tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post3603432901939377996..comments2024-03-29T17:55:30.203+13:00Comments on Anglican Down Under: What can a Kiwi bishop authorise re liturgy?Peter Carrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535218286799156659noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-85759001201347639942018-09-15T13:55:30.314+12:002018-09-15T13:55:30.314+12:00Dear Bowman, yours of September 4, 2018 at 1:25 PM...Dear Bowman, yours of September 4, 2018 at 1:25 PM awaits still a reply: a bit busy of late with intractables ...!<br /><br />While I've encountered MFB's material over the years, I've never met him in person - yet! For all that, his scope and depth <i>is</i> impressive and fruitful. YET again for all that, my sense goes elsewhere:<br /><br />https://langham.org/?no_redirect<br /><br />https://www.leadev-langham.org/<br /><br />Given the tide of the Holy Spirit (Kenneth Latourette) clearly suggests the western church is ebbing somewhat and those tides of the Third World/Majority World/Two Thirds World are in full flow, I'd hope for any 'papal successor' to JRWS to come from these churches.Bryden Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619512328964399016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-72131054893319143502018-09-05T08:36:36.338+12:002018-09-05T08:36:36.338+12:00Aha! Sorry Bosco ... The context is Jean’s and my ...Aha! Sorry Bosco ... The context is Jean’s and my brief exchange regarding BW’s being awarded the Golden Goose Egg Award. Which too has naturally its wider context ... <br />Unfortunately written words especially on blogs sometimes don’t quite have the humour tones of spoken speech – even in Brydenese! Bryden Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619512328964399016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-58869918490408210502018-09-05T07:28:31.017+12:002018-09-05T07:28:31.017+12:00Dear Bryden
You write "we shall have to wait...Dear Bryden<br /><br />You write "we shall have to wait to see if our Bp elect will grant a faculty or not!" - a faculty for what?<br /><br />Blessings<br /><br />Bosco<br />www.liturgy.co.nz<br /><br />ps. I am pleased to see that “Brydenese” is becoming accepted as a dialect.<br />[laterally: many people do not realise NZ has TWO official languages. English is not one of them]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-59519784327730499562018-09-04T13:25:37.171+12:002018-09-04T13:25:37.171+12:00Never underestimate the influence of Trent on the ...Never underestimate the influence of Trent on the Pharisees. It continues even today! ;-)<br /><br />Sanders explains the Second Temple Jews as they actually were, Lim shows that our OT canon was a tradition of the Pharisees, and Humphreys tells us what the canonical scriptures actually say about tradition. Boyarin and Schaefer offer integrated accounts of the origins of the episcopal and rabbinical religions that survived AD 70. All of this was unknown or forgotten before; knowing it better now, we think and pray on.<br /><br />Even Douglas Campbell does not think that his massive Deliverance of God is the last critical word on St Paul, justification, etc. And there are other massive newvtomes on Paul to love. But Deliverance may be (like Baby Rudin in real analysis) the winnowing fork that separates fully responsible exegetes from the rest.<br /><br />Which reminds me, Bryden, of your other neighbour Mike Bird's campaign for the papacy. Not the throne of St Peter or of St Mark, but the long vacant one of St John Stott. Since the latter's passing, there has been no single evangelical who was a universally respected arbiter and influencer of doctrine. That has been so, despite the revival of evangelical learning, because none of the several worthy candidates for such a role has quite transcended, both in style and substance. his church and continent. And of the most popable, those few who are comfortable with the new learning have been too busy producing and guiding it to follow developments farther afield. Anyway, the best scholar is not necessarily the best pope.<br /><br />Bird's trajectory has been different. Baptist --> Presbyterian --> Anglican. Oz --> Scotland --> North America (frequent visitor) --> Oz. He stands with the confessional Reformed, but on the Amyrauldian edge of them nearest the right-wing Barthians, Lutherans, and Wesleyans. He has published good contemporary research-- he's not a fuddyduddy who knows too much about Lady Jane Grey but nothing at all about Metatron-- and has produced a good introductory system for "gospel people." That system is broad enough to countenance believer's baptism whilst urging frequent eucharist and at least a virtual presence. He is young enough to attract further influence, and he is obviously figuring out how to use what he has.