Posted on 07/10/2009 5:04:53 AM PDT by Frumanchu
ANAHEIM, Calif. (ABP) -- The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church called the evangelical notion that individuals can be right with God a "great Western heresy" that is behind many problems facing the church and the wider society.
Describing a United States church in crisis, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori told delegates to the group's triennial meeting July 8 in Anaheim, Calif., that the overarching connection to problems facing Episcopalians has to do with "the great Western heresy -- that we can be saved as individuals, that any of us alone can be in right relationship with God."
"It's caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific verbal formula about Jesus," Jefferts Schori, the first woman to be elected as a primate in the worldwide Anglican Communion three years ago, said. "That individualist focus is a form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy, at the center of existence, as the ground of being."
Jefferts Schori said countering individualistic faith was one reason the theme chosen for the meeting was "Ubuntu," an African word that describes humaneness, caring, sharing and being in harmony with all of creation.
"Ubuntu doesn't have any 'I's in it," she said. "The 'I' only emerges as we connect -- and that is really what the word means: I am because we are, and I can only become a whole person in relationship with others. There is no 'I' without 'you,' and in our context, you and I are known only as we reflect the image of the One who created us."
Jefferts Schori said "heretical and individualistic understanding" contributes to problems like neglect for the environment and the current worldwide economic recession.
"The sins of a few have wreaked havoc with the lives of many, as greed and dishonesty have destroyed livelihoods, educational possibilities, care for the aged, and multiple forms of creativity," she said. "And that's just the aftermath of Ponzi schemes for which a handful will go to jail."
She said in order to be faithful, "we need to be continually rediscovering that my needs are not the only significant ones."
"Ubuntu implies that selfishness and self-centeredness cannot long survive," she said. "We are our siblings' knowers and their keepers, and we cannot be known without them."
"We have no meaning, no true existence in isolation," she said. "We shall indeed die as we forget or ignore that reality."
About 200 Episcopal bishops and 850 clergy and lay deputies were expected to convene for the 10-day meeting. Business items are set to include debates over human sexuality, politics and poverty.
One resolution being considered calls for "generous discretion" to be extended to clergy in exercising pastoral ministry in six states -- Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont -- where the civil marriage of same-gender couples has been legalized as well as other states that may follow suit in the next three years.
The 2.1-million-member denomination has argued vociferously about homosexuality since 2003, when the group approved the election of its first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Many more conservative Episcopalians and a handful of congregations have begun breaking away from the church in the years since.
Southern Baptist mega-church pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, took sides in his sister denomination's debate recently by showing up in Texas to encourage about 800 Episcopalians attending the first annual meeting of a conservative breakaway group calling itself the Anglican Church in North America.
Warren, who spoke out last fall against legal gay marriage in California, said in January that any nearby Anglican congregation that loses its property after breaking with the U.S. Episcopal Church was welcome to meet on the campus of his Saddleback Church.
-30-
Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.
Thanks tons for your kind affirmation.
God’s highest to you and yours.
That's right, these "leaders" are re-making the world and making no bones about it. None of them care a gnat's whisker about "the poor in africa", why right now, China is gleefully raping Africa for it's minerals, land and human labor, and nothing is done about it, they've just picked up where previous nations left off.
The world's poor, and soon to be, all of us, are destined to be manageable cattle, that's what the elites think of you. It's the same story of Pharaoh, Egypt and the Israelites. You can leave spiritually.
Globalization is against God, He put the nations in their places, set their boundaries, and that is how the world was meant to be.
That’s right, these “leaders” are re-making the world and making no bones about it. None of them care a gnat’s whisker about “the poor in africa”, why right now, China is gleefully raping Africa for it’s minerals, land and human labor, and nothing is done about it, they’ve just picked up where previous nations left off.
The world’s poor, and soon to be, all of us, are destined to be manageable cattle, that’s what the elites think of you. It’s the same story of Pharaoh, Egypt and the Israelites. You can leave spiritually.
Globalization is against God,
= = =
WELL PUT.
THX.
I shall try again.
There are a variety of "lenses" any man might use in evaluating a thing.
In ethics for instance, he might use consequentialism (the end justifies the means), virtue ethics (all men are good), ethical relativism, natural law and so on.
If he is a one lens kind of guy like Peter Singer, he would justify to himself infanticide, euthanasia and a great many other evils if done for a greater good.
But the wise judge is rational; he does not use just one lens but several in considering a matter. And the wisest judge always considers a matter in light of that which does not change.
The Catholic lens - and the author of the encyclical is of course Catholic - is universal per se. So, of course, that lens is global in everything from theology to economics to governance.
