May I take this opportunity to wish all blog readers a blessed and happy Christmas 2009--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Christian Life / Church Life • Church Year / Liturgical Seasons • Christmas

Somehow our son Nathaniel made the crew team at Boston University. The whole family has come to see his event this morning beginning at 8 a.m.--woo hoo! KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * Culture-Watch • Sports

I have a slew of emails and telephone calls asking what I think of this latest development. Herewith a few thoughts for starters.

(1) It represents a huge indictment of the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Many people question Rome's motivations, but I believe Rome, which has been watching Anglican developments like a hawk in recent years, wanted Anglicanism globally to succeed. Their response to the Windsor Report, for example, was quite favorable. This move to me shows they do not believe the Anglican moment in history to help global Christianity can take place sufficiently under Rowan Williams.

(2) It represents a sweeping judgment on Anglicanism in particular. Rome believes, as John 17 says, that the world may know the gospel if Christians are one as Jesus and the Father are one. Such a unity is only possible through a church with catholic order and evangelical faith. Rome has watched global Anglicanism evolve and has seen the Instruments of Unity be used repeatedly, over a period of time, and they have judged that Anglicanism itself is not and will not work for the cause of real global Catholicism going forward.

(3) It repesents a judgment that the real story going forward is between Rome and the East. Do not underestimate the significance of the fact that in this present unusual "arrangement," if I may call it that, Rome has drawn the line at Episcopal celibacy. That is a gesture Eastward, among many other things.

(4) It represents a sense that only an external action will have any benefit to Anglicanism going forward. Let us not kid ourselves. Rome put a lot into ecumencial conversations with Anglicans because they believed that more internal mechanisms and persuasions were possible. Now, in their judgment, they are not. They don't see a future of greater Anglican unity they see one of greater Anglican splintering. At this level, it represents a shout which one wonders if any Anglicans will hear--KSH.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams • Anglican Provinces • Church of England (CoE) • * By Kendall • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Roman Catholic • Pope Benedict XVI

I have been travelling and am in Northwest Arkansas for the Anglican Digest Annual Board meeting. Please pray for us--many thanks.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • - Anglican: Latest News • Episcopal Church (TEC) • * By Kendall

Abigail is a junior at the College of Charleston, Nathaniel a freshman at Boston University, and we just dropped Selimah off at The Hill in Pennsylvania. So it is just Elizabeth and I and the dogs, cats and birds, and sooner than we necessarily were ready for.

When I saw Mary Hays at the memorial service in Pittsburgh for Alex Heidengren recently, she said of the empty nest stage "It is great!" and I am trusting her to be right but like all transitions there is loss as well as gain. The good news is we are not in charge--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family

Anyone else fell this way? I do love the fall but boy it has come too quickly somehow.

Filed under: * By Kendall

Elizabeth and I dropped our son Nathaniel off at Boston University yesterday to begin his freshman year. Where does the time go--KSH?

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * Culture-Watch • Education

There has been much posted on the blog about this. Put "South Carolina" into the "search" function on the right if you need to review the posts. I will obviously be preoccupied today--KSH.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Bishops • TEC Conflicts • * By Kendall • * South Carolina • * Theology

In the year 1849 I was stationed at Baton Rouge, and married Miss Frank E. Stuart, whose honored sons and one living daughter now rise up and call her blessed.

Passing over several years in which I was engaged as the pioneer of temperance and prohibition work, I found myself the pastor at Macon, Miss[issippi], during the war, where a singular episode occurred.

The Mississippi Legislature, driven out of Jackson by the Federal army, took refuge at Macon. In the course of legislation, a bill putting all ministers in the State up to sixty years of age in the army, and favored by Governor Clarke, passed to its third reading, before the final vote was taken. Hon. Locke Houston, speaker of the House of Representatives, invited me to open the session with prayer.

In the course of the prayer I invoked the Divine Father: “Have compassion on the members of the Mississippi Legislature, who, without the fear of God before their eyes, have laid violent hands upon the ordained ministry of Thy church, placing carnal weapons in their hands, bidding them to go forth to war as instruments of wrath and blood, instead of messengers of love and peace.”

