Letters
from 23 to 29 October 2006
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OK, we'll
call it 'The US Episcopal Church'
Your editorial
letter this week interests me a great deal, as I am one of the leading
exponents of "TEC" as an acronym for our church. First off, please note
that the canons of the church refer to "The Episcopal Church" with the
capitalized "T" and they have since 1967, except in the Constitution.
Second, the name "Episcopal" and "Episcopalian" were not chosen by the
church, but developed by Roman Catholic colonists in Maryland to distinguish
the CofE from themselves. Thus the moniker predates the organization
of the independent American church. Furthermore, as the founder of about
one-quarter of the Anglican Communion's provinces, to refer to ourselves
as The Episcopal Church is not arrogance, but simply recognizes which
came first. Finally, to refer to "The Episcopal Church USA" perpetuates
rather than negates the americanocentric bias of Episcopalians as well
as that of our critics in the Communion. We are the most international
province of the Communion, stretching from Taiwan to Austria. Our largest
diocese is Haiti, which isn't even anglophone. Our fastest-growing dioceses
are overseas, i.e., not USA.
In this time
when the culture wars have become globalized, we Americans must learn
to think globally. TEC could help, after we begin to be able to see things
from the perspective of other cultures. In this, the input of the overseas
dioceses will be crucial.
But first,
we have to be able to recognize we are an international, not a national,
church. "The Episcopal Church USA" doesn't cut it.
Bp Pierre
Whalon
Convocation of American Churches in Europe
Paris, FRANCE
bishop@tec-europe.org
30 October 2006
(Ed: When
last we visited your cathedral,
good bishop, its sign said 'The American Cathedral in Paris'. And its
website is 'americancathedral.org'.
But we feel your pain: we've been to France quite a few times,
and we fully understand the desire to guide the local populace to a belief
that we aren't from the US. Maple-leaf flags in our collars helped. Indeed
the US Episcopal Church has branches in other countries, but are they
often a mixture of expats and people practicing their English? It's very
hard to say. La différence entre 'international' et 'national
avec une saveur
coloniale' est subtile et peut-être mieux réservée
pour que l'histoire le
décide.)
New and improved!
More fibre! Less fat!
Your editorial on the 'rebranding' of "The Episcopal Church" got me thinking of brand
names in church, right up there with dental associations recommending
toothpaste ... "This sermon is recommended by The Episocopal Church®,
Salvation is brought to you by Jesus".
W.J. Arnold
PhD
St Mark's
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
30 October 2006
But the Baptists
have better food at coffee hour
As an avid
reader of Anglicans Online I draw to your attention a
sermon preached
in Wellington Cathedral last Sunday night by Dr Jenny Plane Te Paa. Jenny
is Dean of the Maori Theological College in Aotearoa/New Zealand and
active in the international Anglican scene.
Given all that is happening in the Anglican Communion at present, here
is another perspective. I trust it may be of interest to some.
With grateful
thanks for a splendid resource.
Frank Nelson
(Very Revd)
Wellington Cathedral of St Paul
Wellington, New Zealand
dean@wellingtoncathedral.org.nz
30 October 2006
We're thinking
about 'The Website'
Enjoyed your
editorial this week about "branding." The new name seems analogous to
the change a few years ago in the name of the local university. "Ohio
State University" became "THE Ohio State University," and many still
emphasize the first word in a sarcastic tone of voice. This accompanied
a change in university governance from an academic model to the current
business model. It's a matter of opinion whether the change was for the
better. I imagine some believe the name change from "The Domestic and
Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
United States of America" to "The Episcopal Church" may signal a similar
negative phenomenon.
