General Convention Day 1 - Report from the AAC
Source: American Anglican Council
The Presiding Bishop’s Opening Address: Confessional Christianity is a heresy
By The Rev. Phil Ashey,Chaplain & C.O.O., American Anglican Council
I have just returned from the opening session of the 76th General Convention, and the address by the Presiding Bishop. I am still trying to digest what I have heard.
In stark contrast to the gathering of Anglicans two weeks ago in Bedford Texas, there was no opening worship. No praise. No prayer. Just a short introduction by a man in a sport jacket that had the same electric lime green tint, and a similar pattern, to that worn by the Riddler.
Then the Presiding Bishop of TEC took the stand. She spoke about the crisis facing The Episcopal Church. “Crisis is always a remarkable opportunity,” she said. Speaking from her own experience as a pilot, she said it is a time to “aviate, navigate, and then communicate,” in that order. Always keep the plane flying through the crisis—even when you are not sure where you are.
She described the essential crisis within the Gospels as Jesus’ decision to set his face toward Jerusalem, and likened the decisions of this 76th General Convention to that decision to set one’s face toward Jerusalem.
And then in a cold, calm, defiant and defining voice she said…more
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AAC Report GC09 Day 1: Presiding Bishop’s Opening Address: Confessional Christianity is a heresy
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 • 9:05 pm
132 Comments •
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Nothing Mrs Schori says comes as a surprise to me, so I guess I’m a heretic according to her. And so in that case, Mrs Schori, why don’t you excommunicate me? I’m in Bishop Schofield’s diocese, and you can find me easy enough, since my screen name is known there. Oh….I forgot! You can’t touch me, can you? Tsk, tsk….too bad! |
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My question to all priests (I’m being serious): does |
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I say, “Let ‘er rip, PBess. Proclaim your hatred of the Gospel of Christ for all the world to hear. Make every resolution passed by your convention fall into lock-step with your anti-Christ vision. Let the world know that TEC is no longer by ANY definition to be considered a Christian church, no more than the Unitarians or the Wiccans or the Druids or the Buddhists whom you so warmly embrace.” .........And then let the other shoe drop. The relegation of TEC ecumenical relations with the Vatican being transferred from the Secretariat for Christian Unity to the Secretariat for non-Christian relations. And the ordinary people in the pews who are FINALLY disgusted enough by this blasphemy and bile to vote with their feet. “Yes, ma’am, let ‘er rip.” |
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As a Christian I find it offensive that the PB would suggest that declaring Jesus as Lord is simply a formula. For pity’s sake why doesn’t she just decalre that TEC is uniting with the Unitarian/Universalists and drop the pretense that the TEC is Christian in any meaningful sense of the word? Or they could just declare themselves as a social service agency and stop using Jesus as a figurhead? |
Dear Dr. Williams, you are a theologian. There is the official Anglican position on heresy as expounded by the PB of the Episcopal Church. She has just declared most of the Communion to be heretics. Ball is in your court. |
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Welcome to GenCon 2009 in Anaheim. What a great way to start it [sarcasm off]. Somehow, this opening address by the PB reminds me that the Anaheim Convention Center is next door to DisneyLand. Which seems oddly appropriate. For TEC’s leadership truly dwells in a fantasyland, where evil is called good, falsehoods are seen as true, and the only heresy is traditional Christian orthodoxy. But the Magic Kingdom is innocent enough as a form of fantasy. The Upside Down Kingdom of TEC, however, is not only perverse and pernicious, but spiritually dangerous, even deadly. Like a drunken driver unaware of the danger he poses to himself and others, or should I say, a pilot with vertigo, blithely unaware that she’s flying upside down and straight into a mountain, the PB and her totally deceived ilk are oblivious to their dire peril. But let those still within TEC take heed to the grim warning of Isaiah long, long ago: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness! (Isa. 5:20) David Handy+ |
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Well, someone asked me to pray for GC 09. I agreed! I’m almost afraid to keep praying, its coming much quicker than I believed.. Surely the fence sitting Bishops (including my own) cannot ignore this from their overseer. But, I will keep praying, the time has come to choose. |
