Ponderings

At Father Jake Stops the World, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's closing remarks on an All Things Considered interview are posted:

I think my basic hope is that we remember that, as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1940 said, "The Church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not members." Our focus needs not to be so much on internal politics, but on serving the world, on helping to heal a world that is broken.

My gosh, do those words ever resonate for me! When it comes to the "big questions", there is little that I know for sure. But I know that "helping to heal the world" is something that I need to do. So hearing those words from the new Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church feels like one of those little divine nudges that remind me I'm exactly where I need to be.

Then, not long after reading what +KJS had to say, I stumbled upon an article about two parishes bolting from the Episcopal church.

Truro Church in Fairfax and The Falls Church in Falls Church plan to place themselves under the leadership of Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, who has called the growing acceptance of gay relationships a "satanic attack" on the church.

So much hate there. Well, fear, I guess. I keep trying to remind myself of that, because it really troubles me to read that sort of thing.

This evening was my EfM seminar, and we did a theological reflection on the Magnificat, which is in Luke's Gospel. It begins with these words:

My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

In addition to theological reflections, we have readings to discuss. Last year, my readings were about the Old Testament, and this year they focus on the New Testament. For the last couple weeks, the readings have been about the Gospel of Luke, so I'm a lot better versed in the attributes of this Gospel than I was before. From my readings, "Luke insists that the gospel is good news for the poor, the outcast, and the sinner." Later in the paragraph, the author mentions the Magnificat's "eager celebration of the reversal of roles as society sees them".

Anyway, it was a good discussion, and I was glad I pushed myself to attend tonight, because at the end of a hectic day I really wanted to rest. And in some of our informal chit-chat, I learned about a style of Nativity scene I'd never heard of before.

I submit to you that I can find this amusing but still be a person who takes her faith and calling seriously. On one level, it feels like I shouldn't have to say that, but I'm not sure that a member of this community who recently "shook the dust off his feet" accepts that particular paradox.

By the way, I hadn't read Underground Railroad for a while, but checked in on it this evening after reading Cat's comment about Oscar stating that he's considering ending the "blog exercise" of posting a weekly sermon in favor of "real world" activities.

Still pondering, and this post is not really finished in any neat and tidy sort of way. But the question that keeps nagging at me is this: How can we ever begin to tackle the big problems our country and our world face if we are not willing to remain in dialog, and in community, with people of good will who disagree with us?

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