Thursday, March 22, 2007
Schism
Just a note on the troubles currently faced by the Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church in the USA is one member. For all the high talk of morals and spiritual discord, the underlying truth is this: it's a struggle for power and influence. The election of Bishop Gene Robinson, who happens to be in a monogamous same-sex relationship, was simply the proverbial straw causing problems for the proverbial dromedary. African bishops, and some Episcopal ones, were agitated when women were ordained beginning in the 70s. But no one foresaw the growth of the church in Africa then, so their protestations were swept aside while the communion went ahead with what we saw as progress. Thirty years later, the church in Africa is so large, we can no longer ignore them. The ordination of gays, and other issues (i.e. same-sex marriage), is anathema to them. When they protested, Canterbury sat up and listened. The African Anglicans form a majority, one we should appease to keep the peace. Thus the 'Windsor Report' asking for a moratorium on all the divisive issues.
Too bad we Americans don't listen. Some dioceses in the USA openly flaunt the moratorium, while others break off and side with the African bishops. I'm with the side that flaunts the report. Don't ask me to step backward if you're not willing to step forward. We meet in the middle or we don't meet at all. And let's come to our senses and recognize this for what it is--politics in the guise of religion. If we were truly meeting at the foot of the cross, as Christ asks us to, our differences would be moot.
Too bad we Americans don't listen. Some dioceses in the USA openly flaunt the moratorium, while others break off and side with the African bishops. I'm with the side that flaunts the report. Don't ask me to step backward if you're not willing to step forward. We meet in the middle or we don't meet at all. And let's come to our senses and recognize this for what it is--politics in the guise of religion. If we were truly meeting at the foot of the cross, as Christ asks us to, our differences would be moot.
Friday, March 02, 2007
EHS Class of '97 to Class of '07
My dad called from the road Thursday evening. He had been listening to NPR and caught a report of tornadoes in Enterprise, Alabama. The report said one hit the high school and several students were dead or missing. I turned on CNN and watched pictures of my alma mater crumbled, debris strewn, unrecognizable at first.
I graduated from EHS in 1997 and have not been back to the school since a friend's graduation in 1998. But I have good memories and I hold that it is one of the best public high schools in the state. The teachers and administration made it that way. Some of the teachers I had still teach there and it's a blessing to know they're okay, but I grieve for the eight students lost.
To all my Enterprise friends far and wide--Jarrod, Becky, Ria, Erin, Vivianne, Susan, Tori and the numerous names I have forgotten over the past decade--take care of yourselves.
With love, Sarah
I graduated from EHS in 1997 and have not been back to the school since a friend's graduation in 1998. But I have good memories and I hold that it is one of the best public high schools in the state. The teachers and administration made it that way. Some of the teachers I had still teach there and it's a blessing to know they're okay, but I grieve for the eight students lost.
To all my Enterprise friends far and wide--Jarrod, Becky, Ria, Erin, Vivianne, Susan, Tori and the numerous names I have forgotten over the past decade--take care of yourselves.
With love, Sarah
