How are we going to go beyond the Conservative/Liberal divide and restore civil discourse in the United States of America?
Excellent job, WSJ.
Pope Benedict XVI: called on U.S. bishops last week to 'continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials and to help them flourish in their new home.'
This shouldn't be anything terribly surprising:
Deuteronomy 24:17-19 (NRSV): You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow’s garment in pledge. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this. When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings.
Leviticus 19:33-34 (NRSV): When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Matthew 22:36-40 (NRSV): 'Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?' He said to him, '"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.'
Because this is obviously so offensive:
Rep. Tancredo: [accuses] the pontiff of 'faith-based marketing' and [claims] that 'the pope's immigration comments may have less to do with spreading the gospel than they do about recruiting new members of the church.'
Mr. Dobbs: all of this [amounts] to the pope 'insulting our country.' The CNN anchor said, 'I really don't appreciate the bad manners of a guest telling me in this country and my fellow citizens what to do.'
Oh well:
Brilliant editorial: You know the restrictionists have gone head-first into the fever swamps when they denounce a Christian religious leader for sounding like a Christian. The pope welcomes immigrants because he's Catholic, not because they are. He isn't 'marketing' his faith. He's practicing it.
At the end of the day, may we all be able to say as much. Amen.
Courtesy of Fr. Jake. Article from Religion World News.
The Rev. Jacob Martin, an Episcopal priest in Princeton, New Jersey, thinks it is time to bring the Church into the 21st Century. He will soon be offering the first online communion service.
"I first got the idea many years ago," said Martin. "I officiated at a wedding at which over 300 people showed up, and we only had seating for 100. I put speakers out front, and the overflow crowd sat in the comfort of their cars for most of the service. When it came time for communion, they came inside to receive the sacrament."
"I thought that would solve our seating problem, and so began developing plans to launch the first 'drive-in Eucharist.' Unfortunately, my bishop and a few of my members did not share my enthusiasm."
Martin turned his attention to the possibilities offered by the world-wide web after an experience at the last General Convention of The Episcopal Church, held in Columbus, Ohio in 2006. "I went to a local Episcopal parish to hear the Bishop of New Hampshire preach. When I got there, the church was already full, so I was directed to overflow seating arranged in the basement. A large screen was placed at the front of that basement room, and the entire service was provided by video for those of us who arrived late, including the Eucharistic prayers. When it was time for communion, I was surprised to see the Bishop in the basement with us distributing the sacrament."
"That's when it hit me; if we can be considered present for the Eucharistic prayers by nature of viewing a video feed, why not use modern technology and offer communion to the homebound by way of a video on the internet?"
Martin is still waiting for his Eucharistic videos to be hosted by GodTube. He doesn't forsee any problems, however. "They recently allowed a video of a priest blessing Britney Spears. I'd say my idea is much less controversial than that."
Martin has a few concerns. "I do hope people will use wheat bread and real wine, preferrably a good Port, when they share in our online communion. Although it is not necessary, some may wish to touch the elements to their computer screen at the epiclesis. If that is their preference, I suggest that they use a plastic goblet for the wine, so as to not damage the screen of their monitor."
This appears to be only the beginning of Martin's exploration of cyber sacramental rites. "I'm working on a healing service. I think we can accomplish the laying on of hands by asking viewers to lean their heads toward the screen as I extend my hands toward the camera. But I haven't quite figured out the annointing part yet."
http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2008/02/a-dose-of-sanity-in-archbishop.html
It's been a while since I last posted anything, as I've been rather overwhelmed with my classes as of late. Life is busy – read "crazy – here in Knoxvegas. Seeing as tomorrow is Ash Wednesday (and Charles, my confirmation sponsor, and I will be heading over to the Cathedral for services), I figured it'd be a good time to write about what I'm doing this year in the way of Lenten practices.
