The liberal tone of the sermon, and its insistence on inclusivity and equality, upset some in the pews as did the more multicultural, politically correct aspects of the service.
The Right Rev Bob Duncan, the Bishop of Pittsburgh, could be deposed because he is unhappy with the progressive agenda pursued by the US Episcopal Church. He told the Guardian: “You cannot have unity at any price. The obvious divisions are there. When a family is broken it’s because the family has no boundaries. To have a Buddhist chant at an Anglican sermon does not reflect the God we believe in.”
Despite some dissent, most delegates remained upbeat. The presiding bishop of the US Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts-Schori, said it was a “wonderful” sermon.
“It’s what the church is today,” she said. “It is inclusive – even those who don’t agree with the message, it includes them too.”
[i]On an occasion demanding a show of togetherness, Dr Rowan Williams later embarrassed officials by leaving through the wrong exit of the cathedral, with the remaining bishops walking in a different direction.[/i]
Shades of a scene from Barchester Towers.
Could somebody please indicate/clarify what Bp Duncan meant by:
[i][b]To have a Buddhist chant at an Anglican sermon[/b][/i]??
What exactly was said — or chanted — how, when, where — why?
I tried to access the ABC,s sermon text, but couldn’t do it. I think we all really need to see what actually happened here.
Thank you elves, et al.
——
[i] Several sources reported that there was a buddhist chant at the end of the sermon. We don’t have details as to exact content.[/i]
A pretty fair article, all told. Surprising, coming from the Guardian.
[i]”It’s what the church is today,” she said. “It is inclusive – even those who don’t agree with the message, it includes them too.”[/i]
Two things:
1) “It’s what the church is today” is the problem. It’s not the church of the past 2000 years of unbroken teaching and belief, handed down from the apostles to the Church Fathers to the present.
and
2) “It is inclusive – even those who don’t agree with the message, it includes them too” — then why is KJS and her lackeys so intent on driving “them” out through lawsuit and inhibitions? Her actions speak much louder than her words.
Peace
Jim Elliott <><
Lumen Christie:
the article referred to is [url=http://new.kendallharmon.net/wp-content/uploads/index.php/t19/article/14459/]here[/url]:
the quote in question:
[blockquote]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.”
[/blockquote]
I too am wondering about the supposed Buddhist chant. If it was really in the liturgy it makes me very distressed but I want proof before I go ballistic!
Might it not have possibly been related to the very ethnic but very orthodox dance by the http://www.orders.anglican.org/mbh/ ?
I sent an email asking the author if a translation of the ‘rhythmic Buddhist chant’ was provided to the participants, knowing that there were Hindu or Asian Christians present who used their own musical styles with Christian words (De Chickera is from Sri Lanka, which I know has a large Muslim and Catholic population, but not sure about Buddhist) .
If it were, indeed, a pure Buddhist chant, then it had NO place in a Christian liturgy, athen Bp. Duncan was right in his commentary.
I’ll let y’all know if I get a response. Since it was from Episcopal Life online, I doubt I will.
Peace
Jim E. <><
Sri Lanka is primarily Buddhist (Teravada Buddhist).
Chris,
Thank you. When my dad worked in Saudi (civilian attached to the Corps of Engineers) he had a number of friends from Sri Lanka, all were Catholic, and all were prohibited, under Saudi law, from having a Catholic priest come from the American governmental compound to say Mass for them. On the few occasions where the priest defied ‘orders’ and went anyway, he was deported the next day.
Which is why I know there to be a large Catholic presence in Sri Lanka.
Peace
Jim Elliott <><
libraryjim in #4 your thoughts are dead-on with mine as also are archangelica’s in #6.
I have now read several accounts of the service all of which give mention to this Buddist chant. If it was truly a Buddist chant, I am very disturbed by it, but am also awaiting further clarification.
As for KJS’s comments…all that I can think of, over the sound of my grinding teeth, is that this is [b]not[/b] the Universalist Church where “whatever spiritual path brings you to enlightment is okay with us,” We are Christians. The path to eternal life is exclusively through faith in Jesus Christ. Why does she not get this?
Because, #10, she doesn’t WANT to “get this.” Cf. Chris Seitz’s+ excellent essay on “enlightened American Episcopalianism” from 7/17.
I think more and more that KJS and many if not most TEc bishops would feel quite at home, see nothing at all wrong with the liturgy my wife and I sat through a few years ago at my wife’s childhood parish in CA–it was World Prayer Day, or some such “ecumenical” thing. Started off with the “consecration” of a “prayer staff” in the courtyard (Baal worship, anyone?), and moved onto prayers of the people using Muslim, Buddhist, Zoroastrian (!), Hindu, and other non-Christian offerings. I’m still amazed they didn’t throw in Druid for completeness. This, the day after we had a Rite 1 memorial service in the same church for my father-in law, a staunch reasserter. I haven’t been back since.
The “prophetic new thing” in TEc and the ACC is the Spirit of the Age, NOT the “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” that atoned for us on the cross.