July 2009

Churches help prom dreams come true

From Beth French • Rogers, Arkansas, Jul 02, 2009 Just about every church in town has a way to distribute food and clothing, whether it's a food pantry or just friends helping friends. And, yes, it's very important.

But to a teenage girl, feeling pretty, going to the prom -- not being different because you are poor -- is something you can hold in your heart. And it lasts much longer than what you ate for lunch on prom day.

What a great ministry!

North American Anglican group holds inaugural gathering

From The Rev. Bob Bettson • Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada Jul 02, 2009 "We are part of something big," Duncan added. "God isn't just bringing Anglican Christians together. Across the Church, people are re-embracing Scripture's authority. Christians are once again discovering the beauty, wisdom and grace of our 2,000-year-old tradition."

This is the kind of statement I find so arrogant. It shows how sectarian this new group is. They presume that they are the only ones embracing scriptural authority and following the beauty wisdom and grace of the Christian tradition. They are the only true believers and TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada are apostate. What nonsense! How ridiculous can the pharisaical power seeker be?

Among military chaplains, fundamentalism is taking hold

From Louis D. LaBarge • Rensselaer Falls, New York, Jul 02, 2009 Thank you for this article. I always read Harper's cover to cover, and I found your story on their website. As an atheist, I feel especially threatened by the move toward fundamentalism in America, and at times forget that not all Christians share in the evangelical attitude. Your well-thought out, moderating article has given me some hope that there are still reasonable Christians in America. Again, thank you for your words.

Reader Response

From Amy Spence • Fort Worth, Texas, Jul 02, 2009 Nina Churchman (Reader Response, June 20) writes, "God... also rejoices that women facing unplanned pregnancies have the freedom to carefully choose the best option - birth, adoption or abortion - for themselves and their families."

Really? She knows this how?

Thinking people can believe that abortion is a sin and still should be legal.

SAN JOAQUIN: 'All-new spirit' prevails as diocese ordains first woman priest

From Phyllis Amenda • Binghamton, New York, Jul 02, 2009 Hallelujah! As a woman who grew up in the Diocese of San Joaquin, I'm thrilled to finally see a woman being ordained there. What a wonderful sign of the vitality of the Episcopal Church in my old home. I offer my prayers for a long and vital priesthood for Rev. Ward along with her congregation and the diocese.

North American Anglican group holds inaugural gathering

From Corinne Star • Grand Prairie, Texas Jul 02, 2009 May I point out that Jack Iker, former bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, now presumably bishop of his new diocese of the Southern Cone, continues to use the official seal of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and call his new diocese the "Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth," although many churches have changed their signs. There is a continuing Episcopal diocese and many Episcopalians remaining, I among them; actually the number grows weekly. It is a baffling state of affairs to me.

North American Anglican group holds inaugural gathering

From Kenneth Wilkening • Paxton, Illinois, Jul 02, 2009 If we want diversity in our parishes and inclusiveness, then it makes sense to have diversity in theological viewpoints in a national church. There is no reason for the Episcopal church to feel threatened by this outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a new grouping within the Anglican Communion. What is sad is the vindictive and revenge mentality of the TEC hierarchy. The Bible very plainly tells us who is the good steward and who is not. It is time for the Episcopal Church to realize that it isn't in conformity with the majority in the Anglican Communion and go its own way. In the end it will be the ACNA that will prove to be the inclusive and forgiving church and TEC will be composed of only liberal theological churches.  One can only wish the best for Bishop Duncan and hope that the TEC will come to its senses, repent, and become reconciled to fellow Anglicans.

North American Anglican group holds inaugural gathering

From Elizabeth Kenyon • Bridgeport, Connecticut, Jul 02, 2009 Good for Archbishop Duncan! But ACNA will not succeed unless it uses ONE prayer book per country (the 1928 edition for the USA), and abolishes women's ordination--perhaps by attrition.

House of Deputies may convene unusual sessions on Resolution B033

From Gary Flowers • Henderson, Kentucky Jul 02, 2009 If they cancel BO33 and bless same-sex relationships,I see more people leaving the Church. I know I will.

North American Anglican group holds inaugural gathering

From Albert Feix III • Palm Springs, California, Jul 02, 2009 It's obvious that those that perpetuate their bigotry in the name of God and through the "transforming love of Jesus Christ" are getting stronger. And what of Rick Warren? This is very disheartening.

Relating to other religions

From The Rev. Ralph W. Anderson, Jr. • Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Jul 02, 2009 The article written in 1990 by Rowan Williams, the current Archbishop of Canterbury, as part of a book review of Raimon Panikkar's, "The Trinity and the Religious Eperience of Man," indicated, "If the object of dialogue is the discovery of how the Christian can intelligibly and constructively unite with the Buddhist or Muslin in the construction of God's children, rather than arriving at an agreed statement, a religious meta-theory or (worst of all) a single institution with a single administratve hierarchy, there is no contradiction in a 'Trinitarian pluralism.'"

Is it possible that this suggested format for dialogue between Christians, Jews, Muslims and even Buddhists would work today?

I think so!

Among military chaplains, fundamentalism is taking hold

From Gary Bridgman • Memphis, Tennessee Jul 02, 2009 I applaud the Rev. David Somerville's charge to the Episcopal Church to put more energy behind recruiting Episcopal chaplains for the U.S. military.

I might not recommend, however, that the church rely on Fr. David to be the pubic face of such a campaign. We might recruit a few more military chaplains from our parishes, but we could also "win" a much larger number of hard-right evangelicals into the chaplaincy once talk-radio hosts and conservative bloggers pass along his remarks.

I agree that the Christian right's "steeplejacking" of the US military is a real phenomenon, one that admittedly awakens my inner conspiracy-alarmist. (Conjure a future cabal of generals at a Secret Prayer Breakfast, anointing the next president or chief justice.) But employing language like "heterosexist American delusions of superiority" and "under-educated for the twenty-first century milieu" ain't gonna make it with anyone, anyhow.

Also, I can't tell if Somerville' refers to "fundamentalism" so many times because he is being careful with his language or because he is being careless.

Careful, perhaps, so as to not offend moderate evangelicals and charismatics who are often lumped together (unfairly) with the Moral Majority and other assorted book-burners. Careless, because "fundamentalist" has become a slur, a broad brush with which to paint hardline adherents to all three Abrahamic faiths. Some indeed deserve such a controversial label, but the liberal use of this word ("liberal" in both senses) tends to cause more problems than it solves.