“O Lord, for this wicked act, which stands out in all its gloomy isolation without any parallel among the civilized nations of the earth, we invoke pardoning mercy.”

Read more...

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * Christian Life / Church Life • Church History • * Economics, Politics • Politics in General • State Government • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Methodist

Because the blog went caput this series was not able to be finished. But did you notice how almost no aspect of the ecumenical dimensions of our decisions came into play, esepcially in the two highly publicized decisions?

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Sexuality Debate (in Anglican Communion) • Same-sex blessings • * By Kendall • * Religion News & Commentary • Ecumenical Relations

I honestly cannot remember a time in my life in the Episcopal Church where I have read more mistakes in less time than in the last two to three weeks. Please do not believe everything you read and make sure to fact check and research material, a point we have stressed time and again on this blog.

A case in point is this recent piece by Diana Butler Bass. I enjoyed Dr. Bass' Standing Against the Whirlwind : Evangelical Episcopalians in Nineteenth-Century America which was well written and researched (and is quite relevant to our present time by the way), and so was baffled to see such a poorly written piece by her on Beliefnet.

The relevant section of her article for our purposes reads this way:

The Anglican Church of North America, the umbrella group for conservative Episcopalians who have left their denomination over women's ordination and full inclusion of gay and lesbian persons, has long claimed over 100,000 members. Recently, they admitted that only 69,000 persons in 650 churches in the USA and Canada have joined their association. There are 2.2 million Episcopalians in the United States and approximately 1 million in Canada. Thus, the conservative group--the one that has garnered so much media attention in recent years is a very small percentage of the entire North American Anglican membership--some 2% of the total. And with their rigid opposition to women's ordination, it is hard to imagine that this group will find much appeal with young North Americans.

Now for the record, I am not in ACNA. Certainly her description of the reason for the departure of ACNA is not one ACNA would agree with just for starters. It is over issues of Christology, marriage, the authority and interpretation of Scripture, the nature of the church, and the standards of Christian leadership that this controversy is fundamentally about.

Read more...

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) • Anglican Provinces • Anglican Church of Canada • Episcopal Church (TEC) • General Convention 2009 • TEC Data • * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Media

Do Episcopal parishes teach the basics?

When I finished seminary in 1987 I came out with youthful idealism, energy, and too much arrogance, among many other things. I also believed I needed to be unapologetic about teaching and preaching on the most basic questions.

For example, I taught for two years through the Book of Acts. What was the gospel they were proclaiming I wanted to know. What was their understanding of mission? Who did they think Jesus was? What did they believe about the church?

After three years in the parish where I served my curacy, I left the parish (and the country) to pursue a doctorate. This allowed me the luxury of reflecting on many things, including my three year curacy.

My deepest conclusion: I had failed to be basic enough. I had made too many assumptions. I had used too much Christian vocabulary without defining terms. The bottom line was my instinct was right but my implementation left a lot to be desired.

Read more...

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • * By Kendall • * Christian Life / Church Life • Parish Ministry • Adult Education • Preaching / Homiletics • * Theology

Back on July 16th the Presiding Bishop and Bonnie Anderson wrote Archbishop Rowan Williams about the General Convention. (An ENS article on this is here). This, however, in a flurry of confusion inside the Episcopal Church's leadership as to exactly what had occurred, even though such confusion was not shared by the majority of the mainstream media and the Episcopal Church activists for the new theology of human sexuality, was not enough.

So on July 17th the Presiding Bishop and Bonnie Anderson wrote Archbishop Rowan Williams again about the General Convention. (An ENS article on that is there).

Can anyone name a time previously in Episcopal Church history when this has occurred? It not only looks desperate but it speaks poorly to the level of clarity in what is being done. If you need to explain your explanations, if you need to use words and then more words to explain your words, the issue of what you are actually doing and why comes even more strongly to the fore. Let your yes be yes and your no be no as a standard is being missed, and for a Christian community that is a very sad thing indeed--KSH.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams • Episcopal Church (TEC) • General Convention 2009 • House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson • Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori • Sexuality Debate (in Anglican Communion) • Same-sex blessings • * By Kendall

Note from the elves: this was written and published on July 15th, when TitusOneNine was having technical difficulties. It was posted to the backup blog and also at Stand Firm, and released to various other news outlets. Since not all TitusOneNine readers will have seen it, we are reposting it today, as well as posting it in proper chronological order with all the other entries for July 15th that we are importing from the backup blog.