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Actually, individualism is a classical American heresy. The idea that we are individuals created for our own self-defined good is rampant in American culture. The problem is that +Schori et. al. are expert practioners of this individualist faith. They believe that they get to define the good for which they were created and they get to determine which “communities” count (those that agree with them) and which don’t (everyone else). America knows too much about individualism. We were not created to be individuals. We were created to be persons whose life together should reflect the life of the Trinity. So, there is a sense in which +Schori is right. We know too much about “individual” salvation. The problem is that she doesn’t know personal salvation. Her very actions deny the personhood and need for community within the larger Anglican Communion. YBIC, |
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Romans 10:9 would have something to say to Mrs. Schori. Something heretical like “If you confess with your tongue and believe in your heart on the Lord Jesus Christ you will be saved.” Darn that inconvenient confessionalism found in that old book. It is time to pray for the conversion of Katharine. She does not know the Lord! |
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Where is that heresy list. Who gets to post this one! Amazing. What a way to start a TEC Convention. They should have had Barrack Obama with his teleprompter on the big screen. God is acting in that place. And ++Rowan is there to witness to it. He’s got the bird in his hand, and what’s he going to do with it. |
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I understand what you are saying, Grandmother, #21. I am a little afraid of where my prayers are heading. Prayers for peace and unity are definitely going no further than the ceiling. I am simply praying that all will be revealed at this convention…the good, the bad and the ugly and all the faithful will have the discernment to truly see it all as it is. It is not going to be pretty or fun to watch, but I pray that the truth will be revealed and all the pretending to be a Christian church will finally come to its unglorious end! Please God, let it all end, so that some may get back to worshipping you and going into all the world to make disciples. |
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#25 frreed http://www.americananglican.org/presiding-bishop-s-opening-address/ |
Well, didn’t she hand RW a sack of human excrement, and right out of the gate as well. Talk about hardball. It would seem that TEC is making a point to the good Archbishop of Canterbury, early and with force. If TEC feels free to declare in front of the Archbishop that most Communion members are heretics, then what restraint will it feel in other matters? The Lambeth Invitations have surely born their inevitable fruit. This bodes well for clarity at least. Perhaps the revolutionaries have arrived at their moment. Perhaps they will at long last feel no need to hide behind obfuscation and misdirection. In any case, I am anxious to hear the press conference were RW has to answer the inevitable question: “So what do you think about that speech, RW? Is the idea of personal salvation a heresy?” carl |
BTW, I was just thinking. If man cannot be saved as an individual, then it stands to reason that he will have no demands placed upon himself as an individual. What would be the point? God would not make any distinction between the killer and the killed. One man is just like any other. God would not view justice and righteousness and holiness in terms of anything but the collective. This completely eviscerates the moral character of God, for of necessity He would not concern Himself with either the behavior of individuals or the consequences to individuals. Which is interesting because morality is always measured by the behavior of an individual or consequences accruing to an individual. But it also completely free each man to be all that he can be. Imagine that. God doesn’t care about the individual, so there is nothing to stop us from passing out the KY Jelly, and beginning the exploration of our authenticity. Doctrine by Kate. carl |
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In a church in which self expression does vastly more theological work than the atonement there’s a typically unselfaware irony in the charge of individualism. What is so sad and so astonishing about the PB is that she’s so imprudent. The heresy charge aimed at the entire evangelical tradition is funny and pathetic. What the church cries out for is a steadying hand on the tiller. Instead we get someone whose pastoral advice can be summarized, “Go not go gentle into that good night”. [url=“http://www.nationalcenter.org/ChargeoftheLightBrigade.html”]Half a league half a league, |
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Actually its the same liberal catholic heresy that Bishop Elect Genpo spouts. When Cardinal Levada and the Pope cleaned house and the nest were ousted from the Catholic Church anyone would think that some targetted TEC which they seem to have taken over. The Presiding Bishop also seems to have come from this background from her time at Mount Angel [Benedictine] Seminary: 1. “Jefferts Schori commuted to the Mount Angel Seminary for a year and then attended the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, Calif. She was ordained as a deacon in May 1994 and as a priest six months later.” [2] Posted by: Larry K. - May. 13, 2005 6:42 PM ET USA [3] Michael Rose: [4] KTF: ...interesting what is on google. |
