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  • The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Concept of Hell, and a Note on Women Bishops

    I’m surprised he even has one, but…

    When asked if hell exists and what it is like, he said: “My concept of hell, I suppose, is being stuck with myself for ever and with no way out.

    “Whether anybody ever gets to that point I have no idea. But that it’s possible to be stuck with my selfish little ego for all eternity, that’s what I would regard as hell.”

    There are many in TEC who are guffawing at anyone who believes in hell or even eternal existence.  I’m not really positive if KJS believes in any afterlife, let alone heaven or hell.

    The key problem with hell is not who you’re stuck with but who you’re stuck without, i.e., God.

    The key problem with Rowan Williams is that many in the Anglican Communion are beginning to realise that hell is being stuck with him as ABC.

    As for women bishops, a favourite topic of his and mine:

    Asked why the Church of England is still struggling to admit women bishops long after Britain had its first female Prime Minister, he said: “The Church has got to solve this on its own terms and yes that does take longer and it can be embarrassing sometimes.

    “You look at society and you realise people don’t fully understand why the church is taking so long, and what the terms are in which the church is trying to sort it out.”

    If TEC, for example, would get around to ordaining a bishop on the order and thinking of Margaret Thatcher, it would have gone a long way to fixing this problem.  But (with the possible exception of Geralyn Wolf) TEC has produced a procession of flaming liberals for its women bishops, either belligerent (like Barbara Harris and Katharine Jefferts Schori) or sappy.

    And that, BTW, is a “shot across the bow” for my COG friends who support women in ministry.  You want to use Deborah as a role model?  Support one for the job when the time comes.

  • The Anti-Moon Luddites March On

    The dear old Miami Herald reports the following:

    NASA doesn’t have nearly enough money to meet its goal of putting astronauts back on the moon by 2020 — and it might be the wrong place to go, anyway. That’s one of the harsh messages emerging from a sweeping review of NASA’s human space flight program.

    The Human Space Flight Plans Committee, appointed by President Barack Obama and headed by retired aerospace executive Norman Augustine, has been trying to stitch together some kind of plausible strategy for America’s manned space program. The panel has struggled to find options that stay under the current budget and include missions worthy of the cost and effort.

    It’s interesting to note that the 40th anniversary of the first Moon landing and Woodstock are within a month of each other.  They reflect the two threads of the 1960’s: the advance of technology and science on the one hand, and the “naturalistic/Luddite” reaction to it on the other.  As I noted last month, at time time many people thought we should scrap the moon program and concentrate on problems here, the entitlement waste and technological spinoffs of the space program notwithstanding.

    But the Luddites have the upper hand these days, even with someone at the helm who was still a child during Woodstock.  There’s no talk of expanding NASA’s budget.  As one commenter to the article noted, we can drop $3 billion in “Cash for Clunkers” but can’t increase funding for the space program.  And that doesn’t consider the other entitlements whose improvements of productivity are dubious.  (We can’t even get our transportation system past a near failing grade from ASCE!)

    What’s galling is that these ninny New Atheists are so happy the “fundies” are out of power they can’t see the real quality of what has replaced them.  While “science as a religion” advances, real science and technology take a back seat.

    But not to worry: if we don’t do it, someone else will.

  • Is It Legitimate to Leave a Church Because of the Coffee?

    One of the rude awakenings I received recently on Titusonenine was that it was the policy of the blog that “…comments requiring, encouraging or intimating that other readers must or should leave or join a particular church are well known to be against T19 comment policy.”  I was aware that this was StandFirm’s policy, and commented on same, as they had elucidated this for all to see.  When I had the bad taste to point out that StandFirm had made this clearer and thought that TitusOneNine should do the same, my comment was deleted, at which point I decided to take my leave–for a while at least–from Titusonenine.

    That may prove a tactical error, given that the Diocese of South Carolina–where Kendall Harmon is no less than Canon Theologian–has become the focus of attention in the Anglican/Episcopal world.  Or maybe not: some of what I’ve had to say in the past hasn’t sat well with a few in the Diocese, and I’ve got problems aplenty here.  Whatever the Diocese (and their Bishop Mark Lawrence) does is just about guaranteed to make no one happy, and their position is unenviable.

    Now I think that any blog or website has the right to set its own terms and conditions.  But I also think that those terms and conditions should be spelled out in a “permanent” (to the extent that anything on the Internet is permanent) way, as I do here.  But I have to admit that the Elves stretched their credibility to the limit when they stated that “…comments such as the following would be problematical…you must join church B because they have nicer liturgy, vestments, taste, more poor people, fewer poor people, women priests, male priests,  better coffee…”

    Better coffee?  That brings up several points.