Statement of Kendall Harmon on Resolution D025

The passage of Resolution D025 by the General Convention of 2009 is a repudiation of Holy Scripture as the church has received and understood it ecumenically in the East and West. It is also a clear rejection of the mutual responsibility and interdependence to which we are called as Anglicans. That it is also a snub to the Archbishop of Canterbury this week while General Synod is occurring in York only adds insult to injury.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the BBC, the New York Times and Integrity all see what is being done here. There are now some participants in the 76th General Convention who are trying to pretend that a yes to D025 is NOT a no to B033. Jesus’ statement about letting your yes be yes and your no be no is apt here. These types of attempted obfuscations are utterly unconvincing. The Bishop of Arizona rightly noted in his blog that D025 was "a defacto repudiation of" B033.

The presuppositions of Resolution D025 are revealing. For a whole series of recent General Conventions resolutions have been passed which are thought to be descriptive by some, but understood to be prescriptive by others. The 2007 Primates Communique spoke to this tendency when they stated “they deeply regret a lack of clarity”on the part of the 75th General Convention.

What is particularly noteworthy, however, is that Episcopal Church Resolutions and claimed stances said to be descriptive at one time are more and more interpreted to be prescriptive thereafter. Now, in Resolution D025, the descriptive and the prescriptive have merged. You could hear this clearly in the floor debates in the two Houses where speakers insisted “This is who we are!”

Those involved in pastoral care know that when a relationship is deeply frayed when one or other party insists “this is who I am” the outcome will be disastrous. The same will be the case with D025, both inside the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

D025 is the proud assertion of a church of self-authentication and radical autonomy.

It is a particularly ugly sight.

--The Rev. Dr. Kendall S. Harmon is Canon Theologian of the Diocese of South Carolina

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • General Convention 2009 • * By Kendall

Just watch and listen at General Convention, especially to the leadership. Where does the problem lie? Almost always elsewhere. Other people or Provinces in the Anglican Communion, the reasserters in the Episcopal Church, and on and on it goes. Say what you want about Katharine Jefferts Schori's opening sermon (and I found many of the critiques wide of the mark), but the locus of blame was elsewhere.

And what do we have today as an example? The Bishop of Lexington, Stacy Sauls, saying in a press conference that the Archbishop of Canterbury's response to D025 was Rowan Williams fault! He doesn't understand what was being said! Ah.

Memo to the Bishop of Lexington: When Rowan Williams and Integrity Understand D025 to intend to repeal B033, the problem does not lie with them. It lies somewhere else, much closer to home.

Now these are only examples, and many more can be given. But do listen closely to the absence of TEC's self-criticism at General Convention 2009. The silence is deafening--KSH.

Update: The media briefing from today, July 13, had Bishop Michael Smith of North Dakota, Bishop Stacy Sauls of Lexington, Sally Johnson of Minnesota, Ernie Bennett of Central Florida, and Emily Morales of Puerto Rico. It is in this briefing in that you can hear Bishop Saul's comments. Go to this website then find the "On Demand" section and thereafter look for the "July 13, 2009 Media Brief" picture and click on it.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • General Convention 2009 • * By Kendall

Having had a night to ponder and pray on it, this is my read of the attempt of D025. I think the reference in the floor debate to the "craft" of the resolution by the committee was revealing.

Whatever happened to principled theological liberalism [and blog readers know I do not like nor do I use this term]? If the House of Deputies leadership believes B033 should be repealed (and everyone knows that is the case), they should have the courage to repeal it.

They should also have the honesty to say what they are doing in unmistakably clear terms. The more frayed relationships get, and the more trust is in tatters, the more careful attention to precise communication matters.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • General Convention 2009 • TEC House of Deputies • * By Kendall

The Episcopal Church is an institution in long term systemic decline. Just take a look at the 1997-2007 change in membership numbers documented here or really read thoughtfully the State of the Church report (especially the charts, page 14, page 17, etc.) there.

