Oakwyse, Druid Novelist

Greg: Are you sure this video isn’t an out-take from the 1984 mockumentary, “This Is Spinal Tap”?

SILENCE!!!

OK, not an out-take.

Be sure to turn the sound up to 11 to get the full effect.

I don’t understand why was forces out by ECUSA.  I would have thought he’d be a shoe-in for a canon to the ordinary at the Washington Cathedral.

Good grief.  You really can’t make these things up.  I mean I could work all day being creative and writerish and couldn’t come up with Episcopal news.

The thing that I think really makes this man a candidate for an Episcopal bishop is his facility with . . . er . . . words.

For example, let’s see if fellow Episcopalians can discover the “Bruno Beguilement” in one phrase in this sentence:

“Although he never practised anything but orthodox rites in his church . . . “

And then this one is also reminiscent of the spin of an Episcopal bishop candidate: ” . . . when the Church told me I had to choose between my priesthood and my friends in the Druid community, I chose the path that honored relationship.”

I mean—can’t you just see a mitred one standing up in front of the New York Times reporter and pontificating about how he is going to choose “the path that honored relationships” which necessarily means this path over here that he wants to do even if it is heretical??

“But I knew The Apple and the Thorn was on the way, and I would not agree to being silenced.”

So much for a 23-year vocation?

“Nobody knows who they were or what they were doing.”  Love it.

“I was wrong,” Melnyk wrote to Bennison. “I repent and recant without qualification anything and everything I may have said or done which is found to be in conflict with the baptismal covenant and the historical creeds of the church.”

Yesh.  He learns well, doesn’t he.  His recanting (the “these” link) was pretty rough work - no finesse - no pluriform meaning.  An additional ray of beauty off the jeweled facet of a statement such as “Although he never practised anything but orthodox rites in his church,...” is the wholesale reversal from his recantation. 

Sweet.  That is dedication and commitment.

How long before it is available at the TECusaCorp bookstore? I can hardly wait.

snarkwyse

FYI “Mother Glyn” (previously known as “Glispa” and “Raven”) is still the rector of St Francis in Malvern PA.  One can only hope she has abandoned paganism, unlike her husband.  As an aside, I lived in Downingtown while Melnyk was at St. James- needless to say I didn’t attend there…

OK, I must have missed it.  How many guys in the band are Episcopal clergy?

I went to seminary with Oakwyse’s son-in-law.  Nicest guy you’d ever want to meet.  Good musician too.  Too bad his father-in-law is a fruitcake.

many Church leaders were quick to demonise Druidry and my connection with this ancient ancestor of Anglicanism.

Sorry, Druidism is not an ancestor of Anglicanism. Rather it is a dead religion…er, make that a mostly dead religion that has not yielded any offshoots.

“If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I would have the courage to betray my friend.” - E.M. Forster (member of the Cambridge “Apostles” and the Bloomsbury Group. Brilliant, homosexual, English writer, author of “A Room With a View)

The elevation of relationships above all else is a notorious part of the apolitical, pacifist, homosexual agenda of the English intelligentsia between the wars. Google “Cambridge Apostles” for more information.

This particular stance parades itself as morally superior while in truth begin utterly corrupt and narcissistic. They are moral aesthetes who seek only their own pleasurable feelings and reject the concept of self-denial or sacrifice.

-RedHatRob

Greg, when I saw this item posted on MCJ my first act was to look up Spinal Tap quotes on IMDB.  I guess great wastes of minds think alike.

Oh boy… I really messed the quote up. Right Brain/Left Brain disconnect.

Here’s what I MEANT to quote (and what Forster actually said):

“If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I would have the courage to betray my country.” - E.M. Forster (member of the Cambridge “Apostles” and the Bloomsbury Group. Brilliant, homosexual, English writer, author of “A Room With a View”)

The elevation of relationships above all else is a notorious part of the apolitical, pacifist, homosexual agenda of the English intelligentsia between the wars. Google “Cambridge Apostles” for more information.

This particular stance parades itself as morally superior while in truth being utterly corrupt and narcissistic. They are moral aesthetes who seek only their own pleasurable feelings and reject the concept of self-denial or sacrifice.

