He also challenged the church to be a “prophetic voice ”¦ regardless of where we serve in the world,” speaking for “those who for cultural, economic, military reasons cannot speak for themselves, or at tremendous cost.” He mentioned crises in Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq, and said the church must “call into accountability those who abuse power.”
The church, he said, “is one institution that does not live for itself” and he called upon the bishops to “hold onto these words” as the “crux of Anglican identity and spirituality.”
De Chickera concluded his sermon with a low, rhythmic Buddhist chant as the cathedral bells tolled.
After the service, Bishop Neil Alexander of Atlanta said he was “particularly moved” by de Chickera’s sermon since it “lifted your soul,” however, Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh said the inclusion of the chant was “very, very troubling” since it was an “invocation of something other than the God we know.”
“…however, Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh said the inclusion of the chant was “very, very troubling” since it was an ‘invocation of something other than the God we know.'”
“Clergy were stationed throughout the cathedral to administer communion, but Duncan said “a number of primates” did not receive. He did not identify them. At other events, primates have refused to take communion because they are in disagreement with others.”
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I would have rerfused to accept communion during a service in which Buddhist chants had been deliberately intoned.
Would that make me a Donatist or a defender of “…the Faith once given…?”
If I refuse to be absolutely “inclusive” of just about ‘anything’ in an Anglican service regardless of what is ‘included,’
does that make me intolerant or
does that make me a faithful believer in “…the Faith once given…” and an earnest folower in the Triune of God the Father, Christ the Messiah and the Holy Spirit?
Long on rhetoric, short on substance. At least the writer didn’t claim that the Cathedral was the setting for The Canterbury Tales this time, sigh. But saying that the list of archbishops is close to the main altar isn’t really true.
This may sound like nit-picking but stories like this, that stretch or misrepresent the truth to wax poetic are difficult to trust and take seriously. Including Beckwith’s wistful “our Gene isn’t welcome here, wahhhhh” while truncating +Duncan’s comments to be solely a criticism of the chant is a good example.
Buddhist chant?
Why? This was not an inter-faith service.
— elfgirl, practicing self-moderation here… there’s more I’d like to write, but it would devolve into a rant
This instance of syncretism is very disturbing — I must concur with +Pittsburgh. But why should I be surprised when Rowan Williams had himself inducted as a druid before his enthronement as ABC? Worship of other gods and approval of sexual immorality (“Body’s Grace”) go hand in hand, as Paul recounts in Romans 1.
Perhaps ++Rowan is saving the minarets and muezzin calls to prayer for a grand finale.
Well, the meetings are held in a circus-style big top. Perhaps the final liturgy will be a three ring celebration, with the ABoC on the tightrope in the center ring, and a muslim/druid celebration on one side and the Bishop of New York celebrating a clown eucharist on the other side!
Yes, send in the clowns — oh, don’t bother, they’re here.
Jim E. <><
Props to Solange for at least mentioning the Buddhist chant (Lord have mercy) and Duncan’s response to it. Maybe she thought he was too picky and included it as a slam rather than including the detail to reveal how revisionist the whole Lambeth Jamboree has become. But I have no patience for her fashion report considering the dismal state the Communion is in. The trappings of tradition are worthless when the content of the faith has become hollow.
Hagrid put the matter succinctly: “Codswallop if ye ask me.” (I hope I have quoted him correctly.)
OK, NOW tell me how many insults – Buddhist chant indeed! – do we take before we pack up and leave? Can someone explain to me why the conservatives sit still and continue to suffer having their faces slapped? And what is this if not a clear slap in the face? When is enough enough? Where’s Batman when you need him? If not Batman, at least Jeremiah. It’s one thing to play cards with the devil, quite another to let him use his own cards. Shame, conservatives!
And when I think my own branch, the ACA and TAC can’t bring their precious selves to enter this crucial battle, I am so embarrassed I feel as if I need to apologize to the entire blog. LM
As I said on another post, it’s over for conservatives/reasserters. It’s clear from the tone of this conference that there is no intention of reaching out to the orthodox except to slap ’em down!
Buddhist chant (even if it were Buddhist style Christian chant –why wasn’t THAT made clear?); Bible study groups where Jesus is referred to as “she”; condemnation of Anglicans in Sydney as ‘fundamentalists’ (according to the report, spoken as if that 15-letter word were a 4-letter word!); now hula dancers at the liturgies.
And from all accounts, the ABoC stating that GAFCON is creating pressures equal to the ‘pain’ caused by Americans & Canadians acting unilaterally, as if there were not a cause and effect relationship there.
No, reasserters are not going to be accomodated in TEC, Canada or England much longer. We are just ‘in the way’. And frankly, or hope results from us standing with the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE — otherwise we are going to fall hard.
I also quoted a popular song above, and I think it bears repeating:
send in the clowns? Don’t bother — they’re here.
But are they us or them?
Peace
Jim Elliott <><
What were the words of the chant?
Melodic choice aside, were the words Christocentric, or are we just reacting to the concept?
I sent an email to Bp. Duncan asking him about that. I’ll let you know when I hear back from him.
In the meantime, please take another look at my post #9 where I ask “if it were Buddhist-style Christian chant –why wasn’t THAT made clear?”. Bishop Duncan’s remarks as well as the reaction of other primates NOT to receive communion at that liturgy seems to indicate that it was 100% Buddhist.
But again, I’ll let y’all know if or when I hear from him.
Peace
Jim Elliott <><