So: Where is the strategic discussion of evangelism and church growth? A parish involved in healthy evangelism has three things: a good newcomers ministry, a good ministry to the unchurched, and a ministry to the lapsed. In most Episcopal churches if you are very blessed you will find a somewhat adequate newcomer ministry. That is all. What about the unchurched? What about church planting?--KSH

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Christian Life / Church Life • Missions • Parish Ministry • Evangelism and Church Growth

I want to reinforce my premise before I go any further.

Some blog readers may be aware of a book entitled “The Educational Imagination: On the Design and Evaluation of School Programs” by Elliot Eisner. Eisner says in any three schools there are actually 3 curriculums: the Explicit Curriculum, the Implicit Curriculum and the Null Curriculum. What schools are actually teaching are 3 things, even they say they are only teaching one. The explicit curriculum is when you go to a given school and the principal gives you the handbook and says this what we are about; this is what we do here. The implicit curriculum is the working assumptions that you can’t find anywhere written on a piece of paper, but are nevertheless prevalent all through the community in terms of how the school really functions. But that’s not all that a school teaches, the whole of what a school teaches includes what Eisner calls the null curriculum. This is what nobody is teaching, nobody is talking about and nobody is even thinking about, but it’s being taught by the fact that it’s not there. Eisner believes you have to look at all three to really judge a school.

Consider an example. You go to a certain school to learn about it and you see in their purpose materials that they say they teach the times table. This is the explicit curriculum. If you actually go in the classroom, what you find is that they believe in rote memorization. This is nowhere codified, but is clearly a working assumption since it is the method used in every Mathematics class you choose to visit. What’s the null curriculum? As an example, it may be grammar. You can look far and wide, and no one teaches grammar and apparently no one cares about it. The null curriculum message is that grammar doesn’t matter. It is taught by virtue of its absence.

So the question I am asking is this: if General Convention 2009 is a school, what is its null curriculum--KSH?

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • General Convention 2009 • * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Education

In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Book Silver Blaze we read this wonderful encounter:

[Scotland Yard Inspector] Gregory: "Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"
Sherlock Holmes: "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."
[Scotland Yard Inspector] Gregory: "The dog did nothing in the night-time."
Sherlock Holmes: "That was the curious incident."

I bring this up because I think the most important stories of General Convention are not what is being proposed, nor what is being opposed, but what is entirely missing--KSH.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • General Convention 2009 • * By Kendall

(1) Comments are supposed to be about the content of the post on the blog. A number of people are doing what I call “leapfrog” comments where they take the basic subject of a post and then leap off on their thoughts about that particular subject. This soon takes the thread too far afield, and makes it incoherent. We really are interested in your thoughts about the content of the posted article, sermon or whatever it happens to be.

(2) There is a continued problem with the tone of posts. Biting sarcasm is not appropriate. Neither is cyncism drifting into despair. Ad hominem comments are to be avoided. Jumping to conclusions without evidence is not helpful. A good example of this latter activity took place on a post about a priest who went to California from Louisiana, whereupon a number of posters made accusations about what the Bishop of Louisiana did or did not know on the basis of no evidence.

(3) Threads are sometimes being diverted because of the subagendas of posters. If you want to interact with another poster on a personal level for example, we can, with their permission, help you do that off blog. But we have posters making numerous comments recently about other posters, their activities and in some cases their ministries. To say this is off the playing field is to put it mildly.

(4) It really would be a good idea if you not only prayed after you wrote your post (which I hope you are doing in a word processing program before you post it here anyway since putting it in Wordpress first can cause it to be lost), but also if you considered what someone would think of what you were about to post were they of a very different viewpoint than yours. We have enough “shock jock” stuff and gotcha journalism in other venues, I do not want it here.

In closing, let me say that I very much appreciate each blog reader and the opportunity for this joint endeavor....

Read it all (and if you have a moment the comments are fascinating)

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Blogging & the Internet

I think the most interesting dynamic heading in to this General Convention is the distance between the two Houses. In the House of Deputies, there is little question of the majority’s desire to overturn B033 (the restraint resolution) and pass a resolution placing the blessing of same sex unions in the Book of Occasional Services. I say this based on the tragic departures of numerous reasserters as well as the shifts in deputations like those from the TEC remnant dioceses of Fort Worth and San Joaquin. I also base it on my overall feel of the deputations.