-RedHatRob

The sacrifice of the 23 “vocation” to the novel is, well, a novel idea.  Both for Oakwyse and Bill (whoever is in charge at the moment).  Bet it didn’t cost him his pension, though.  Bloodless sacrifice was not the major point of Druidism as I recollect but perhaps Oakwyse has a direct link to some source unavailable to history?  Do druids get extra brownie points if they make their own grapes for inclusion in the cakes, the ones that upset CHRISTIANITY TODAY -
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/octoberweb-only/10-25-21.0.html

I may be mis-remembering here, but wasn’t there also something about soliciting money to build a pagan shrine in England..and running the money through an account belonging to his congregation (perhaps his Discretionary Fund)?

He and the Missus wrote this really embarrassing sex liturgy that seemed to be what a couple of old hippies do when they know that the flame has gone out in the bedroom, they don’t want to rely on “better living through chemistry”, and they think they can liven things up through some role-playing.  After reading that script, I would have a problem looking either of them in the eye, not because of their heresy, but because the damn thing was so embarrassing.  If my wife and I ever have to play “Naughty Librarian and Patron with Very Severely Overdue Book” to get things going in the boudoir, I’ll know better than to post the outline of the script on the Internet.

I remember this all coming to light around Halloween, I think in 2002. That made it especially laughable when My Most Gracious Lord Pennsylvania accused the Christians among us as being on a “witch hunt” in criticizing Sir Oakwyse. What better time for it?  And the results seemed to vindicate the undertaking.

OH, GREAT!  So now I have to take off a couple of hours and disinfect my computer and hold an exorcism rite on my headset.

And remember, about six months after the issue of his Episcopal orders was resolved, he issued an explanation detailing how, although he was no longer under orders in the Episcopal Church, he was still an Episcopal layman, and that there was nothing contradictory between his Druid practices and Episcopal doctrine.

I wish all those who consider themselves Episcopalians had the theological clarity that Bill (“The Hudson Brothers Show”) Hudson exhibited when asked if religious differences contributed to the break-up of his marriage to Kirstie (“Cheers”) Alley: “Well, it didn’t help. I’m an Episcopalian. She’s a Scientologist. They’re different.” Such religious differentiation may now subject him to criticism as an exclusionary fundamentalist.

In fairness to Father Oakwyse, or to whichever cleric was involved in gathering money for the Druid grove in England, it is also true, as I understand it, that all of the donors of the money involved in that enterprise knew what it was going for, and indeed intended the money to be spent in that way. The only issue was running it through the congregation’s account, although that is hardly a niggling concern.  But there was no theft or misappropriation of congregational funds.

This story is so bizarre in its unvarnished form that I don’t want to detract from its force by possibly leaving false impressions. The reality is disturbing enough.

snarkwyse

Aaaahahahaha…give that man a raisin cake!!

Bill: “No no, of course theirs nothing ‘pagan’ about Druidry, don’t be ridiculous!”

Bill’s co-author ‘Bobcat’: “Speak for yourself, Branwyse”

Emma (Bobcat) Restall Orr is regularly booked to give talks at major Pagan events in Britain.  She teaches many workshops, including her nine-month Living Druidry course which is booked up three years in advance.  She has presented workshops across the USA, Australia, and Europe for Pagan groups and at universities, including the London School of Economics, the University of Wales, and Pennsylvania State University.

Bill:  “You say tomayto, I say tomahto…”

I love Spinal Tap. 

At least they were intentionally funny.

Nigel makes me so happy.

In the getreligion link, Melnyk is invited to defend himself theologically, but hasn’t yet (since 2005). I for one would be interested in his defense. Mr. Melnyk, how are you not violating the first commandment of the decalogue?

I was pagan (wicca) before I became Catholic and I have to say that I have always regarded the self-chosen names of some pagans as just dumb. It makes people sound like characters from a teenage boy’s Dungeons and Dragons game.

“I, Oakwyse, cast magic missile at the goblin horde!”

And btw, lame spellings (majik, wysdom, ye oldde tea shoppe) do not bestow gravitas.

Tragic that this is hanging over his head during the celebration of the winter solstice.

