#2 “She’s getting better at it or using a ghost writer.”
Thew Forrester I suspect:
“The resurrection is the ultimate proclamation that nothing can separate us from that light, not despair or destruction or death. We see hints of that resurrection all around us once our eyes have learned to look” KJS
“”Here’s a man in the desert [Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness] talking to His own passions, and He says, ‘You know, I am none of those things. I will not identify with any of those things. I am the beloved. I am the beloved.’ And resurrection begins to happen. ” KTF
And on the third day he rose from the grave? Not much of that stuff here. Ho hum.
The first time I pulled up this link, the ad to the right was for “The Mandala Center” in New Mexico, which appears to be a New Age retreat center for anyone seeking to know themselves better, etc. Very appropriate to the message it accompanied. And they’re looking for a new cook, which is good to know in this time of job dislocation!
That’s the whole message?!-Yes, indeed here we have it again- as Dallas Willard calls it: “the concept of Jesus resurrected as a social ethic which one could share with others who have no reliance on God as a present God or a living Christ….total inclusivism of all beliefs and practices except oppressive ones.” Dallas Willard asks, “Is it no wonder that exclusivism of tradtional Christianity came as the next step after Jesus as “ressurected social ethic.”
Perhaps she should celebrate Imbolic which is, I believe, the Pagan festival for the return of the light? Why even mention Jesus?
For a gospel of the inner-light, this is perfectly consistent for TEC’s PB. The enlightenment is what spurs on the emphasis on utopian socialism and global environmentalism. Ms. Schori’s gospel is an ideology, not a theology. As with all her sermons, there is a paucity of the Persons of the Divine Holy Trinity. No exaltation of Jesus, no celebration of the trampling down of sin and Death by our Redeemer…no personal or coroporate salvation period. Simply: utopian enlightenment and the gnostic de-emphasis of God Himself.
Interesting that she doesn’t capitalize the resurrection or modify it by reference to Jesus (as in Jesus’ resurrection), but only says that the “resurrection is the ultimate proclamation.” What resurrection is that, pray tell?
Um, Pb (#7), for centuries Christians lit an Easter bonfire to celebrate the resurrection. The pascal candle was lit from this bonfire.
This was one of the things that brought St. Patrick to the attention of the High King of Ireland and his druids: since no one was allowed to light a fire until the druids lit the Beltane fire. However, Patrick lit his first. When the druids saw it they prophesied: “Unless that fire is extinguished tonight, it will burn throughout Ireland forever!” But they were unable to quench it.
Perhaps it is a custom that needs to be ‘re-lit’?
In His un-extinguishable Light
Jim Elliott <><
North Florida
Good Gosh Almighty! The woman cannot even mention the name Jesus in her Easter Message. One thin reference to the
Christ and a bit of mystical new age rambling.
I know this has been said so many times, but the leader of TEC is not a believer. She has no clue. Dear Father open her eyes that she might see and know your Son.
Though she has come in for several criticisms above, I found it sad within myself that I was just relieved that her message was blessedly short and did not contain anything particularly disconcerting, and that it, indeed, did talk about the Resurrection (even with a lower case “r”) and, at least, stated, even impliedly, that the light of Christ overcomes the darkness of sin and death and the darkness of our separation from the Lord. I mean, she, at least, talked about the fact of the Resurrection, as opposed to MDGs, in an Easter message. Sad that I can only be relieved and not expect more from our Presiding Bishop.
Billy, you captured almost exactly what I was feeling but couldn’t quite put into words when I read KJS’ Easter message. Relief that it wasn’t worse was indeed the predominant emotion.
Dr. Harmon, I propose an experiment. One of these times, you should take a fairly inocuous statement such as this and credit it to +Bob Duncan, or +J-D Schofield, or J.I. Packer, or Pope Benedict, (or if that raises ethical hackles, post it anonymously)…and see what the response is. I think if you did, no one would have had a problem with something like this. “The rising of the Son brings light into lives filled with grief” could have come from any one of them.
tjmcmahon, do you not sing “Christ whose glory fills the skies”? It’s entirely scriptural. For He is the bright and morning star, the Daystar, the Sun of righteousness, the Light of the World. Good gravy, man, this is entirely biblical and entirely orthodox. Which is incredibly unusual for the PB. You can call her pagan for other reasons, but not for this statement. I share Billy’s sadness, and admit that it is hard to fight cynicism. I wish she mentioned Jesus specifically. I wish she was less vague about the resurrection. But is there anything specifically heretical in this statement? Compared to her usual comments or to her message last year this is a gem.