Dr. Catherine
Tremper
Hilliard, Ohio, USA
1 November 2006
We even propose
to include the unfaithful
You
folks are wonderful! While
at times I must scamper to dictionary.com when
reading your lead page (thus enriching my own vocabulary and informing
my reading of the material) I am, especially recently, struck by your
understanding of unity within the 'blessed
company of all faithful people, gathered together because of our love
for and in the Name above all names'. As a member of that company
practicing in the Lutheran tradition (and facing some of the same issues
of inclusion and liturgical tepidity as many an Anglican) I find your
comments to be insightful, illuminating, and hopeful! Oh how often the
lust for power, influence, and 'bickering of church leaders',
things which will, at some point, pass away are allowed to detract us
from that which will never pass away!
One Holy,
Catholic, and Apostolic Church – what a wonderful understanding,
and about all the label one should need. Don’t you think?
Lyle Clark
The Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, Saranac Lake, New York
Tupper Lake, New York, USA
lyleclark@verizon.net
2 November 2006
Antidisestablishmentarianism
Why
not refer to the
church wanting to be known as TEC as simply the American Church or
the Church of the United States? This is similar to the name of the
mother church, CoE. The non-US parts of the church are just vestiage
of the colonial past and are not central to the church. In any rational
model they would be spun-off as independent entities.
Ralph Walter
All Saints Beverly Hills
Los Angeles, California, USA
2 November 2006
(Ed: do recall that the Church of England is, in fact, the church of England.
It is official. Established. Its bishops are appointed by the Prime Minister.
We don't think this model would work well in the USA, and we also suspect
that were there ever an established church in the US, the US Episcopal
Church would not be first in line among the candidate denominations for
the title of 'The Church of the United States'.)
What's good
for Britian is good for America
Dear Gentlepeople: I
find nothing to be more arrogant than the idea of anyone "british" pointing
out what they feel is someone else's cultural arrogance. Is there anything
more arrogant than siezing independent nations's, renaming them, imposing
systems of rule that bring them to the brink of cultural genocide, draining
them of resources and dignity than, when exhausted as a force pushing
them into a "market" system that benefits no one but "britian". I think
not. Is the culture wars in the Anglican communion more a statment for
a place in the world by emergent national churches in former british
colonies than a defense of biblical truth? Yes.
North Americans
(believe it or not my Candian and Mexican relatives as well as Filipino
friends are not offended by the use of The Episcopal Church) have commonly
called the P.E.C.U.S.A. THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH for over a century. The
move in the trademark court by 815 is right and was done in the interests
of 95% of the membership of The Episcopal Church who aren't interested
in leaving, aren't looking to be supervised by African Bishop's and who
are also aware that we are blessed by a vibrant anglo-catholic wing.
The rankest
arrogance is the continued exclusion of all of God's children form all
roles of worship and inclusion at all levels of the anglican communion,
be they male, female, white, brown, black, mixed, gay, hetrosexual,
bi-sexual, a-sexual, young, old, married, single, families, celibate,
African, European, Asian, American North or South.
Arrogance?
To me it is the idea and acutal pracice that the spiritual leader of
the world's 3rd largest Christian denomination most be a male subject
of a feudal monarch and approved by a secular socialist legislative body.
Spare us that continued horror. The Romans' are more progressive in that
at least The Pope must no longer be Italian.
On a practical
note you may wish to update your computer's address book, as once the
Trademark has been approved, the United States Postal service will return
to sender anything not directed to The Episcopal Church. Like mail sent
to the Royal Gov. in New York it will be a dead letter.
Blessings
to you all on this glorous day .....we are blessed by a new Bishop...Kathrine.....
Lawrence Guest
O'Connor
Church of the Advent. San Francisco & St. Pauls, San Diego
San Francisco & San Diego, California, USA
forestknolls94131@yahoo.com
4 November 2006
(Ed: the
new primate of the US Episcopal Church spells her name 'Katharine',
with two a's. We certainly enjoyed watching the service of her institution
even though it began at 8:00am in the time zone where we live. We giggle
at the notion that the United States Postal Service would refuse to
deliver mail addressed to "The US Episcopal Church, 815 Second Avenue,
New York".)
Earlier
letters
We launched
our 'Letters to AO' section on 11 May 2003. All published
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