Episcopalians hold an Indian Rite Mass with Hindus and apologize for past religious discrimination.
By K. Connie Kang, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 20, 2008
Hindu nun Pravrajika Saradeshaprana, dressed in a saffron robe, blew into a conch shell three times, calling to worship Hindu and Episcopal religious leaders who joined Saturday to celebrate an Indian Rite Mass at St. John's Cathedral near downtown.
Okay, just what is an "Indian Rite Mass". I'm sure the Church in India DOES NOT do offer worship to idols. Nor would they offer communion to practicing Hindus.
The rare joint service included chants from the Temple Bhajan Band of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and a moving rendition of "Bless the Lord, O My Soul" sung by the St. John's choir.
Ah, yes, let us invite ISCON, that's the Hare Krishas, guys, in case you don't know. A group that has not ever hesitated to prosyletize or coerce conversions/membership.
"This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience in worship service," said Bob Bland, a member of St. Patrick's Episcopal Church of Thousand Oaks, who was among the 260 attendees. "There was something so holy -- so much symbolism and so many opportunities for meditation."
Let's hope this remains a "rare joint service". But I doubt it. The only way it will remain "rare" is if the Hindu participants realize what a waste of time it is to worship together with this non-faith community.
During the service, the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, issued a statement of apology to the Hindu religious community for centuries-old acts of religious discrimination by Christians, including attempts to convert them.
"I believe that the world cannot afford for us to repeat the errors of our past, in which we sought to dominate rather than to serve," Bruno said in a statement read by the Rt. Rev. Chester Talton. "In this spirit, and in order to take another step in building trust between our two great religious traditions, I offer a sincere apology to the Hindu religious community."
Okay, fair enough. It is a good thing to reflect on the past behavior of the Church. We do need to be careful in our outreach to other cultures, not seeking to dominate , but to serve them in Christ's name. Although I suspect the good Bishop is really apologizing for the British Raj.
The bishop also said he was committed to renouncing "proselytizing" of Hindus. Bruno had been scheduled to read the statement himself, but a death of a close family friend prevented him from attending the service.
Promising not to "proselytize" a group of people is the ultimate in racism and discrimination. This says the Good News of Jesus is for all the world - except your kind. But then, I am not so sure that the Bishop thinks that the Gospel is"Good News".
Swami Sarvadevananda, of Vedanta Society of Southern California, was among about a dozen Hindu leaders honored during the service. He called Bruno's stance "a great and courageous step" that binds the two communities.
"By declaring that there will be no more proselytizing, the bishop has opened a new door of understanding," Sarvadevananda said. "The modern religious man must expand his understanding and love of religions and their practices."
Yeah. Great. Let's all be the "modern religious man". The Vedanta Society is a great example of syncretism. Let's be just like them.
All were invited to Holy Communion, after the Episcopal celebrant elevated a tray of consecrated Indian bread, and deacons raised wine-filled chalices.
In respect to Hindu tradition, a tray of flowers was also presented. Christians and Hindus lined up for communion, but since Orthodox Hindus shun alcohol, they consumed only the bread.
Did the tray of flowers also become the Body and Blood? What exactly is Indian Bread? So we offer our holiest sacrament to non-believers and they get to pick and choose how they partake? Oh, I'll have one from column A, but not from column B, because my religious tradition has standards, but yours does not.
During the service, the two faiths also blended practices during the handling of an icon of Jesus.
The Rev. Karen MacQueen, an associate priest at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Pomona, who was the celebrant, carried the icon, a large painted image, during the procession. She placed it before the altar.
Then, as she and the others knelt before the icon, a second Hindu band, Adoration Chant Band, sang a hymn while the icon was anointed with sandalwood paste by the Episcopal celebrant. A flowered garland was placed on it and a lamp was lighted, a sign of Christ, the light in the darkness
Both Hindu and Christian texts were read.
In her homily, "A Vision for Inter-Religious Dialogue," MacQueen said in both Hinduism and Christianity devotees believe that "the Divine Presence" illuminates the whole world.
Alright, different Christian traditions revere icons. Lighting a candle in front of them, kissing them, elevating them. For all I know, wrapping flower garlands around them. I'm fairly sure none smear sandalwood paste on icons, but let's give that a pass. During this service, I think it would be fair to say though that all of these actions were not done because they are Christian traditions, but because they were seen as specifically Hindu. Jesus was being treated here as just another avatar among many.
MacQueen, who spent two years studying Hinduism in India, said both faiths revere "great figures who embody the divine light, who teach the divine truth."
For Christians, Jesus preeminently embodies the divine light, she said. For Hindus, she said a number of figures embody the divine light and teach the divine truth.
Yeah, that is kinda the point, isn't it? For Christians, Jesus is different than all the other "great figures who embody the divine light". Oh, hey, wait, HE IS THE DIVINE LIGHT. He does not "embody" it, he IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. HE IS GOD INCARNATE. I've spent a little time studying Hinduism as well and I can tell you that Kali "embodies the divine light" just as much as Jesus does in some groups. If Jesus makes it into the pantheon at all. Usually, he is ignored or relegated to the status of guru, who are great teachers, but not God. Or even one of many gods. 'Cause don't let them fool you, Hindus worship gods, plural.
"To my knowledge this is an unprecedented event in L.A., California and the U.S.," said the Rev. Gwynne Guibord, head of the ecumenical and inter-religious affairs for the diocese, which initiated Saturday's project.
"My personal, prayerful hope is that it will serve as a 'model' of good will toward building up of a 'beloved community,' " she said.
I doubt this will remain "unprecedented". I'm sure sacreligious, blasphemous events like this will be eagerly reproduced all over the place.
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