Family Lent

A real Lenten resource, from the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Let's all worship the United Nations

(Millennium Development Goals Cross from here.)



Anglicat has this excellent post re: the "Stations of the Millennium Development Goals."

Some of the "stations" are just plain creepy. Like this one:

Station 5: Ask each pilgrim to write the name of every woman they know who gave birth during the past year. When the list is complete, draw a black cross next to the name of every 16th woman, symbolizing that one in 16 pregnant women die from childbirth complications in sub-Saharan Africa.

Charming. Let us celebrate those women we know who have given birth in the past year by imagining them dead.

Or how about this one:

Station 6: Using a white bed sheet and ink pad, have a pilgrim make a hand print every thirty seconds, symbolizing how many children are dying from malaria worldwide.

Just exactly how does this prevent a child from dying from malaria? All it does is make us feel good about feeling so bad that we put hand prints on a bed sheet. Hey, it is a lot of effort, ya know. Do you realize how hard it is to find a plain white bedsheet these days? But it's worth it, because now I am "aware".


The stuff that comes out of 815 is beyond parody.

More on Hindu/Episcopal Service in Los Angeles

This correction was in the LA Times yesterday:

Hindu-Episcopal service: An article in Sunday's California section about a joint religious service involving Hindus and Episcopalians said that all those attending the service at St. John's Cathedral in Los Angeles were invited to Holy Communion. Although attendees walked toward the Communion table, only Christians were encouraged to partake of Communion. Out of respect for Hindu beliefs, the Hindus were invited to take a flower. Also, the article described Hindus consuming bread during Communion, but some of those worshipers were Christians wearing traditional Indian dress.

I'm not really impressed. It seems that the ONLY reason Hindus apparently did not partake of the Eucharist was out of respect for Hindu beliefs, not any respect for Christian belief. I also note that the correction says "some" of those wearing traditional Indian dress were Christians. So I'm still not reassured that the sacraments were handled in any way reverently or properly.

And in a way, it doesn't really matter that this correction was printed (who ever reads the corrections anyway?). The impression given was that Hindus & Christians broke bread together, not in a fellowship meal but in the central sacrament of the Christian faith.

More "Interfaith" love

Does the Bishop of Los Angeles ever even notice stories like this? Or is he too busy apologizing for Christian prejudice againgst Hindus? Or perhaps it's all the Christians fault for daring to convert in the first place?

Bibles destroyed in India's anti-Christian violence


Posted: 22 January, 2008

(MNN) ― Christians continue to be the focus of attacks in India, and now believers are starting to understand why the attacks are taking place.

Sampson is the Director for Distribution with World Bible Translation Center in India. He says the violence in Orissa is taking its toll. "Nearly 700 houses are destroyed, and thousands of Christians are displaced. They are staying in refugee camps, in dormitories at schools in villages, and in make-shift tents."

Not only have these Christians lost clothing, food, homes and more, they've also lost something even more important. "Many Bibles (have been) burned and destroyed. So many of the new believers don't have Bibles right now. They're missing the Word of God. We need to get Bibles to these village schools. Some are staying in the jungles. So we need to get the Word of God in these places."

According to Sampson, the State government is controlled by a coalition of Hindu nationalists who hate the spread of Christianity. He says the reason these attacks are taking place is because many are turning to Christ. "A leading fundamentalist party leader has suggested that there has been an increase of nearly double the number of Christians -- nearly 5.5 percent of the population is Christian, up from 2.1."

The World Bible Translation Center distribution program has had a direct impact on that increase, says Sampson. "34,000 Oriya Bibles were distributed in May 2007. So God was greatly blessing the efforts of the distribution. And all of a sudden the devil tries to thwart the attempts by using the Hindu fundamentalists and starting the persecution in Orissa."

However, Sampson isn't discouraged by the increasing violence. "God is going to do great things in Orissa because of the persecution. More churches will be raised and more house church, too, and the number of believers will increase in the coming days."

Sampson says their faith is strong. He says, "Hindu fundamentalists are visiting house to house asking believers to renounce their faith. But these believers are not willing to give up Jesus Christ. And as a result, they're facing more persecution."

While Orissa's state law prohibits Hindus from converting to Christianity, in violation to India's constitution, Sampson says it's not stopping church growth. "All of these believers are accepting Christ secretly and taking baptism secretly."

World Bible Translation Center is asking you to help provide a new easy-to-read Oriya Bible to one of the displaced Christians in Orissa. $6 provides a complete Bible -- God's Word that will provide comfort and encouragement to a persecuted believer there.

Follow the link to donate.

(Hat tip to Transfigurations for this story.)

I don't know whether to scream or cry....

Service celebrates 2 beliefs

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.

Litigation Season

Let's take a look at the current activity from 815.