<br /><br />What do you think?<br /><br />BWUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931946224142718747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-79082893772412123772018-09-04T04:04:50.764+12:002018-09-04T04:04:50.764+12:00That Jesus did consider some (at least) of his Pha...That Jesus did consider some (at least) of his Pharisaic opponents to be externalists and hypocrites is plain from many passages in Mark and Matthew (and the earlier we date these gospels, the stronger the case that these disputes reflect the actual ministry of Jesus rather than a retrojection of late first century controversy between the church and the synagogue - as a lot of critics aver about Matthew's Gospel). But the doctrinal-pastoral issue at hand was the Pharisees' belief that all Israel (or the men at least) were called to live as priests and thus follow the rules of priestly purity. To buttress their claim, they had recourse to the theory of the Oral Torah, which God had supposedly given to Moses along with the tablets of stone and the law recounted in the Pentateuch. The Oral Torah had supposedly been conveyed by word of mouth down every generation since Sinai. It's plain that Jesus didn't buy this theory, as he dismisses the Pharisees' teaching as 'your own traditions' (Mark 7.9) and 'the commandments of men'. In other words, Jesus rejected the proto-Tridentine 'two-source theory of divine revelation' - he was 'sola Scriptura' man avant la lettre. (Sorry, couldn't resist that one.)<br />WilliamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-59219918165200993852018-09-03T22:51:01.709+12:002018-09-03T22:51:01.709+12:00I guess Bowman we shall have to wait to see if our...I guess Bowman we shall have to wait to see if our Bp elect will grant a faculty or not!<br /><br />As for you correct use of anti-type/type reading, I guess you already know Nick Perrin’s <i>Jesus the Temple</i> (Baker, 2010)? Wonderful exposée. Bryden Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619512328964399016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-89960807735977437022018-09-03T22:26:59.020+12:002018-09-03T22:26:59.020+12:00I think you well know the answer already Jean: “As...I think you well know the answer already Jean: “Aslan is not a tame Lion!” [But i now mix my critters ...!]Bryden Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619512328964399016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-74238611758892774372018-09-03T22:17:26.426+12:002018-09-03T22:17:26.426+12:00Dear Bowman
I was having such a good run with the ...Dear Bowman<br />I was having such a good run with the new lease of life Google notifications were giving me about comments that I had stopped checking the "Awaiting Moderation" page. But, alas ... still now found. Incidentally, what a great story :)Peter Carrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09535218286799156659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-7757672620627013542018-09-03T21:21:05.421+12:002018-09-03T21:21:05.421+12:00Is that a Wild (free range) Golden Goose Egg award...Is that a Wild (free range) Golden Goose Egg award you are proposing Bryden or a domesticated version? : )Jeannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-56095180733671189982018-09-03T17:02:58.472+12:002018-09-03T17:02:58.472+12:00Thank you, Bryden, for this unexpected hypothetica...Thank you, Bryden, for this unexpected hypothetical honour. <br /><br />And thank you, Jean, for an interesting question to answer.<br /><br />Alas, the second part of the five-fold comment is missing. If Peter cannot find it, I may fill that in some day.<br /><br />Father Ron, where in St Mark vii do the Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes argue that outward observances are *more* important than inner purity? Had you been on the scene to argue for inner purity, Jesus and the Pharisees etc would all have stopped arguing to agree with you-- "Yes, Gentile Ron, inner purity is very important to God; stay pure!-- and then they would have turned back to serious halachic reasoning about the applicability of temple regulations to Galilee. <br /><br />One might say that the southerners had traveled north to Galilee with the inspiring, egalitarian, even humble message that temple sanctity is available everywhere to any Jews who prepare for it. That is the motivation for their innovations, and it is still the message of rabbinical Judaism today.<br /><br />But Jesus himself is shown confirming the purity law in its original form, whilst rejecting an elaboration of it that burdened souls and obscured its ultimate purpose. If one knows that Jesus's Body is the type of which the temple is the antitype, his rejection of a temple-defined purity makes much more sense. But in St Mark vii, Simon is not yet Peter, and so only the Lord understands this.