    1. I’m a part of a church of coffee hounds.  That in part is because our people are not allowed to drink alcohol, something that has never stood in the way of progress (?) in the Episcopal Church.  (As my Episcopal priest second year Latin teacher used to say, when four “Whiskeypalians” get together, there’s always a fifth.)  The morning coffee is a ritual for many of our ministers and lay people alike.  So I agree that coffee is important.
    2. It’s not easy to spend a lot of time in a place where the coffee is deficient.  At the ministry I work at, I have to deal with the fact that my superior is a Dunkin’ Donuts fan, which means we’re forced to imbibe that on a regular basis.  When I’m on the road with him, his GPS is programmed to find the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts, and that’s no fun for this Starbucks fan either.  When Leonard Sweet came to speak at our department’s General Assembly function, it wasn’t easy to admit to the author of The Gospel According to Starbucks that our ship was captained by a DD addict.
    3. Alcohol notwithstanding, the “Sunday morning coffee” is a central ritual in the life of most Anglican/Episcopal churches.  Evangelical churches have traditionally tended to concentrate the joe in Sunday School, but Episcopal churches use the coffee (usually after service) to greet new visitors.  So its quality and blend are critical to the church’s growth.  I think that Episcopal Churches have many more pressing reasons for their decline, but given the seriousness of the situation I wouldn’t rule anything out.
    4. Some churches have appropriate types of coffee.  For example, cowboy churches should have cowboy coffee.  Cowboy coffee, as a friend of mine from the Hill Country (of Texas) explained, is made by dumping the grounds in the bottom of a deep pan and hitting same rapidly with boiling water.  It’s good to the next to the last drop.

    These and other weighty considerations lead me to three conclusions.

    First, although I can’t say that I’d pass up a church because of the coffee, good joe is an important part of a church’s presentation to those who visit, and shouldn’t be overlooked in these times.  (And that not only includes the brand, but avoiding bad habits such as allowing the stuff to be boiled down to the grounds in the coffeemaker, etc.)

    Second, StandFirm and TitusOneNine may not want to broach the subject of changing churches, but I do.  So comment away along these lines; I only ask that you be sweet.  In fact, one of the most popular pieces on this site is Think Before You Convert, which weighs the virtues of Anglican vs. Roman Catholic churches.  So their loss is my gain.

    Third, IMHO the Elves need to lighten up on the subject of coffee.  Personally I’d love to see a good comment volley over coffee, as opposed to a lot of the things we see on Anglican blogs.  But as long as the Elves “hang tough” on these issues, we’ll just need to sip our joe in peace.

  • Kairosingers: Of One Accord, and A Kairos Moment for Texas Catholics

    Kairosingers
    Of One Accord (1978)


    Texas isn’t normally regarded as a “Catholic state,” but the Catholic Church has always had a lively presence there. (More about that below.) This group, from Port Arthur (the home of Janis Joplin) and down the road from Beaumont (the home of Johnny and Edgar Winter) produced one of the more interesting Catholic albums from the 1970’s amidst the oil refineries and chemical plants that dominate the “Golden Triangle.”

    It’s a nice mix of folk and light pop, and its theological breadth (it has a distinctly Protestant bent in spots) is matched by a stylistic one. Similar in some ways to Corpus Christi produced Who Shall Spread the Good News, it’s livelier and less liturgical in some ways but more serious in others (especially “Cross of Shame.”) It can also be compared to the early Maranatha albums (especially Maranatha 2.)


    Although it’s wasn’t the easiest album to adapt to worship and liturgy (which may explain its obscurity,) it’s a great album just to kick back, listen to, and be challenged by, which is more than can be said for a lot of post-Vatican II Catholic music.



    In response to that review of the album, performer Charlie Balsam (now Director of the Jason’s Deli Leadership Institute)responded as follows:


