by Adam Linton » March 23rd, 2009, 2:54 am
A few comments here and there:
1) In my view, the notion of any one "unchanged" church going back to the beginning, is simply unsustainable--by any and all lines of sight; doctrinal, liturgical, historical, organizational. It just won't hold. This does not mean, however, that things are simply up for grabs. I do believe that there are substantial--indeed profound--Christian continuities. This does mean, however, that the very criteria by which one ponders notions of unity and continuity are (and have been) themselves profoundly open to question; i.e, there are differing sets of these criteria, any number of these which claim basis in primary layers of ecclesiastical antiquity. So while other traditions may certainly claim that they said the words of Scripture "first"--with all due respect and affection, I have to tell you that I--for myself--ain't buyin' it (at least not anymore).
2) I've said it before a number of times in the Wardrobe; and I'll say it here again, although it's a bit blunt. The notion of The Episcopal Church's "total innovation" in sexual perspectives is simply a "dog that just won't hunt." I am convinced--on the basis of both extensive study and extensive, broad-based, long term-observation, as well--that in spite of the ample rhetoric of "offical teaching and discipline," what the church has said that it has believed about homosexuality, has been by and large a smoke screen for a colossal, system-wide "don't ask; don't tell" policy--which all-too-often goes quite toxic in practice. My conviction: The ONLY thing "changed" in the Episcopal Church is the increased candor about what is going on--and with that candor, a refreshing (and much needed) new accountability on sexual matters in the church leadership (especially its top levels). There's no question in my own mind--not only about what works and what does not work--but also which option is more faithful to the Gospel--one of the reasons I am where I now am, ecclesiastically speaking. [And I say this one who is a personally very "straight-arrow," traditionally married kind of guy, by the way.] Please don't ask me to further eloborate or debate on all this; I won't.
3) For what I would say is solid material on liturgical renewal in the Episcopal setting, read Leonel Mitchell's Praying Shapes Believing: A Theological Commentary on the Book of Common Prayer.
Last edited by
Adam Linton on March 25th, 2009, 3:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
we have not loosely through silence permitted things to pass away as in a dream