<br /><br />BWUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931946224142718747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-60532544839940282682018-09-03T13:42:41.078+12:002018-09-03T13:42:41.078+12:00Funny that Ron; our Vicar has just asked us to go ...Funny that Ron; our Vicar has just asked us to go through the Letter of James. Sermons on the website. Enjoy!Bryden Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619512328964399016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-9589024274533692022018-09-03T12:53:02.358+12:002018-09-03T12:53:02.358+12:00Dear Bryden, those who have a 'pet' cause ...Dear Bryden, those who have a 'pet' cause to propound are usually (a) the first to criticise others for using their preferred exegetical process; and (b) not averse to using their own casuistic arguments for avoiding use of the officially approved lectionary readings..to as to support their particular punch-lines. It is for this very reason that our Church insists on due process with the reading of the scriptures.<br /><br />Providentially, the arguments you might have used to support your own selection of Scripture yesterday (Titus 2:11-15) for your preaching at the Eucharist, could probably have been countered by my use of the authorised Readings in my preachment at the 8am Mass at SMAA, which (in James 1:17-27) warns against those who think they are more 'religious' than others. Also, in the Gospel (Mark 7) Jesus warns the Pharisees of their obsession with the protocols while forgetting that inward purity is more important than mere outward observances. <br />Father Ron Smithhttp://kiwianglo.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-73758470691639399792018-09-03T07:51:59.928+12:002018-09-03T07:51:59.928+12:00Naturally Peter I respect your authority to edit c...Naturally Peter I respect your authority to edit comments on this blog: you’re our host. In my own defence I’d submit two further points, and a final conclusion.<br />1. You’ve taken at least half the wind out of the evidential sail you yourself were actually seeking in your own initial response. The counterpoint of your third [] was telling ... So be it! Yet perhaps that too is a parable ...<br />2. Ah yes; “all our rules.” What surely is a parable is our Lord’s comment that ties in powerfully with that 2 Tim 3 warning: let’s hope these formal rules are not too busy straining out gnats while swallowing camels. Just so, “Pharisaic”. <br />For what is paramount about our present Kiwi Episcopally granted authority is that it promises already to be inconsistent across the whole, leading to real impairment within the whole, via their respective liturgical options taken.Bryden Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619512328964399016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-84222182423700049842018-09-03T07:49:03.989+12:002018-09-03T07:49:03.989+12:00Ah Bowman; your delightful fourfold comment warran...Ah Bowman; your delightful <i>fourfold</i> comment warrants the 2018 Golden Goose Egg Award (if our host were to set up such a thing). Loved the story; thanks! [What’s the rubric for the said award? Why; simply the best comment presented during the year.]Bryden Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619512328964399016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-49885913176104519222018-09-03T03:27:04.436+12:002018-09-03T03:27:04.436+12:00If one wants to preach outside the lectionary, why...If one wants to preach outside the lectionary, why not read the preaching text after the lectionary texts? Why not more scripture rather than less?<br /><br />If one refuses to read the scriptures with the rest of the ecumenical Church-- I would be fascinated to know why not-- then if one is indeed in Christ, why not be say, a Baptist instead of an Anglican?<br /><br />Only the Holy Spirit gives solid growth to churches. He does sometimes use new methods or personalities, but nothing that absolutely depends on either is ultimately important to anyone.<br /><br />Identity politics is not my cup of tea, but reading that the origin of the lectionary was "bureaucratic" and "Pharasaic" made me wish that civil servants were always so wise and grateful that the Jews in that invention had been. <br /><br />Thinking scripturally and naturally, dioceses are the only churches, but they will usually have some varied assemblies that meet apart from the whole for sprcial needs. In the C21, churches that meet only in cathedrals and a few web-connected chapels-of-ease are entirely feasible, and may (see Mike Bird's OP on this) be the foreseeable future. <br /><br />Behind all of this-- sometimes behind even That-- is a doctrinal question that hovers over Anglican evangelicals generally--<br /><br />Is it faithful to the scriptures today to act as though forensic, particularist soteriology is sufficient and any participationist one is absent from the Word?