The Protestant lens - and the founding fathers were educated through that lens (New England Primer) - is anti-universal per se. And so, of course, that lens would reject globalism in everything from theology to economics to governance.
These two lenses are polar opposites.
And even in normal theological disputes we see the contention that arises when one side or the other does not consider a matter through both lenses, one insisting on a global theological authority and the other rejecting such authority just as stridently.
And some Christians have additional lenses or a more focused lens. For instance, the apocalyptic lens sees every current event, including this encyclical, in light of Biblical prophecy. And that lens might be further focused by an interpretation of prophecy or a hope for or against the prophecy to be fulfilled at this time.
But at the root we are all Christian. We all agree to the standard that does not change: Who God IS, Who Jesus IS.
Therefore I aver that we should each present what we see through all the lenses we use, acknowledging but not berating the other Christian for what he sees through his own lenses.
They are, after all, only lenses - the important part is that which does not change, God Himself.
Well of of course not, dear Quix, given your premises. Among your premises seems to be a deep suspicion of and distaste for all things RC, and the stubborn idea that the Pope is a political figure, with global political designs. That he was writing to indoctrinate Catholics into acceptance of the New World Order he's allegedly trying to bring about, which explains why he is colluding with the Powers That Be who are trying to seat the "World Teacher" Maitreya on some throne in Jerusalem. Yep. Pope Benedict and Maitreya are best buds. Is that about the size of it, dear brother in Christ?
Well, obviously I do not see it that way. Instead, I'll take Pope Benedict XVI at his word. This is his motive in writing Caritas et Veritate:
The Church does not have technical solutions to offer and does not claim to interfere in any way in the politics of States. She does, however, have a mission of truth to accomplish, in every time and circumstance, for a society that is attuned to man, to his dignity, to his vocation. Without truth, it is easy to fall into an empiricist and sceptical view of life, incapable of rising to the level of praxis because of a lack of interest in grasping the values — sometimes even the meanings — with which to judge and direct it. Fidelity to man requires fidelity to the truth, which alone is the guarantee of freedom (cf. Jn 8:32) and of the possibility of integral human development. For this reason the Church searches for truth, proclaims it tirelessly and recognizes it wherever it is manifested. This mission of truth is something that the Church can never renounce. Her social doctrine is a particular dimension of this proclamation: it is a service to the truth which sets us free. Open to the truth, from whichever branch of knowledge it comes, the Church's social doctrine receives it, assembles into a unity the fragments in which it is often found, and mediates it within the constantly changing life-patterns of the society of peoples and nations. [Itals in the original]Some definitions might be helpful.
Praxis is a Mediaeval Latin noun from the Greek prassein, to do or practice. Praxis means: a: exercise or practice of an art, science, or skill; b: customary practice or conduct; and 2: practical application of a theory.
The word "integral" seems to give many readers a good deal of difficulty. Especially when he connects the word with "development." But this is what these words mean to Pope Benedict:
In 1967, when he issued the Encyclical Populorum Progressio, my venerable predecessor Pope Paul VI illuminated the great theme of the development of peoples with the splendour of truth and the gentle light of Christ's charity. He taught that life in Christ is the first and principal factor of development and he entrusted us with the task of travelling the path of development with all our heart and all our intelligence, that is to say with the ardour of charity and the wisdom of truth. It is the primordial truth of God's love, grace bestowed upon us, that opens our lives to gift and makes it possible to hope for a “development of the whole man and of all men," to hope for progress “from less human conditions to those which are more human," obtained by overcoming the difficulties that are inevitably encountered along the way.A little later on, he reflects on "...the meaning of politics, and the danger constituted by utopian and ideological visions that place its ethical and human dimensions in jeopardy."
"These are matters closely connected with development. Unfortunately the negative ideologies continue to flourish. Paul VI had already warned against the technocratic ideology so prevalent today, fully aware of the great danger of entrusting the entire process of development to technology alone, because in that way it would lack direction. Technology, viewed in itself, is ambivalent. If on the one hand, some today would be inclined to entrust the entire process of development to technology, on the other hand we are witnessing an upsurge of ideologies that deny in toto the very value of development, viewing it as radically anti-human and merely a source of degradation. This leads to a rejection, not only of the distorted and unjust way in which progress is sometimes directed, but also of scientific discoveries themselves, which, if well used, could serve as an opportunity of growth for all. The idea of a world without development indicates a lack of trust in man and in God. It is therefore a serious mistake to undervalue human capacity to exercise control over the deviations of development or to overlook the fact that man is constitutionally oriented towards “being more.” [I.e., he knows of, and finds his fulfillment in Christ.] Idealizing technical progress, or contemplating the utopia of a return to humanity's original natural state, are two contrasting ways of detaching progress from its moral evaluation and hence from our responsibility."His Holiness Pope Benedict the XVI is a world-class philosopher and profound cultural analyst who is very much aware of the contentious issues of our age, so many of which he illuminates in this splendid Encyclical.
