Comments on: Join us in preparing for General Synod 2010

By: Keith Osborne

Keith Osborne — Tue, 25 May 2010 22:57:28 +0000

Rod:

You need to come under authority and realize scripture as being a record of God's revelation to the Church.

By: Nina Chiba

Nina Chiba — Tue, 04 May 2010 22:50:17 +0000

Thank you for making the Bishops speech available.I read it and have passed it on.There is much to learn from his views and I hope all the correspondents and planning committee read it.

By: Rod

Rod — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:36:57 +0000

The first paragraph of the prayer of consecration in the old BCP is perhaps not the best place to look for what constitutes a core faith statement for modern Christians. That paragraph was designed as an anti-Latin mass polemic. Its romantic flare has little relevance at the level of faith practice. I much prefer the theology in the some of the newer Eucharistic prayers. If I had to choose between a god who "demands satisfaction" and no god at all, afraid I would have to choose the later. Speaking of guilt complexes, I do feel slightly guilty writing replies on issues that don't seem to bear directly on the work of the forthcoming GS, but then perhaps there is some redemption in knowing that the impasse between bloggers here will inform much of the outcome at GS, and that the outcome will once again be indecisive. Have a great GS folks, meet new people, enjoy the worship (old and new), learn something about other parts of the country, but don't take the debates too seriously. I doubt if god will. -Rod

By: brian

brian — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:27:13 +0000

where did the new Philanthropy Department come from? Was there a name change from some previous Stewardship Department?

What's the difference between Philanthropy and Stewardship?

Philanthropy is about brotherly support, while stewardship is about caring for what belongs to another. Seems to me that discussion about these differences ought to be explored.

By: brian

brian — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:36:31 +0000

Lent is coming to a close, and we are about to enter the season of Easter. That's celebration of resurrection. Death has been overcome. But death did occur. What happened at the cross? Why did Jesus die?

Yeah, God demanded some satisfaction. Anglicans say that every week, when the elements of bread and wine are consecrated at communion. Are we not thankful for Christ's sacrificial atonement?

ALL glory be to thee, Almighty God, our heavenly Father, for that thou, of thy tender mercy, didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the Cross for our redemption; who made there (by his one oblation of himself once offered) a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death and sacrifice, until his coming again…

Works for me… Appears to work for God too…

Seems he needed a perfect sacrifice, a spotless lamb equivalent. Jesus offered himself as this person, both holy and acceptable to God, and fully human. This is so basic to what the core of Christianity is about…

By: Brian C

Brian C — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:47:22 +0000

Both David and Rod reveal the root problem of the Anglican Church of Canada: Relativism and Idolatry. We struggle to find a marketable god for our new times, and instead of finding imaginative and new ways of proclaiming the Gospel, and worshiping the True God, we divert to lesser things. What ever happened to "I believe in One Holy Catholic, and Apostolic Church?" I will be attending my first General Synod in Halifax.. I hope and pray that the Anglican Church has its' anchor before it sets to sail!

By: Rod

Rod — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:58:26 +0000

Let me see if can post in a way that's more connected to General Synod.
At the core of the Christian myth are two concepts. One, the social theme of covenant renewal, the other the redeemer myth that resolves the problem of sin and death. Atonement theories go to the second of these. These theories I find archaic, dated, not helpful. One can narrow the Christian myth into a tight focus almost exclusively around "sin and death". The better approach is to use a broader base and include the social themes in Jesus message about the commonwealth of God. The Anglican Church of Canada , including the work and ministry of General Synod applications, has always attempted to do this. The next General Synod appears to be seeking to maintain and enliven that tradition. I'm disinterested in both a focus on theoretical theology and bureaucratic "process" , but interested instead deepening the "faith in the flesh" approach of our particular tradition. Exemplars of this from my formative years are people like Ted Scott, Desmond Tutu, Malcolm Boyd. I hope as General Synod bids us "set sail", to use a rather bland cliche, that examples from these folks will remind delegates to GS 2010 that courage is a gift of the Spirit.

By: Rod

Rod — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:51:40 +0000

Actually, give me something to work with Brian, I've got shelves of books that address the theological buzz words in your post, and that address them form every possible theological angle. But, hey, let's start with atonement, which theory do you like best from the several available? Most of them are based on God as a cosmic tyrant who demands some sort of satisfaction, don't you find?

By: Pat Brush

Pat Brush — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:19:46 +0000

When I fully understood who I am and was accepted wholeheartedly by my church, my spirituality blossomed, my relationship with God deepened. My life reflects Christ's love.

God has created humans to come in a myriad of forms. When we come to better understand that, we can live more fully into the kingdom of God.

By: Pat Brush

Pat Brush — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:19:33 +0000

That would be one very small facet of understanding and not particularly appropriate for discussion. Sexuality is so much more than the mechanics of fitting tab A into slot B. Your sexuality affects all aspects of your life. It determines not only the kind of person you will love (or the fact that you might not be interested in love or intimacy of any kind), but it also colours every relationship you enter into, whether a spouse, a long-term friendship, a business partner, or a passing moment with a cashier at the grocery store.

This is why I hope that the church might come to a better understanding of sexuality (moving on into gender identity would be excellent). If how you know yourself to have been created as God's child is misunderstood and maligned by the church, either by the statements of the church or the behaviour of its members, you would not be able to worship fully as yourself. You would not bring your self to God, you would bring a societal construct. Can you understand how harmful that is to the spirit?