    I am from Houston, but went to Lamar University, where I got involved with campus ministry. That is where the group met each other….the core quintet: me, Debbie, Nancy, Russ and Peggy were originals: Pam came soon after; Debbie & Nancy were sisters, and later their other sister Lisa joined us for a while, as did a second flutist when Pam moved on. Russ (on the right side of the cover) died in 1993. Usually a sextet, sometimes seven voices…WE only printed @ 1000 of the albums, sold all of them. I am not sure where the original master tapes are, but I and others have transferred the vinyl to CD I am sure.The Kairosinger “sound” was partly shaped by the Kea sisters, who had sung from childhood, and whose dad was a solid Baptist. So that may be where a protestant flavor seeped in. But the group was 100% Catholic. However, the overarching sound was shaped by my fascination with the 60s rock/vocal group The Association. So the vocals always had a layered quality about them. You should have heard us do the Wedding Song. There are places on the album where you can “hear” James Taylor guitar-style influence (In the Spirit) and the Byrds/Dan Fogelberg (Living Water).Another reason the album may have seemed protestant is that most of the songs are personal rather than congregational or liturgical; two exceptions – Praise & Thanks to Yahweh (a responsorial psalm) and His Love Endures Forever, with a strong refrain. Our concerts, similar again to the Association, were often an eclectic, versatile selection of songs, depending on the venue. One of our last concerts included a Peter Paul and Mary song (The Unicorn Song), the late John Stewart (Some Kind of Love), John Michael Talbot’s Holy Is His Name and Behold Now the Kingdom, and two Doc Watson arrangements: Summertime (from Porgy & Bess) and Any Old Time (Jimmy Rodgers ragtime tune). Both were enhanced by Debbie’s clarinet and Lisa’s sax. We also had a nice, a capella arrangement of How Great Thou Art. There are several other original pieces we performed as well…Our sound was also shaped by Houston’s Keyhole singers (early 1970s), and a Christian folk music coffeehouse affiliated with the evangelical but still Anglican (at the time) Church of the Redeemer, off Telephone Rd in central east Houston. I believe Betty and Graham Pulkingham were involved at the time.Catholic guitar-based praise/worship and liturgical music matured over the next 20 years with John M Talbot, the St. Louis Jesuits, and United Church of Christ musician Marty Haugen from Minnesota, and various other artists.


    • Songs (with writers, for individual download:)
      1. Songmaster (Barb Fawvor)
      2. Praise and Thanks to Yahweh (Deborah Kea Prihoda)
      3. Living Water (Charlie Balsam)
      4. His Love Endures Forever (Charlie Balsam and Deborah Kea Prihoda)
      5. Cross of Shame (Deborah Kea Prihoda)
      6. Good News (Deborah Kea Prihoda)
      7. Simon Peter (Deborah Kea Prihoda)
      8. Let Your Face Wear a Smile (Pam Fazio)
      9. In the Spirit (Charlie Balsam)
      10. Simple Prayer (Deborah Kea Prihoda and Sharon Odom)
      11. Of One Accord (Charlie Balsam)
    • Other Credits
      • David Campbell: bass and percussion
      • Other musicians: Russ Mazzagate, Nancy Guarnieri, Peggy Risher
      • Floyd Badeaux: engineer
      • Beth Balsam: album design and photography (back cover can be seen here)
      • Recorded at the Musik Faktory in Port Arthur, TX

    A Kairos Moment for Texas Catholics

    The album cover defines the Greek word kairos as “a time when conditions were right for the accomplishment of a crucial action: the opportune and decisive moment.”  It’s used frequently by many of the newer thinkers in Evangelical Christianity (like Leonard Sweet.)  Catholicism in general in the 1970’s and Texas Catholicism in particular were facing a “kairos moment” in the wake of Vatican II.  In Texas there were three influences that impacted the life the the church and Catholics:

    1. The influence of Cursillo, the Spanish retreat movement.  The first Cursillo in the U.S. took place in Waco in 1959, and the first U.S. Cursillo in English took place in San Angelo in 1961.  Cursillo is the ancestor of just about all of the retreat systems in place today such as New Cor, Search, Tres Dias, the Encounter, etc.  It produced an introspective form of Christianity that challenged Catholic tendencies to regard their church life as a “business deal with God,” as my first parish priest put it.
    2. The influence of the Evangelical world around it.  Although Texas Catholicism was more substantial relative to the general population than in most other Southern states (Louisiana excepted,) the influence of Baptist and other like churches was strong on many Catholics.  This comes out on the album in places, especially regarding the second coming, making it an interesting Catholic/Protestant fusion.  It also resulted in incidents like this.
    3. The influence of the Charismatic Renewal, which is well documented on this site.

    This “kairos moment” made being Catholic in Texas at the time an exciting proposition.

    Today one out of ten Americans regard themselves as ex-Catholics.  It’s easy to say that this is because of the church’s dogmatism, but the reality is that many left Roman Catholicism because it could not harness the energy of the “kairos moment” it faced after Vatican II.  This is a reminder that it’s just as important to know how to harness the energy of spiritual success as it is to initiate it.

  • Barack Obama: Dreaming of the 50 Square Metre Apartment

    One of the great Chinese novels is Dreaming of Red Mansions, written by Tsao Hsueh-Chin and Kao Ngo.  Although from a prominent family, Tsao lead a life in poverty and died at the age of 28.  Dreaming of Red Mansions was natural.  The “mansions” speak for themselves; in Old China red is the colour of prosperity, which is why Chinese women frequently married in red (before they were taken in by our odd custom of marrying in white, the Chinese colour of mourning.)  For an impovrished Tsao, red mansions were a dream, but the result was an excellent piece of literature.

