Growing up at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church was my first exposure for the rector to have an earned doctorate. That exposure came from Hunsdon Cary, who "oversaw" the beginning of the Church Mouse resale shop and whose relatives got the property boot from Jon Bruno. This has generally not been the case with the churches I …
Some Lessons for Pentecostals from the "Recent Anglican War"
Those of you who are regular followers know that I have followed/participated in what I call the "Anglican Revolt," a term which comes from a North American perspective. Brewing for years, in 2003 it was detonated in full force by the ordination of V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay man who subsequently went into and …
Continue reading "Some Lessons for Pentecostals from the "Recent Anglican War""
Is It Necessary for a Roman Catholic to Agree With Everything the Church Teaches?
One thing that comes up for those of us who "swim the Tiber" is the idea that anyone who becomes a Roman Catholic must agree with "everything" that the Church teaches. This issue came up when Greg Griffith stunned the Anglican blogosphere with his conversion. "Does he really agree with all that?" people asked. The …
Continue reading "Is It Necessary for a Roman Catholic to Agree With Everything the Church Teaches?"
Empower the Laity? Don't Hold Your Breath
The Church of England takes a crack at it: A LONG-AWAITED report on lay leadership in the Church of England, published last week, has set out to “empower, liberate and disciple” the laity — not in churches, but in schools, workplaces, gyms, shops, fields, and factories. It is to be presented to the General Synod …
Continue reading "Empower the Laity? Don't Hold Your Breath"
National Cathedral Doesn't Really Want to Participate in the Inauguration? Let Bethesda Handle It!
They're getting nervous over at the National Cathedral: The Episcopal cathedral is garnering criticism from some Episcopalians – including within the Episcopal Diocese of Washington – for hosting a regular interfaith prayer service as part of festivities marking the U.S. Presidential Inauguration, and for agreeing to send its boys choir to perform at the Inauguration …
The Episcopalians: Trying to Change History While Missing What's Important
In the middle of a post on her "Rip van Winkle" return to Seattle, Julia Duin makes this observation about growing up Episcopalian: In high school, we had just moved to Seattle from Maryland, where there was so much social ferment. It even affected the Episcopal church we attended in Severna Park, which was close …
Continue reading "The Episcopalians: Trying to Change History While Missing What's Important"
An interview with Abu Daoud about “Sharing Jesus with Muslims in America”
Almost five years ago I interviewed Abu Daoud, the legendary Anglican missionary and scholar on Islam. (You can see Part 1 and Part 2 of that interview.) Well, praise be to Allah, he's emerged from the shadows with a book entitled Sharing Jesus with Muslims in America. This interview was conducted at an undisclosed location. …
Continue reading "An interview with Abu Daoud about “Sharing Jesus with Muslims in America”"
St. Andrew's Day: Calling Us O'er the Tumult…
Today is St. Andrew's Day, usually the first major saint's day in Advent. He's also not only the patron saint of Scotland; he was also the saint after which my prep school was named. (It's having problems of its own these days, but that's another post...) In any case, at chapel time we always sang …
Continue reading "St. Andrew's Day: Calling Us O'er the Tumult…"
Three Sheets to the Wind: Seminary Academics and Orthodoxy
Way back in 2003, Christianity Today ran an article that began like this: Elaine Pagels, the famous historian of early Christianity, once told a revealing story about the social world behind the scenes of high-powered biblical scholarship. As a young up-and-coming professor at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, she was invited …
Continue reading "Three Sheets to the Wind: Seminary Academics and Orthodoxy"
Getting Closer on the St. Andrew's Sex Scandal?
It's not the closest thing, but... Bishop Audrey Scanlan of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania yesterday removed the Rev. Howard White from the priesthood. White, 75, was among several adults who sexually abused students at St. George's School in Middleton, Rhode Island in the 1970s and 80s, according to a report released recently by …
Continue reading "Getting Closer on the St. Andrew's Sex Scandal?"
Positive Infinity 