<br /><br />After all, *ecclesia reformans semper reformanda,* and it is undeniable that *union with Christ* has been retrieved in every Protestant theological tradition, even the conservative confessional Reformed (eg Richard Gaffin, Jim Jordan). When the scriptures could still be read as exclusively particularist and forensic, a certain cocky orneriness against catholic tradition could almost seem brave and holy. But if such readings were ever plausible, surely they are not the most persuasive today. Those regenerate in Christ normally work with the Body, not alone.<br /><br />BW<br />Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931946224142718747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-8328274630472348752018-09-02T08:33:41.501+12:002018-09-02T08:33:41.501+12:00Dear Bryden
Thanks for a recently submitted commen...Dear Bryden<br />Thanks for a recently submitted comment which I will redact a little as it is not helpful on a public blog to discuss the merits etc of others via names.<br />Peter<br /><br />REDACTED COMMENT:<br />Out of deference Ron to our host and bishop elect, I shall conclude with some final observations.<br /><br />[A previous vicar's] method of selection for public readings of Scripture and so sermons was pretty eclectic, even perhaps Congregationalist as you charge. YET WHAT OTHER ORDAINED MINISTER IN THE DIOCESE [] GREW OVER 23 YEARS A PARISH OF 650-670 ASA? “By their fruits ...”<br /><br />[]<br /><br />Just so Ron and Peter, I boldly reassert the criterion of 2 Tim 3:5 as a most serious warning to both of you. Meanwhile, we shall be rejoining the RCL for Advent through to Epiphany. Fin ...<br />END OF COMMENT<br /><br />Note from Peter C: Indeed, Bryden, and the above comment is a stronger argument for your point than the previous argument ... but either way, to not follow the lectionary needs to be clearly understood as voiding the authority of our church expressed through its rules, something (voiding the authority) colleagues are wrestling with in our church at this time, and hopefully on a consistent basis across all our rules.Peter Carrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09535218286799156659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-58269203887062101932018-09-02T05:36:02.286+12:002018-09-02T05:36:02.286+12:00None of that, Jean, was very Celtic, but I still h...None of that, Jean, was very Celtic, but I still hope that the Wild Goose was pleased. I was and am intrigued that the old words worked so well in an unexpected setting. And because of that, I have since suspected that liturgists accomplish at least as much when they teach prayer to congregations as when they carve new rites into official stone. A virtue of having a repertory of common prayer and prayer-forms is that a church can get on to reflection on how they are interpreted and performed. If Bosco or Peter have thoughts on this, they will be interesting.<br /><br />BWUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931946224142718747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-17993912750313097882018-09-02T04:12:24.447+12:002018-09-02T04:12:24.447+12:00When I had done all that I could, I was dismissed ...When I had done all that I could, I was dismissed with some applause, and the service continued-- more prayer, a brief public examination of the candidate, the usual readings, a choir, some preaching, the laying on of hands, more prayer, the Aaronic blessing, more singing. At the reception that followed, I was asked in several polite ways how I had learned to pray like a black man.<br /><br />Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931946224142718747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-45264007905371735342018-09-02T03:38:00.563+12:002018-09-02T03:38:00.563+12:00The senior minister was pleasantly shocked by how ...The senior minister was pleasantly shocked by how well it was going. When I finally got to the end of the prayer and turned to sit down, he motioned for ne to stay and keep going. <br /><br />With what? The Lord's Prayer was assigned and other prayers seemed not quite right for call-and-response. Perhaps because I was in an apocalyptic mood anyway, I persevered with the anaphora of BCP 1979 Eucharistic Prayer D pp 372-376, substituting a few references to ordination for the Words of Institution etc.