Archbishop Winston Halapua has just returned from a visit to Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu according to the The Anglican Communion News Service. While there he witnessed the effects of climate change with rising sea levels inundating the nation, poisoning the drinking water and ruining crops.
The Rev. Dr. Michael Poon, Asian Christianity coordinator of the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia, Trinity Theological College, Singapore, writing in The Living Church reflects on the future of the Anglican Communion:
The Wall Street Journal reports on how parents are seeing to their children's social skills by outsourcing.
Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote an article in The Financial Times (UK) urging us to challenge the idols of high finance:
Time for us to challenge the idols of high finance
An article by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, published in The Financial Times newspaper
Seminaries across the United States consider curriculum changes:
U.S. seminaries consider radical changes
By G. Jeffrey Macdonald in The Washington Post
The Bishop of London and St. Paul's Cathedral try to mop up the mess:
St Paul's seeks new direction and suspends legal action
Bishop of London backs away from further confrontation, recalling that the cathedral had been a 'symbol of freedom'
From the Washington Post, On Faith blog...do we only trust in God when it's politically (or pastorally!?) convenient?
‘In God we trust,’ when politically convenient
Theologian John Milbank skewers the Church of England for its ignorance about protest symbolism of church and state and finance:
A letter from The Rt. Rev. Dr. Ed Leidel, Jr., Bishop Provisional of Eau Claire told of the surprising development:
ThinkProgress has uploaded a video of Bishop Gene Robinson speaking on how religious people might react to The 99 Percent Movement.
The Most Revd Thabo Makgoba, The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, announced the appointment of the Revd Canon Rachel Mash as Environmental Coordinator for the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
We are hearing news of splintering among the various Anglican breakaway groups. The Anglican Mission in America wants to breakaway from the Church of Rwanda, and relations between the Convocation of Anglicans in North America and the Anglican Church of North America have grown chilly.
Māori Anglicans in New Zealand have rejected the Anglican Covenant as out of keeping with the constitution of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, because it seeks to impose by law what should be accomplished through relationship.
In Michigan, bullying is immoral, dangerous and wrong. Except when the bully thinks God is on his side and the victim is gay.
Canon Susan Russell remembers what her mother taught her and wrote a thank you note to Kim Kardashian.
Pending all the proper approvals, the next king or queen of England will be oldest child of the last monarch, regardless of gender, and she or he can have a Roman Catholic spouse or parent, too. But remember, the Archbishop of Canterbury warns, future monarchs must be brought up Church of England.
Giles Frasier writes in the Church Times about his experience when Occupy London camped out at the St. Paul's Cathedral.
The government has set a date for opening the churches in England to civil unions (effectively same-sex blessings), but the Church of England has told the clergy that they may not participate.
From Trinity Wall Street:
Four Anglican Archbishops, including Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, recently met with President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe on behalf of church members who have been prohibited from using their sanctuaries for worship. One of them, Archbishop Albert Chama, of the Province of Central Africa, visited Trinity Wall Street to explain the dispute.
Café friends and contributors Dr. Meredith Gould and Canon Dan Webster are getting married today. As people who work to empower sharing the Gospel online, it's not terribly surprising that this will be one of the most "wired" weddings many of us have ever seen.
A year ago a horrific attack on Iraqi Christians by a group associated with al-Qaeda killed 46 men, women and children and wounded 60 more. It was the worst attack on Christians in the region since the war began in 2003 and started an exodus of Christians from the region that has not stopped.
In a familiar bit of news lately, South Carolina becomes the latest state to decide to enact harsh laws against undocumented immigrants. The Episcopal Church has spoken out in Arizona and in Alabama and is now moving to oppose the new rules in South Carolina.
News from the National Cathedral via Religion News Service blog about the latest sad event for the cathedral. From the cathedral email:
Lesley Crawley reports that the synod of the Diocese of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich of the Church of England has voted against the Covenant. The synod tally as of today is split 2 for - 2 against.
From the Diocesan Website:
The Diocese of Texas has published The Twelve Marks of Healthy Church Behavior based on work by Mary MacGregor and Reb Scarborough, 2004, edited 2011. Areas include: worship, self knowledge, invitation and incorporation, discipling, stewardship, empowerment, accountability, out reach, culture of learning, communication, conflict management, and connectedness to wider church.
The New York Times' Mark Oppenheimer reviews the revival of the musical, Godspell:
People of a certain age--mine--will remember the story of Kitty Genovese who was stabbed to death near her New York City apartment in 1964 while 38 of her neighbors allegedly watched and did nothing. The recent "Lululemon murder" in the Washington D. C. suburb of Bethesda has once again raised the question of how bystanders (in this case two employees of an adjoining store) could hear cries for help and do nothing.