I am so very disgusted with the situation in the Church right now. Not only do we get heresy and lawsuits from the left, we get succumb to relentless negativity and uncharitable nitpicking on the right. Perhaps I should rename myself “The Concern Troll”, because I think that the more we relentlessly pick at Episcopal leaders for things like this, the less credible we sound when taking on things that are actually problematic. Nitpicking this statement is crying “wolf”.
#22-If this were my Easter message to my parish I would be guilty of failing to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. His Resurrection is not some theologically subtle concept that sounds soothing to those in turmoil. It is the dynamic love of the Father the not only shines in the darkness, but kills death.
I agree, compared to previous efforts this is a gem. However the Easter message is not some semi-precious bauble. It is the Pearl of Great Price that is salvation and life in the Father’s Son.
If that is nitpicking, then I am in the wrong vocation
Compare KJS to the ELCA’s Presiding Bishop’s Easter Message. Makes me rejoice to be serving in an ELCA congregation!:
ELCA Presiding Bishop’s 2009 Easter Message
“Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified … has been raised.”
Mark 16:6
When Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome came to the tomb, their
hopes and fears intersected. They wondered aloud about the
impossibly large and heavy stone that presented an obstacle
to their immediate plans. Worse, what they thought lay behind
the stone was unspeakably devastating. Jesus, who embodied
the hope of God’s promise in a fully human life, was not simply
dead, but crucified — executed in the most extreme humiliation,
a savage mockery of the hope that had lived with him.
But the stone was gone, the grave empty. Where they had
expected to hear the silence of death’s mockery, they were met
by an astonishing message that the crucified one was raised
from the dead, that their hope was victorious over humiliation,
and that Jesus lives and is leading the way into an unexpected,
surprising future with God.
Jesus lives and resurrection hope beckons. Jesus’ resurrection
on the third day signals that God is not finished until the
life of Jesus renews the whole creation. Sinners once haunted
by the threats of judgment will live forgiven, restored,
renewed and freed. All lives broken by sin’s injustices and
haunted by death’s terrors will be transformed by joy and
transfigured into the new creation in Christ.
You and I are witnesses of this new creation. You have been
baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection and have heard his
promise. Your lives are hidden in his and he feeds you with a
foretaste of the eternal feast of joy. He will meet you in
your hope. He claims your daily work and makes it into a holy
calling. He lives in you and sends you into the world as an
ambassador of reconciliation, a testimony of God’s incomparable
love. Jesus lives! Your life in him is resurrection witness.
“This is our God; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation!”
Isaiah 25:9
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
It’s all in the Name. Not the symbol nor the metaphor nor even the title “Christ†(which term may be filled any which way one chooses … in good ‘gnostic’ fashion).
Jesus is the Name and Jesus traces his identity in the moments, moment by moment, of his life, the sequence we now call the narratives of the Gospel. And wonder of wonders, Jesus’ Resurrection is nothing less than God’s own decision and desire to identify this life as God’s Life. But then anyone who has enjoyed another Lutheran’s depiction of God’s Triune Identity knows that all this is Trinity 101. I refer to Robert W Jenson of course.
So folks; Jesus is Risen! Liturgical response: He is Risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Yes indeed.
I have always believed in resurrectionness. Everywhere one turns there is resurrectionness — the spring flowers unfolding their petals for instance.
At least no mention of sporks or flatulence. She’s getting better at it or using a ghost writer.
#2 “She’s getting better at it or using a ghost writer.”
Thew Forrester I suspect:
“The resurrection is the ultimate proclamation that nothing can separate us from that light, not despair or destruction or death. We see hints of that resurrection all around us once our eyes have learned to look” KJS
“”Here’s a man in the desert [Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness] talking to His own passions, and He says, ‘You know, I am none of those things. I will not identify with any of those things. I am the beloved. I am the beloved.’ And resurrection begins to happen. ” KTF
And on the third day he rose from the grave? Not much of that stuff here. Ho hum.
En la ultima frase escrito en español, dice “la bendición de la luz de.” Como siempre, necesitamos Cristo!
