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Thinking on Pentecost

May 11, 2008

The preacher made a couple of interesting points in his Pentecost sermon: One was that, while we often hear that the “Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, etc.” who were in the crowd and recipients of the Holy Spirit were representative of the universal salvation proclaimed by the Gospel message, actually they were in town for the Jewish festival of Pentecost, most of them would have been Jews!

And his second point was that that — contrary to the message of corporate identity the Jewish people had always majored in — one of the messages that Jesus brought was that God was interested in the individual as well…in establishing a relationship with humankind as individuals, not merely as a race or nation of people.

Well, of course, like all such observations, these are too simplistic. There were surely Gentile “believers”, God-fearers in the Pentecost crowd who also received the gift of the Holy Spirit. And, in any case, even if the “Parthians, Medes, etc” were representatives of the Jewish Diaspora, there is still a universal message sent by that pentecostal Gift.

And, while Jesus certainly was interested in individuals, his message of the Kingdom of God surely had something to do with nations and peoples as well. And, even though St. Paul does talk about the Holy Spirit’s gifts being “inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills” (I Cor. 12:11), isn’t the whole point of this chapter and section of First Corinthians that “the body does not consist of one member but many” (I Cor. 12:14)?

So…I might want to enter into conversation with the preacher about all this. Because…I’ve been thinking about what he said.

And isn’t that what good preaching is supposed to make us do?

Posted in Blogroll, Church Life, Ecumenical, Emergent Church, Interfaith, Religion, Scripture, The Episcopal Church, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

In Transition…

April 29, 2008

Well, “that we all may be one,” our Presiding Bishop is in the process of reorganizing the national church center staff — her staff, to be accurate. One part of this is putting the various offices and ministry units together into ministry “centers.” There are four of them — Evangelism and Congregational Life, Mission, Advocacy, and Partnerships.

Ecumenical and interfaith relations are in the Partnership Center along with part of Anglican and Global Relations, Diocesan Services, overseas Covenants, and the United Thank Offering. The idea in the centers is to encourage more collaboration and become ever more familiar with one another’s work. All the units in this Center are involved, in one way or another, in building “partnerships” for mission.

The second piece of the puzzle is the opening of a number of “regional offices” hoping to relate more directly to congregations and dioceses, learning from what’s happening “on the ground” and helping to interpret the national perspective to “the grass roots.” We’ve had a Washington office for years, of course, doing advocacy on Capitol Hill through the Office of Government Relations.

Now, we’ll add Los Angeles (communications and Hispanic ministry), Omaha (ecumenical relations, small churches, and “lay” ministry), Atlanta (African American ministry, some theological education), and Seattle (was to be immigration, but I understand that’s being re-visited).

Of course, whether all this works or not remains to be seen. But my wife and I are now happily ensconced in the home we have owned for years in Iowa and I will relate to the Midwestern office in Omaha as well as some back-and-forth to New York. The Diocese of Nebraska’s Trinity Cathedral has given us the use of three offices and seem quite excited to have some national church staff operating out of there.

Otherwise, my work will remain pretty much unchanged — lots of travel, continuing to relate to the WCC and NCC, staffing bilateral dialogues, and being engaged in interfaith work. I do hope to focus more on “reception” of ecumenical agreements…in other words, trying to help these agreements live and function on the local level.

Crafting ecumenical documents and agreements is important. But if ecumenism is not all about “mission,” it is little more than what Frank Griswold used to call “ecclesiastical joinery!”

Posted in Blogroll, Church Life, Ecumenical, Emergent Church, Religion, The Episcopal Church, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

The Root Supports You

April 23, 2008

Surprising as it may be to you, the Church has never been free of controversy! Our First Lesson today from the Acts of the Apostles (15:1-6) sets up the first big hurdle the early Church had to overcome. It was, of course, the question of admitting Gentiles into the Christian fellowship without their having to become Jews first!

Peter was a bit slow in coming to that conviction. It took a vision from heaven to get his attention on the matter. St. Paul, on the other hand, had always believed (or rather, since his own conversion had believed) that Gentiles had been made fellow heirs with the Jews in relation to God. In fact, he “adapts” the branch and vine image that Jesus uses in today’s Gospel (John 15) to make his position clear to the Church in Rome:

“Now I am speaking to you Gentiles,” he writes in his Letter to the Romans, “Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry in order to make my own people jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead…if the root is holy then the branches also are holy.”

“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root of the olive tree, do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root than supports you.” (Romans 11)

When I was in the Holy Land in March with the Presiding Bishop, we prayed – with representatives of the diocese – on the Mount of Olives on Maundy Thursday evening. The tradition is that the roots of some of the olive trees there go back to the time of Jesus. Certainly, they are very ancient. And some of them look almost misshapen because the trunk and roots are so large and the upper branches are quite small because some of them have been grafted on to replace old branches perhaps damaged by cold weather over the years.

…Remember, Paul says to the boastful Roman Gentiles, it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you! You see, by the time Paul wrote to the Romans, Gentiles had come full circle. After being marginalized in the first decade of the Church’s life and then accepted, now they were on the verge of marginalizing their Jewish forebears. But Paul won’t let them get away with that!

It’s a sad part of human nature that too often the oppressed become the oppressor. Some of us think that’s part of what’s going on in the Holy Land right now! When the world turns and those on the bottom find themselves on top, it takes a Christ-like attitude to avoid retaliation and vengeance. Let us pray that such persons may always be guided by Jesus’ words in our Gospel today:

“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing…My Father in glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples,” (John 15:4-5,8).

May we always bear such Christ-like fruit in our lives – and be neither the oppressed nor the oppressor!

Posted in Blogroll, Church Life, Ecumenical, Emergent Church, Interfaith, Religion, Scripture, The Episcopal Church, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Reflections on the Papal Visit

April 21, 2008

All in all — from the Roman Catholic Church’s perspective — this must be seen as a very positive visit by the Pope to his American flock. A warmer persona than perhaps many expected, Benedict XVI attempted to reveal his pastoral, in addition to his scholarly, side on this trip.

From my perspective, I think he took an important step with respect to the sexual abuse crisis. It was largely symbolic but sought to convey steps that already have been take to correct the abuses and hinted at some future changes. I hope that will not entail tarring homosexual persons with the brush of pedophilia by specifically banning them from the ordination track. And, it was a little frustrating to hear this continually referred to as “a crisis in the American church.”

The only reason this has come to light in the US is that our society provides the freedom and protection for victims to come forward and have some assurance that they will be heard. There are countless victims, many of them women as well has children, of Catholic (and other) clergy around the world. I pray that their voices may one day be heard as well…and that the Vatican will pay attention.

I thought Pope Benedict did a brilliant job at the United Nations, naming the downside as well as upside of globalization, affirming that assuring human rights around the world lies at the center of the UN mission, and even venturing into the controversial topic of the “responsibility to protect” raising the ante for international forces, perhaps coordinated by the UN, to intervene in places like the Sudan where the government is unable to protect its most vulnerable people.

The visit to the historic synagogue on the East Side was appropriate and timely, seeking to assure the Jewish community of the Roman Church’s commitment to dialogue and understanding even in the face of the restoration of the Tridentine Mass and its problematic Good Friday prayer for the conversion of the Jews. The ecumenical service was less successful, although no other office in world could gather as diverse a crowd of Christian leaders as we were in St. Joseph’s (German) parish on Thursday night.

A veiled slap at, undoubtedly, The Episcopal Church as one of those taking “so-called prophetic actions” not based on Scripture and Tradition which by relying on “local option” marginalizes such churches was painful, but I suppose fair enough. Ecumenical partners are supposed to be open to mutual “admonition” as well as mutual “affirmation” from one another. We certainly have our critique of the Roman church!

The Mass at St. Patrick’s, the visit to Ground Zero, and the concluding liturgy at Yankee Stadium were carefully scripted and predictable, but no doubt meaningful for those in attendance and many who watched. I was amazed at the energy of this 81 year old Pontiff! And, not only in comparison with the sad physical decline of his predecessor in recent years due to Parkinson’s disease. By any standards, this guy is in good shape for his age!

As I say, all in all, a very successful pastoral visitation to the US by the head of the largest church in the world. Let us pray that it will have positive effects for the church here and around the world.

Posted in Blogroll, Church Life, Ecumenical, Emergent Church, Interfaith, Religion, The Episcopal Church, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Praying “in Jesus’ Name”

April 19, 2008

Too long off “the blog” but a week at the National Workshop on Christian Unity in Chicago and a hasty return to New York for the Pope’s visit hasn’t left much “blogging time!”

The National Workshop on Christian Unity brings together between three and four hundred ecumenical officers and other ecumenists for an annual continuing education event where updates on the various dialogues and ecumenical activities are shared. The three largest groups of attendees are Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherans in that order, followed by Methodists, Presbyterians, Disciples, UCC and others.

This year we participated in seminars on everything from the new Anglican – Orthodox agreed statement “Church of the Triune God” to a presentation on “the Emerging Church.” Worship included an ecumenical vespers with a sermon by a Franciscan nun to a joint Lutheran – Episcopal – Methodist Eucharist presided over by the Episcopal Bishop of Chicago and a fine sermon by the United Methodist bishop who is a convert from Buddhism. I preached at a Churches Uniting in Christ Eucharist in a Baptist-UCC church in downtown Chicago which has hosted Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Dr Martin Luther King.

Our Bible studies were led by an archaeologist who has worked at Tantur Biblical Institute in the Holy Land, taught at Hebrew University, and now runs a study center in Georgia which recreates excavated biblical sites. He was fascinating as he explored the conference theme “Pray Without Ceasing” and pointed out that “praying in Jesus’ name” means more than tagging “in Jesus’ name” as a formula at the end of our prayers.

For example: “Strike them dead, O God, for I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen” is NOT praying in the name of Jesus.

“Nevertheless not my will but thine be done. Amen” IS praying in Jesus name — with or without the formula!

An ecumenical insight worth remembering!

Posted in Blogroll, Church Life, Ecumenical, Emergent Church, Religion, Scripture, The Episcopal Church, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

People of the Prayer Book…People of the Confessions…

April 12, 2008

My “opposite number” (as ecumenical officer for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and I have just finished leading a wonderful conference for nearly 100 Lutheran and Episcopal clergy in Virginia. We each addressed “the nature of the unity we seek” as defined by our two communions and then sought to tease out what shapes Lutherans and Episcopalians theologically.

My presentation was entitled “The People of the Prayer Book and the Anglican Way.” My counterpart’s was “The Lutheran Confessions and Worship.” Our conclusions (admittedly much-abbreviated) were that Episcopalians are formed theologically primarily through liturgy while Lutherans are formed primarily through its confessional statements.

But the most amazing part of this conference was the relationships which have been built by living into our full communion agreement “Called to Common Mission” and the many instances of such common mission going on in this part of the church and world. I would say that the main reason for the success of CCM in this part of the world is the fact that:

1. Both Lutheran and Episcopal bishops and the leadership of their synods and dioceses are supportive and actively involved.

2. They have established a LOCAL Joint Coordinating Committee to dream, plan, and execute local expressions of our full communion agreement.

This was an enormously encouraging experience. Why can’t it be duplicated all around the country?

Posted in Church Life, Ecumenical, Emergent Church, Religion, The Episcopal Church, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Come…Let’s Have Breakfast!

March 31, 2008

John tells us that the story in our Gospel reading was “the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.” (John 21:14). We know that there were a number of such experiences after the initial ones on Easter Day. Writing only some twenty years after the Resurrection, St. Paul says:

“For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” (I Corinthians 15:3-8)

How did Jesus reveal himself to them in these experiences? In what contexts did he appear? Well, to the Eleven once on a mountaintop, to two of them walking along the road to Emmaus, to some while they were in conversation, to Mary Magdalene in the garden, to Thomas in the upper room, and today – to Peter and the others – while they were fishing!

It’s always been striking to me that, with the possible exception of Thomas and the others in the upper room, it was not in “church” that he appeared to them. He appeared to them in the context of their everyday lives!

I’ve always loved the abrupt way, in this story, that Peter says, “I’m going fishing!” Enough of the confusion and grief and joy and challenge of these last days! I’m going to find some normality in all of this! I’m going to do what I’ve done all my life! I’m going to do something I know how to do! “I’m going fishing!”

But even here he cannot escape the presence of their Risen Lord! And does Jesus spend a lot of time shaming them for deserting him at the last, or upbraiding them for their lack of faith, or even theologizing about the Resurrection itself? Not in this story.

“Children, you have no fish, have you? Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some…Bring some of the fish you have caught…Come and have breakfast.”

For you see, those are the things our God cares about most. That we are his children…That each of us has needs…that he can take care of those needs…

All he asks of us, is that we share with others what we have received from him.

“Bring some of the fish you have caught.”

Come…let’s have breakfast!”

Posted in Blogroll, Church Life, Ecumenical, Emergent Church, Religion, Scripture, The Episcopal Church, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

In The Breaking of the Bread

March 26, 2008

Some of you know that I was privileged to spend Holy Week and Easter Day in Israel and Palestine with the Presiding Bishop and a small delegation. Our visit was, in part, pilgrimage and, in part, a statement of our solidarity with the Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land and to assure them of our friendship, prayers, and support.

This is my fourth trip to the Middle East and I am always amazed at how my reading of the Bible takes on a different quality after each visit. For example, little things jump out at me that I would have overlooked before. Today’s Gospel begins, “Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem…”

Normally, as soon as I read the word “Emmaus” I know what the story is going to be and I launch immediately into theologizing about the two followers of Jesus and who they were and how they were joined by the Risen Lord and how he’s sort of playful with them before drawing the story out of them, discussing scripture with them, and finally being “made known to them in the breaking of the bread.” (Luke 24:35).

But today I couldn’t get past the first line –“a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem!” We drove by that site (actually several sites – because there’s some dispute as to which one is exactly the location of this resurrection appearance) just a few days ago! And it really isn’t very far from Jerusalem! An easy walk – especially for people who were accustomed to getting everywhere on foot.

Everything is close over there! We walked up the hill on Maundy Thursday from the Old City to the Garden of Gethsemane and it didn’t take more than 20 minutes! We walked the Way of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa and were home for a late breakfast! You can throw a rock from the traditional site of Golgotha to the burial place of Jesus – all contained within the walls of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher! It’s all right there!

And, of course, that’s the point. It is all right there! The Christian faith is not some philosophical system of belief or even code of ethics. The Christian faith is a relationship of trust in One who was really born in Bethlehem…grew up in Nazareth…moved to Capernaum…preached and taught and healed mostly in the farm country of the Galilee…made one or more trips to Jerusalem where he was arrested, tried, convicted and executed.

The Christian faith is trusting, along with those two disciples in today’s Gospel, that “…some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive.” (Luke 24:22-23).

You can visit the site of that tomb today…and all those places where our Lord lived and ministered. It’s important to know that. But it’s also important to know that you can experience that same Risen Lord right here…today…in exactly the same way as did the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

For “when he was at table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him…They said to each other,

‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed and he has appeared to Simon!’

“Then they told what had happened to them on the road and how he had been known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

Risen Lord, be known to us too this day…in the Breaking of the Bread!

Posted in Blogroll, Church Life, Ecumenical, Emergent Church, Religion, Scripture, The Episcopal Church, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

That We All May Be One

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People of the Prayer Book…People of the Confessions…

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