<br /><br />EP D is modeled on EP 4 in the Roman Rite, which itself recollects several early and Eastern anaphoras. So once we were past the Sursum Corda-- which can be read as simple instruction in how to do call-and-response-- we were meditating on God "..living and true... dwelling in light inaccessible... from before time and for ever... Fountain of life... Source of all goodness.. you made all things and fill them with your blessing; you created them to rejoice in the splendor of your radiance..." In that crowd it was fun to pray, "countless throngs of angels stand befote you to serve you night and day..." and on to the Sanctus and Benedictus.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931946224142718747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-45811289065361365792018-09-02T03:04:05.120+12:002018-09-02T03:04:05.120+12:00The senior minister divided the service. Wryly not...The senior minister divided the service. Wryly noting that I was new to all this-- as a 20 year old undergraduate I was new to everything-- he assigned me the openimg prayer. "Keep it short," he said. <br /><br />Rejoining the congregation, now exuberantly singing and swaying on its feet, the clergy were seated on a row of chairs spanning the chancel. A wave of applause briefly interrupted the singing to greet us. I, going first, was seated to the far left. What could be simpler? <br /><br />When the signal was given, I strode up to the pulpit and began to recite the BCP prayer attributed to St John Chrysostom. I expected it to take about a minute, but as soon as I got the first phrase out, the congregation started hollering praise to the Lord. As soon as the voices calmed a bit, I tried to continue at the second phrase; it was again punctuated by a wave of devotion. This congregation was going to pray in call-and-response, and the prayer was going to last much longer than a minute. <br /><br />What they wanted, I finally understood, were words or phrases to shout back that evoked an attitude of prayer. And they were especially happy when they settled on the sane ones. And vocal cues to the significance of words made it easier for them to respond together. Unscripted as it is, there is an art to it.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931946224142718747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-88899438135131843962018-09-02T01:39:06.595+12:002018-09-02T01:39:06.595+12:00Jean, I would be surprised and disappointed to fin...Jean, I would be surprised and disappointed to find that no further experiments had been attempted, but speaking broadly, Native Americans/First Nations are accommodated by translating the BCP etc into their languages, whilst African Americans usually prefer their own gospel music and often Anglo-Catholic ceremony. There is no better celebration of Easter in English.<br /><br />Long ago, I was invited to the Baptist ordination of an African American friend. I had the only pale face in the nave, where I was quite enjoying the informal musical offering before the service.<br /><br />But then the ushers led me back to the clergy and the candidate. Black (or National) Baptists in Virginia adhere closely to the practice of C17 English Baptists whose ordinations were recognisably influenced by Calvin's rsther patristic reconstruction of the act in the Institutes. So the local clergy having been assembled, they had to examine the candidate privately, approve his ordination, and plan the service. They were in no hurry, and neither was the congregation outside. <br /><br />The senior minister in the county asked a blind man who had memorised the Bible to examine the candidate's overall knowledge of the text of the Bible. The examiner, a bit like a pitcher in baseball or cricket, tossed a string of increasingly difficult questions to which my friend replied. The clergy around the table cheered them both on as if it were a boxing match they wanted both to win. Finally, when the candidate replied that Abiathar was the high priest when David's men ate the shew-bread, the examiner declared that he had no more questions, and the room erupted with cheers and applause. Then the senior minister called on each of us in turn to ask the candidate three questions, the first (at least) from scripture. Mine were all about apocalyptic texts-- Daniel 7:9-13, St John i 9, and Revelations 12-- and again the company cheered on my questions as much as his answers. <br /><br />The senior minister asked whether any objected to the ordination of the candidate. None did. He called for a show of hands; all raised them. He asked for a voice vote. All said aye.<br /><br /><br /><br />Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11931946224142718747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-61892931811353693092018-09-01T22:02:19.465+12:002018-09-01T22:02:19.465+12:00DEar Bryden and Ron
Please take care ...
