Category Archives: Faith

Redux on the Installation of Bishop Jessica Crist: The Good, the Bad, and the Ecumenical

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We just got home from Great Falls where we attended the installation of the new Lutheran bishop.? So… here’s the redux:

The Good
[-] the music — HEAVENLY and with appropriate brass on “Thine Is The Glory.”
[-] at LEAST 150 clergy in the procession.
[-] getting to schmooze with those who I wanted to see afterwards.
[-] seeing President Ramseth again and explaining that I’m using my Trinity education to teach Greek and Bible to inmates at the local prison.
[-] the good natured teasing from the pastors who were at FLBC with me during my adventures in yellowjacket stings
[-] the lovely lunch afterwards with Jon (we skipped the reception)
[-]$tarbucks after lunch

The Bad
[-] inclusivized hymns *dopeslaps those who changed words on “Let All Things Now Living”*
[-] inclusivized liturgy.
[-] the canned parts of the Presiding Bishop’s sermon as well as the parts which sounded like they were plagarized from an LDS fireside chat on evangelism.
[-] the fact that with 300ish people, it was bloody hot in the sanctuary.
[-] molasses bread for communion (I will *NEVER* get used to it)

The Ecumenical
[-] the Episcopal bishop coming in full ecclesiastical regalia. (I thought he was Catholic as I’d never seen a Piskie bishop in full regalia.? It finally hit me after I saw him take communion.)
[-] the service being held at the largest CATHOLIC church in Great Falls because no Lutheran churches were big enough.
[-] the vicar general/pastoral administrator of the Diocese of Great Falls/Billings offering greetings and reading the Gospel
[-] the number of clergy from other backgrounds who were there and in the procession.
[-] two members of the Jewish community taking part in the service (one offering greetings and one reading the first lesson).
[-] the Assinibone leader who gave a blessing in his native language before the service began as well as a tribal song before the blessing at the end.? (Montana has a huge Native American population and it was fitting that there be some aspect of that present at the service.? It was tastefully incorporated.)

The one sadness I have is that I don’t know that many people in Jon’s parish would have appreciated the diversity of people and faiths present.? Some asked incredulously why we were holding the installation in a Catholic church and others would have claimed worship was “too formal” or “too Catholic”. ? I’m really hoping that it’s something that can change with Bishop Jessica though I hate to say that I’m not holding my breath.

What’s Wrong With This Picture???

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I finally got around to watching one of the “God’s Warriors” specials that I DVR’ed last month.Â? It was the Christian one and I found it horribly lacking in spectrum when referring to evangelical Christianity.Â? For one, it showed mostly Jerry Falwell and his minions who are trying to re-structure the Supreme Court.Â? To her benefit, Christiane Amanpour *DID* interview Jimmy Carter who *IS* one of the most visible Christians today and who has done immeasurably more out of office than in.

I think the thing that irritated me most was the failure of everyone shown to understand that the Gospel and bringing about the kingdom doesn’t involve getting one political party to dominate the government.Â? I know that Jesus wasn’t about all that and that the Son of God does not belong to either major political party.Â? Instead, I think Jesus would have been all about the work of groups like International Justice Mission,Â? ModestNeeds.Org, Kiva, and Lutheran World Relief.Â? In fact, the social justice plank of the Democrats’ platform resembles more of what Jesus wanted.

How do I know that Jesus wouldn’t have been rarin’ to go for the morals and the changing of the court?Â? Because that’s not what He fought for in his lifetime.Â? He healed the sick, cured the lame, and gave the outcast some standing.Â? Oh yes… let’s not forget that the Israelites were exiled back in the day because they focused on being so perfectly right while ignoring the commands to take care of the widow and orphan.

It just makes me sick to see people like James Dobson railing about the immorality of this country while ignoring the fact that there are people starving and dying in the world.Â? Why didn’t we hear massive pleas from all the talking heads to contribute to aid funds for the earthquakes in Peru?Â? Is it because they’re all poor and not on the radar of Dr. Dobson and others in the “moral majority”?Â? What is so freaking moral about a bunch of men who ignore the sick and dying in order to pontificate about what they believe???

Jesus, please save me from some of your followers!

Why Is This Surprising?

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Telegraph.Co.UK: Mother Teresa’s diary reveals her crisis of faith

Refer to title for question. The management thanks you.

Seriously… she was a broken human being like the rest of us, born into sin and baptized into the death of Christ, which was her redemption. Unlike many of us, she chose willlingly to work among those who were forgotten, fulfilling Matthew 25:34-40. For that reason, she should be canonized — she lived a life in service to others and it’s an example of AMAZING spiritual fruit that should be considered and emulated inasmuch as is possible by her brothers and sisters in Christ.

There’s a quote that Jan Karon used in Patches of Godlight that sticks out:

Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.

I don’t believe in purgatory or the power of the cult of the saints — I believe that I am saved by grace through faith. This means that I accept that I am a broken, sinful human being who cannot come to God through my own understanding, but instead am enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Yes, I’m paraphrasing the answer to the question about the Third Article of the Creed in the Small Catechism. I *am* Lutheran after all, even if I am pondering becoming Antiochian Orthodox or returning to being an Anglican.)Â? I also believe that saints don’t have magical powers — they were people who did amazing things with the talents given to them by the Lord and said things were done in the name of bringing about the Kingdom of God.Â? That is why they are saints.Â? All of us have that potential but not many can make the sacrifice to give up what we have in this world to bring about the next.

It’s going to be interesting to see what the Vatican does with this startling revelation.Â? Hopefully,Â? whoever is involved in the beatification procedure (the terminology escapes me at the moment) willÂ? see that this is part of what made her human.Â? What she chose to do (i.e. living her life in the service of Christ regardless of her doubts) is what makes her holy and perhaps worthy of being canonized as a saint.

Kvetching About Faith

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(Tagged by Episcosours)

Rules

  1. You have to use your own belief system for the meme. No fair using someone elseâ????s to make a joke or satire. Being humorous about your own religion is encouraged!
  2. You have to have at least one joy and one trial. More are encouraged. And no, they donâ????t have to be equal in length, but please be honest.
  3. You have to tag at least one other person. More are appreciated!
  4. Please post these rules!

Why I Enjoy Being a Lutheran-Anglican Anomaly
1.) Jesus loves me and died for my sins.
2.) I love liturgy.
3.) Mostly cool people.
4.) Potlucks!

Why I Do Not Enjoy Being A Lutheran-Anglican Anomaly
1.) I’m a pastor’s wife. Enough said.
2.) Dealing with people who think that I *must* be perfect because I’m Christian.
3.) The knowledge that I’m a broken and sinful person.