Letters
from 21 to 28 March 2004
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Whose
ox is gored?
I
THINK THAT THE IRREGULAR confirmations that went on in Ohio
may bring to the fore an issue that has been largely unconsidered in
the recent debates over blessings and sacraments in our denomination.
This is the issue of appropriate pastoral care for those involved in
the rites themselves. While I am sure that none of the candidates of
last week's Confirmation Service were compelled to participate against
their will, I wonder if they were adequately prepared for the fallout
that has followed.
If the
action of the Bishops was, in fact, in violation of Canon Law, then
what does that say about the validity or acceptability of the Sacrament
itself. Certainly we cannot undo, or take away, the Grace that the Spirit
has already imparted to these men and women. Are they, therefore, simply
left to live out the rest of their Christian life marked by the unfortunate
decisons made unilaterally by a handful of opportunistic clergy?
If, as
has been suggested by those who feel that the voice of the Church was
not honestly represented at GC2003, there is a 'conservative correction'
to the Church's policy on the blessing of same-sex relationships at
the next General Convention, how will we faithfully minister to those
who have taken advantage of the Church's interim 'exploration'. Will
they too become the victims of Church politics that are far to ready
to accept the democratic principles of majority rule, without first
striving to reach the biblical idea of 'all being of the same mind?'
Arthur
Callaham
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, USA
callaham@uchicago.edu
22 March 2004
Whose
steak is fried?
A
GREAT DEAL OF THE RECENT OUTCRY in the Episcopal Church has
bemoaned the denominations's departure from two millenia of received
Christian tradition. In that connection, I was bemused by Bishop
Whalon's report of the Texas cuisine -- chili and chicken-fried
steak -- that the bishops are consuming on their Lenten retreat down
at Camp Allen. It seems that the bishops have collectively departed
from 1,700 years of the Church's consistent teaching on Lenten discipline
with nary a whimper of protest.
Warren
T. Woodfin
St. Paul's K Street, Washington, DC
Princeton, New Jersey, USA
23 March 2004
You're
welcome.
PLEASE
DO NOT say 'hallo.'
Jim Flynt
St Jude's Church, Niceville, Florida, USA
28 March 2004
Goodness,
we're grumpy in Niceville. Sorry, Jim, we've been saying hallo for getting
on seven years and we plan to continue. Perhaps a little background
will help: See our letter in May 2001 about the
H word. And the following week for a bearish trend of support and
a chance to choose
the salutation.
Earlier
letters
We launched our 'Letters
to AO' section on 11 May 2003. All of our letters are in our
archives.
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