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According to Episcopal life, http://http://www.episcopal-life.org/79901_112038_ENG_HTM.htm, Archbishop Rowan Williams is at general convention at the moment. Was he in the audience that heard this address from Dr Schori? If so, I wonder what his thoughts were. Several interesting titbits in this short passage: General Convention is always a time of critical decision-making. This 76th General Convention has some connection with other memorable Conventions - like the one in 1967 that adopted the General Convention Special Program, and the 1976 General Convention that permitted the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate. We’ll hear echoes of those debates in our conversations at this one, as we consider the needs of the poorest around us, and the inclusion of those who do not have full access to the life of this Church. We may revisit some of the critical conversations of the last General Convention as we consider how the life of this Church intersects with the life of other Anglicans. Underlying all of those debates will be the reality that we do not have the same kind of financial resources to address them that we had three years ago - that is another kind of crisis, both local and global. The whole theme of this address was head to Jerusalem, clearly representing her `gospel,’ don’t let us get drawn aside to way-points like Calvary. I get the impression that she intends and expects something big to happen here, which is almost certainly going to involve TEC sticking two fingers up towards the rest of the communion. |
Boring Bloke, AbC Williams can only have thoughts when Jefferts Schori dictates them to him. If (big if) he comments on Jefferts Schori’s address, it’ll be so nuanced as to be indecipherable. On the other hand, if he doesn’t comment, he’ll be on display as a revisionist blockhead. Your grace, you have the mic, what have you to say? Hmmmm? |
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The offer has been extended…. |
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Ah, Collectivist Christianity! All salvation is corporate and derived from good works. Short on good works? No problem! You can use “Cap and Trade Good Works Credits” from your fellow collectivists. And fairy tales, such as “The Jerusalem Story,” (previously known as The Passion of Christ by those silly individualists) to entertain the children - a misguided Jew gets hisself killed for some reason or other. And all the while, God, like Buddha under the tree, naps and dreams on while the collective does the heavy lifting. And missionals goeth forth to spread the…er…something or other to those backward Africans. And…what?...oh..OK. Sorry all, but I have just been informed that a portrayal of the true situation in TEO cannot be satire. My bad. |
Just a point of order, PM. I am reasonably certain that, from the Catholic Church’s point of view (or for that matter, the Anglican Communion’s point of view), both KGTF and KJS are so “liberal” that they are no longer “catholic.” Sort of fallen off the edge, in a manner of speaking. Pity the Bible Belt Blogger was not blogging at the time of KJS consents. |
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My, my! Well, if there is one thing good to be said, it is that there is not the tiniest crumb of Episcopal fudge present. We’ve always known the Left believes these things, but they’ve never been men enough (or wymyn enough, or whatever) to say it without freighting it with confounding prevarication and surrounding it with clouds of obsuring vagueness. Oh yes: Jesus is Lord! Just had to get in some heresy there! |
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The greater issue here is found in the earlier sentence
Do they not see a benefit in even pretending to be men and women of faith? That whether we are “individuals” in union with Christ or a corporate body in union with Christ… the key is Christ. As for the PBs theological failings… I agree with Philip Snyder’s #23. There is some truth in what she says - but she doesn’t seem to understand it. |
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In a church in which self expression does vastly more theological work than the atonement there’s a typically unselfaware irony in the charge of individualism. A very perceptive comment worth repeating, driver8. If man cannot be saved as an individual, then it stands to reason that he will have no demands placed upon himself as an individual. What would be the point? God would not make any distinction between the killer and the killed. One man is just like any other. As is this. This ‘theology” is a great cheesecloth of holes. None of them have thought it out to the end - if they had they wouldn’t be up there making a mockery of being “Christian.” Freeing man to be all that he can be is one of the scariest prospects I know. History is littered with such men and human society has tried for untold centuries to shackle them, rein them in. The PB wants to set them free, wants nothing to stand between them and the fullest expression of their selves. Lord have mercy. And that’s not “individualism.” No, indeed. What a truly sickening opening to this convention which immediately escapes from any characterization as Christian. |