I don’t get it.  If this guy is no longer an Episcopalian priest, why isn’t he supposed to publish a novel?  Did he make some kind of silence agreement to be released from his orders?

I suspect I don’t really have to tell you this Anthony , but no, at least one of the issues is the hypocrisy and revisionism of playing of the victim card when he made clear choices to reject his orders, e.g. quotes like

“he was ‘exposed’ by a conservative Christian website seeking more ammunition for attacking the Episcopal Church’s consecration of a gay priest as Bishop.”

  (mean spirited ‘ol religious rights-hating conservatives….)

And in a style reminscent of the Diocese of Olympia Islamopalian priest, even now equating Druidry with orthodox Christianity.  When this was uncovered, even Bishop Bennison (certainly not a closet conservative), was forced to take action.

I believe he initially recanted of the Druidry, before he flipped back again.  I pray that in His mercy and grace that the Lord would draw Mr. Melnyk back to himself.  Lord, have mercy on all of us who are in need of his forgiveness and grace.

In post-Bennison Pennsylvania there may no longer be any distinction between being a druid and being an Episcopalian.

I still can’t remember the guy and I graduated from Sewanee when he did (1982). Granted he was at St Luke’s and I was at the college, but even still, it’s small school.

I have a blog thingy

Kilash,

My thoughts exactly. This guy seems to have a young boy’s fixation with Dungeons and Dragons and has placed it ahead of his faith; his true Lord and savior. Maybe it’s a mid-life crisis thing.

AshKiik of WalNutte

“I, Oakwyse, cast magic missile at the goblin horde!”

ROFL!!!

I think I found one of the new liturgies:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3955486939380985268

I went to seminary with Oakwyse’s son-in-law.  Nicest guy you’d ever want to meet.  Good musician too.  Too bad his father-in-law is a fruitcake.

No, actually he is a raisincake. Pay attention!

snarkwyse

Hello all.  Just to update you.  I am presently working full-time as a professional bagpiper in the mid-Atlantic area.  I regularly attend an Episcopal church every Sunday, where I serve as an usher, and take care of the web page.

I’ve just come back from the Chalice Well in Glastonbury (site where Joseph of Arimathea according to tradition hid the Chalice of the Last Supper, and began the first Christian Church in England, and now an interfaith site) where we had the launch of my novel, “The Apple and the Thorn.” It’s the tale of how the old and new faiths might have found common ground but didn’t, and it explores issues of faith, honor, integrity, and personal relationships.  You can see more about it here:  http://www.theappleandthethorn.com, and it is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com.

I am not a leader in any religious organization, and I’ve long since learned not to respond to charges in web logs.  I won’t respond to comments here, but do feel free to contact me any time at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Blessings of Christmastide,
Bill

Well, druid or not, he’s plays the pipes, so I like him!

A Ggggrrrrraaaaaaaiiiiilllll?

Marty,
What, you never heard of Indiana Jones?  I think TEC ordained him last month sometime at the National Cathederal.  Should be bringing in the Ark of the Covenant anytime now.  They have big plans to tour the country and raise money for the legal fund.

Is Amazon.com a donor for SFIF?  Do they buy adds here?  See you give them free advertising.(;-)

Perhaps someone, somewhere will be inspired to a MontyPython-esque bit on this.  If the author/s leave any room for pretend comedy in their routines for adverting and self-aggrandizing.  So Mote it BE!  Then perchance real talent can emerge….....................  Then again, you’d have to have an incredibly fertile imagination to top reality in this particular instance.  Something say on the lines of ancient Druidical oppression of the Mayans or somesuch.

Ahhh.  As Mae West once said, I really don’t care what you say about me on your blog, as long as you spell my name right!  (If you actually read the book, you’ll find the Druids come off rather poorly.)

Oh, and do read the “Before you post” note below.

Merry Christmas, All!
Bill Melnyk

hey, Bill’s wife got an award of $40,000 for something having to do with congregation renewal from the Lilly Endowment - http://www.lillyendowment.org/pdf/NCRP2007Winners.pdf - old news, I know, I hadn’t even realized she was still an active TEC priest.
Bill, if you’re subscribed here, congrats, though late.  You say the druids don’t come off so well in your novel, have you had a re-think about some of this?