And in the background, the pluriform harmony of the Cosmic Hum.
All that seeking and no finding. How sad. It’s probably due to her defective theology… gnostic Arian.
I guess we should build a bonfire to celebrate the return of the light. It is hard to tell that this is a Christian writing.
[i] Comment deleted by elf. [/i]
“The rising of the Son brings light into lives filled with grief”
“La résurrection du Fils apporte la lumière dans les vies remplies de chagrin”
“La resurrección del Hijo trae luz a las vidas llenas de dolores”
Note that in French and Spanish (for the population in Central and South America and the Caribbean) this is a more or less orthodox statement, but in English, she intentionally confuses Christ and Apollo. Why say one thing for French and Spanish speakers, and something else to the bulk of US Episcopalians? Why not skip the play on words and say “resurrection of the Son?”
The first time I pulled up this link, the ad to the right was for “The Mandala Center” in New Mexico, which appears to be a New Age retreat center for anyone seeking to know themselves better, etc. Very appropriate to the message it accompanied. And they’re looking for a new cook, which is good to know in this time of job dislocation!
That’s the whole message?!-Yes, indeed here we have it again- as Dallas Willard calls it: “the concept of Jesus resurrected as a social ethic which one could share with others who have no reliance on God as a present God or a living Christ….total inclusivism of all beliefs and practices except oppressive ones.” Dallas Willard asks, “Is it no wonder that exclusivism of tradtional Christianity came as the next step after Jesus as “ressurected social ethic.”
Perhaps she should celebrate Imbolic which is, I believe, the Pagan festival for the return of the light? Why even mention Jesus?
Read it all. LOL. I hope she preaches longer in person.
For a gospel of the inner-light, this is perfectly consistent for TEC’s PB. The enlightenment is what spurs on the emphasis on utopian socialism and global environmentalism. Ms. Schori’s gospel is an ideology, not a theology. As with all her sermons, there is a paucity of the Persons of the Divine Holy Trinity. No exaltation of Jesus, no celebration of the trampling down of sin and Death by our Redeemer…no personal or coroporate salvation period. Simply: utopian enlightenment and the gnostic de-emphasis of God Himself.
This is starting to sound like the Enlightenment. I miss the sporks.
Interesting that she doesn’t capitalize the resurrection or modify it by reference to Jesus (as in Jesus’ resurrection), but only says that the “resurrection is the ultimate proclamation.” What resurrection is that, pray tell?
Um, Pb (#7), for centuries Christians lit an Easter bonfire to celebrate the resurrection. The pascal candle was lit from this bonfire.
This was one of the things that brought St. Patrick to the attention of the High King of Ireland and his druids: since no one was allowed to light a fire until the druids lit the Beltane fire. However, Patrick lit his first. When the druids saw it they prophesied: “Unless that fire is extinguished tonight, it will burn throughout Ireland forever!” But they were unable to quench it.
Perhaps it is a custom that needs to be ‘re-lit’?
In His un-extinguishable Light
Jim Elliott <>< North Florida
Good Gosh Almighty! The woman cannot even mention the name Jesus in her Easter Message. One thin reference to the
Christ and a bit of mystical new age rambling.
I know this has been said so many times, but the leader of TEC is not a believer. She has no clue. Dear Father open her eyes that she might see and know your Son.
This is a case of the blind leading the deaf.
#16-We do it every Easter Eve. It’s been done for several hundred years. Read the Great Vigil liturgy. No need to relight, its been there all along.
#16 I was thinking more of the Druid thing when I read this piece. Perhaps she was too.
Though she has come in for several criticisms above, I found it sad within myself that I was just relieved that her message was blessedly short and did not contain anything particularly disconcerting, and that it, indeed, did talk about the Resurrection (even with a lower case “r”) and, at least, stated, even impliedly, that the light of Christ overcomes the darkness of sin and death and the darkness of our separation from the Lord. I mean, she, at least, talked about the fact of the Resurrection, as opposed to MDGs, in an Easter message. Sad that I can only be relieved and not expect more from our Presiding Bishop.
Billy, you captured almost exactly what I was feeling but couldn’t quite put into words when I read KJS’ Easter message. Relief that it wasn’t worse was indeed the predominant emotion.
