I would invite everyone here to take a deep breath. Breathe in Holy Spirit, the source of life. Remember that we depend on that divine gift for all that we are and all that we have. Breathe deep, for the spirit is blowing a fresh wind, and bringing new creation out of the chaos of the deep. Contemplating that chaos frightens some, for we never know what is coming, but there is no creation without it – like the death that must precede resurrected life.
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Let that breath get the heart beating and the blood moving, for we will never be God’s mission partners otherwise. Let that circulating blood connect us with the other parts of this body, here and far beyond this place. Go look for connections with your sparring partners – for the left hook and the right jab both come from the same body. Link up with somebody from another part of the theological spectrum – this big tent is the dwelling place of the holy, and we will never be who we were created to be if we only work with the fingers of the right hand or the left. Search out those you have wounded or who have wounded you – seek them out and let the grudges go – there isn’t much life in hanging on to them. It’s like that old tale about swallowing rat poison and expecting somebody else to die. Go find the supposed source of wounds and build a bridge together – notice the blood that’s been shed, and let it form a good scab to draw flesh together. Continue to pick at the wound and it will never heal. Let it go and keep breathing.
If this convention is The Episcopal Church’s family reunion, then go find somebody who represents the outlaw side of the family for you and spend a few minutes learning your relative’s story. You might promise to pray for each other through the coming days. Perhaps you can find time for a cup of coffee or a meal together. That kind of reconciling work will have a greater effect on our readiness for mission than any legislation we may pass here.
Um, read it all
Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal Episcopal Church (TEC) General Convention --Gen. Con. 2012 Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
Posted July 4, 2012 at 6:32 pm
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The URL for this article is http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/index.php/t19/article/43735/
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3. Milton Finch wrote:
“Search out those you have wounded or who have wounded you – seek them out and let the grudges go”...then send them up on charges. Her words do not represent her actions. July 4, 9:02 pm | [comment link] |
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4. tjmcmahon wrote:
Obviously, this is not the Holy Spirit KJS is talking about. I have always objected to the use of “Spirit” or “Holy Spirit” without “the” since it depersonalized God and implies that Spirit is some form of resource, like air or water. But her words here work as a denial of the very credal formula that the existence of the Church is dependent on. |
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5. tjmcmahon wrote:
If one of the real theologians out there wants to take a crack at this, there should be enough material in this one speech to justify a charge of heresy. The doctrine presented is clearly not the doctrine of even the ‘79 BCP, and is therefore a violation of her consecration vows. July 4, 9:17 pm | [comment link] |
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6. MichaelA wrote:
Count me out tj - reading this stuff is like having your head pushed through mush. Somewhere in there is a point, but who has the patience and hours required to find out what it is? Although it does remind me of something ... July 4, 11:43 pm | [comment link] |
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7. Milton wrote:
Pure gibberish from a random cliche and nonsense phrase generator. A complete waste of bandwidth and oxygen. Read the comments at the source article. Four fawning sycophants and one clear-headed Puddleglum. July 4, 11:51 pm | [comment link] |
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8. Yebonoma wrote:
She is either not taking her meds or taking too many of them. I guess the best adjective I can think of is tragicomic. I can’t tell if this is more like something from Kung Fu Panda or a psychedelic flashback from a bad acid trip. It kind of reminds me of the Moody Blues song “Late Lament” (lyrics below). Now, more than ever, I offer a heartfelt “Oh, I’m so sorry” whenever someone tells me they’re an Episcopalian. Breathe deep the gathering gloom Impassioned lovers wrestle as one, Cold hearted orb that rules the night, |
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9. c.r.seitz wrote:
She’s taken the Hebrew word for ‘breath’ and divinized it—I guess. What a strange amalgamation of quarter-truths, or ‘a lot of wind.’ July 5, 1:01 am | [comment link] |
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10. Sam Dargan wrote:
“Breathe deep, for the spirit is blowing a fresh wind, and bringing new creation out of the chaos of the deep.” This jumped out at me. apparently the PB has absorbed deeply the evolutionary idea that the cosmos emerged from chaos and that chaos is the raw material out of which creative humans will fashion emerging reality. As a creationist, I believe that there was nothing before the creative fiat of God - no chaos, nothing. Creation, the cosmos and truth emerged from the Word of God, and He has revealed some of that to us in Scripture. July 5, 6:34 am | [comment link] |
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11. Ralph wrote:
How many times must the canon balls fly, This is what happens when someone without spiritual formation takes classes at a seminary, and learns selectively. Remember, there’s the Holy Spirit, and there’s also that other one. To her credit, she does mention “Holy Spirit” once. July 5, 7:10 am | [comment link] |
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12. William Witt wrote:
Reading this in conjunction with her Easter sermon of 2008 casts some light—along the lines of certain kinds of hot air contributing to global warming. July 5, 9:11 am | [comment link] |
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13. Cennydd13 wrote:
She breathes in oxygen, but what comes out is nothing but hot air…....no substance or sound reasoning except for her perverted view of what is supposed to be Christian theology. July 5, 10:37 am | [comment link] |
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14. Stefano wrote:
There’s a saying in German that basically says “If you raise your hand into the prevailing winds to catch the Holy Spirit( Heilige Geist ) you will only catch the Spirit of the Age ( Zeitgeist ). |
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I am sure the Presiding Bishop has some good qualities, but she can’t preach her way out of a box.
July 4, 8:13 pm | [comment link]