The Bishops is another matter altogether. Many of them got an earful at Lambeth 2008 about the damage they have caused around the communion. Even more important in my view, the bishops are presiding over many dioceses in which there is much conflict, financial struggle, membership loss, morale depletion, and on and on. The Bishops as a whole do not want to provide a further explicit means for even more controversy. I think they want to bypass B033 and pass a resolution with some kind of circuitous wording trying to state where TEC is now. They also seem to wish to pass a resolution on the same sex blessing matter which allows the current situation of the increasing embrace of the practice to continue, without explicitly adding more fuel to the divisive fires.

Read more...

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • General Convention 2009 • * By Kendall

This is Kendall Harmon and Temah.

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * General Interest • Animals

Elizabeth and Selimah (just home from school) and I went to the new Pixar movie last evening. Fantastic.

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * Culture-Watch • Movies & Television

That is Abigail on the left, Nathaniel in the middle, and Selimah on the right.

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * Culture-Watch • Education

Nathaniel graduates from the Pinewood School today; he plans to attend Boston University in the fall. His sister Selimah flew home from the Millbrook School in southern New York state to be with us, and Abigail drove up from the College of Charleston. Elizabeth and I, well, we just work here as many of you know. It is great to have all the brood under one roof--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * Culture-Watch • Education

Last night I went with Dad to a benefit concert at Fort Ticonderoga(they did Randall Thompson's Testament of Freedom, hence the earlier post). We had dinner afterwards and I was chatting with Kay Barton, one of Dad's many friends, whose son-in-law is the Lake George water keeper. I got quite an education It is a fascinating and demanding job. Find out more about it here--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Economics, Politics • Energy, Natural Resources

Elizabeth and I made it to a showing last evening. Crisp and clever--KSH

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Movies & Television

I am in Boston looking at Boston University with our middle child, our son Nathaniel.

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * Culture-Watch • Education

How do they grow up so fast. His girlfriend, Francesca, is accompanying him..

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family

Obama's appeals to unity should not be taken for granted, however. Much was made recently of Russian thinker Igor Panarin's prediction that the US will disintegrate in 2010. While well short of the mark, Panarin put his finger on a painful truth: America has become more divided and frail than many believe. The last two presidents, both baby-boomers who fought the culture wars, were very polarising figures. In Obama many of us see hope for a real oneness that is much needed.

All that said, I have deep concerns, on nothing so much as the issue of the commodification of life so prevalent in America. Obama famously said at Saddleback Church that the exact moment when life begins was a question "above" his "pay grade". But if there even is a question whether it is life or not surely the error to make is on the side of life, otherwise we are like the hunter who shoots first in the forest and asks questions later.

My other great worry: America is in crisis over what exactly marriage is. Is it a social contract for the fulfilment of personal and sexual needs, or is it a lifelong covenant for the raising of children and of citizens who promote the common good? We seem to be veering ever more strongly in favour of the former, at the expense of the latter.

Read it all.

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Religion & Culture • * Economics, Politics • Politics in General • Office of the President • President Barack Obama • * International News & Commentary • America/U.S.A.

The following is our annual Christmas letter sent out to friends and family. Authored by my wife Elizabeth (Like most clergy I know, I married up) it may be of interest to some blog readers. For background, my wife is a Family Nurse Practitioner, and we have three dogs, a big black lab, a medium sized orangish puggle, and a small white toy maltese--KSH.

Kendall is a moving target for the dogs since he is never in one place for long (and the dogs follow him from room to room). He can be found running on the elliptical while listening to NPR, using the Apple TV for downloads or catching up on Nightline; at the computer answering email related to various publications and responsibilities or tracking the stock market or updating his blog; walking outside with the dogs throwing the ball; with his head in a book or the Bible preparing sermon texts or articles for journals. Never one to need a great deal of sleep his usually up WAY before dawn and has put in half a normal workday before the rest of the family is awake and coherent.

Read more...

