Letters
from 13 to 20 March 2005
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all letters to the editor everywhere, these letters are
the opinions of the letter writers and not Anglicans
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Fewer
doctrines, more Christ-likeness
I
must take issue with a statement made by David
Schulenburg to the effect that we in the Body of
Christ need more doctrines. We have enough doctrines
to cause regurgitation to the entire Western Hemisphere.
In other words, the lack of doctrine is not the
problem within Christendom.
Doctrines
of men have and always will divide the body. Calvin
wrote volumes of doctrine and had a professing believer,
Michael Servitus burned at the stake over a doctrinal
issue. Please look it up. No, what Christendom needs
is more Christ-likeness. Until we achieve that we
have serious problems.
Steve
Langford
St Paul's Episcopal, Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
18 March 2005
Volunteers?
Or draftees?
I
quote:
14.
Within the ambit of issues discussed in the Windsor
Report and in order to recognise the integrity
of all parties, we request that the Episcopal
Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada
voluntarily withdraw their members from the Anglican
Consultative Council for the period leading up
to the next Lambeth Conference.
Surely
the operative word here is 'voluntarily'. As one
Canadian Anglican (for 73 years) I do not want to
'voluntarily' withdraw, so I believe Archbishop Hutchison
should tell them that their request is hereby denied.
How about the remainder of the Primates? Any of them
want to voluntarily withdraw?
David
T. Brown
St. Peter's Anglican Church
Campbell River, British Columbia, CANADA
Still
listening
As
I read your
letter, I was reminded that it comes
upon Holy Week. A thing I used to cherish and dread.
I dreaded the misery of church functions... of smiling
until my face hurt, of bearing up under the petty
power plays that exist within any parish. Of a half-psychotic
rector who publicly called me out because I questioned
whether or not I should give a schizophrenic homeless
man, who turned up at every function, wine when it
was clear he was off his medication; the same rector
who publicly announced at a wedding the bride's 3-month
pregnancy, unknown to her family, to her utter
humiliation. Those are my memories of that season.
It
is hard indeed to recall the real reason for them.
I'm not sure I believe it. I don't know if I ever
did. I do know that it was dear to me. It was real.
My dearest spiritual moment was at between 12 and
2 am on Maundy Thursday-Good Friday's Vigil. I walked
to the the church in the darkness of a city. I sat
in the chapel amid the flowers and the hope of
salvation, my mind lost in prayers, both predictable
and unexpected. I stayed there for hours. I kept
vigil. I was watching over something more than a
wake. This was The One. I was so immersed.
Well,
I learned the hard way. I learned that there is no
certainty in anything, even faith. I continue, not
so many years later, to waver between trying to align
my gut reactions to belief. And I never have any
answers.
But
deep down, in that part of myself that has no fancy
words or any illusions, I know. I may not partake
in the Great Mass of Easter. I may simply raise a
glass. But I know.
Maybe
that says something. Maybe it only proves how bitter
and pathetic I am. Whatever it does, I'm still listening.
Briony
James
None at the moment, formerly St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood
Los Angeles, California, USA
Hippediva@aol.com
19 March 2005
To
Rome or not to Rome
David
Sculenburg's letter to
AnglicansOnline, posted here, laments the fact that "the
Roman Catholic Church does not promote an Anglican Rite." But
it does! There are a number of parishes in the United States,
Roman Catholic, that exclusively use an Anglican rite, albeit
said parishes consist of former Episcopaleans (one in Texas
and another in Boston come to mind).
The
ARCIC dialogues having at last come to a halt, given that current
Episcopalean actions have rendered reunification with Rome impossible,
the Holy See has of late I hear taken an interest in the Traditional
Anglican Communion, which is growing worldwide at a rate of 15,000
souls per month since the ordination of Robinson.
Further, it looks as though the ECUSA will soon be relegated to
the status of somewhat what well-healed, albeit increasingly obscure
liberal American protestant denomination, losing funds and members
much as the once rather popular Christian Scientists and Unitarians
had earlier in the last century. The reality is that there were
more Episcopaleans in 1927 than there are today.
As these somber developments continue, fewer Episcopaleans will
consider the unity of all Christians in one Church something pertaining
to the will of Christ, our Lord's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemene
at the start of His Passion for the unity of His followers notwithstanding.
The issue boils down to who His true followers are.
Fr.
James Barlow
St. Francis of Assisi
Estes Park, Colorado, USA
marquetteia@yahoo.com
18 March 2005
Diversity,
division, and dust
I
am deeply disturbed and offended by the recent action
of ECUSA bishops in declaring a moratorium on the
ordination to the episcopacy of gay people in committed
relationships, and to its refusal to give public
sanction to the blessing of such relationships. After
having taken courageous stands on both issues, it
appears that the bishops have succumbed to blackmail
from third-world bishops intent on forcing their
narrow views on the civilized world.
It
is high time that American Episcopalians and Canadians
voice publicly what they already know: that the African
and Asian bishops attempting this theological coup
are, many of them, a step removed from animism,
cannibalism, and polygamy. The glory of the Anglican
Communion has always been its diversity of opinion.
If these prelates are not willing to concede this,
perhaps it is best that North Americans should shake
the dust off their feet, leave the obscurantists
to their own devices, and -- by the way -- take their
financial resources with them when they go.
Michael
D. Fleming
St. Mark's Cathedral
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
mdflem@bitstream.net
16 March 2005
Not
too much
I
am so glad you appeal to Charles Williams often in
your thoughtful letters. His generous orthodoxy offers
the Anglican Communion a better way to deal with
disagreements than the ones various provinces have
been resorting to, of late. Blessed Charles Williams,
pray for us.
Phoebe
Pettingell
St Stephen's Episcopal Church
Providence, Rhode Island, USA
17 March 2005
Whew.
Another fan. Thank you.
A
question from Nigeria
I
am a dental surgeon, working in Lagos, Nigeria. I
work in hospital where the other doctors are of the
Roman Catholic faith, and one of them recently declared
that the problem of the Anglican Church worldwide
is from their legalising abortion. This I have
never heard about in all my years as an Anglican.
Please could you send me any write-up on the Anglican
Church anywhere in the world concerning abortion,
whether for or against abortion.
Yours
faithfully
Dr.
Donald C. Onyedika
Church of Epiphany Iba -- Ojo Lagos
Lagos, NIGERIA
18 March 2005
If
you would like to respond to Dr Onyedika, email
us your response and we'll forward your reply to
him.
Earlier
letters
We launched
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