MADPRIEST NEIGHBORHOOD DAY

After much soul searching and, according to Madpriest, JCF was his kabillionth hit I have decided to arbitrarily and capriciously declare May 31, as Madpriest Neighborhood Day.  From henceforth and forever (with all the power vested in me as a blogger) I dub May 31st of each year Madpriest Day.  Everyone must go to his neighborhood and at least say hello to our favorite Church of England blogger, Madpriest.

To start the festivities off I offer the following specially created song just for Madpriest and his Neighborhood. (actually I borrowed it but Fred and I went to the same school)

This Twists My Knickers!

Writing in his own blog Bishop Nick Baines from the diocese of Bradford in the Church of England writes the following:

Christian Church, in the UK as well as here in Switzerland and Germany, needs to recover confidence in the church itself and the vocation of the church to serve its society.

Now, there are those in England who like to think (in a rather uncommitted liberal way) that if we could only shake off the institution of the church, we could create a new way of being church without all the stuff we find embarrassing or shaming. I recognise that what I am about to say goes wholly against the grain of the self-fulfilment, instant-gratification culture we now inhabit, but such attitudes are naive. They ignore the massive achievements of the church in our cultures – intellectually, socially, educationally, politically, morally, etc. – and collude in the selective memory that encourages costless fantasy.

Find Bishop Baines "work" here:
The Wrong Question by Nick Baines

Now, let's compare that deeply moving and heartfelt comment to this one from the Archbishop of Canterbury:

However, Dr Williams told The Daily Telegraph: “Of course, if people behaved morally there would be no need for super-injunctions. But how many of us actually would be comfortable about the ceaseless scrutiny of every aspect of ourselves?

“This is a culture so obsessed with transparency that it can confuse that, I think, with this universal miasma of gossip and prurience.”

And that comment was  made a few days after the now famous Colin Slee memorandum in which we find this little ditty:

Slee described Williams shouting and losing his temper in last year's Southwark meeting, which left several members of the crown nomination committee, responsible for the selection of bishops, in tears.
Slee also in effect charges the church with hypocrisy, stating that there are several gay bishops "who have been less than candid about their domestic arrangements and who, in a conspiracy of silence, have been appointed to senior positions". The memo warns: "This situation cannot endure. Exposure of the reality would be nuclear."
Slee said of the meeting: "We had two very horrible days in which I would say both archbishops behaved very badly. The meeting was not a fair consideration at all; they were intent on wrecking both Jeffrey John and Nick Holtam equally, despite the fact that their CVs were startlingly in an entirely different and better league than the other two candidates …

And then let's add to the fact that GAFCON/FCA will not take communion with the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. 

Let's add to that that the Global south refuses to recognize those children of God who wish to participate fully in the life of the church and cannot in places like Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Australia, South America, etc.

Let's add to the fact that despite the apparent disregard for LGBT persons in Nigeria the Archbishop continues to do absolutely nothing about those foreigners being held captive in the oil rich region of the country and who have done nothing but work and be kidnapped while the Archbishop flies around the world condemning everyone else.

No one wants to "shake off the institutional church" we want it to live up to all that it can be through the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We want the Trinity to shine through everyone that comes into our church.  We want the church to accept as full members the LGBT community.  We see hypocrisy at the very top levels of our churches and our Communion and we want it to stop.  We see men more worried about their next promotion than the people who come to them for inclusion.  We see men wanting to keep women "barefoot and pregnant"  ("even women have a place in our church." John David Schofield, former bishop of San Joaquin).   We see men too wrapped up in getting their purple shirts from Uganda or Rwanda or wherever they can beg borrow or steal one just so they too can feel important.  We see entire organizational structures more concerned with setting up shop in England and Jerusalem than in making their organizations look like what Jesus commanded us to do.

When those things are corrected perhaps the "liberal arm of the church" will look more favorably upon the institutional church, Bishop Baines.

A Walking PR Disaster

Well folks, the Slee Memo brings not an ounce of remorse or even a thought of how that might affect the rest of the Anglican Communion. It brings (courtesy of The Lead) this comment from Archbishop Rowan Williams:


Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams was quoted in British press yesterday speaking in support of the need for information to be restrained in the case of high-profile people attempting to keep their public personas intact.