The Saint Paul's Institute has released a report on the attitudes of London's bankers on the ethical dimensions of their work. The report was briefly suppressed amidst the standoff between St. Paul's Cathedral--of which the institute is a ministry--and OccupyLondon protestors camped out in front of the cathedral.
Updated: Bishop Robinson will be on the Rachel Maddow Show tonight at about 9:45 p. m., talking about Occupy Wall Street.
Bishop Gene Robinson says that the protestors occupying Wall Street aren't anti-capitalist. Rather, they are protesting the ways in which the capitalist system is corrupted by the financial industry.
If you visit the Café often, you know that the Episcopal Church is giving some thought to revising its governing structures. Since this process began, I have been on the lookout for proposals made by people who aren't riding the horse of reform down the path of "more power for me!"
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests has released a confession apparently written in May by Bede Parry, the former Benedictine monk and Episcopal priest who sexually abused minors while a monk. The confession was obtained by clergy abuse survivor Patrick Marker who runs a website called Behind the Pine Curtain.
USA Today has the story:
A group of high-profile Democrats and Republicans who back legalizing gay marriage are calling on advocates to shift the focus on the issue from an argument about equal rights to promoting the value of commitment.
As mentioned yesterday, Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire appeared on last night's "Rachel Maddow" show. He spoke about the Occupy movement both in New Hampshire and on Wall Street, mentioning the prophets of the Old Testament and the necessity for community.
Schools in Knoxville, Tenn., purchased iPads over the summer and are letting their students try to them out, Allison Rupp reports on knoxnews.com. Among such institutions: Episcopal School of Knoxville.
Riazat Butt reports for The Guardian that a judge has found in favor of an accuser in a clerical sex-abuse scandal, noting along the way the certain "crucial features" that identified the accused with the Catholic parish he represented.
A study by the Pew Research Center for the People & Press contends that the Millennial generation just isn't all that into religion when it comes to what makes America America.
UPDATE: the ballot measure was defeated.
Mississippi voters today went to the polls to decide whether to define legal personhood as beginning with fertilization.
CNN:
Heidi Grant Halvorson explains why we don't like change in this article in the Huffington Post. How about your church, how do you embrace (or not) change?
The former presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, the Rt. Rev. Frank Griswold believes that our church may be entering the desert time.
UPDATE: Joe Paterno has been fired as head football coach at Penn State University. The University's president, Graham Spanier, has also been fired.
What are the parallels between the Penn State abuse scandal and the many church abuse scandals...?
Catholics are challenging the church's stance on homosexuality and transgender rights. Patrick Hornbeck writes in the CNN BeliefBlog "why good Catholics are challenging church line" and Equally Blessed reports that over "90% of American Catholics support transgender rights":
Strange times, indeed:
An Anglican newspaper has defended the publication of an article that compares gay rights campaigners to Nazis, saying the author has "pertinent views".
Reported by The Guardian
A growing number (though still a small minority) of the House of Bishops in The Episcopal Church are now on Twitter. A few have been on for some time. Is your bishop on Twitter? How does she or he use Twitter? If a BIshop tweets, does anyone listen (or retweet)?
Here are some of the bishops of The Episcopal Church who Tweet. Will yours be next?
Vicar Adam Smallbone, the lead character in the BBC2 show "Rev", is described as quite normal, and even a bit cool: something that real clergy strive for.
So says Tom Hollander, the actor who plays him in a recent interview in The Mirror:
Last night, hundreds of Penn State students took to the streets to support Joe Paterno after he was fired over the child sex abuse scandal. The crowd turned ugly as the night went on.
The New York Times, in an article written by Benedict Carey, reports on a study that finds signs of full consciousness in three severely brain-injured people.
The first of numerous interviews with the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, who will be consecrated as the IXth bishop of Washington on Saturday morning, aired tonight on WJLA-TV.
G. Jeffrey MacDonald, writing in the Huffington Post, explores some of the ways faith groups are helping the more than 1.35 million veterans adjust to civilian life after deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. MacDonald writes, “With symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affecting an estimated one-in-six returning service members, congregations are coming face-to-face with the tolls of war. Experts say faith groups have much to offer, even when the wounds include PTSD and traumatic brain injury.”
Bishop James Magness, Bishop Suffragan, Federal Ministries of The Episcopal Church, writes in the Huffington Post about "A New Era of Serving God and Country."
