Posted on 04/10/2004 7:40:12 AM PDT by schaketo
NEW HAVEN -- As incense wafted into the wooden rafters at Christ Church Episcopal, The Most Rev, Frank T. Griswold III knelt on the floor and bathed parishioners’ feet in celebration of Maundy Thursday.
"The night before his death Jesus set an example for his apostles by washing their feet, a humble service. We all need to understand his example," said Griswold with deep respect.
For the first time, the 25th presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church led the church in its Eucharistic Liturgy for the annual Easter Triduum, or three holy days before the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
His visit drew nearly 150 parishioners and non-parishioners to the Broadway church, many of whom said they felt blessed by the honor.
"When I think of how big the (entire Episcopal) church is and how many parishes there are, for him to come here and be with us is a distinction for us," said Branford resident Richard Ayers, a 43-year veteran parishioner.
Ayers and many others had personal reasons that kept them from participating in the footwashing, but about 15 people bared their feet for Griswold’s ritual cleansing.
As the silver water basin gleamed in the candlelight, the presiding bishop mirrored Christ’s actions during the Last Supper before his death by gently bathing the feet before using a white cloth to swab them dry.
Prior to his actions, he sang praise to Jesus from a carved wooden podium and led those gathered in a sermon emphasizing the importance of the Eucharist.
"The Eucharist is more than a ritual, it is a gesture of mercy, an act of love and an act of unbound passion," Griswold said, referring to when Christ offered bread and wine as his "body and blood" to his followers the night before his death.
By accepting the Eucharist, he added, Christ’s followers accept his love and "frees" their soul and "makes us whole," Griswold said.
Prior to the sermon, the church’s Parish Warden, Siobhan Doherty-Rogers, delighted in Griswold’s visit, saying it also marked the 150th anniversary of Christ Church’s mission.
Established in 1854, the church is an "offshoot of Trinity Church on the Green, also in New Haven.
"I am honored to have him here and I admire him for the way he conducted himself at Lambeth Palace (in London)," she said.
At that time, Griswold met with the Archbishop of Canterbury to discuss whether openly gay priest, Rev. Gene Robinson, should be consecrated as a bishop, which has since occurred.
While at Christ Church, Griswold will also lead liturgies today, Good Friday, at noon, and Saturday’s Easter vigil at 8 p.m.
As a Christian heterosexual male, I can think of one reason in particular I wouldn’t want this devil in priestly garb fondling with my feet under the guise of Jesus’ example.
(I wonder if it made a difference that at the time I was carrying a Beretta Cougar 8357 -- I'd just come off duty. Nah -- it was concealed.)
Seriously, foot washing is done by priests and bishops all over the place. What's the big deal here?
Maybe this is it: The Episcopal Church, having forsaken obedience in the greater matters of orthodoxy and morality, still clings to ancient ceremony. But wait, even that's not news for the Episcopalians. You can rely on their being the most liturgically elegant and correct group in the inferno.
There just isn't a story here.
Great line!! Your post is right on, MD...the foot-washing is always done as a remembrance of Jesus washing his disciples' feet, and as a representative symbolic act of humility and love (as I'm sure it was faithfully carried out by many Episcopals who are not in the "Griswold camp", not to take away from your erudite observation above!)...
cj's mom, interesting "side" discussion...I didn't notice whether our foot-washing was "segregated" among women and men, and I'm not certain it's a necessary distinction, but you give a valid reason for it. (Now I'm curious, and will have to ask!)
As it was explained to me, it is because of the sanctity of marriage. A woman should not be washing the feet of another womans husband...and vice versa. They also want to keep this pure...unfortunately, we are not like Christ...completely without sin. I am sure there would be people that may get "excited" by washing the feet of someone of the opposite sex. This church does not want to put that temptation there for its people.
Absolutely...it's called common sense..and following a biblical example..."The human heart is deceitfully wicked who can know it"...
If I were to catch some guy at chruch trying to wash my wife's feet and as a minister used his 'godliness' to con her into allowing it....I would breaka hisa face with my fist....capice?
The deacon and I set up two sets of 4 chairs, NOT facing the congregation, but facing the altar. Somehow we didn't like the idea of making a show of the washing. And then we invited whoever wanted to come up. He did one set of chairs and I did the other and for a few minutes there I was so busy I had no idea whose feet I was washing until I had finished washing them and I looked up.
I must say, maybe it's that I have achieved advanced fogeyhood, but I found this about as sexy as going to the dentist. Mind you, if you don't include the two children, I would say the average age of the feet was about 58 or so. Dealing with sexual attraction was not my most pressing issue.
Well, it is news when the Presiding Bishop visits a local church. I wasn't much impressed by the obsequious tone of the article, but all in all it's OK.... Except that I don't think I'd want Frank Griswold to wash my feet.
What's interesting to me is some of the things the story doesn't say. For example, what were some of the personal reasons for people not having him wash their feet?
And isn't it interesting that, although the story tells us about Frank's visit to the Archbishop of Canterbury, it doesn't tell us that Rowan Williams strongly advised against the consecration of Gene Robinson?
There's more to this, I think....
Here's another interesting line. How many of these folks were non-parishioners? How "nearly" is "nearly 150?" Why did "many" feel blessed -- does that mean some did not?
The more I look at this, the odder the story gets....
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