When Will It Be Enough, Rowan?

I direct your attention to the story of a cowardly, savage, inhuman attack by "good Christians" in the land that would call us to repent.

Atrocity

When will it be enough, Archbishop Williams, for you to speak with "brotherly rebuke" to Nigeria as you've spoken to us? When Archbishop Williams will you realize that your hatred for America and your desire to become an Anglican Pope stand naked because of your obvious bias that can only come from a concern for numbers rather than actual conversion?

When will it be enough, Rowan? And when will it be enough for the powers-that-be of England to realize that they have a man who is dangerous - either by incompetence or ambition, or both - at the helm of the CofE?

This is also discussed at Father Jake's and at Madpriest's.

For those who may not be familiar with Davis Mac-Iyalla, his is a painful, but fascinating story, including an outright lie by one of Archbishop Akinola's canons, responsible for public relations, that Davis does not even exist!!!! Even after being caught in the lie, neither Akinola nor the Mouth of Akinola have repented nor apologized for the lie.

Neither New nor Insightful, But . . .

While meditating, it occurred to me that it wasn't just Jesus that rose on Easter, nor merely Kyrie Pantokrator who conquered death, nor our buddy and personal savior who came forth from the tomb.

It was Logos.

Christ was, is, will be Logos. This has been, sadly, rather mechanically translated. It is the basis of the word "logic" and that is how it is used -- the order, the intelligent design, Aquinas vision of design in the Universe. Yet, Logos as used by philosophers, particularly the Stoics, was a living thing, not simple ticking, grinding machinery, but a living extension of the Divine Itself. To participate was not mere surrender to machinery, but recognition of cooperation and fulfillment in the Divine Will.

So, this too rose on Easter, returned, exerted both Will and Will to Love. The message goes deeper than conquest of Death, personal or Universal, but to the ineffebility of God's Will, His Logos. Jesus, the Logos, was changed by the experience of death, but rose, refreshed, renewed, all-embracing as always, strengthened, and so is God's Plan, His Will. Seemingly thwarted and obviously resisted by human will, God's Will arises again, not mere fiat, but living love, changed and strengthened, changed but always bearing to the same destination.

In this, I see much hope for us -- all of us. As some try to say that what happened didn't happen, or what never was has always been, as people like me struggle with anger and a desire to condemn, Logos, Christ, rises again, changed but always tending to the same course. This doesn't negate my responsibility, but it does remind me that, whatever our efforts, only one Will can prevail.

And that is Hopeful.

New Eucharistic Prayer

We are, in my parish, currently using a form of canon, or Eucharistic prayer, which comes from Enriching Our Worship, which I understand to be forms under consideration as part of prayer-book reform. At the risk of sounding like the former '28-Prayer-Bookers, it's certainly not enriching worship for me.

Understand, I'm not not against reforming and redesigning the prayer book, but I am against novelty for its own sake. The difficulties are - at least - twofold. First, there is a lack of poetry to it which conducts true worship. Liturgy is not, exlusively, an act of intellect, but an engagement of senses, and liturgy written by committee is disastrous. Surely there is a better, more organic expression of our current theological understanding? The ancient liturgies are still beautiful and moving after centuries simply because they weren't designed, as such, but drawn from many sources, many epistles, theological writings and poetry. God made all equal, but He didn't make all equally good artists. Simply saying "Here; you're a good theologian and sensitive, write a liturgical prayer," is not enough. We should, must, be concerned about the artistic quality of liturgy and resist the "dumbing down" of general culture which produces the sort of greeting-card quality of eucharistic prayer we're laboring under in my parish -- it has all the poetic and soul-stirring qualities of a dishmop.

Second, there is the theological difficulty.

"It is right to give Him thanks and praise,"

becomes

"It is right to give our thanks and praise,"

making us the center of the eucharistic feast. If we're moving into a church in which this is an acceptable focus, I won't be far behind the rejectionists, I'm afraid. It continues to focus on us:

"Rising he destroyed our Death,
Rising he restored our Life,
Christ Jesus come again in glory."

Again "our" death and "our" life are the foci, and Christ Jesus feels a bit of an afterthought expressed at the end of a clumsy, lead-lump of a statement. Contrast that with:

"Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again."

Which gives us the focus of what's happening at the altar. Christ is the focus. We have been exhorted, preached to and prayed for up through the Peace; this is Jesus' special time and focus. In addition, the entirety of human time and experience is encapsulated in one elegant statement; all three dimensions of human timespace - has, is, and will - are contained in a bare-bones Passion narrative. The entirety of Christology is explained in essence - past incarnation, present transcendence and future coming. Christology, soteriology and eschatology are all encapsulated. Humanity is drawn into it simply by inclusion of these three common dimensions, relating us, at the same time, to Christ.

I'm sorry if you've been offended, but if we can't do better, it's better not to do.

Schofield and Cox

God - and I mean this sincerely - go with them, wherever they go. I pray for Schofield, especially, for healing, as there seems such obvious problems there.

Perhaps we are wrong and hellbound (though my considered and prayerful opinion is that we are not), in which case they are better off. If we are right, then they have the distance and freedom from direct conflict that will allow them to reflect.

Sorry

I've been away quite a time. It's been a strange, weary and taxing couple of months for me. General malaise usually sets in this time of year, and I've been "little an' triflin'" as my mother used to say. It hasn't been one of those black depressions that leads to despair, but a sort of inertia -- even housework and prayer has been neglected in favor of distraction - video games, books, movies. I'm going to have to exercise and enormous exertion of will to come back, I think, but there's nothing for it. I didn't stop drinking to fall into another pit of darkness and aimlessness.

Sorry I've been away so, but - obviously - I've just had neither the energy nor insight to comment much.

Still Sad and Still True

I've never watched Weeds, but it has, apparently, as it's theme one of my favorite old social-commentary songs. This is Malvina Reynolds' original version, and still very true (says someone who went "to the University").