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Letters from 15 to 21 October 2007

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Shooting straight nicely

What a fine opening letter last week. It reminded me of when I first enlisted in the Army back in 1985. I read two books at nearly the same time. One was Service Etiquette and it explained all of the proper ways to do things during Armed Forces social events. The other was To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth by Jeff Cooper. The first was filled with manners and rules of social graces which were already growing very rare even among those whom supposedly were bound to them. The second was about being a proper adult, courteous but with integrity, something also growing rare in modern society. Where the one was certainly at fault for leaning too far to the politeness at any cost side, the other compensated by leaning equally far to other direction.

Can the new volume on Anglican courtesy blend these two books and frame itself within the ecclesiastical structure? It would be nice if all involved would extend every effort be nice to each other. That effort would probably be greatly enhanced if everyone involved were willing to shoot straight with each other speaking the truth as to their priorities, intentions, and goals.

Chaplain (CPT) Steven G Rindahl
The Anglican Community of Camp Liberty
Camp Liberty (Baghdad), IRAQ
15 October 2007

Ancient and Modern in Nigeria

I came across this site by chance, but nothing happens by chance in a believer's life, hey? I'm 31, male, and a committed Anglican, which makes me somewhat of an anachronism in today's Pentecostal-dominated world. Feel like the original dinosaur when I wander off to church with my BCP and Hymns Ancient and Modern book, and the occasional SS&S! But I love being Anglican, and it pains me about the schism in the church because of this gay stuff in America. Of course, as an African, I'm almost certain to be a homophobe <grin>, but I think we should look beyond the whole thing. Let's keep praying, Anglicanism shouldn't allow the devil to do us in...

A question: Does anyone know where I can buy good recordings of the A&M hymns? 176 and 202 are my favourites, and of course SS&S 901 and 798.

Obi Udeariry
St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Aladinma, Owerri
Owerri, Imo State, NIGERIA
netwalker55@yahoo.es
15 October 2007

Earlier letters

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