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Deacon John opines:
On the other hand:
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At what point will the Episcopal Church begin marketing corporate sin offsets? Apparently we exist purely in the social context. We exist as members of a corporate whole. We sin corporately, we atone corporately and we are saved corporately. Therefore our sins against the Social Gospel (failure to pony up for the MDG’s, apologize for chimney sweeps and slavery, attempt to leave with the property) ought to be able to be atonable through purchased offsets. I’ll grant that it’s a novel approach. My feeble knowledge of the classical heresies is not bringing to mind any that directly apply to this (did the Cahars have something like this?). But St Antony of Egypt would be intrigued by this approach. He’s probably not going to be on the calendar for very much longer, poor fellow. Having the GC in Anaheim was genuinely symbolic. The Episcopal Church is transforming itself into the Hotel California. One question pops to mind immediately: Under this new theology, is the Presiding Bishop considered infallible when she speaks ex cathedra or ex catherine? |
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“It’s caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus. That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy, at the center of existence, as the ground of all being. That heresy is one reason for the theme of this Convention.” She is attacking the core of the Christian belief system. Beelzebub! Where for art thou oh prince of evil, there is work to be done, souls to be had for the mere asking, the game is afoot. |
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Hotel California Lyrics On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair Welcome to the hotel california Her mind is tiffany-twisted, she got the mercedes bends So I called up the captain, Welcome to the hotel california Mirrors on the ceiling, Last thing I remember, I was |
Hmmm, it does not appear that the cross has much meaning for her.
Straw man arguments often reveal the adverse as a proposition. Here, she seems to be saying that the TEC faith, when properly understood, is incapable of articulation or confession. IMHO, it places her as an ecclesial descendant of Justice Stewart Potter: although the TEC faith is not subject to articulation, she will know the TEC faith when she sees it. For those familiar with the case providing the origin of that quote - IMHO, this created TEC faith approaches like subject matter.
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ctowles (#55) She is attacking the core of the Christian belief system.
We had a divorce in the Body some centuries ago. Like many divorces, the parents continue to fight over the children (and for the kids’ affections)... often making up stories and seriously exaggerating each other’s sins. Building straw men of our ex’s positions because we cannot face our own sins. In our divorce, the “faith vs. works” argument is often preeminent. One side claims (falsely) that the other believes that you can “work” your way to heaven… the other claims (just as falsely) that their opponents believe that mere intellectual assent is enough for salvation. Neither position is honest and we know (or should know) it. So it is the errant Catholic position that looks at Protestants’ “sola fide” declaration as “salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus.” It is in no way what protestants believe and Catholics deceive themselves if they think so. How odd, then, to hear it from a senior protestant bishop. |
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The Titanic analogy has been much used for TEC, but I must admit I’m liking Schori’s airplane analogy too: “This is your captain speaking: there’s no need to panic! All is well. This jetliner is perfectly capable of flying with 3 engines—oops, make that 2 engines ... umm, 1 engine ... uh oh. Did I mention your seats can be used as life rafts?” |
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Maybe God’s purpose for TEC is to help separate the wheat from the chaff. This is not to say that if you are staying (I am for now) that you are the chaff. But are you going to chose to believe what the leadership of TEC is preaching or the traditional christian faith. They are drawing a clear line in the sand. |
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There is a line of argument that would suggest that your PB should be correct in recognizing heretics. That line runs as follows: Pax et bonum, |