    Another country that became enamoured with red was Russia, which became the Soviet Union for most of the twentieth century.  After spending time in China, I was able to do some in first the Soviet Union and then Russia after the country broke up.  I’ve put together a little video below of what Moscow looked like in December 1992, not so long after the transition.

    One thing that always struck me as vastly different about Moscow was the endless procession (evident in the video) of high rise apartment buildings.  Interspersed with the various office building and repeating themselves to the edge of town (as is evident in the closing part of the video,) that’s just about all one saw.  Most of these apartments were either “two room” or “three room” (excluding the kitchen and the bathroom) dwellings with a total living space of around 40-50 square metres (that’s 430-530 square feet for the metrically challenged; I’ll use 50 square metres for simplicity’s sake.)

    The Soviet system of allocating these apartments–and until its end they were allocated–was on this wise: every Soviet citizen was allocated 9 square metres (97 square feet) of living space, so the apartment they were eligible for was based on the size of their family unit.  For example, if they did live in a 50 square metre apartment, they would have to have a six member family unit before some of them could be put on a list to obtain another apartment, which explains why these apartment units frequently had multigenerational families in them.  (One wonders how much influence this state of affairs has had on the Soviet/Russian birth rate, but I digress.)

    If we take seriously the objectives and the words of those in the Obama administration, having these as the ordinary housing would be a dream come true.

    To begin with, it would eliminate the central cause of the current depression: the subprime mortgage fiasco, with the domino effect through the financial system that went with it.  Without private ownership, there are no mortgages and thus no crashes stemming from them, which is one reason why socialism is attractive to some.  Beyond that, the Soviets were always behind in constructing these high rises, which meant there was a perpetual housing shortage and considerable waiting periods for apartments.  This eliminates another present problem: the glut in the housing market, which is depressing prices and forcing many mortgages “underwater.”

    Beyond that, there is simply no way that the Obama Administration’s desires to reduce carbon emissions will become reality unless Americans are herded out of their low-density housing and placed into these units.  This would enable mass transit to be practical and squeeze out the private car; high density development is very conducive to support of mass transit, as any New Yorker knows.  It would also shrink the physical size of the city, which would get to another dream of American environmentalists: to return as much of this country as possible to a pristine state without human habitation.  So this speaks to the whole “cap and trade” business currently facing the Senate.

    I’m sure that many on the left are livid at the thought of yet another comparison between the Obama Administration and the Soviet Union.  But it’s worth remembering that, between the end of World War II and the 1960’s, the disparity between the Soviet Union and Western Europe (which Obama and the left really do want to emulate) wasn’t so great.  That’s why the Marshall Plan was instituted; communism looked awfully attractive to many Europeans, as evidenced by the large Communist parties in places such as Italy and France.  The differences between the way Western Europe and the Soviet Union handled their social contract were real, but both had common ancestors and common motivation.

    But housing isn’t the only thing that the Obama Administration is casting an (albeit unconsciously) admiring eye towards.  Health care was of course a state monopoly during the old Soviet Union.  But there was one advantage: if you needed more (or faster) than the system was willing to give, you could bribe the medical professionals to get it with little fear of being caught.  You can be sure that, in these United States, a government centred health care programme will include a vast bureaucracy (with technological weapons the Soviets could only dream of) to prevent this.  We’ll see the spectacle of many doctors and nurses sent to already overcrowded prisons in a country with a high rate of incarceration who will only be furnishing the care their oaths bound them to do.

    So I think a man of the world like Barack Obama–unfettered in many ways by American political conventions–is dreaming of the 50 square metre apartment.  The biggest problem he faces is that, for Soviets coming out of ramshackle peasant huts, the 50 square metre apartment was a vast improvement (like mill villages in the textile industry.)  For Americans, things are different.  To get where he really wants to go will require living standards to go in reverse, and that’s really tricky in a country with representative (sort of) government.

    But those dreams are for you…

  • Emmanuel

    Emmanuel was the name of two groups who composed, performed and led worship music in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. In the course of events, the two groups (one in Ohio, the other New Mexico) “came together” and their music, to some extent, merged.

    This page features four albums between the two Emmanuels. As with much of the legacy of the Charismatic Renewal, it deserves to be remembered and disseminated, and we are pleased to do so.

    Notes:

    1. More music by Jim Cowan and John Flaherty (both of whom are featured on this page) can be obtained from International Liturgy Publications, and my thanks to Vince Ambrosetti for letting me know.
    2. This page has taken something of  “life of its own” since it was first posted.  The Steubenville covenant community which produced most of these albums ended up in the “Sword of the Spirit” group until a 1991 episcopal visitation put an end to it.  Some from this community discuss these times in the Facebook group Covenant Community: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.  My heartfelt thanks to John Flaherty for his support of this page and his work in forwarding the discussion concerning this part of modern Pentecost.