Over 1.8 million women have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and over 255,000 women have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. The Service Women’s Action Network shares stories of three of these here.
Christchurch Cathedral was deconsecrated today. The structure was severely damaged by 6.3 earthquakes that struck New Zealand last February.
As the story of the sexual abuse of children and the cover-up at Penn State unfolds, many are reflecting on what the scandal means and what we should learn from it.
JimNaught, CanticleCom and perhaps some others will be tweeting from the consecration of Bishop-elect Mariann Budde at Washington National Cathedral. The service begins at 11 a. m., but we hope to start tweeting earlier. The hashtag is #BishopBudde.
The Rev. Dr. Mariann Budde will be consecrated the Bishop of Washington DC at the newly reopened National Cathedral this morning at 11 AM. You can watch the service online at the National Cathedral's website.
Following a fatal shooting on Thursday night at the #OccupyOakland encampment, a number of Oakland area clergy have pledged to remain with the crowd and insist that it was an isolated, tragic incident.
In an article that begins by describing how doing something as simple as lighting a smudging pot could risk imprisonment for North American aboriginal people, there's a discussion about where the present relations between the First Nation people and Christian majority are today. Bishop Marc MacDonald, formerly of the Diocese of Alaska and now of the Anglican Church in Canada is featured.
The bishops of the Methodist Church, in a pastoral letter published on Friday (Nov. 11) committed themselves to following church discipline and formally forbidding any clergy person to bless a same-sex relationship.
The thing about interest groups working with government is -- well, they're interested in stuff. Some are even interested in Jesus.
Bishop of Newark Mark Beckwith writes that New Jersey's incoming legislature "must fight childhood poverty":
On his "Experimental Theology" blog, Richard Beck writes of the experience of reading the Bible aloud to the members of a prison Bible study - how the text is so self-sufficient, requiring neither spin nor supplementation.
In case there was any confusion over the question of where CANA Provincial Primatial Archbishop Nicholas Okoh stands on questions of gender and morality - i.e., what makes for turpitude - the Church of Nigeria's web site currently offers reportage of an Okoh speech that'll clear it all right up.
You will no doubt be surprised to learn that the Rev. Canon Susan Russell has written something that has annoyed the religion right.
The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde, the new Bishop of the Diocese of Washington, had an unusual opportunity last week. She is the first woman to serve as Washington’s diocesan bishop, and was consecrated in the newly re-opened National Cathedral, and perhaps for these reasons, the media showed intense interest in her. She was interviewed by two network news affiliates, Telemundo, a public radio talk shows and two national publications seeking her views on some of the pressing issues confronting mainline Protestants in general and Episcopalians in particular.
Richard Rohr
Interview by Religion & Ethics Newsweekly
RICHARD ROHR: There’s no place where you can’t pray.
Shareholder activism is the conscience of corporations according to the New York Times
... Sister Nora Nash of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. ... the slight, soft-spoken nun had a few not-so-humble suggestions for the world’s most powerful investment bank.
Lauren Ashburn, of the Daily Beast, reports on A Flood of Harassment Horror Stories After the Herman Cain Allegations:
Scott Huler in Scientific American writes about why witnesses don't report abuse when they witness it:
An Anglican Church has been discovered at Jamestown, VA according to The New York Times. Until now it was thought that only the Puritans established a church in the early settlements:
UPDATE: Bishop Sisk writes:
Bishop Sisk writes in response to the Occupy Wall Street protests. This article was originally planned for the next (December) Episcopal New Yorker, but in light of last night's developments in lower Manhattan, it has been decided to publish it now electronically. (more below)
Savi Hensman reports on a better and older Anglican Covenant in Ekklesia
Some lessons for the church from The Harvard Business Review on creating a culture where people can be honest for the good of the organization:
From the rector, the Rev. Dr. James Cooper, of Trinity Wall Street regarding Occupy Wall Street and Trinity's role:
UPDATED
Reuters has posted reflections on the Interfaith Occupy Wall Street service in Zuccotti Park, written by Katherine Clark:
The Rev. Tobias Haller, speaking in the Diocese of Albany, presented his thoughts on the Anglican Covenant: Anglican Disunion: The Issues Behind "the Issue."
A gaggle of Church of England clergy and English monarchy gathered in Westminster Abbey, London, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the institution of the King James Bible, The Guardian's Stephen Bates reports.
The Diocese of Oregon meeting in Convention this past weekend adopted the following resolution supporting the work of the Standing Commission on Structure:
The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, reflects on "How can institutional interests be placed above children" in the Erie Times-News:
Bishop Scott Benhase of Georgia reflects (via Facebook) on the impact of Steve Jobs approach to innovation and how this relates to how we might communicate the gospel.