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I think it’s ironic to have the Presiding Property Litigator, whose followers mumble out, “you can leave, just don’t take the silver” like a slack-jawed mantra, say, “The problem is with their keepers, who see the pigs only as bacon and ham producing machines, rather than part of God’s good creation and therefore deserving of appropriate respect.” Physician, heal thyself. |
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Sounds like a (cryptic) reference to the ‘I’/‘we’ difference in the way that the Westerners recite the Nicene Creed vs the way that the Easterners recite it. Of course, this has never been a point of contention by my reckoning, even while the differences over Filioque and Original Sin yet remain. It’s a red herring, and not a very smelly one at that. |
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If anyone can tell me what the heck this means and why it’s in an opening address to GC, I’d appreciate the clarification: But it’s not pigs who are the problem - pigs are neat and tidy if they have enough space. The problem is with their keepers, who see the pigs only as bacon and ham producing machines, rather than part of God’s good creation and therefore deserving of appropriate respect. The structures of this church are resources for God’s mission, but they are not God’s mission in themselves, and if we get that mixed up, we will have turned our face toward the date palms of Jericho rather than Jerusalem. Says the lady who has been more concerned with hanging onto structures than any PB in history and has spent more in legal fees to do so than any church anywhere has ever done. the church as a whole should not be doing mission work that can be done better at a more local level. “And besides, I spent all the money on legal fees.” that is our opportunity to live Ubuntu Ubuntu is a term that now means whatever TEC decides it means, and that is easy for them to do because no American has context for it and it doesn’t speak to us of anything. I want to live in the Way of the Lord. |
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She just denied our entire baptismal service, with the Apostles’ Creed “I believe in God…” as well as our baptismal vows, which stress an INDVIDUAL turning away from sin and turning toward Jesus. I’m sad but not surprised. Turning away from confessional Christianity allows for a much easier turning away from personal moral responsibility and commitment. I think that is the meat behind her comments. We’re in for an interesting two weeks, and that is putting it mildly. |
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I hope that today’s events will be JUST as exciting and honest. Yep, let all the toads come out of the muck for all to see. Hurrah for clarity. Seems like there’s a reference to that somewhere in the latter chapters of Deuteronomy: ‘Behold, I am laying before you a path of life and a path of death.’ Pretty clear which path the P-Bess has chosen. And for those who have chosen to follow her, the proper allusion here would be from the Gospels: and the swine rushed headlong off the cliff and drowned themselves in the sea. Again, Hurrah for clarity. |
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This email was sent to our Bishop Leo Frade, Dio. S.E. Florida: connection in all of these crises has to do with the great Western heresy – that we can be saved as individuals, that any of use alone can be in right relationship with God. It’s caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus. That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy, at the center of existence, as the ground of all being. That heresy is one reason for the theme of this Convention.” |
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Western Heresy Warning It is on display in the Revised Common Lectionary Epistle this Sunday… |
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I think that’s right, Paula, and the reason they make that argument is because they also believe Jesus was essentially a political phenomenon with a political message (you know, just like Katharine Jefferts Schori, except He’s a little more well known), albeit one who was unfortunately turned into a triumphalist king figure by His misogynist followers. |
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While busy being appalled at KJS’ address, a thought crossed my mind: How many people HEARD her say that? What are they DOING about it? Even those who are still saying NIMBY, will have to do DAMAGE CONTROL to see the text of their own Presiding Bishop’s address does not get into parishoners’ hands! Was NO ONE brave enough to object to her heresy? Did they ALL just accept it, that it is now part of their RELIGIOUS experience? I know about 30 people who are present there that I would like to ask personally, “How in the world did you just sit there and listen to her?” Does anyone have any word from someone else who is THERE and reacting? |
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Maybe I’m just tired, Paula Loughlin #81. I think the Jewish authorities delivered Jesus to the Romans for political and religious reasons, and the Roman authorities of the time did kill Jesus for political reasons. I also think that He died willingly for my sins. The purposes and intentions of the Sanhedrin and Pilate were not God’s purposes, but they acted in accordance with God’s plan. If someone could quote the phrase and context for the “killing” statement I would appreciate it. Too tired to read 85 comments, and too little bandwidth to want to download the pdf file. |
