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Letters from 29 February to 7 March 2004

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Separate tables and welcome silence

EVERY MONDAY MORNING I log on to Anglicans Online for my weekly dose of sanity. You never fail me!

Your letter today moved me more than I can say. Your marvellous analogy of separate tables, and your support for the work of the World Council of Churches — the voice of compassion, reason and love in this fractured body of Christ — is most timely. Thank you.

I'd also like to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for not referring to that movie, which is furthering the work of driving wedges between us! God bless you.

Rene Jamieson
St John's Anglican Cathedral
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA
1 March 2004

The pedigree in the narthex

I LOVED LAST WEEK'S EDITORIAL and it brought back memories of the diocese where I grew up, in the eastern USA. Proudly displayed in every parish — usually in the narthex — was an elegantly lettered and framed 'pedigree', tracing the current bishop's succession, all the way back to the apostles. In conversation with friends from other denominations, I have often offered this as an example of ECUSA's idolatry of the historical episcopate, which has so hampered us in ecumenical discussions.

Your article also reminded me of a book, published in the United States during late nineteenth or early twentieth century, which contained a diagram depicting Church history, in the form of a tree. The roots of the tree were, of course, grounded in Christ, while the trunk represented the first centuries of the undivided Church. Higher up, two branches appeared, to indicate Eastern and Western Christendom. Finially, the Western branch divided to symbolize the Roman and Anglican communions. On the ground surrouonding the tree, however, were a number of lopped-off branches, labelled 'Methodist', 'Presbyterian', and so on. Such arrogance from a Church which represented a very small part of America's Christian population is mind-boggling!

Thanks so much for the wisdom and humor you offer us during troubled times.

The Reverend William L. Bippus, Jr.
St Paul's Episcopal Church
Marinette, Wisconsin, USA
1 March 2004

Earlier letters

We launched our 'Letters to AO' section on 11 May 2003. All of our letters are in our archives.