Though we may not spend much time consciously thinking about that war, I have no doubt that it has found its way into the America psyche. How could it not but foster a deep seated anxiety. It so easily gives rise to xenophobia. It probably plays into our irrational response to immigrants across our borders, and it contributes to an irrational fear of Islam.
Nothing could symbolize that irrational fear more than the choreographed uproar that was generated around the proposed Islamic Center at Park 51. I found it fascinating that among the most outspoken critics, few were actually New Yorkers. Though we New Yorkers are rarely of one mind on anything, the view is pretty widely held that it is the pluralism of New York that make it the great state and city that it is. It was in that spirit that I was asked to represent the Diocese of New York, and indeed the Episcopal Church, as a part of an interfaith consultation that met in Washington, D.C., in early September.
In that spirit of dialogue and inquiry I have asked Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat to address us later in the day in order to help us understand more clearly some of the insights and values that Islam and Christianity hold in common.
All in all this has been an eventful year. One important but unanticipated outcome of the financial crisis has struck especially close to home. The General Theological Seminary, one of the most venerable Episcopal Church institutions in this Diocese, an institution of broad importance to the entire Episcopal Church, has come perilously close to bankruptcy. A new interim President and an interim Dean have been recruited to address crucially important and nearly over-whelming financial challenges. As a part of that general turn-around effort I was asked to serve as Chairman of the Board. Though that is not something I ever anticipated, never-the-less I felt I could not ignore such a request at a pivotal moment in the life of seminary to which I personally, and so many others, owe so very much.
What a shame that the good bishop and apparently those who think like him (I assume that’s who he means by “we”) descend so readily into irrationality and xenophobia. I find that the war against Islam leads me and a great many others, including our most recent ex-president, in the opposite direction – that of taking Islam seriously as an intellectual, spiritual and political force in the world for many centuries now and responding as its adherents’ behavior demands. Like most other people I know – and apparently Bishop Sisk doesn’t – my opposition to the proposed mosque has had to do with its self-evident inappropriateness and not any anti-Islamic vitriol. As with his difficulties regarding an appropriately dispassionate yet forceful response the the serious issue of illegal entry into sovereign nations, I hope that the good bishop will overcome his irrational fear of other religions, including, it seems, all too many practiced by his fellow countrymen.
The Diocese of New York now has less than 20k people on a Sunday. It is rapidly declining in membership and ASA. So, what does Bishop Sisk focus on? Well, it’s a mixed bag. He does mention the 4 full time missionaries and mission work in Haiti. That’s on the good side.
But, then, he focuses on political issues – the Mosque near ground zero, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and environmentalism.
Not once does he mention evangelism or the need to become disciples that make disciples. Not once does he mention the Great Commission. Instead of working for “social justice,” the Church should be working to turn its members into disciples.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
Residents of New York City love to talk about their city as being a success in multi-culturalism, ethnic/religious tolerance and cosmopolitan sophistication. In this sense, New York City dwellers see themselve more as ‘citizens of the world’ than as fellow Americans sharing much in common with the rest of the population of the USA.
Along with this inclination on their part is their apparent blindness to how they are perceived by Americans living outside of the greater NYC area.
So, nothing in the Bishop of New York’s address surprises me.
Many of us who live/lived or who were raised in the rest of New York State have seen the logic of the state being split into two parts. One called the the State of NYC and the other Upstate New York because of the vast cultural/political differences between the two parts of the state and the politically dominating mass of the state’s population that resides in NYC.
[blockquote]We considered, yet once again, how we might properly exercise our responsibility in the care of God creation. Happily this diocese has a long tradition of facing into environmental concerns and helping people learn how to do something more than wring their hands in anxiety. I am pleased to say that the Cathedral has had a particularly sharp focus on this issue. Even now we are in the midst of a multi year series on water. I hope that in the year to come we will be able to expand and sharpen this important focus.[/blockquote] I believe this issue has been elevated to the new concept called “The Body of God” by Sallie McFague and spoken about by KJS. How close is this to becoming worship of the creation?
http://tinyurl.com/KJS-body-of-god.
“Along with this inclination on their part is their apparent blindness to how they are perceived by Americans living outside of the greater NYC area”.
I’d be careful with comments like this. I admit I don’t agree with the political/theological drift of NYC or its residents.
But, I lived in the NY metropolitan area for 15 years. Since then I’ve lived all over the East coast, North and South, and in the Southwest. When I lived outside NYC, it was in a true “melting pot”, amongst blacks, whites, Jews, Italians, and whatever else. (It is true that, at that time, there were not many Muslims where I lived, but plenty of Sikhs and Hindus).
I don’t know what it was about it, but everybody got along, helped each other, and was respectful of each other’s differences. On Saturday I’d say to my mother–“I’m going to call Jordy to see if he can play”. She’d say, “Just make sure you catch him before he goes to Temple”. (My family was part of the Caucasian Protestant minority in this town). I’d say, “Oh, ok, that’s good to know”. And we would find a mutual time to play. Not a big deal.
There are surely, sometimes, some rough types that travel up and down the NJ Turnpike. Once, after living in New England for several years, we took a 10-hour trip down the coast. My husband said(he’s from the Southeast, but has been everywhere, including overseas), “I need to come to Jersey more often, because even the gangsters hold the door for me and say ‘please, thank you, and excuse me'”. More than I can say for some communities.
Since then I’ve done a lot of living in the South and Southwest. Wish I had a dime for every time I was not taken seriously, not listened to, or dismissed because “you’re not from here”.
In the 15 years I lived outside NYC, no one ever cut me off or mistreated me because I “was not from there”. I will always respect that, and remember my time there with fondness. I’ve since lived in some places, many which believe themselves to be predominantly “Christian”, yet certainly did NOT act the same way.
For TEC, +Sisk may well consider the Diocese of New York to be the “pick of the litter” in New York State. For 2002 through 2009, the diocese lost 13.7 percent of ASA, but this was better than the losses for Albany 17.3 percent, Central NY 25.4 percent, Rochester 22.0 percent, Western NY 34.2 percent, and Long island 21.5 percent. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is King. Statmann
“Happily this diocese has a long tradition of facing into environmental concerns and helping people learn how to do something more than wring their hands in anxiety”
—- Is this keeping people coming to church on Sunday, so they can hear this drool? Is THAT what he thinks people are looking to him for??
Reply to #5.
Bookworm, my experience has been quite the opposite of yours, norminatively speaking.
I have found the people outside of the major cities in most of the USA to be quite hospitable and kind.
Norminatively speaking, the people in large cities, particularly NYC, seem to be quite hypocritical in their actual practice of race relations and to be very intolerant of those who don’t share their political perspectives.
[blockquote] Many of us who live/lived or who were raised in the rest of New York State have seen the logic of the state being split into two parts. One called the the State of NYC and the other Upstate New York [/blockquote]
Used to live there, grew up there. You are correct. That is an honest perception. New Yorkers (city) are wonderful, but the mindset is completely different. There was a feeling that tax money was sent in a pipeline to NYC, correctly or incorrectly. Upstaters are different entirely, much more conservative, more independent. The weather alone is enough to change a person.