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Why can’t she see that it doesn’t have to be either/or; it can be both an individual discovery/commitment and a corporate commitment! Her rejection of a both/and approach is her testimony that she sees no place in her life for a personal acceptance of Jesus Christ for salvation. Doesn’t one of the baptismal vows fit in here: “Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior?” The response is singular—“I do;” it is not corporate—“We do.” Only after this individual(istic) vow does the corporate affirmation come with the Baptismal Covenant. |
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Katherine #87, the full context was this:
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Honestly, I think what is going on at GC is actually more similar to “controlled flight into terrain.” I don’t think Schori sees the danger, but she’s going to fly right into a granite cloud. |
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From the address: From Caritas in veritas Something for the Presiding Bishop to ponder. How can an organization which endorses abortion as a solution to an economic crisis of the individual woman ever engage in true charity which has as its center the protection and elevation of the weakest of our brothers and sisters? A charity based on true genoristy grounded in the Gospel. In true charity the problem is seen as too many being given too small a share in the abudance of creation. To this the solution is seen as giving more whether in the form of goods or intangible benefits such as better education. It does not chastize the poor for their state but sees them as brothers who should have a place at the table. On the other hand there are those who see the problem as too many people demanding a share in ever decreasing resources. The solution is seen not in giving more but in rationing the abundance of creation by denying some the very right to life so that there are fewer people to distribute this abundance to. This is done by population control pressures exerted by aid agencies. The idea being that selfishness is not defined by my refusal to share but in your refusal to only have 2 children. It sees the poor as usurpers who have only themselves to blame for their condition. They can have a few crumbs tossed their way but the table is reserved for their betters. True charity begins with respect for life and the desire for that life to be a vocation that glorifies God and His love for us. |
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Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem knowing that he was going there to die. I wonder if the PB is really saying that the TEO has decided that it is going in a direction that everyone knows will end in its death, but that she and her ilk are determined to go there anyway. Is this an admission that the goal of TEO is the death of Christianity in Episcopalianism? |
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LOL, Bamalew-I hadn’t thought of it that way. What a (un)hopeful way to begin a GC. :^( I have a feeling it meant “Jesus as prophet knew he wouldn’t be popular, but by goodness that great prophet of the cult-ture the TEC will set their face to do what is right, ie ordain and marry as many gays as possible as their first priority. <sigh> |
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It strikes me that there must be tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of members of TEC who are Christians -and I don’t just mean they are reasserters- who were devastated to hear their beliefs ripped apart as the PB just did. Many or most of those who are homosexual who do believe the Christian message (but disavow that homosexual activity is sinful) must similarly be shocked at her cold, calculated words. Mark, once he found himself let into the inner circle of Belbury, and realized the demonic truth about NICE must have been similarly shocked. I have never ever heard words like this. they are right from the pit. |
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Thought this might be helpful in identifying some of the players who could be spotted there at the 76th G Con: 1. Bashful Long beard Brown top, green hat, long eyelashes |
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Let me clarify the directions. Go to the link below. Then click on the “on demand” bubble to the right of the live video stream. Below that will appear “More on demand.” Hold your cursor over the photo icons until you come to the one that says “Presiding Bishop [sic] Opening Address,” the one with Mrs. Schori in the purple shirt. Click on that to begin streaming the video of the “heresy” speech. |
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“...wayponts on an arc” is a demonstration of her instrument-flying prowess (though a DME/Arc approach does not technically have waypoints, the GPS overlay does).
