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Letters from 12 to 18 November 2007

Like all letters to the editor everywhere, these letters are the opinions of the writers and not Anglicans Online. We publish letters that we think will be of interest to our readers, whether we agree with them or not. If you'd like to write a letter of your own, click here.

Plebs sancta Dei: give them the vote?

In reading your editorial last week I was struck by how often the church misuses the talents of the people especially the clergy.

In many parishes, the one or two who have been called to ordination are expected to be masters of all trades. Is it any wonder that so many clergy suffer from burn-out or become disillusioned with their calling from God? Ordination does not magically gift an individual with skills as a preacher, teacher, administrator, counselor, font of wisdom, biblical scholar, carpenter, electrician or plumber. Although, too often that is the expectation.

On the other hand, too many clergy are afraid to give up control of everything that goes on in the church. A trait that seems be especially prevalent in the Episcopate where some bishops seem terrified that the laity may not only have different opinions but actually seek to implement them.

Perhaps it's time we examined the structure of the church so that bishops become the pastoral servants of the will of the laity rather than the decision makers. With the communication technology available today, surely the laity can have a vote (not just Synod delegates) to decide policy that would be binding on the management (Episcopate).

Bruce Williams
St. Stephen's Church
Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
13 November 2007

Incompetence rising

Has anyone read The Peter Principle ?

Nigel Feilden
St Mary's Church, Inverurie
Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, SCOTLAND
14 November 2007

Rejoicing in California . . .

This short video and slide presentation is a wonderful glimpse of the recent (10 November 2007) ordination of the Reverend Mary Gray-Reeves, new bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real: http://www.mercurynewsphoto.com/blog/2007/11/11/episcopal-bishop-ordained/

Amy Phillips Witzke
St. Timothy's Church, Mountain View
Sunnyvale, California, USA
15 November 2007

. . . and justly grumbling in Nigeria

Why is there so much fracas over the Lambeth Conference? Funny, one would think that the best way to solve differences would be to get together and indulge in a lot of jaw-jaw, rather than do the opposite. Not only are various African provinces threatening to pull out, so are some American bishops, etc...

It's amazing the amount of leeway we've allowed the devil to exercise in what should be God's church. Shame on us.

Obi Udeariry
St. Andrew's Church, Aladinma, Owerri
Owerri, Imo State, NIGERIA
netwalker55@yahoo.es
12 November 2007

Earlier letters

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