Holy Week and hard times

I think is from last year. I don't know about some of the theology of these reporters, but I liked the story.

It may be that tough times are helping even American Protestant Christians to see that there can be special grace and growth as we pass through times of pain and hardship: we can use them for godliness, as opportunities to "share in the sufferings of Christ" (Phil. 3:10) and learn to show forth the same virtues - humility, patience, holy submission, forgivness - that Jesus exemplified and perfected that first Holy Week.

The Church also, as this pastor points out, has a remarkable opportunity to reach out in these times of hardship when people are in need - and more aware of their limitations.

Almighty God, you sent your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to suffer death on the cross. Grant that we may share in his obedience to your will and in the glorious victory of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and ever. Amen. (United Methodist Hymnal 281)

The Angelus Prayer for all of us

Last year I had coffee with a friend of mine just after she returned from serving as a Roman Catholic missionary for a year in Honduras. During the course of our conversation, when she was describing the devotion and worship habits of the little community of young people she lived with there, she told me about a tradtional Roman Catholic prayer called the Angelus.

Now, while I have some familiarity with Catholic history and official teachings of the Catechism and the Second Vatican Council, I am relatively ignorant when it comes to popular devotional practices. This one is said at convents and monasteries at 6am, noon, and 6pm.

This one intrigued me because it includes a call-and-response recitation of some Bible verses about the Incarnation, and because the closing prayer of the "Angelus", when my friend Emily told me the words, sounded very strong - and usable to a Protestant. I later discovered that it is actually in The Book of Common Prayer (1979) (for the feast of the Annunciation, March 25).

I've been looking to find a "convergence Mariology" (acceptable to Christians of all denominations) for the sake of Christian unity, and so, here is the Angelus prayer, slightly modified. I composed the short collect as an alternative to the tradtional "Hail Mary" between the responses, it is clearly rooted in language of the Bible and the Tradition, and covers some of the same ground as the "Hail Mary/Ave Maria":

V. The angel of the Lord announced unto Mary.
R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Holy God, whose beloved Son became incarnate for us and for our salvation from the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord; hear the prayers of your faithful people: have mercy upon us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it unto me according to your Word.

Holy God, whose beloved Son became incarnate...

V. And the Word was made flesh.
R. And dwelt among us.

Holy God, whose beloved Son became incarnate...

V. Hear the prayers of your faithful people:
R. That, by your grace, we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Feast of St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Today we celebrate St. Cyril, the famous 4th Century Bishop of Jerusalem. Here is a cool quote of his:

But in learning the faith and in professing it, acquire and keep that only, which is now delivered to you by the Church, and which has been built up strongly out of all the Scriptures...So for the present time listen while I simply say the Creed, and commit it to memory; but at the proper season expect confirmation out of Holy Scripture of each part of the contents. For the articles of the faith were not composed as seemed good to men; but the most important points collected out of all the Scripture make up one complete teaching of the faith. And just as the mustard seed in one small grain contains many branches, so also this faith has embraced in few words all the knowledge of godliness in the Old and New Testaments. Take heed then, brethren, and "hold fast to the traditions" (2 Thess. 2:15) which you now recieve, and "write them on the table of your heart" (Prov. 7:3).

Now you'll probably want to whoop out your United Methodist Hymnal, turn to 880 and confess the Nicene Creed in a strong voice, or maybe the Apostles' Creed at 882, so as to remember and savor the authoritative and reliable summary of the Biblical faith, the Biblical story, that has been handed down to us in the tradition of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church, of which we are a part.

Those of us who hear and use the Creeds frequently should not forget the power of what they represent: a universal faith. I grew up saying the Creeds at my Methodist Church and my Catholic school. After wandering some years through Bible Churches and "Free Churches" the yearning for an understanding of the Bible, an authoritative interpretation of the basics, that was simple and universal - not the opinion or perspective of a single individual or cultural group, but an understanding of the faith that was truly 'catholic' - is part of what attracted me back to the Methodist/Anglican tradition with our lifting up of the ancient Creeds.

So, what is your aim?

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him... -Phil. 3:7-9 (ESV)

Let nothing satisfy thee but the power of godliness, but a religion that is Spirit and Life; thy dwelling in God, and God in thee - the being an inhabitant of eternity; the entering in by the blood of sprinkling within the veil, and sitting in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus.
-John Wesley (Sermon on the Mount II; section 2.6)

Church, homosexuality, and "the cause"

Here is a good post from Shane over at Wesley Report that hits on some issues relating to how The United Methodist Church currently fights about sexuality and homosexual practice. Fighting for "The Cause" (and I think this works 'for' and 'against' on this issue) can become our primary focus, which can only rightly be God himself. The comments on that post are especially good discussion that get into some of the assumptions made by people on each side of the fight. Please read and ponder them carefully.

Holy Crap, and what to do about it

This article, "Holy Crap must go" is an excellent discussion of mainline Protestantism in the West, focusing on how our structure (which was an asset 70 years ago) has become for us a liability, and suggests some changes. For anyone in a mainline church, this is an important (and lively) read.

Atheist choirmasters?

My fiancee recently asked me what I thought of something. She is musically gifted and is up on the whole "choir scene" at various churches in her area. One of the smaller United Methodist churches - that we'll call St. Joe's - has a young choir director with an excellent music education leading the choir. The quality of the musical elements of the worship services at St. Joe's have increased noticably since this young new director took the reigns.

While quite adept at picking hymns and choral arrangements that lift the hearts of worshipers, the new choir director is actually an atheist. As an atheist the choir director is, naturally, not a member of the congergation, but respectful of the beliefs of Christians, while not sharing them.

Now some would argue that it is inappropriate and compromises a church's integrity for an atheist to be the choir director since this is a position of visible leadership in the Christian community. Furthermore, if this person engages in non-Christian practices out in the community, it could be a stumbling block to members (or prospects) who don't know about the whole atheism thing (as many presumably do not). While all people - regardless of their beliefs - are welcome to participate in the life of the Church, only committed Christians should be given positions of leadership. These folk are primarily concerned with the principle of the matter, though there could be practical consequences.

Others would argue that at least this person is using natural gifts to help others encounter and worship God; and better in church than in bed on Sunday mornings anyways, right? Maybe the experience of hearing the Word and working with followers of Jesus will cause the choir director to re-think Christianity in general. Besides, in the UMC only clergy need submit to doctrinal examinations. These folks are looking more pragmatically at the situation.

I tend to be more a principles than a practicals person myself (i.e. I would not have hired this fellow to begin with). What do you think? What would you do if you were the pastor or DS and somebody brought this to your attention?