First, January 9th, the Presiding Bishop (& PRIMATE, lest we forget) writes to Bishop Iker.

January 9, 2008
The Rt. Rev Jack L. Iker, D.D.
The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth
2900 Alameda
Fort Worth, TX 76108

Dear Jack,

Thank you for your letter. I believe you have misinterpreted my previous letter. I gave no "acknowledgement that dioceses can and do leave the Episcopal Church." On the contrary, I continue to aver that individuals may leave, but congregations and dioceses do not. I continue to urge you to withdraw from any encouragement of such a belief, or action toward departure, as i believe it to be a violation of the vows we have both repeatedly taken to "conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Episcopal Church."

I lament your belief that clergy and laity with your theological position are being systematically eliminated from positions of leadership and influence. If they are disappearing, it is by their own decision and at their own hands. I note how carefully the current and former Presidents of the House of Deputies have been to ensure broad representation in appointment to various church bodies, and know that my predecessors and I have also sought to include all theological positions in appointments within our purview.

You state your concern about those who would stand by their convictions being threatened with depositions and lawsuits. I would also note that depositions and lawsuits have no substance if there has been no violation. Fear of same is probably not rational if there is no basis for same.

I pray that your ministry may be one of abundance in the coming year, and I remain

Your servant in Christ,

Katharine Jefferts Schori

This is the craziest line in the whole letter: You state your concern about those who would stand by their convictions being threatened with depositions and lawsuits. I would also note that depositions and lawsuits have no substance if there has been no violation. Fear of same is probably not rational if there is no basis for same.

Okay, true enough I suppose. If a lawsuit is brought against someone for, oh let's say robbing a bank, and that person is manifestly not guilty, than of course the deposition and lawauit have no substance. However, to bring charges where there is no case is a threat. Lawsuits are costly, time consuming and soul wearying. Lawsuits brought against clergy for their holding to the old, orthodox teachings are harassment. "Fear of same" is rational. The PB seems to like to accuse the conservatives of mental illness. Remember when she implied Bp. Scofield was perhaps a little unhinged, what with his sense of isolation and all?

And speaking of Bp. Scofield, on January 11, the PB inhibits Bp. John-David Scofield.

Mike Glass, a San Rafael, California attorney who represents congregations and individual Episcopalians who wish to remain in the Episcopal Church, welcomed the actions.

"The Title IV Review Committee's certification of abandonment is the first step in clarifying and resolving John-David Schofield's canonical status.

(I love this line:)

The accompanying inhibition will provide safety and assurance to those who are working toward the continuance of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin in the Episcopal Church," Glass said.

"The inhibition also provides a safe space for those who wish to remain Episcopalian, but may have otherwise felt they could not speak their true heart for fear of retribution. My clients, Canon Robert Moore and I will use this time to continue our efforts to reach out to those individuals, missions, and parishes."

Saftey and assurance. Just how dangerous is Bp. Scofield? Does he have the power to take away pensions? Oh, no,wait. That would be in TEC's hands.

On January 12, we get clarifiation from San Joaquin & the Southern Cone. Bishop Scofield is a Bishop in good standing in the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. How can he have abandoned communion with TEC unless TEC admits it is not in communion with the Southern Cone?

Onward to January 15, where we see that the Title IV Review Committee accuses Bp. Duncan of Pittsburgh of also abandoning communion. But, oops, at least one of the three senior bishops needed to sign on to this won't cooperate & Bp. Duncan must resign the loyalty oath & faces a dressing-down at the next House of Bishop's meeting in March.


So, in review, "remind" Bp. Iker, inhibit Bp. Scofield & try to inhibit Bp. Duncan, but issue a summons to appear instead. Not bad for a week's work. But do you think it occurs to her there might just be a little something wrong in TEC if you have this many bad boys you need to discipline?

Things that make Christians look stupid

While I'm not going to comment (at least not now) on disestablishment for the CoE, this nonsense about the number 666 is tiresome and makes Christians look like a pack of superstitious fools.

Devilish debate on end for Church of England


LONDON (AFP) - Eyebrows were raised in the House of Commons on Thursday when a motion calling for the Church of England to be disestablished was listed with the number 666, symbol of the AntiChrist.


"This number is supposed to be the mark of the Devil. It looks as though God or the Devil have been moving in mysterious ways," said Bob Russell, a Liberal Democrat MP among those proposing the motion for debate.

"What is even stranger is that this motion was tabled last night when MPs were debating blasphemy," he added.

The motion calls for an end to the formal link between Church and State in England -- embodied in the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who is both head of state and head of the Church of England.

The number 666 is referred to in the Book of Revelations in the Bible: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred, three score and six."

"It is is incredible that a motion like this should have, by chance, acquired this significant number," said Russell.

Under the rules of the House of Commons the motion by backbenchers has little chance of actually being debated in parliament.