Wednesday, March 24, 2004
History of Christian Life and Thought Journal Entries
In the HCLT II course, we are required to spend a few minutes at the end of each class period and write a brief journal entry about something discussed in class or the readings that we are thinking about. Thanks to Corrine whose gentle reminder today (when I was packed up, ready to go, but confused as to why the professor had stopped talking ten minutes early and no one was moving towards the door) prevented me from making a general ass out of myself, which I usually have no trouble doing on my own. In any event, as the course goes on, I will try and post these brief ponderings. Please find below, gentle readers, my first journal entry.
HCLT II - Journal Entry I
As we discussed the history of the schism between Eastern and Western Christianity and the need for reconciliation, I thought of the fact that we are really taking one step forward and two steps backwards. So ECUSA (Episcopal Church of the USA) is going to eliminate the "Filioque" clause in the next prayer book, partly to reconcile with our Eastern brothers and sisters - so what. This may help repair a liturgical/theological rift, but ECUSA broke that chasm of difficulty and difference wide open again with the consecration of V. Gene Robinson. One step forward, two steps back. I'm not saying it's on par with the sack of Constantinople, but the effect of schism and divide remains as readily apparent.
-R
[Further Thoughts: None of the above is to say that we should not eliminate the troublesome clause - indeed, we should, given careful historical and theological study. It just seems to me that we (ECUSA) should not phrase our reasoning in such a way as to insinuate that the reason we are doing this is to reconcile with the Eastern Orthodox Church, and then fly in their face with the Robinson consecration.]
[Even further thoughts: A colleague of mine rightly pointed out that the split between ECUSA and the Eastern Orthodox Church is far more complicated that what I have stated here. I was not attempting to be exhaustive in my thoughts. These are and will be short journal entries that reflect my immediate thoughts after class. Still though, in order to more fairly represent the case, the E. Orthodox Church's refusal to ordain or recognize the ordination of women drives the wedge further as well.]
In the HCLT II course, we are required to spend a few minutes at the end of each class period and write a brief journal entry about something discussed in class or the readings that we are thinking about. Thanks to Corrine whose gentle reminder today (when I was packed up, ready to go, but confused as to why the professor had stopped talking ten minutes early and no one was moving towards the door) prevented me from making a general ass out of myself, which I usually have no trouble doing on my own. In any event, as the course goes on, I will try and post these brief ponderings. Please find below, gentle readers, my first journal entry.
HCLT II - Journal Entry I
As we discussed the history of the schism between Eastern and Western Christianity and the need for reconciliation, I thought of the fact that we are really taking one step forward and two steps backwards. So ECUSA (Episcopal Church of the USA) is going to eliminate the "Filioque" clause in the next prayer book, partly to reconcile with our Eastern brothers and sisters - so what. This may help repair a liturgical/theological rift, but ECUSA broke that chasm of difficulty and difference wide open again with the consecration of V. Gene Robinson. One step forward, two steps back. I'm not saying it's on par with the sack of Constantinople, but the effect of schism and divide remains as readily apparent.
-R
[Further Thoughts: None of the above is to say that we should not eliminate the troublesome clause - indeed, we should, given careful historical and theological study. It just seems to me that we (ECUSA) should not phrase our reasoning in such a way as to insinuate that the reason we are doing this is to reconcile with the Eastern Orthodox Church, and then fly in their face with the Robinson consecration.]
[Even further thoughts: A colleague of mine rightly pointed out that the split between ECUSA and the Eastern Orthodox Church is far more complicated that what I have stated here. I was not attempting to be exhaustive in my thoughts. These are and will be short journal entries that reflect my immediate thoughts after class. Still though, in order to more fairly represent the case, the E. Orthodox Church's refusal to ordain or recognize the ordination of women drives the wedge further as well.]
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