Dr. Harmon, I propose an experiment. One of these times, you should take a fairly inocuous statement such as this and credit it to +Bob Duncan, or +J-D Schofield, or J.I. Packer, or Pope Benedict, (or if that raises ethical hackles, post it anonymously)…and see what the response is. I think if you did, no one would have had a problem with something like this. “The rising of the Son brings light into lives filled with grief” could have come from any one of them.
tjmcmahon, do you not sing “Christ whose glory fills the skies”? It’s entirely scriptural. For He is the bright and morning star, the Daystar, the Sun of righteousness, the Light of the World. Good gravy, man, this is entirely biblical and entirely orthodox. Which is incredibly unusual for the PB. You can call her pagan for other reasons, but not for this statement. I share Billy’s sadness, and admit that it is hard to fight cynicism. I wish she mentioned Jesus specifically. I wish she was less vague about the resurrection. But is there anything specifically heretical in this statement? Compared to her usual comments or to her message last year this is a gem.
I am so very disgusted with the situation in the Church right now. Not only do we get heresy and lawsuits from the left, we get succumb to relentless negativity and uncharitable nitpicking on the right. Perhaps I should rename myself “The Concern Troll”, because I think that the more we relentlessly pick at Episcopal leaders for things like this, the less credible we sound when taking on things that are actually problematic. Nitpicking this statement is crying “wolf”.
#22-If this were my Easter message to my parish I would be guilty of failing to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. His Resurrection is not some theologically subtle concept that sounds soothing to those in turmoil. It is the dynamic love of the Father the not only shines in the darkness, but kills death.
I agree, compared to previous efforts this is a gem. However the Easter message is not some semi-precious bauble. It is the Pearl of Great Price that is salvation and life in the Father’s Son.
If that is nitpicking, then I am in the wrong vocation
Compare KJS to the ELCA’s Presiding Bishop’s Easter Message. Makes me rejoice to be serving in an ELCA congregation!:
ELCA Presiding Bishop’s 2009 Easter Message
“Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified … has been raised.”
Mark 16:6
When Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome came to the tomb, their
hopes and fears intersected. They wondered aloud about the
impossibly large and heavy stone that presented an obstacle
to their immediate plans. Worse, what they thought lay behind
the stone was unspeakably devastating. Jesus, who embodied
the hope of God’s promise in a fully human life, was not simply
dead, but crucified — executed in the most extreme humiliation,
a savage mockery of the hope that had lived with him.
But the stone was gone, the grave empty. Where they had
expected to hear the silence of death’s mockery, they were met
by an astonishing message that the crucified one was raised
from the dead, that their hope was victorious over humiliation,
and that Jesus lives and is leading the way into an unexpected,
surprising future with God.
Jesus lives and resurrection hope beckons. Jesus’ resurrection
on the third day signals that God is not finished until the
life of Jesus renews the whole creation. Sinners once haunted
by the threats of judgment will live forgiven, restored,
renewed and freed. All lives broken by sin’s injustices and
haunted by death’s terrors will be transformed by joy and
transfigured into the new creation in Christ.
You and I are witnesses of this new creation. You have been
baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection and have heard his
promise. Your lives are hidden in his and he feeds you with a
foretaste of the eternal feast of joy. He will meet you in
your hope. He claims your daily work and makes it into a holy
calling. He lives in you and sends you into the world as an
ambassador of reconciliation, a testimony of God’s incomparable
love. Jesus lives! Your life in him is resurrection witness.
“This is our God; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation!”
Isaiah 25:9
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
It’s all in the Name. Not the symbol nor the metaphor nor even the title “Christ†(which term may be filled any which way one chooses … in good ‘gnostic’ fashion).
Jesus is the Name and Jesus traces his identity in the moments, moment by moment, of his life, the sequence we now call the narratives of the Gospel. And wonder of wonders, Jesus’ Resurrection is nothing less than God’s own decision and desire to identify this life as God’s Life. But then anyone who has enjoyed another Lutheran’s depiction of God’s Triune Identity knows that all this is Trinity 101. I refer to Robert W Jenson of course.
So folks; Jesus is Risen! Liturgical response: He is Risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Good grief! Is it Easter already? (We’re still in Lent here…)
I suggest you ask KJS, CPKS: it is to her Easter Message that we are responding …