Why God

Maureen Dowd writes a very good article titled "Why, God?"  I think you will find it very interesting and timely.

Maureen Dowd "Why, God?"

Where was God in Newtown?

A Good read from Diana Butler Bass.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-butler-bass/where-was-god-in-newtown_b_2324771.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=971572,b=facebook

Blessings & Merry Christmastide
Gary+

The Danger of EVERYTHING being Biblical

An interesting article about how we reduce the Bible to "Sound Bites."

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/17/my-take-the-danger-of-calling-behavior-biblical/?hpt=hp_c2

Peace
Gary+

"Spiritual, not Religious", A Cop Out

An interesting read and one I believe.  What do you think?

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/29/my-take-im-spiritual-not-religious-is-a-cop-out/?hpt=hp_c1

A Lutheran Bishop speaks about "All this God Talk" at the political conventions

Enjoy!

http://bishopmike.com/2012/09/07/democrats-and-god/

A Growing Church is a Dying Church

Greetings one and all (might I say all 3 of you),

Today I post a powerful statement about what we are called to do as well what we can expect from the clergy. It is not just the clergy's job, we are all called to further the Kingdom, and we will..."with God's help."

Blessings

http://streetpastor.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/a-growing-church-is-a-dying-church/

Why I'm leaving the religious life behind

Greetings All,

Good reading for anyone concerned with the divisiveness and lack of empathy and understanding from those who call themselves Christians!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emily-timbol/leaving-the-religious-lifestyle_b_1837270.html

Born Again

I repost here for all of us a wonderful reminder of who we are as Episcopalians. This is a wonderful article title "Born Again," written by a lay person from Atlanta.... Read with a sense of awe at Mr. Graham's understanding.

Born again

by Lawrence L. Graham

Recently, a gaggle of self-proclaimed guardians of Christianity have announced that the Episcopal Church is either dying or already dead. They cite declining membership and budgetary issues as their secular evidence, and put the blame squarely on the Church’s excessive liberalism.

I have words of wisdom for them:

“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.’” – Matthew 21:31

That’s radical. Yes, there is such a thing as radical Christianity. In fact, there is no other kind. There is only the one based on the radical and revolutionary teachings of Jesus. The term “liberal” pales in comparison to what he actually said and did.

The religious authorities of Jesus’ time had become concerned only with preserving their institution and aggregating power to themselves. Here’s what he said to them:

“Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, pretenders, who are like white tombs, which from the outside appear lovely, but from within are full of the bones of the dead and all corruption!.” – Matthew 23:27

Things are not so very different today. Then and now, corruption lies in those places where children are molested, women get second-class treatment, the plight of the poor is ignored, the sick are left to die by the side of the road, greed is good, mammon is worshipped, and the supposedly “unclean” among us are cast out.

In Jesus’ time, the Jews despised the Samaritans as renegades – just as traditionalists despise liberal Episcopalians today. But, Jesus makes a Samaritan the hero of the Good Samaritan parable, and the authorities of his own time the villains. Radical? Yes. Popular? No!

But let justice flow like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. – Amos 5:24

Like the prophet Amos, Jesus was far more interested in a just society than in the preservation of institutions for their own sake. So, Jesus went about healing the “unclean” – folks that “good people” wouldn’t even touch. Among them were several lepers, the woman with an issue of blood, and even the Centurion’s boyfriend. (Yes, the Greek original appears to say that in at least one place, but the translations still soft-pedal it as too radical.)

When asked which of the ten commandment was greatest, Jesus responded with the Summary of the Law:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22: 37-39

But for the past two-thousand years, far too many guardians of Christian tradition and Holy Scripture have done their best to water Jesus’ teachings down and explain his radical actions away. Like the authorities of Jesus’ own time, their interest lies in preserving the an institution and aggregating power. And that is deadly.

The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." – Luke 3:9

Jesus dared to confront the religious powers and secular principalities of his own time. And his teachings are not merely artifacts of an historic past, nor the story of a one-time rabbi in long-ago Israel. They are the plumb line by which real Christians measure the uprightness of their every thought, prayer and action – no matter how impolite or shocking or radical or liberal our fickle secular society may think them.

