| Letters from
6 to 12 August 2012
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The
attraction of archdeacons
Another
Archdeacon for your collection: Archdeacon
Hoccleve in Barbara Pym's 'Some Tame Gazelle'.
The heroine's main romantic interest!
Robert
W. M. Greaves
Jakarta, INDONESIA
robert.w.m.greaves@gmail.com
6 August 2012
The
attraction of Anglicans
You
wrote: "We think that church attendance has mostly
to do with how much people need church, and
realistically that just isn't something that
churches can have much effect on. We've seen
churches that have figured out what people think
they need and turned themselves into that — the
classic 'find a need and fill it' marketing strategy.
But that's not at all Anglican. We are what we
are, and we're here for those who need us. Perhaps
one day the world will not need us any more,
and then we'll be gone. We don't think that will
happen and we hope that it does not happen. But
it might, and we think it's better to stay who
we are than to work to become something that
we're not."
Amen
to that. As an ex-Evangelical Protestant turned Roman
Catholic turned Greek Orthodox, I haven't belonged
to a church in some time. I got tired of supporting
an organisation that didn't find time for women or
our considerable gifts. Since coming to the UK a
year ago, I've been quite heartened by the Anglican
Church (C of E?) and its stance on issues and the
gentle teaching emanating from it. If I were ever
to return, it would be to the Anglicans.
Angela
Webb
churchless
Colchester, Essex, UNITED KINGDOM
a.webb1204@btinternet.com
6 August 2012
From
the darkness to the light
We
celebrated the Transfiguration last Sunday using
the painting by Raphael, part of which you
featured on your front page last week. I
am sure this helped our congregation "connect" with
this important commemoration.
The
original painting includes a lower section beneath
the mount of transfiguration in which the event following,
the healing of the possessed boy, is depicted. The
image of Christ in light, fulfilling the law and
the prophets (Moses and Elijah) is shown as if ready
for the cross, his hands placed as if to receive
the nails. This is the source of hope to which the
characters in the dark chaotic scene beneath direct
their pointing hands: "Lord I believe, help my unbelief".
Paul
Richardson
Devizes, St John the Baptist with St Mary
Devizes, Wiltshire, UNITED KINGDOM
7 August 2012
Letter
to the editor
I
commend you on a thoroughly enjoyable article on
the transfiguration. However, I want to take
issue with one sentence. You remark, "We don't
think that [the world will not need us any more]
will happen and we hope that it does not happen.
But it might, and we think it's better to stay
who we are than to work to become something that
we're not."
I
agree with your conclusion and understand that you
are talking about what people feel they need,
as opposed to what we all do, in fact, need. We Anglicans
(and other Christians as well) DO think that there
will come a time when the world will in fact not
need us — Anglicans, Episcopalians, or
the church by other name — any more, and we
wish for that day.
As
one of our songs says, "I'm looking for the coming
of Christ. I want to be with Jesus." ("I want to
walk as a child of the light"), or as John says more
simply (Revelation 22:20) and Christians often repeat,
'Come, Lord Jesus'.
Judy
Goans
Good Shepherd, Knoxville, Tennessee
Clinton, Tennessee USA (Province IV)
8 August 2012
Earlier
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