seem to measure up to the reality of the Person and mission of The Holy One who is the focus and incarnation of their provision.
ReplyDeleteScripture, Tradition and Reason, in the Anglican Tradition, have always been part of the equation. I'm afraid that sometimes, Reason is left far behind the urge to present the hard stone tablets - without the grace and forgiveness of the Redeemer they were meant to presage
'Collective discernment' has been evidenced in some of the Provinces of the Communion that has led to 'setting the captive free, and proclaiming the Goodness of God' - without 'laying upon people more burdens than they can bear' This was the task of the Scribes and Pharisees that they took to excess.
However, The Incarnate word has 'freed us from our sins' and brought us into the 'Kingdom of Light', where ALL believers are welcomed - not just 'the righteous'
An Australian take on we're all doomed...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.middlemiss.org/lit/authors/obrienj/poetry/hanrahan.html
I'm a bit surprised George Conger sees this Global South communique as a new development. It's consistent with previous statements they have made, such as the one from Singapore, although maybe a bit more forceful.
http://www.globalsouthanglican.org/index.php/blog/comments/fourth_trumpet_from_the_fourth_anglican_global_south_to_south_encounter
They have lost faith in the Instruments, but the non-Africans (esp. +Anis and +Chew) are not joining up with GAFCON as yet.
With the icon, Peter, not every icon of Christ depicts him as crucified. The Copts here have a great way of using icons to recount the whole of Christ's ministry. You look around the church and see the nativity, teaching, miracles, death, resurrection and ascension. It's the All Blacks jumper that gets my blood boiling :)
As for the neutrino, I saw a brilliant joke about this:
"We don't allow faster than light neutrinos in here, said the bartender. A neutrino walks into a bar."