The Rev. Cameron Partridge serves as a role model in his new ministry as chaplain at Boston Then a church he served hosted commemoration services that pulled in hundreds each year.
ACNS:
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has released a statement in advance of the World Day of Prayer and Action for Children, which is on Sunday 20th November 2011.
The California Supreme Court ruled yesterday that conservative and evangelical groups may defend a statewide ban on gay marriage that a federal judge struck down as unconstitutional last year.
The Roman Catholic diocese of Orange in California just found a way to create an iconic cathedral center for its ministry at about 75% off. It bought the financially busted Crystal Cathedral campus created by Robert Shuller back in the heyday of his "Hour of Power" ministry.
Updated: The Diocese of Truro has also voted against adopting the Covenant.
Thinking Anglicans is reporting that the Diocese of Birmingham has become the third English diocese to vote to reject the Anglican Covenant.
Two bishop elections were held today.
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York are among the voices of British bishops who are speaking out against a scheme to cap family welfare benefits at £500/wk that is being proposed by the coalition government.
Briefly noted in the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee section of yesterday's Council of General Synod highlights, Anglican Church of Canada:
Now that it's almost Thanksgiving and we've had a few snow storms, warm up with this video produced by teens at Camp Marshall in the Episcopal Diocese of Montana this past summer.
The New York Times has the moving story behind a musical offering that was made today at St. Bartholomew's in midtown Manhattan.
From the House of Bishops / Deputies email list server (emphasis ours), and shared with the author's permission:
From the YouTube channel for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth:
Twelve retired clergy came out of retirement to serve congregations that had lost their church homes in a schism. The Diocese of Fort Worth says thank you.
The Rev. Stephanie Spellers, priest to The Crossing, the emergent worship congregation at St. Paul's Cathedral in Boston, and chaplain to the House of Bishops, gave the keynote address at the Diocese of Chicago's convention on Friday. Here, she speaks about why she supports OccupyBoston.
Updated with the Diocese of Georgia's press release below the fold.
In a 6-1 decision, the Georgia Supreme Court this morning decided that Christ Episcopal Church in Savannah belonged to to the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Georgia, not a breakaway faction aligned with the Anglican Church of Uganda. (Read the opinion.)
A little crowdsourcing assistance if you please:
My business partner Rebecca Wilson and I have given a few workshops recently on message development and communications in which we have ventured the opinion that a church or diocese’s message ought to have a little something to do with Jesus. We’ve met only occasional resistance. (Some folks think that another organization should provide the content about Jesus, and they will link to it from some page deep within their website.) More frequently we’ve come across two sorts of responses.
In the most recent entry on this blog, the Rev. Gary Hall, rector of Christ Church, Cranbrook, talks about the gap between what churchgoers find valuable in their faith communities, and what those who don't go to church might be looking for. He writes:
Tim Suttle has written a provocative column for the Huffington Post. He writes:
The Rev. Canon Andrew Dietsche, who was elected Bishop Co-Adjutor of the Diocese of New York on Saturday is a cartoonist.
The Pew Forum reports on lobbying by faith groups:
The number of organizations engaged in religious lobbying or religion-related advocacy in Washington, D.C., has increased roughly fivefold in the past four decades, from fewer than 40 in 1970 to more than 200 today.
The Christian Century wonders about the current state of church music in Church music after the worship wars, music and identity at four congregations:
Warren Throckmorton reports on the progress of the anti-gay law in Nigeria:
Norman Wirzba, author of Food and Faith: a theology of eating, reflects on Godly Gardening.
Virginia Theological Seminary announces acceptance of a design concept for a chapel to replace the one that burned down last year:
Canon Frank Logue of the Diocese of Georgia ponders how we might stay connected to the core of our ministry:
Keep Connected to the Core of Ministry
From the Rev. Canon Frank Logue, who writes at "Loose Canon"
Writing in the Christian Century "Tribal Church" blog, Carol Merritt offers up 10 new models for church in the 21st century:
Rt Rev Christopher Ssenyonjo, a church leader who campaigns for gay rights speaks out as the Ugandan anti-gay bill looms again:
Is there any good in church announcements? The Church Marketing Sucks blog sounds off on this question:
The Miami New Times catches up with Fr. Alberto Cutié:
David Toole reflects on the purpose of institutions at Faith and Leadership blog:
David Toole: What are institutions for?
A Litany of Thanksgiving (BCP p.836)
Let us give thanks to God for all the gifts so freely bestowed upon us.