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At one level, true enough; and The Windsor Report correctly highlighted this feature of Church. YET the way TEC has played this card again and again, it smacks of staggering hypocrisy - not to say “heresy” (PB’s great word earlier in the address) - for they are simply being individualistic at a corporate level! And never mind the rest of us ... |
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#116 James SK posted a word that I didn’t know, but looked Greek. So I appealed to our seminarian. Here is what I received for “Anaxios”: |
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The Windsor Report 2004 (direct from: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/windsor2004/section_a/p9.cfm Subsidiarity 38. This highlights a fourth key strand of our common life: subsidiarity, the principle that matters should be decided as close to the local level as possible. Subsidiarity and adiaphora belong together: the more something is regarded as ‘indifferent’, the more locally the decision can be made. It does not take an Ecumenical Council to decide what colour flowers might be displayed in church; nor does a local congregation presume to add or subtract clauses from the Nicene Creed. In part this belongs with the missionary imperative: the church must give its primary energy to God’s mission to the world, not to reordering its internal life. 39. The fourth reason for our present problems is thus that it was assumed by the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Diocese of New Westminster that they were free to take decisions on matters which many in the rest of the Communion believe can and should be decided only at the Communion-wide level. # 120. I copy TWR direct for you to see the irony of the PB’s use of words |
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Considering the Mississippi connection to this fine website, hardly anyone has commented on Bishop Schori’s backhanded slap at your state’s wonderful Episcopalians. (We in Alabama often give thanks for Mississippi.) “The crisis of this moment has several parts, and like Episcopalians, particularly ones in Mississippi, they’re all related.” (the sentence immediately preceding her comments accusing confessing Anglicans of heresy) Maybe she didn’t really intend to accuse you of incest, but it’s pretty close if you ask me. RT Barr |
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I came here to post about the “waypoint in the arc” reference and see that 116 beat me to it! I was thinking she was using “arc” in the concept of a “narrative” element (befitting the GC “Theme”)....but you are absolutely right. My father and brother, both airline pilots, would have told me it was obvious. And, as 116 says….her platitudes are very misplaced in this speech. |
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Thanks to Phil and to Paula Loughlin for posting the “killing” line in context. The passage does make the Crucifixion sound like an unfortunate secondary event. It’s not the use of the word “killing” but rather the shuffling of the whole thing off and pressing on towards Better Social Services which is objectionable. As Paula’s quotations show, the Pope is also in favor of Better Social Services, but he is in favor, first and foremost, of loving God wholeheartedly and loving neighbors truly. Better Social Services flow from these two; they are not the Message themselves. |
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Haven’t been around to make comment on Stand Firm in months. My walk with the Lord has seen me run to CANA and once firmly in fellowship with the saints there I accepted the call as a deacon. Count me as the Reverend Deacon Arkmaker (aka Tom Sweeney).
When the wings (full faith in Jesus) have fallen off the aircraft your crises becomes a crash whether you know where you are or not! Also, one might note that when she pilots her plane she doesn’t have an ejection seat let alone a parachute. So when she says “Come fly with me,” run . . . .to Jesus and pray that she follows close behind. |
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The most common way to get killed in a perfectly good airplane under instrument conditions is CFIT, Controlled flight into terrain. This happens most commonly when you don’t fly the procedure in question as published. You can talk about “How we’ve always done it”, or “How it rationally seems like it should be done”, but when the smoke clears from over the smoking hole in a mountain that your hubris resulted in, you are still dead. That third leg is a bitch… |
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Hmmm… I reckoned TEC at GenCon would go for it. The Liberals are totally confident. I would expect by now a complete root and branch repudiation of anything pertaining to Christianity now and something amounting to a declaration to the effect that if you hold onto any such outmoded ideas you’d better get in step fast or get sued to oblivion. Remember, all revolutions go beyond even what the initial revolutionaries intended. They have a life of their own and carry on to the most crazy extremes, bereft of reason. And all (non-technical) revolutions end with Madame Guillotine. TEC is drunk now and thinks it is invincible. Revolutions do that kind of thing to people. |
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“It’s caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus.” From the BCP, “Holy Baptism”: Question: Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior? From the BCP, “Confirmation”: Bishop: Do you renew your commitment to Jesus Christ? |
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why does clarity smell like napalm in the morning?