Bits & Pieces that struck me as I wandered about the web this evening procrastinating getting my notes together for my 7:30 a.m. sermon for tomorrow. (Giles Fraser is preaching at 9 & 11:15 but as he's on sabbatical I'm taking the early shift.)
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The Bishop-elect of Chicago as quoted in the Chicago Tribune: When asked about his stance on gays in the church, Lee said he supported full inclusion."I believe God is calling us to full inclusion of gays and lesbians in ministry of this church. . . . There is a place for everyone in the church, and the church has to catch up with God's vision," he said.
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Irene Monroe in the Concord Monitor: While many would like to believe that the financial crisis in the Episcopal Church is brought on by secessionist congregations battling with liberal bishops endorsing sodomy, the church's coffers were bare prior to Robinson's consecration. The reason? Decline in its membership over four decades; the rise of its Third World bishops from countries in Africa, South America, and Asia; and its egregious act of inhospitality and exclusion of its lesbian and gay population.
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Tobias Haller writes: We gather at the table because of what each of us brings to the table, and what we derive from that gathering: no one comes empty-handed, but all are given more than they can ask or imagine when they are open to the multiplication of gifts. It is not for any of us to tell any others to leave the table because we might not like their gift.
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Finally, my own reflections on "Soundbites and Sadducees."
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The Bishop-elect of Chicago as quoted in the Chicago Tribune: When asked about his stance on gays in the church, Lee said he supported full inclusion."I believe God is calling us to full inclusion of gays and lesbians in ministry of this church. . . . There is a place for everyone in the church, and the church has to catch up with God's vision," he said.
==========
Irene Monroe in the Concord Monitor: While many would like to believe that the financial crisis in the Episcopal Church is brought on by secessionist congregations battling with liberal bishops endorsing sodomy, the church's coffers were bare prior to Robinson's consecration. The reason? Decline in its membership over four decades; the rise of its Third World bishops from countries in Africa, South America, and Asia; and its egregious act of inhospitality and exclusion of its lesbian and gay population.
==========
Tobias Haller writes: We gather at the table because of what each of us brings to the table, and what we derive from that gathering: no one comes empty-handed, but all are given more than they can ask or imagine when they are open to the multiplication of gifts. It is not for any of us to tell any others to leave the table because we might not like their gift.
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Finally, my own reflections on "Soundbites and Sadducees."
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Reflecing on Sunday's gospel -- Luke 20:27-38 -- here's what's striking me most about Jesus' response to "some Sadducees ... who say there is no resurrection [when they] came to Jesus and asked him a question:"
Maybe it's because some of our work this week was about media and messaging but I am finding myself struck by how media savvy Jesus was. Long before "Crossfire" & "Point Counterpoint," media trainers and soundbite queens, Jesus had mastered the art of reframing the question.
In Sunday's gospel he turns his "Meet the Sadducees" appearance into an opportunity to once again "stay on message" -- eluding their "gotcha" line of questioning about whose wife the hapless seven-times-widow would be in heaven. Insead, Jesus reframes the question and offers a testimony to the greatness of God -- the God of the living, not the dead -- so compelling that it ends up in all three synpotic gospels.
That was his core message: The Good News of a God who loved us enough to become one of us and then called us to walk in love with each other.
Maybe if we think of Jesus as not only our Lord and Savior but our "media trainer" we can go and do likewise. Following his example we can reframe the debates that threaten to sideline the mission and ministry of the church back TO the mission and ministry of the church: to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor -- bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind and to let the oppressed go free.
Jesus stayed on message and so can we.
Here endeth the "bits & pieces."
Maybe it's because some of our work this week was about media and messaging but I am finding myself struck by how media savvy Jesus was. Long before "Crossfire" & "Point Counterpoint," media trainers and soundbite queens, Jesus had mastered the art of reframing the question.
In Sunday's gospel he turns his "Meet the Sadducees" appearance into an opportunity to once again "stay on message" -- eluding their "gotcha" line of questioning about whose wife the hapless seven-times-widow would be in heaven. Insead, Jesus reframes the question and offers a testimony to the greatness of God -- the God of the living, not the dead -- so compelling that it ends up in all three synpotic gospels.
That was his core message: The Good News of a God who loved us enough to become one of us and then called us to walk in love with each other.
Maybe if we think of Jesus as not only our Lord and Savior but our "media trainer" we can go and do likewise. Following his example we can reframe the debates that threaten to sideline the mission and ministry of the church back TO the mission and ministry of the church: to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor -- bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind and to let the oppressed go free.
Jesus stayed on message and so can we.
Here endeth the "bits & pieces."
6 comments:
I don't get it. What does "the rise of its Third World bishops from countries in Africa, South America, and Asia" have to do with depleted church coffers? Those Bishops have been there for years. If anything, there should be more money in the coffers now that a number of African provinces have stopped accepting any money from TEC.
I also have a hard time reconciling another two ideas: if all of these conservative priests and bishops are so "racially challenged" then why, when they leave TEC, do they place themselves under black Bishops and prelates from Africa?
The bishop-elect of Chicago also offered an amateurish assessment of those who disagree with endorsement of homosexuality in ordination. He is quoted as saying:
"Someone may be deeply troubled about the liberalization of the church’s practice around the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the church, but what lies at the root of their misgivings is some hurt or brokenness in their family".
Just what we need. Another wannabe therapist-theologian who denigrates thoughtful dissent as some kind of mental breakdown.
". . . what lies at the root of their misgivings is some hurt or brokenness"
Physician, heal thyself.
... the church's coffers were bare prior to Robinson's consecration. The reason? ... and its egregious act of inhospitality and exclusion of its lesbian and gay population.
Where does she get this? If you gather membership and financial statistics from the various religious denominations in the U.S. and match them up against their official stance towards the acceptability of homosexual sexual activity, do you think that the ones that are least accepting of it will have the least growth (or greatest decline) of members and finances? Does this woman consider that she should back up her opinions with actual facts?
.proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind and to let the oppressed go free.
Seems to me that this is what is being done in Iraq right now. People who had no liberty under Saddam and who were under threat of being totally subjugated under a fascist version of Islam are being given the chance to find and form their own destiny.
Oh come now Ronf....
How many Iraqis are dead? How many displaced? How's the electricity in Baghdad? basic services? Do women get to go out without hijab as much? Do Sunni and Shia live next door any more? I hear there is still torture going on as well.
I don't think we've improved Iraq at all. Maybe we should have completed the job in Afghanistan first.
IT
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