Forget the last "future title" promised in my last blog. A lot has happened since I last posted and I have done a lot of thinking. The goal is three fold, i.e., to post more frequently, to post something worth reading and finally, to take the high road and a more positive tone as much as possible.
I think the first thing that has contributed to my desire to shift the tone of my blog was a panel discussion hosted by the Anglican Episcopal House of Studies at Duke Divinity School. The panelists, all of whom have more than a nodding acquaintance with ++Rowan Williams, did a fine job of placing his ministry and his task as primate in perspective. I think the observation I found most useful was that comparing the Archbishop of Canterbury to an English parish rector or vicar. In a state church with geographical parish boundaries, the priest is called upon to minister to a wide variety of people. The national church contains within itself a diversity of theological opinions. One task of the parish vicar is to hold his mixed gathering of folks in communion with one another and God despite their variety. The role of an Archbishop in a national church with an international primacy is to hold the great diversity of Anglican Christians in communion with one another and our Blessed Lord. That is no easy task. By moving slowly, the Archbishop is not wishing to avoid conflict in the hopes it will go away, but rather, giving time for reflection and mature conversation and perhaps most important of all, for the Holy Spirit to work in our recalcitrant hearts. Patience may be the greatest gift, after love, that Rowan Williams brings to the mess that we call the Anglican Communion.
Another event that has happened since my last post was a trip with my parents to Europe, culminating in attending the Passion Play in Oberammergau. On our second Sunday on the road, we attended worship in the lovely Anglican Chapel in Zermatt, Switzerland. Evening Prayer was done in its simplest style with a masterful sermon preached by a retired priest of the Church of England. I was reminded of how precious a gift the Anglican Communion really is to her communicants. Thousands of miles from home, I was able to worship in a service that while different from Evening Prayer in the American Book of Common Prayer, had a familiar shape and rhythm that made it easy to follow. Far from home, I felt right at home, and the personal welcome of the priest and his wife was gracious and hospitable.
The final event which has caused a change in my reflections was the fall Clergy Conference of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. Our speaker was the Rev'd Justin Anthony Lewis. He was from a parish in Kent and he was brilliant. His book, If You Meet George Herbert on the Road, Kill Him,is a must read for all clergy. Once more, a connection from another part of the Anglican Communion brought rich treasures.
I am an Episcopalian, and I stand loyally with my church. I am also an Anglican and I rejoice in a communion that is world-wide, diverse and yes, even a bit quarrelsome.
Next post, Reflections on the loss by fire of the Seminary Chapel at Virginia Theological Seminary, my alma mater.