    God, You Are My Refuge (EM001) 1977

    People who attended any of the conferences (youth and leaders) at the Catholic Charismatic (and Franciscan) University of Steubenville in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s will remember the group Emmanuel, the music ministry of the Servants of God’s Love community. God, You Are My Refuge was their first album.

    John Flaherty, a guitarist on all of the Ohio group’s albums, tells us the following:

    I attended the College of Steubenville from 1974 to 1978. I played with the original Emmanuel group at the Thursday night prayer meetings in the chapel. We also played the first Steubenville Conference in 1975 for the Priests and Deacons.

    The songs are as follows:

    • Come Praise Him
    • Song of Thanksgiving
    • He Is Our God
    • Lord, You Know Me
    • God, You Are My Refuge
    • Medley: Eyes of Jesus/Jesus, I Love You/Psalm 23
    • My Child
    • Bless Your Holy Name
    • Healing of Nations

    Below: Emmanuel, at the time of God You Are My Refuge.

    Back row standing:  Bob and Mary Ledyard, Tony Corasanitti, Tim Slowiack, John Flaherty
    Middle row: Mark Koslick, Cindy Teynor, Barbara Venhaus, Betty Jo Thompson
    Front row: Mary Crlenjak, Michael Clark.

    Emmanuel was always a “cut above” many of their Catholic Charismatic counterparts. They used their own compositions, many of which have artistic value (especially the “Eyes of Jesus” medley) and made a deep impact on those who attended their conferences.

    Yahweh in the Morning (EM002) 1979

    This was their second album. The people involved were as follows:

    • Emmanuel Members
      • Mike Clark
      • Tom Cramer
      • Mary Crlenjak
      • Dave Fatula
      • John and Barbara Flaherty
      • Julia Norton
      • Cincy Teynor
      • Betty Jo Thompson
    • Producer: Martin Leifeld
    • Director: Elsie Luke
    • Recording Engineer: Henry Root

    The songs:

    • Our God is Our King
    • Come Praise the Lord
    • Great is the Glory of the Lord
    • He Lives
    • Spirit
    • Yahweh in the Morning
    • Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ
    • Jesus, You are the Way
    • Clap Your Hands
    • Only You Are God
    • You Will Find Your Life in Mine

    John Flaherty explains this album as follows:

    I have to point out that YAHWEH IN THE MORNING was mostly organized and created by Betty Jo Thompson (later Gilloon.) Betty Jo created what I consider to be the unique, crisp and rhythmic “Steubenville Strum.” Her style of leadership was such that she allowed all members to contribute in a fair and impartial manner. Her guitar and song-writing abilities made her the natural leader of the group, but she never attempted to exert that control. It was always fun to play with Betty Jo as a guitarist. It was fun to be a part of Emmanuel as a whole.

    The music is an advance from their first effort, more consistent in composition and performance.

    In The Beauty of His Holiness (Dove JL-01) 1977

    Meanwhile, in a Massachusetts studio, another Emmanuel emerged, consisting of Jim and Mary Cowan. Jim, a recent convert to Roman Catholicism, put out what has to rate as one of the most primitively beautiful and moving productions to come out of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Its cover, designed by Chip and Kathy Schad and showing two children gazing at the New Jerusalem, pretty much reflects the whole feel of the album.

    More of Jim Cowan’s music can be found here.

    Its performers are as follows:

    • James Cowan (vocals, guitar, keyboards and synthesiser)
    • Mary Cowan (vocals)
    • Chuck Denison (vocals on “Jesus I Need You,” lead guitar and harmonica)
    • Schuyler Scribner (guitar on “Praise Ye The Lord”, also the recording engineer)

    The songs for individual download:

    • Psalm 128
    • Come to Me
    • Root of Jesse
    • Praise Ye the Lord
    • Open the Door
    • Wherever You Go
    • How Lovely is Thy Dwelling
    • God is Coming Back for Me
    • Breathe on Me Breath of God
    • Jesus I Need You
    • Transcendance
    • Receive Our Prayer

    Schuyler Scribner, the recording engineer, recalls the production of the album as follows:

    I recorded that 1977 album for Jim in a stone chapel in the woods of Hamilton, Mass, while they were attending Gordon College…

    After mixing there were a lot of problems with the pressing. I’ve always wished that I could get the master tapes back & remix, as much was lost in the pressing process. That album was recorded on a 4 track Teac 3340, and we used an Octave Cat monophonic synthesizer…one of the first, to get all the orchestral sounds. The guitar track on “Praise Ye the Lord” was played at 1/2 speed, with tape rolling at 1/2 speed as well, much like the Chipmunks do, to get that sound.