The Church of England has set up website listing Advent and Christmas events at the Church’s 16,000 places of worship.
The Diocese of Montreal is setting up an advent oasis in a major mall as a buy-free zone. Seminarians and young clergy will staff the storefront ministry from December 1 through Christmas Eve.
Same sex marriage is moving ahead in Denmark and could become a reality as early as next summer if a bill establishing marriage equality passes parliament.
The Copenhagen Post Online reports:
ACNS:
The Revd Terrie Robinson said today that churches across the Anglican Communion are uniquely placed to challenge and change how society thinks about gender-based violence.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, asks how religious communities can serve the well-being of the community, and reflects on power in a well-functioning society. He spoke at the Inter Faith Conversation 'Living Well Together in Britain Today', last Tuesday. Here is the talk on YouTube.
If you follow Anglican and Episcopalian blogs right now, or you have clergy Facebook friends, you're probably seeing calls for a simpler Christmas. The Advent Conspiracy is leading the charge asking people to refrain from buying too much as way of keeping Christmas. The secular media is picking up on the idea too; someone from a TV station called me last night looking for a quote decrying the latest Black Friday mayhem.
Sam's Club, responding to "numerous concerns" by parents and members has decided to pull the Lego Illustrated Bible from its store shelves. The complaints centered around the mature content that was contained in what was supposed to be a children's book.
The Christian Post reports:
Two practicing Jews who are also New Testament scholars have published an annotated version of the New Testament that is meant to introduce Jewish readers to the texts.
In the Huffington Post, Dr. Cindi Love reflects on the changeover into a new Christian year. She compares what Christians are supposed to do and be in the world with how they are perceived, and she laments the difference.
A sermon from November 18th by The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, at Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis.
The Advent Chapel in the Diocese of Montreal writes:
File under Mission:
On the subject of organizational attitude, Seth Godin hits the nail on the head and then splits the nail in half with a staple gun from across the room.
Some wonderful Advent calendars have been web-published from Trinity Wall Street ("light breaks") and Episcopal Relief and Development (which takes the narrative approach).
Religious leaders are playing a central role in the potentially pivotal UN-organized global climate conference that gets underway today in Durban, South Africa. At stake is whether industrial nations will agree on how to curb emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
The Associated Press is reporting that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military is thus far causing less unrest than, say, allowing them to serve as bishops in the Anglican Communion.
The Rev. Peter Strimer, rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Seattle, writes regularly for the Vital Posts blog at ecfvp.org. Since June, he has been chronicling his parish's efforts to re-establish a mission in Seattle's Lake City neighborhood. The series, which began with this installment in June is well worth following.
Kirk Hadaway's most recent analysis of the parochial reports submitted by Episcopal congregations reveals that only 28 percent of our congregations describe their financial situations as good or excellent, while the same percentage says they are having at least some financial difficulty.
Hat tip to Thinking Anglicans
A Statement by the President of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops Regarding the Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina
The Roman Catholic Church began using its new missal this past Sunday. Reactions range from "love it" to "hate it." From the Huffington Post:
David Zahl, College and Young Adult Minister and Licensed Lay Preacher at Christ Episcopal Church in Charlottesville VA, believes the Muppets™ and Pixar™ movies can be vehicles for preaching the Gospel.
The Rev. Dan Webster at Church Social Media Blog reports on a November 22 Twitter™ discussion of clergy cutting ties with people of their former cure:
The Atlantic Cities explores the question of what can be done with historic church buildings:
Some more links for your Advent inspiration:
CNN has an nice profile of preacher Fred Craddock:
A preaching 'genius' faces his toughest convert
From CNN.com
Who are you planning to invite to church this season? Canon Frank Logue reminds us of the importance of the invitation:
Plant Seeds with Persistent Invitations
From Frank Logue's The Loose Canon
Is your church a church in the midst of strategic planning, how useful is it?
Is Tim Tebow unifying the "religions" of Christianity and Football?
My Take: Is Tim Tebow performing miracles?
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, has offered a letter to the Anglican Communion in which he speaks to the question of the Anglican Covenant as it relates to the Anglican Communion itself.
I am stepping away as the regular Wednesday "Lead" Newsblogger effective after today, but I hope to be able to return as a more regular contributor to the Daily Episcopalian, and also to spend more time and energy on writing, some new study projects, and the ongoing work and ministry of being a dad, and a parish priest.
The Presiding Bishops of The Episcopal Church and the ELCA have released a letter in honor of World AIDS Day tomorrow, December 1:
