[Bumped] Bishop Benhase Attempts To Explain Why Georgian Episcopalians Should Give More
[This week is “Diocese of Georgia Meltdown Week” and so we’re bumping a few of the stories from the past that let us all know why the diocese is where it is today.]
Of course . . . it’s said far far more subtly and carefully. Does anyone want to lay any bets on the budget’s condition?
As I’m certain all clergy and laity are—or should be—aware of . . . Bishop Benhase is A Scholar. An Academic. A True Intellect. He knows a Greek word.
This little propaganda piece even manages to squeeze in a side-swipe at the issues embroiling TEC—not in so many words, of course—but the poor old marginalized progressive gay activists in TEC need our pledges. Give now. Give generously. Give often . . . to the marginalized.
[Received via email from an Episcopalian in Georgia—who it seems is one of many rolling his eyes when this thing drops into his email box.]
Ecrozier #38 - 02 June 2010
This is the second in a series of Ecroziers on the practices of the Christian Faith
Household Economics
When considering household economics, we may think of the old high school home economics class - baking, sewing, & cleaning (yes, I took such a course). The word economics actually comes from the Greek word oikos meaning household. In Scripture oikos refers both to a place where people live (Mk 2:11; Lk 1:23) and to the people of a particular household (Lk 10:5; Lk 11:17). In the Bible, to be part of a household was to know that you belonged and that you had responsibilities in your belonging. Household economics today is still about the same thing. Who belongs in the household? How do we provide for those who belong? How does the oikos use its resources?
Such questions can make us uneasy because they refer in part to how we use money. In the Bible, we hear stories like the rich young man where Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions if he wants to be his disciple. This story hits us hard. Plus, there’s the biblical standard of giving, the tithe (2 Chronicles 31: 4-10). Giving everything away, or just giving ten percent, can be daunting in our consumer culture. Our anxiety implicitly shows just how attached we are to money and other material things.
Household economics, however, is about more than money. Household economics is how we order our households. Who is welcome? Who makes the decisions? Who and what is considered when making those decisions? Does our household stand alone or is it connected to others? Our individual households are part of a larger household, our planet. How we care for this larger household will directly effect how we care for own household. So, our individual practice of household economics impacts the larger household, the earth.
The Bible tells us that in God’s oikos, God has reordered things. As Jesus teaches us about God’s oikos, we learn the first will be last and the last will be first. We learn that the poor, the lame, the tax collectors, and others on the margins of society eat at the same table with everyone else. Jesus tells us that in God’s oikos lepers, orphans, and aliens are especially welcome. We learn in the Biblical witness that in God’s oikos gifts are given so they can be shared, not hoarded. The household economics of God call for a spirit of giving and a practice of hospitality. God’s economy is one in which there is enough for all of God’s creatures. God’s household is not just livable, but hospitable - a place in which all of God’s creatures can truly dwell. Thus, our practice of faith calls us to be intentional about the stewardship of our oikos that it may reflect the oikos of God.
+Scott
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14 comments
I take the stewardship of my oikos very seriously. This is why none of my money goes to TEC. I support my local parish and my local diocese, but the Diocese of Dallas does not budget any money for 815.
The oikos of God also shows who is a member by who keeps the commandments of God. The Kingdom of God is not determined by geography, but by obedience to God’s reign. If you willingly disobey God and do not seek repentence, then God is not your King, thus you are not truly part of God’s oikos. You can repent and return to God’s oikos, but until then you are guilty of treason.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
[1] Posted by Philip Snyder on 6-21-2010 at 10:03 AM · [top]
I agree with everything he wrote. The bit about good stewardship is very much Biblical. Of course the cynic in me notes that Episcopal leadership, with a few exceptions, only gets Biblical when they are looking to extract money from your wallet.
Also, good stewardship, based upon Biblical principles pretty much requires withholding money from revisionist institutions, such as the Diocese of Georgia, Diocese of Atlanta or the national church.
But the message is quite good in the email. It certainly has encouraged me to be more focused and directed by Scriptural principles in my giving.
[2] Posted by Matthew A (formerly mousestalker) on 6-21-2010 at 10:06 AM · [top]
Go figure Brother Phil said everything I said. only better and faster.
[3] Posted by Matthew A (formerly mousestalker) on 6-21-2010 at 10:08 AM · [top]
TEC says they own the house…let them take care of it. What do they need our money for?
[4] Posted by Lakeland 2 on 6-21-2010 at 12:05 PM · [top]
I find it continually interesting that the bishops of TEC continually quote scripture to get you to give money, but ignore it in almost every other way; particularly the parts about sin in gereral and the moral status Robinson and Glasspool in particular. To Bishop Benhase I would say, if the Bible is right, it is right and if it is wrong, it is wrong. You can’t go limping along with two opinions. If Baal is God then worship him; but if I Am is God then worship him. There are no other choices.
[5] Posted by David Keller on 6-21-2010 at 02:23 PM · [top]
Ouch! I tripped and sprained my oikos.
[6] Posted by Bill2 on 6-21-2010 at 03:13 PM · [top]
David Keller: heh, I agree. Also, I often note at diocesean convention that scripture is also misused for the defense of PC resolutions not having to do with sexual politics.
I’ve also noticed that fellow Episcopalians are genuinely touched by previously unknown sections of Barth’s “strange new world within the scriptures” that are not so controversial as to have been despised by all of the “right people”. I wonder if a solution might be to take the scriptures seriously when they say that “God’s Word does not return to Him void.”
Familiarizing those ignorant of scripture with scripture, casually but constantly, might lower the resistance to scripture and thus, open the heart and mind to more “hard sayings” of scripture down the road. It may be too late to save TEc, but not a few souls….
[7] Posted by nEpiscompoup on 6-21-2010 at 04:36 PM · [top]
subscribe
[8] Posted by Theophilus on 6-21-2010 at 07:10 PM · [top]
A schoolmarmish Oik lecturing others on oikos. Who could possibly care what he prattles on about. We’re supposed to give money to support oikish lawsuits suing good people out of their church homes? Right.
[9] Posted by A Senior Priest on 8-1-2012 at 01:46 PM · [top]
I have just one two-part question pertaining to the title of this thread. Is there a published schedule for which Diocese’s meltdown is scheduled for which week, or are the producers of the series keeping that a surprise in vain hopes of increasing their Nielsens?
Pax et bonum,
Keith Töpfer
[10] Posted by Martial Artist on 8-1-2012 at 04:07 PM · [top]
H. Potter (aka Martial Artist):
No, but I suspect that “Margaret Sanger Month” is waiting in the wings.
We’ll once again get to watch the infomercial for Phillip Morris cigarettes that someone tried to pass off as a Mike Wallace interview.
All that guy really did was spend the better part of an hour trying to get the Sanger woman hooked on the sponsor’s product. What was that all about?
[11] Posted by episcopalienated on 8-1-2012 at 04:49 PM · [top]
Note the reference to aliens. I am sure this is intended as an affirmation of illegal aliens, beloved by all our dear justice department officials. They are taking over the system and there is no one there to bar the door. We have such here on section 8 housing, getting free pharmaceuticals, SSI, EBT cards (elec benefits cards, cash, usable at all atms, even for bail money, yes, you read that correctly).
The Bible is a useful book when you need words to extract cash from a pewsitter in TEC, as correctly noted by Matthew A.
[12] Posted by episcopal100 on 8-1-2012 at 06:17 PM · [top]
Oikos is the sound you hear when you squeeze a pewsitter.
[13] Posted by Undergroundpewster on 8-1-2012 at 07:26 PM · [top]
#12 - episcopal 100 - Your reading of “aliens” is much more grounded than mine. I thought he was broadening the “place where (people) live” to include pilgrims from outer space. All those neighborhood households…..
[14] Posted by maineiac on 8-2-2012 at 10:27 AM · [top]
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