    The idea of the whole album was to use as much technology as was available at the time (primitive by today’s standards) to make everything sound as natural & orchestral as possible. Jim was a little overwhelmed by the whole thing, but had a lot of faith, and liked what he was hearing. He really is quite a special artist. We all had a lot of fun.

    Come to Me (1655) 1983

    Back in Steubenville, after a four year hiatus (and a name change of the community to the Servants of Christ the King) Emmanuel produced another effort, the tape Come to Me (I don’t think it was ever in vinyl, thus the lack of cover art.) With Martin Leifeld’s promotion to Director of the Christian Conference Office, Jim Cowan came from the “New Mexico Emmanuel” to become the group’s director and composed most of the music for the tape

    Members of the group for this work were as follows:

    • Michael Clark–Vocal, Tambourine
    • Jim Cowan–Vocal, Guitar, Piano
    • John Flaherty–Vocal, Guitar
    • Joe Pino–Vocal
    • Matt Senecal–Vocal, Mandolin
    • Carol Cuomo–Vocal, Cello
    • Charlotte Dausch–Vocal
    • Betty Jo Gilloon–Vocal, Guitar
    • Eileen Hanley–Vocal
    • Pam Minto–Vocal
    • Nancy Schreck–Vocal, Flute

    You can download the songs individually:

    • Come to Me
    • Wherever You Go
    • Celebrate (supposed to have been on Yahweh in the Morning)
    • Emmanuel
    • Harden Not Your Hearts
    • Jesus I Need You
    • As For Me And My House
    • Sing A New Song
    • You Alone Are Holy
    • Open the Door
    • Song of Victory

    Come to Me‘s compositional quality remained high, but lacks the spontaneity of the three other “Emmanuel” albums. John Flaherty comments on this as follows:

    COME TO ME is the first Steubenville product that Jim Cowan was involved in creating. Most of the music was written by him, except CELEBRATE, which was Betty Jo’s and HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS which I wrote. Many members of the group were new as, by 1983 we had been assimilated into the Sword of the Spirit. The rigid rules governing men’s and women’s roles had caused some members of Emmanuel to move on and others to retire to “baby making.”

    Cowan’s music on this albumn has a folksier feel to it than his later works…But like most music that we’ve been writing in our heads most of our life, when it is finally put to paper in our youth, it is very, very sweet indeed.

    In 1985 and 1987 I would work with Jim in producing the O Worship the King series, Vol’s 1 and 3. Jim did a volume 2 mostly on his own.

    View Emmanuel on Video

    This video was taken on Friday, 29 July 1983, during the opening service of the National Catholic Charismatic Conference of Young People and Youth Ministers at the University of Steubenville, OH. It features Jim Cowan and Emmanuel, for the most part the same group that produced Come to Me.

    The video isn’t the best quality, and is taken from the back, but AFAIK it’s the only one I know of around from this era at this conference and of this group.

    For more music click here

    ,

  • We May Not Be a Church After All

    In September 2000 the Vatican issued its encyclical Dominus Iesus to, in its words, “to set forth again the doctrine of the Catholic faith in these areas (on the unicity and salvific universality of Jesus Christ and the Church), pointing out some fundamental questions that remain open to further development, and refuting specific positions that are erroneous or ambiguous.”  (Click on the flag to the left or here to view this document.)

    As is the case with most encyclicals, this one contains some good substance wrapped in complicated prose (these documents inspired the term “pontificate.”)  There is a lot of good stuff here, especially on the unique and universal nature of the salvation done for us by Jesus Christ.  Many people today have the idea that there are many ways to God but such a position is untenable.

    Many Protestants, however, have taken offence at the following statement:

    On the other hand, the ecclesial communities which have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery, are not Churches in the proper sense; however, those who are baptised in these communities are, by Baptism, incorporated in Christ and thus are in a certain communion, albeit imperfect, with the Church.

    It’s understandable why this statement should kindle anger in many of us who are in churches described herein.  But anger doesn’t add to understanding of the position of the Catholic Church or of the rest of Christianity.  We need a serious analysis to find out just what the problem is.

    The term the New Testament uses for the church is ekklesia, the “called out ones.”  Implicit in this is the idea that the church is made up of the people who have been called out, the “Body of Christ,” if you please.  Such a concept is commonly expressed in Evangelical churches (it’s hard to figure out what the liberals are called out from) but is not unknown in Roman Catholicism.  The Second Vatican Council spent some time on it and of course Liberation Theology has used it as well.

    But Roman Catholicism has another concept of church: an organization, whose leadership is the direct successor of the Apostles (and the head of this organization being the direct successor of Peter,) and which was established and empowered by Christ to dispense grace through the sacraments and truth through its authoritative teaching.  Such a church is in reality a mediator between man and God.  To back this up Roman Catholicism teaches that the establishment of such an authoritative institution was high on Christ’s agenda while He was here.  Roman Catholicism is not alone in this; the Orthodox churches have the same high view of themselves, the Anglican ones to a lesser extent.

    The whole history of Protestantism has been an attempt to get past this concept of church and re-emphasise the unique meditative role of Christ Himself.  One of the reason Reformed theologians are so adamant about their Augustinian theology of sovereign grace and absolute election is because it completely cuts out any apparent need for an institution to dispense grace.  Fortunately 250 years of Wesleyan-Arminian theology at work in churches such as most Pentecostal ones have made it obvious that it’s unnecessary to take away man’s free will to save him from terminal institutionalism.

    This dichotomy of the concept of church throws the encyclical’s statements on this subject into plain view.  We may not like the Vatican telling us we’re not a church, but if we look at their definition of church, then we can’t avoid the conclusion that, using their definition, we probably aren’t!  And shouldn’t be either; part of our providing a viable alternative to Roman Catholicism is to emphasise our direct relationship with Jesus Christ as people.  Although the church’s mission is to communicate the Gospel, it is counter-productive for it to take the place of Christ in order to fulfil His mission.

    This of course leaves an obvious question to be answered: did in fact Jesus Christ intend to establish a church such as the Roman Catholic one as a central part of His mission on earth?  Looking at our Lord’s own relationship with the religious authorities of this day isn’t encouraging to the Catholic position.  Judaism in Jesus’ day was developing into what we now know as “rabbinic Judaism,” where the rabbis were able to develop their interpretation of the law into authoritative teaching enforceable within Judaism.  The Pharisees were the “leaders of the pack” in this regard, and Jesus’ opposition to the Pharisees at virtually all levels is well known.

    Moreover the religious authorities within Judaism made the crucial decision to have Jesus put to death.  They did so for two reasons: 1) Jesus posed a political threat to the Romans, who would have (and eventually did) destroy them in the event of an insurrection and 2) Jesus’ continual threat to their authority by his actions and words. (They continued the same campaign against the apostles, whose “successors” are supposed to be embodied in Roman Catholicism.)

    Jesus’ primary mission, however, was not a political one; even Pilate (before he knuckled under to pressure) recognized that.  His mission was to set men free through the rebirth that he offers.  How such a mission is to be consistently accomplished when the main emphasis is obedience to a visible power structure is hard to see, especially considering the way the power structure in Jesus’ day reacted to him.

    But such is the rub of ecumenical politics.  Many people of good will bemoan the division of Christianity into the many organisations that exist today.  If we want to fix the problem, a good place to start is to define a proper definition and role of the church more in line with the life and teachings of its Founder.

  • Running Rusty

    Sometimes I think some people in my generation were raised on the moon.  They get up and talk about the United States, how in years past we had a good, decent moral country where none of the evils we see now were anywhere to be found.

    While there’s no doubt our civilization isn’t what it used to be, growing up in South Florida was a lesson in just how unidyllic life in these United States could be.  It was (and is) a region fully equipped with the vices of the day — including all kinds of gambling such as jai-alai, harness racing and of course the dog track.  The only people who seemed to suffer for running gambling operations were the poor Cubans who tried to run a bolita operation; after spending years of jailing immigrants trying to make a living, now the state of Florida does well with its own.

    Across the lake from us was the Palm Beach Kennel Club.  We never went but when we watched the news every night we’d see Buck Kinnaird’s sports broadcast on Channel 5.  Dog races don’t take too long, so the film clip of that night’s race went by pretty fast.  (In truth, I think they always used the same film clip every night.)  The track operated a steel rabbit named Rusty.  When the race began Rusty was started just ahead of the dogs.  The dogs would race while chasing Rusty, and it was the objective of the track to keep Rusty just ahead of the dogs.  They usually succeeded in doing so; their occasional failure resulted in the inglorious end of the race.

    I suppose this is fine for dog racing but unfortunately too much of life for too many of us has turned into a dog race where whomever we feel is in control of our situation is “running Rusty” in front of us.  From youth onward we’re motivated — pushed and shoved in some cases — to achieve goals which we may have had nothing to do with formulating and which we really feel we neither want nor are able to accomplish.  If and when we reach these goals it seems that success is more elusive than ever because the “track owner” is moving Rusty faster than we can keep up by either making new demands or enticing us with new things to go harder for.  This is called “being challenged” and of course has its upside but in many cases it’s manipulation, pure and simple.

    One of the promises of technology was to enable us to have more leisure time and more control over our lives.  Sad to say the real result is to turn our lives in to a 24/7 “on demand” race where there’s no escape from anything.  The more productive we become with our technological tools the faster “Rusty” is run and the more fatigued we get.

    Fortunately the real “track owner” of this world never intended to run people in a perpetual dog race.  Jesus told us “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly-minded, and ‘you shall find rest for your souls’; For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)  His race is rather simple:

    • There is only one really important objective: “What good will it do a man to gain the whole world, if he forfeits his life? or what will a man give that is of equal value with his life?” (Matthew 16:26)  Our main objective is eternal life.
    • He has promised he will give us the strength to run the race:  “Why, then, do you now provoke God, by putting on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our ancestors nor we were able to bear? No, it is through the loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus that we, just as they do, believe that we have been saved.” (Acts 15:10-11)
    • He has run the race and won, so can we: “Seeing, therefore, that there is on every side of us such a throng of witnesses, let us also lay aside everything that hinders us, and the sin that clings about us, and run with patient endurance the race that lies before us, our eyes fixed upon Jesus, the Leader and perfect Example of our faith, who, for the joy that lay before him, endured the cross, heedless of its shame, and now ‘has taken his seat at the right hand’ of the throne of God. Weigh well the example of him who had to endure such opposition from ‘men who were sinning against themselves,’ so that you should not grow weary or faint-hearted.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)

    Jesus Christ sets before us a simple race to run, a clear objective and a straightforward way to get there.  And that’s a lot more than people and institutions can claim these days.

    All New Testament quotations taken from the Positive Infinity New Testament.

  • Bill Maher Thinks G.K. Chesterton was Smart. But is Bill Maher?

    He waited until the end of this diatribe on how stupid Americans are to throw this in:

    A smart guy named Chesterton once said: “My country, right or wrong is a thing no patriot would ever think of saying… It is like saying ‘My mother, drunk or sober.’”

    My Anglican and Roman Catholic friends know that G.K. Chesterton was one of the most eloquent defenders of Christianity has ever had against all comers–and that included atheists like Bill Maher.  People like Maher are generally reluctant to favourably quote any Christian author.

    Bill Maher is either ignorant of who Chesteron was or desperate.  And New Atheism is supposed to deliver us from both.

    , ,

  • Palm Beach Golf Classic

    A major part of the season in Palm Beach is the system of charity balls. A socialite can make–or break–his or her reputation on how well or poorly a charity ball is hosted. On the other side, drawing up the lists of invitees is an exercise in diplomacy. For those who are invited, making “the grand entrance” properly is likewise an important exercise.Along the same lines–although not quite as rigid in protocol–are charity golf tournaments. One such was the Palm Beach Golf Classic; we show a few shots from the 1974 Classic, played in March of that year at the Breakers in Palm Beach. Leading the field were four well known professionals: Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead, Ben Crenshaw and Dave Marr. We show some shots of them below.

    Above: The field, caddies and gallery behind them, wait to proceed. In the upper left hand corner, barely visible above the palm trees, is the spire of Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church.

    Showing how it’s done before teeing off. The golfers, right to left: Dave Marr, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw.
    Sam Snead, waiting to putt. Raised in Virginia mountain poverty (which explains his reputation for thrift,) “Slammin’ Sam’s” swing was one of the smoothest ever in professional golf, and watching him play was a joy.
    Jack Nicklaus admiring (?) his iron shot. Jack learned what every member at the Breakers knew all too well: the Breakers wasn’t a long course, but the narrow fairways demand accuracy. It’s an easy matter to find yourself two fairways over after a drive.
    Above: Snead conferring with an official. Below: a close-up with his signature straw hat.
    Bill Arnold, the Breakers’ club professional during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. As with a charity ball, hosting a golf tournament was a great deal of work; Bill was busy and on the move keeping the tournament running properly.

    Other Golf Photos

    More checked pants: touring pro Tom Shaw gets ready to tee off at the Delray Dunes Pro-Am tournament at the Delray Dunes Golf and Country Club in February 1974. The tournament was and is headed up by fellow pro (now Senior Tour) Bob Murphy.

    In the drink: the photo sequence of Paul “P.B.” Dye, son of golf course designer Pete Dye, inserted in the 1973 Tartan, the yearbook of the St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, Florida. P.B., of course, is continuing the golf course design work of his father (which includes the Delray Dunes course shown above.) Going into a water hole on a Pete or P.B. Dye course will never be the same after this…
    Right: Swing analysis, 1970’s style. This sequence of photos was taken using a special Polaroid® camera which was set up both to take a series of photos in rapid sequence and to record them on one piece of Polaroid® “film.” The analysing professional was then able to, within a few seconds, develop the photos and use them to improve (hopefully) the golfer’s swing.High speed sequential photography has been with us since the end of the nineteenth century, but with digital technology, it’s just too easy…too bad a good golf swing isn’t!
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