Thanks be to God for the Episcopal Church, a church that still hears Jesus’ voice, follows his teachings and is willing to “die to self and chiefly live by His most holy word.”

“You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'”– John 3:7

Phoenix-like, the true church is always dying to itself, only to be reborn by the Holy Spirit so it can proclaim anew the Good News of Jesus’ radical and everlasting way of life.

Mr. Graham is a parishioner and verger at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia

Ethical Musings: What ails Episcopalians

Retired Navy Captain and Chaplain George Clifford writes a wonderful response to Jay Akaskie's WSJ article.

http://blog.ethicalmusings.com/2012/07/what-ails-episcopalians.html?spref=fb

Stacy Sauls Rebuttal of the WSJ Article

http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/opinion_pieces/radically_faithful_to_christia.html#more

Can Liberal Churches Save Christianity?

Diana Butler Bass writes about the likelihood that liberal churches may just be the healing agent for the church.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-butler-bass/can-christianity-be-saved_1_b_1674807.html

A Great Read

Enjoy!

http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/episcopal_church/a_thank_you_and_rebuttal_to_ro_1.html#more

Anglobaptist

A view from a fellow sojourner about our unique tradition!

http://anglobaptist.org/blog/posts/in-praise-of-episcopalians

Thad's in Santa Monica

Take a look at how an Episcopal priest is reaching out to the 897,000 who don't go to church every Sunday. It's pretty awesome and very inspiring. They live Jesus 6 days a week and worship Jesus on Sunday. Sound like a place you'd like to worship.

http://www.episcopalcafe.com/video/2012/07/thads_not_st_thads_just_thads.html#more

Ten reasons to come to church

Instead of procrastinating or thinking about the 10 reasons you can't come to church...Look at it a little differently...ask a different question..."What are the ten reasons you should go to church." See what this pastor has to say...Enjoy!

http://argentapres.org/2012/05/18/ten-reasons-why-you-should-be-going-to-church-2/

Surprising Results from the recent Hymnody Survey

If you have ever wondered if we should upgrade, or modernize our worship music, read this:

http://thecuratesdesk.org/2012/05/15/dont-do-it-for-the-kids-of-hymnal-revision-and-young-adults/

What Your Priest Wants Everyone to Know

Here is a posting that I hope parishioners of any church would like to know. It is written by a classmate of mine. Enjoy and share the ministry of God.

http://dirtysexyministry.blogspot.com/2012/05/what-priests-want-you-to-know.html

Video on Sewanee

If you know me you know my attachment to Sewanee as a place of deep personal connection and spirituality. Please take a moment to watch this short video by a Sewanee grad who works for National Geographic. Blessings!

http://give.sewanee.edu/thelight/

When Spirituality and Religion collide by Diana Butler Bass

My Dear Friends,

Please take a moment to read the linked article below. It is right on as I see it and something we need to pay attention to.

Blessings

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2012-04-15/rowan-williams-retires-anglican-church-archbishop-canterbury/54301424/1

Christianity in Crisis

The following article is a powerful one speaking about why the Crisis in Christianity is real and how followers of Christ may can stem the decline by doing what Jesus told us to do. The author, Andrew Sullivan, uses St. Francis of Assisi and Thomas Jefferson as purveyors of this mission. Enjoy!

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/04/01/andrew-sullivan-christianity-in-crisis.html

How to get rid of your crappy pastor

To All,

I invite and encourage all those out there who don't like their pastor to read this article then do the 6 points and I guarantee your crappy pastor will be gone. Enjoy!

http://revdavidh.blogspot.com/2012/03/get-rid-of-your-crappy-pastor.html?spref=fb

An Amazing Story about Loving God

Nick Vujicic is one of the most inspirational guys around. Born without arms or legs, he inspires more people in a day than than most of us do in a lifetime. Click to watch Nick’s amazing story and glimpse his beautiful love for God.

Take a look: http://hopefaithlove.com/?p=2309&utm_source=hfl&utm_medium=fb&utm_term=video&utm_content=nick&utm_campaign=2-26-7am

My Take: Stop Sugar Coating the Bible

To All,

Take a read of the attached blog post from Steven James regarding how we have made the Bible a book that has lost its original intent and identity.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/25/my-take-stop-sugarcoating-the-bible/?iref=allsearch