Filed under: * By Kendall • Harmon Family • * Christian Life / Church Life • Spirituality/Prayer

Elizabeth and I went last night. Enjoyed it. A thought provoking story, and well acted, especially by the two leads--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Movies & Television

Filed under: * By Kendall

We just had a 3.6 Richter scale earthquake. Ugh.

Filed under: * By Kendall

People in the early twenty-first century seem to struggle to be thankful. One moving story on this topic concerns a seminary student in Evanston, Illinois, who was part of a life-saving squad. On September 8, 1860, a ship called the Lady Elgin went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. In the process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later he died in California at the age of 81. In a newspaper notice of his death, it was said that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.

Today is a day in which we are to be reminded of our creatureliness, our frailty, and our dependence. One of the clearest ways we may express this is to seek to give thanks in all circumstances (Philippians 4:6).

I am sure today you can find much for which to give thanks: the gift of life, the gift of faith, the joy of friends and family, all those serving in the mission field extending the reach of the gospel around the world, and so much else. I also invite you to consider taking a moment at some point today to write a note of thanksgiving to someone who really made a difference in your life: possibly a teacher, a coach, a mentor, a minister or a parent. You might even write to the parish secretary, the sexton, or the music minister in the parish where you worship; they work very hard behind the scenes.

–The Rev. Canon Dr. Kendall S. Harmon is the convenor of this blog and takes this opportunity to give thanks for all blog readers and participants and to wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving

Filed under: * By Kendall

Took our son Nathaniel on the tour and information learning seminar at Columbia University. Gee, it is an impressive place.

Spent time in the bookstore (say you are surprised). They had a book by Columbia graduates remembering their time at school. I remembered that Alexander Hamilton and Teddy Roosevelt went there, but how did I blank out on Thomas Merton? You learn something new every day--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Education

I was in the Big Apple this week with my family. We went to see In the Heights on Broadway. My heavens, it is no wonder the play won the Tony for best choreography--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall

Happy-Go-Lucky starring Sally Hawkins. Elizabeth and I saw it last night. Terriific. Ideal for adult small groups to go see and discuss, or for you to go to with friends and discuss. Thought-provoking, moving, funny and touching. Put it on your list--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Movies & Television

There are a lot of reasons, but in my view the main ones are these:

An unpopular President who has not been effective.

An unpopular war that was poorly prosecuted, especially early on.

A gigantic financial crisis right at the height of election season.

John McCain ran a poor campaign.

Barack Obama ran a very good campaign.

I was struck by two headlines on the New York Times website after the election results were declared:

Racial Barrier Falls as Voters Embrace Call for Change

McCain Loses as Bush Legacy Is Rejected

The question is: was it more of the former or the latter? My answer is more of the latter. Mr. Obama is for hope and change. But hope for what exactly? Change of what kind exactly? He almost became a Rorschach test on which people projected their various dreams and aspirations. But he mainly won because he is not George Bush. There is really a huge range of possibilities of what kind of a President he will be--he could be very good, or very poor, or many places in between. We shall see. But he--and we--will discover very quickly that governing is MUCH harder than campaigning--KSH.

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Economics, Politics • US Presidential Election 2008

Kendall, Bless you for your work and ministry, but I'm having to take your site out of my news reader and of my bookmarks. The anger of so many commentators has become too much for me, and anger is contagious.

The sheer hatred directed against ++Rowan is especially depressing, at a time when I don't need anything else Anglican to lower my spirits. I don't know how we reasserters expect others to be attracted to the Gospel if in "standing firm" for it we exemplify so few of the fruits of the Spirit.

We are going through another one of those cycles again where some commenters are failing to observe the blog guidelines. I know there are stresses in the Anglican Communion and the global economy, and that a major election is roughly a week and a half away. But if you wish to comment could you please--PLEASE--stick to the topic of the thread and keep in mind that what matters is not simply what you say but how you say it. Disagreement--including with yours truly--is fine; I am not running a blog echo chamber here, I expect people to think for themselves and understand I post things I agree with and those I don't. What I refuse to give up on is the need for courtesy and civility, and with some commenters it is once again falling by the wayside. Thanks--KSH.

I will take comments on this submitted by email only to at KSHarmon[at]mindspring[dot]com.

Filed under: * By Kendall • * Culture-Watch • Blogging & the Internet

Comments are closed.