“Of course, if people behaved morally there would be no need for super-injunctions. But how many of us actually would be comfortable about the ceaseless scrutiny of every aspect of ourselves?
“This is a culture so obsessed with transparency that it can confuse that, I think, with this universal miasma of gossip and prurience.”

He begins with "if people behaved morally" , well Archbishop Williams, how about YOU!  There is an old adage that says "when you point a finger at someone there are four fingers pointing back at you."

But the really outrageous part of this is that here is a person who occupies the highest office in he Anglican Church, appointed by the Queen, serves not only all of England but to some extent the entire world and his press people allow him to say this tripe right after he was exposed by the Colin Slee memorandum?  He. the archbishop may be incompetent, I am unsure, but this really tells me his staff is incompetent.  What staff would allow a person who has already euphemistically "stepped in it big time" to allow the boss to make such a bold and incredibly stupid statement as that? 

Not just this time but his public persona is a shambles and the staff continue to allow the Archbishop to look like he has "lost all sense of political acumen".  In effect, it looks as if he wants to be replaced.  It looks as if he has decided to do everything in his power, short of the  honorable thing, step down, to kill his waning career.

Does anyone disagree there is a bumbling fool at the helm of the Church of England?

H/T The Lead/Torey Lightcap

The 40th Anniversary of "What's Goin' On"

Marvin Gaye was great!  This song ranks right up there as must listen to.  For those of us that lived this it is good to remember.  For those for whom this is only a history lesson read the lyrics and see if it does not apply, like right now!




What's Going On lyricsSongwriters: Benson, Renaldo; Cleveland, Alfred; Gaye, Marvin;
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today, yeah

Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going
What's going on
What's going on

Right on, baby
Right on
Right on

Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Come on talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
What's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you ya, what's going on

Right on, baby
Right on, baby
Right on, baby
...

We Are Debating their Issues and their Issues are the WRONG Issues!

We are debating/discussing/deciding the wrong question.  That is correct, the Anglican Covenant is truly the debate set up by and for those who wish to hijack the Anglican Communion.  That too strong a wording?  How about those who wish to do the devil's work?  Whoops?  Are you kidding me?!#!  Well, actually not.  The Anglican Covenant sets up a false and erroneous dichotomy.  The folks that wrote the Anglican Covenant cannot take on the issue of baptism, LGBT, and who is/can be saved,  so they set up their own question that only has a limited number of responses.  They have effectively limited the argument and the rest of us have bought into their circumlocution.

The Global South, GAFCON and the Fellowship (their is a euphemism if I ever heard one) of Confessing Anglicans really wants to dictate who can be "saved".  The leadership of these groups has set themselves up as the only true interpreters of scripture.  It is not solo scriptura per se, but rather purple shirts versus the rest of the world.  It is not a question of the three legged stool but rather who gets to set/interpret the concept of reason and tradition.  Their goal is the hijacking of the Anglican Communion.  So what they have done is develop this odd way of putting/holding the Anglican Communion together, i.e., the Anglican Communion.  At least that is what it started out to be.  After four iterations and real dialogue the Covenant was rejected by the GAFCON/FCA/CANA etc. because it lacks the clarity of making certain folks the "boss" of us all.  Now they have set up an office in England and a requirement that real Anglicans will adopt sign on to the Jerusalem Declaration.  But, they have continued to distract from the real issue and that is the power to determine who is and who is not to be Anglican -- that is in my humble opinion, who is and is not to be saved. 

We, on the other had, continue to dink around with the Anglican Covenant.  Fiddling while Rome Canterbury is burning.  Yep, we are once again distracted from the real issues by those who do not wish to deal with the real issues and we refuse to challenge them directly and forcefully o n the issues that matter to us most -- full inclusion.  Ultimately, the Anglican Covenant will be adopted/adapted and GAFCON/FCA/CANA will have created their own "Anglican Communion" and we will be left with a hollow shell and a really dumb piece of legislation and once again our LGB T brothers and sisters will be put on hold while everyone tries to figure out just what the heck went wrong!