And yet you still want to reduce it to a "political statement!"
Oh well, different strokes for different folks I guess.
May God bless us all!
That WIDE road to destruction that Jesus warned about is for all those 'groups' she talks about that deny the individual salvation. She isn't going to stand before God with her collective group glittered with good works... it's going to be just her.
No kidding. It's all a dumb show. Africa is being depopulated by AIDS and who's paying attention? The new Mother Teresa, Angelina Jolie, shows up for a few photo ops and we're supposed to be impressed.
The world's poor, and soon to be, all of us, are destined to be manageable cattle, that's what the elites think of you. It's the same story of Pharaoh, Egypt and the Israelites. You can leave spiritually.
Bingo. Manageable cattle, kept in line by rabid dogs and Mad Cow disease.
Globalization is against God, He put the nations in their places, set their boundaries, and that is how the world was meant to be.
Succinct and accurate.
If any pattern should be overlaid on planet earth it is the Judeo-Christian template because it is the only world view which respects all men's right to life and liberty while acknowledging that man is fallen and our self-interest can and does corrupt our loftiest endeavors; thus a representative system of checks and balances is required.
If history has taught us anything it is that centralized power is always wrong.
Liberty is the prevention of control by others. This requires self-control and, therefore, religious and spiritual influences; education, knowledge, well-being." -- Lord Acton"I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favorable presumption that they did not wrong. If there is any presumption it is the other way against holders of power, increasing as the power increases. Historic responsibility has to make up for the want of legal responsibility. All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority..."
Because we are instructed to be confident in His will which even today works all things for our benefit, we remain certain this, too, shall pass. Out of the ineptitude of Jimmy Carter came Reagan and the fall of the Soviets. Christ is presently bringing this world under His feet as His footstool. As God wills. Wise as serpents yet harmless as doves; praying without ceasing and rejoicing evermore.
You were prescient dearest sister in Christ!
The odd thing is that Protestants are deeply concerned with End-times prophecy, while Catholics (for some strange reason) seem almost perfectly indifferent to it. They just don't seem to worry about the End-times much at all. They know there will be an End; the Pope references it in this encyclical. They just don't seem to exercise themselves too much about it. I can't explain the reason for this difference, but observe it is definitely there.
Anyhoot, that's just one more difficulty standing in the way of "both sides" getting on the same "playing field," so to speak.
Speaking for myself, the way I read Caritas in Veritate is as (1) a biblically-based Christian and (2) as a person schooled in classical philosophy. To me the authority of the Pope is either a gift or grace of God directly or it is no authority at all. In that light, I see this encyclical as having been composed in the full light of the Holy Spirit; it is replete with the pleroma of Christ.
JMHO FWIW.
The Pope wasn't writing just to Catholics; but to universal humanity — just as you suggested. Universality ultimately is a philosophical notion. And the Pope (among other things) happens to be a philosopher. So we "get along fine." :^)
Thank you ever so much for your wise and gracious essay/post, dearest sister in Christ!
Beware the "common good"
Not all of us because really, to be in Christ is to be already in eternity. We are to be awake though and we are positively confident that it is not possible for the elect to be deceived
Here is the rub, very simply
Correction: MANY Protestants are deeply concerned with End-times prophecy. There are still a signficant number of us who are not wrapped up in eschatolaughable hysteria, particularly those of us who are not in the pre-trib, pre-mill camp.
At a time when the push for globalization is on a steep incline, and the popular speculative interpretations of Biblical prophecy include one-world government, it's no surprise that people's eschatological views increasingly color their commentary and even affect their short-term decision making. If I didn't think Christ were sitting on His Throne right now, I'd probably be worried too. Nevertheless, His Kingdom is advancing (and is no way tied to the rise or fall of the United States of America).
Well now you see, the bible warns us against philosophers. I like Plato and others but the Word of God will always outweigh them
Me too, Frumanchu! Very well said. Thank you for your excellent observations!
Have I ever suggested otherwise, 1000silverlings?
I strongly agree with you that Pope Benedict is a world class philosopher. And I can see why you appreciate him so much.
I also perceive him to be quite conservative in his theology, but he should be read through the Catholic lens to be understood.
Many Protestants and some Catholics are already on high alert because of what they see in the world v what they understand from Scripture. I share many of their views, but I am not concerned at all - instead I say:
Maranatha, Jesus!!!
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