Bryden: ...DEar Bryden and Ron<br />Please take care ...<br /><br />Bryden: the prescription that we follow the lectionary is not a bureaucratic Pharisaic rubric. It is a requirement of our church. You cannot disobey requirements of our church with subjective appeals to private judgement on what appears to be providential on any given Sunday ... if you are not going to follow the lectionary then sin boldly but, please, do not support such bold sinning with weak arguments!Peter Carrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09535218286799156659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-53755890966568653682018-09-01T21:28:46.273+12:002018-09-01T21:28:46.273+12:00Fear not BW the Wild Goose remains encapsulated in...Fear not BW the Wild Goose remains encapsulated in the book title only - (e.g. not so wild). Taize Services have become somewhat popular in Kiwi-land too. Perhaps we have the range of imports, probably not surprising as the Pakeha’s amongs us were all imported. As far as I know I am little English, Scottish and Irish which might explain many a thing. As Peter shows his fondness of though, the NZ prayer book is well written for our context. Have there been no attempts at all in the US of A to write liturgy to connect with context,not even amongst those of Native American or African American heritage?Jeannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-51996069267506193292018-09-01T21:25:16.107+12:002018-09-01T21:25:16.107+12:00Thanks Ron for your reaction to my latest post. It...Thanks Ron for your reaction to my latest post. It exactly illustrates my opening sentence: “I too am rather perplexed as to why we need to get all knotted up over importing suitable (sic!) liturgies that enrich our worship experience.”<br /><br />The point is this: I respect the fact that another is my vicar. He has made it plain to all of us that his coverage of the Bible, “the whole counsel of God”, will embrace the necessary intent of the Lectionary ever since its 1970 revisions onwards. And this he has done, via OT selections of entire swathes, e.g. the Joseph saga, via solid chunks of Gospel, and now we happen to be in the entire Letter to Titus.<br /><br />This methodology parallels boldly the intent of the Lectionary well, but also has the added advantage of enabling us all to see the sweep of a sizeable section of Scripture and not just snippets (even if these do mostly try to embrace a common theme in the current Common Lectionary). <br /><br />As it happens, this particular purple passage of the Pastorals, seems to most providentially permit an address which hits the nail right on the head re our present wretched dilemmas as a church and a Church. I’ll take that as a form of confirmation way superior to any bureaucratic Pharisaic rubric, thank you. For in the end Ron, the difficulty with both the essence of this thread (notably its engine), plus a fair few of the comments within it, is that they come well within that other Pastoral Letter’s warning of 2 Tim 3:5. “Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.”Bryden Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619512328964399016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3915617830446943975.post-50258429677633733822018-09-01T18:49:32.867+12:002018-09-01T18:49:32.867+12:00Dear bryden,
I'm interested in the fact that ...Dear bryden,<br /><br />I'm interested in the fact that you have chosen - or been instructed - to preach on a text from Titus 2: 11-15, a biblical passage that does NOT appear in our authorised New Zealand lectionary for Sunday, 02 September 2018.<br /><br />I remember our former Bishop encouraging diocesan clergy to 'stick to the lectionary' authorised by our ACANZP. Is there a special reason for your deviation from the set Readings? It is this sort of 'deviation' a problem that sets your partush apart from the rest of us - I think this is one of the issues being dscussed on this thread.<br /><br />Another question is this. Do you consider the clergy of your Church to be immune from diocesan rules on the conduct of preachment that neglects the thematic scheme that our Church has mapped out for the education and spiritual needs of the whole Church that we are part of? Or is there a HINT OF 'CONGREGATIONALISM' at work that considers a particular parish free to choose its own thematic teaching? Father Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17062632692873621258noreply@blogger.com