The "Good News" Within the Anglican Covenant Process

Is it possible that there is any possible good that could come out of the long and arduous process of reviewing and voting on the Anglican Covenant?  Well, after much thought I would have to say, I think so.

Let me begin by saying that this Covenant ought to be rejected out of hand.  Enough time has been wasted and enough ink has been used and enough breath to float a lead zeppelin (Pun intended?).  But what has it pointed out?

Well, it has pointed out that it is time for the Episcopal Church in the United States to change it's very foundations.  Want to do something really worthwhile then let's spend some time re-constructing this thing we call the Episcopal Church.  Let's take a look at  what William White originally proposed and perhaps reinvigorate the Episcopal Church in the United States with less political authority in the hands of bishops and clergy and more in the hands of the laity.  Bishops, at at their very core, are pastoral beings, not politicians.  We need to reconfigure their role in the diocese so that they can take care of the clergy and the pastoral needs of the community. endlessly worrying about the next great heresy has given many a false sense of superiority and it seems to have overwhelmed their ability to understand and operate in the real world.  Re-focusing on the issue of pastoral care for the flock will, I hope, rekindle both clergy and laity in their quest for the two great commandments.

A governing system needs to be constructed that provides true equality for all persons.  A unicameral house with equal votes with equal representation.  Yes, we could call it radical inclusivity!  What a concept!  It should be flatter and meet more frequently, perhaps every two years.  Eliminate the concept of province and reconfigure diocese to reflect a current and practical application.

Why all the hubbub?  Well, one thing for sure has been crystallized and that is we (the Episcopal Church) is not enamoured with anything that looks like a hierarchical church, structure or theology.  The Anglican Covenant discussion has given us that much.  So, lets scrub the Anglican Covenant and get down to the basics.  We construct our church on the basis or radical inclusivity, the idea that Jesus, the savior came for all people -- Jews and Gentiles; men and women; straight and gay; he came for us all and he will not leave without all of us going with him.  So let's construct the basic foundation of the Episcopal Church on that idea and create our mission so that everyone can see and no one can mistake what it is we are doing. 

In the end, those that join us join us and those that do not do not but we are neither hindered by those that join nor those that do not join.

It Is Rapture Saturday!

Monty Python always has something good for any occasion. This Saturday is no exception.

Okay, I Give Up -- For All You Leaving Us

A plaint for those of us not as lucky as our doctrinal warrior Fatherr Christian Troll.



And just in case you missed the lyrics:

Come Monday


Headin' up to San Francisco
For the Labor Day week-end show
I've got my hush-puppies on
I guess I never was meant for glitter rock and
roll
And Honey I didn't know
That I'd be missin' you so

Chorus:
Come Monday, it'll be all right
Come Monday, I'll be holdin' you tight
I spent four lonely days in a brown L. A. haze
And I just want you back by my side

Yes, it's been quite a summer
Rent-a-cars and west-bound trains
And now you're off on vacation
Something you tried to explain
And Darlin' it's I love you so
That's the reason I just let you go

Come Monday, it'll be all right
Come Monday, I'll be holdin' you tight
I spent four lonely days in a brown L. A. haze
And I just want you back by my side

I can't help it honey
You're that much a part of me now
Remember that night in Montana
When we said there'd be no room for doubt

I hope you're enjoyin' the scen'ry
I know that it's pretty up there
We can go hikin' on Tuesday
With you I'd walk anywhere
California has worn me quite thin
I just can't wait to see you again

Come Monday, it'll be all right
Come Monday, I'll be holdin' you tight
I spent four lonely days in a brown L. A. haze
And I just want you back by my side

I spent four lonely days in a brown L. A. haze
And I just want you back by my side

Tilting At Democratic Windmills

I know as I begin this, Don Quixote will be proud of this column. Also, this has little to nothing to do with Anglicanism or the Episcopal Church or even Christianity. It is about what I heard on national Public Radio today. Specifically, there was a news item in the afternoon that dealt with the democrats “reading the riot act” to the oil company executives. WHAT A JOKE! Let’s recount some of the recent democratic victories(#!?) Well, Obama’s health care plan has already been chopped down to size by this new Republican majority? The president, once claimed by almost everyone to be a socialist looks like Ronald Reagan. The budget is shot to hell because the Republicans, when handed a surplus, could not stand it so they spent us into oblivion and then bailed out the banks and the finance companies and screwed the average homeowner now want to eliminate social security, Medicare, Head Start, Planned parenthood, education, social service programs, mental health programs and just about anything else the middle class uses in favor of tax cuts for the rich. What have the democrats done? Quizzed the BP on how they could possibly let the blast in the Gulf happen. When they had finished that they decided to quiz the rest of the oil companies about the indecent profits. And when the oil execs said, the removal of depletion allowances would not reduce profits or lower gas prices could not find the guts to then respond with, “How about nationalization? Would that lower profits and reduce gas prices?” No, they just want to play patty-cake and in the meantime are outmaneuvered on the issue of the debt ceiling now being forced to give up 2 more billion dollars in social programs in order to raise the debt ceiling.
The democrats are running scared and cannot figure out what to do. They have a majority in the senate and yet get whipped at every turn. As folks said elsewhere, the 20th century is about to be repealed. And still the Republicans have time to mess with don’t ask don’t tell and a women’s reproductive rights and just about everything else that is an affront to the middle class. And what does our “socialist” president do? He gives in on all the social program cuts that the republicans want. What do the democrats in the senate do? They talk and talk and talk and talk.

When will it end?

GAFCON Re-LUNCH

There is a new statement from the Conealonialists.  I say new only because it is more of their tired and weary rap on the same old nonsense.  They continue to repeat much of the tripe they harp on in hopes that if they say it long and loud enough everyone (read Canterbury) will believe them.  Here, in abbreviated form is the latest statement from the "wannabes".

Narobi Statement from the GAFCON/FCA Primates Council

Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

1. We met in Nairobi from April 25th through April 28th, 2011. We gathered as the elected leaders of provinces and national churches of the Anglican Communion and as leaders of GAFCON/FCA and we had lunch. Hence, the re-lunch title.

2. We are profoundly saddened by the many disasters that have afflicted our world in recent months especially the fact that we did not attend the Primates meeting in Dublin and boy, was that a disaster.

3. We are distressed that, in the face of these enormous challenges, we are still divided as a Communion. The fabric of our common life has now transformed into spandex so that most of us can still fit in our purple shirts and fancy robes.

4. We note the efforts of the Roman Catholic Church to offer support.We only wish that the pope would let us run his place also.

5. We devoted a considerable portion of our time together exploring some of the presenting issues
 regarding Anglican ecclesiology. We were mindful of the importance of the new endowment fund for the college of bishops and are saddened that you guys thought of that before we did. We sure could use 15 million buckeroos right now as well.

6. As members of the global Anglican Communion we delight in the particular history with whichwe have been blessed. We are grateful for all the foolish laity that have hoped on board our freight train we like to call the ACNA Express.

7. We believe, however, that we are fully the church and no one can come to the father except through us.

8. We continue to be troubled by the promotion of a shadow that knows everything. Seems to us that should have gone the route of the doodoo bird. We mean really, a radio program that knows everything? How about, we know everything!

9. Confident of the power of God’s Word to renew His church we are creating more and more and more bishops and archbishops and if we could we would create some cardinals (maybe some bluebirds and some wrens).

10. We are delighted in the election of all the T-bagger Party members in the house of representatives and we may make them a diocese in ACNA all by themselves.

11. We also recognized Martyn Minns despite his new hairdo.

12. Finally we know everything there is to know and no one can tell us differently.

13. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presencewithout fault and with great joy to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority,through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

The Primates Council
 The Most Rev’d Eliud Wabukala, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Kenya, ChairThe Most Rev’d Justice Akrofi, Archbishop, Anglican Province of West Africa
The Most Rev’d Robert Duncan, Archbishop, Anglican Church in North America
The Most Rev ‘d Onesphore Rwaje, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Rwanda
Mokiwa, Archbishop, Anglican Church of Tanzania
The Most Rev’d Nicholas Okoh, Archbishop, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
The Most Rev’d Henry Orombi, Archbishop, Church of Uganda
The Most Rev’d Hector Zavala, Province of the Southern Cone
The Most Rev’d Peter Jensen, Archbishop, Diocese of Sydney, Secretary

We May Be In Huge Trouble ---

I held a discussion with an intelligent, astute, extremely well-read individual yesterday that, no doubt about it, just "blew my mind".  The topic?  Public education.  I was not aware, until yesterday, that the primary reason why K-12 public schools are in such dire financial straits is because of "illegal immigration".  And, that these illegal immigrants from Mexico, pay no taxes, contribute nothing to society and if they would just go back to Mexico our schools,  our medical support system and in fact our whole economy would be much better off. 

The logic he used was more students create more costs and if the costs would go down then the amount of revenue would then cover the costs of the public schools.  My background is deeply steeped in public education finance and in public education in general and in the last few years in private education as well.  No amount of discussion about "cost per student", revenue limits (State of California don't you know) and lack of a tax base would shake this person to re-think his position.  No amount of GE and Oil Co. tax breaks would move this person around the corner.  See, he had read about a supreme court decision that mandated free public education for all -- including the children of illegal immigrants. His position was that if the feds wanted to mandate that then let the feds pay for it. 

Now, here is my real point.  The facts about public education, about our economy, about the tax base, about immigrants having for about ever generally worked harder, longer, and pay more in taxes per dollar earned would shake this notion.  My grandmother was an "illegal immigrant".  She came from her home country to the United States when she was 13.  Yep, she lied about her age and got in.  She, my grandfather, my dad, and all my aunts and uncles worked as hard as anyone, fought in the same wars, held the same patriotism as any other "American".  But these facts were of no value.  The fact that the tax base has been eroded by the constant need for Republicans to buy votes from their corporate constituents to stay in office and each time when revenue drops services are cut it is because of too many services, not the need for increasing revenue.

This person has bought into the great Republican lie hook, line and sinker!  What troubles me more than anything is that this is not some ill-read, poorly educated, blindly following oaf, this is a smart, intelligent, incredibly well-read person who can think on his feet and with the best of them.

All I can say is, we may be in HUGE trouble in our country.

Endowment Fund For College of Apostles Announced

Jerusalem 32 AD

Today, in a stunning announcement on a mount just outside of Jerusalem, Jesus of Nazareth announced the formation of a college of Apostles and a subsequent endowment campaign.  Jesus said, "Ya know, I preach parables all day long and these guys just don't get it!  I took them to a mountain top where Elijah and Moses and I all grew white as snow and these guys could only think about building a house or two.  I take them to a place in Bethany and raise Lazarus from the dead and all they can think about is some lady wasting money and oil.  Holy crackers! I just cannot believe that the apostles and fence posts have so much in common!"

So Jesus went on to explain that it was time to form a college of Apostles.  That is correct, he wants the apostles to go to college and learn some good stuff.  BUT, these are poor fishermen that ain't got a dime and so we need to raise funds for an endowment.  The current thinking of the son of Man is that this college will be set up and run from some silly out of the way place called Rome.  And when asked about the poor and the the destitute and the sick and the lame and the widows and orphans all Joseph's son could say was "You will always have the poor but these apostle guys need to wake up and smell the coffee.  How we gonna save the tax collectors and the adulterers if these apostles can't understand what I am saying.  No, these guys need to go to school, and there ain't no better place than Rome.  Don't believe me, just ask my father."

When asked about when Jesus thought this whole thing might get off the ground Jesus indicated that it would be sometime around the spring of 33 if the money changers would just give up some of there loot.  Jesus said, "there is a place in Rome called the Vatican that has been vacant for many years and we can get the whole kit and caboodle for a song."  "Once my apostles are thoroughly trained and fully educated with a bunch of new ideas on how to evangelize places like South America and Africa they (the apostles) will put my name up in flashing lights.  And after all, ain't that what we need most?"

Feeding My Garden

Time is running out for a besieged Anglican Communion. Western pan Anglicanism has lost the biblical and evangelical plot. If the Anglican Communion is to be saved only the Global South can save it.

David Virtue

Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?  Well, I feed it stuff like that which is above.