From the Episcopal News...

Historic Mount Calvary Retreat House, shown here in a file photo, was destroyed by a wildfire that started on November 13.

Bulletin: Montecito fire destroys

Mount Calvary Retreat House

(Episcopal News, Los Angeles) -- The raging Montecito wildfire has destroyed historic Mount Calvary Retreat House, staff and Santa Barbara County officials have confirmed.

The resident brothers, members of the Order of the Holy Cross, and staff are safe following evacuation, said Nancy Bullock, program director for Mount Calvary, speaking by phone from All Saints by-the-Sea Church in Montecito.

Bullock said that All Saints is currently working to determine if any parishioners have lost homes in the blaze, which has claimed more than 100 residences across 2,500 acres. Bullock's husband, Jeff, is rector of the parish.

Bishop J. Jon Bruno, who is in close telephone contact with clergy leaders in the Santa Barbara area, asks the prayers of the diocesan community for all those affected by the fire. The bishop and staff of the Diocese of Los Angeles have pledged their support in assisting the coordination of fire recovery efforts. Checks, payable to the Treasurer of the Diocese and earmarked "Montecito Fire Recovery" may be sent to the Bishop's Office, 840 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Mount Calvary's prior, the Rev. Nicholas Radelmiller OHC, is leading the brothers and staff in assessing next steps of response to the fire damage.

Bullock said the brothers and staff at Mt. Calvary, were able to leave with some of the hilltop retreat house's valuable art treasures, as well as computer records, "but so much is lost."

Mount Calvary staff will assist groups and individuals in seeking alternate locations for upcoming retreats, all of which are now cancelled owing to the fire, Bullock said. The Cathedral Center retreat center in Los Angeles is available to assist this process.

At Santa Barbara's Trinity Church, rector and deanery co-dean Mark Asman is meeting with staff and volunteers to assess the situation and crisis response. Further information will be reported through the Episcopal News email list as soon as it becomes available, Asman said.

Asman said Trinity Church's rectory and parish house were able to accommodate the brothers overnight November 13. St. Mary's Retreat House, an Episcopal Church site near the Santa Barbara Mission, has also extended hospitality, although it was subject to a temporary evacuation November 13.

Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared the fire zone a disaster area as fire fighters continue to work to contain the blaze.

Mount Calvary Retreat House, with its panoramic ocean views, was founded in 1947 by the Order of the Holy Cross, based in West Park, N.Y.

--Report filed by Bob Williams, canon for community relations, Diocese of Los Angeles.

Dear friends,

I have sad news. According to a press conference held this morning (Friday), the fire burning in Montecito has completely destroyed Mount Calvary monastery. Mount Calvary, besides being in our deanery of the LA Diocese, is also a spiritual home away from home for so many of us here at Epiphany, in this Diocese, and all along the West coast. I have contacted our deanery co-deans, Mark Asman of Trinity Church in Santa Barbara, and Jerry Kahler of St. Paul's Church in Ventura, and offered our love, support and prayers as well as any assistance, small or great, we can give. It is a great loss to say the least. Thankfully, I understand from a colleague in the Bay area who has been in touch with Robert Sevensky, the Superior of the Order of the Holy Cross which includes Mount Calvary, that the brothers evacuated safely to St. Mary's down the hill.

Please do keep the brothers in your prayers. It may be too soon to say, but I do know that with any crisis there is an opportunity and with any death there is possibility for new life. My prayer is that Mount Calvary may experience opportunity, creativity and new life out of the tragedy of this great loss.

Best to you all and thank you...
peace,
melissa

From our Bishop...

Bishop Bruno issues statement

on the passage of Proposition 8

Bishop J. Jon Bruno of the Diocese of Los Angeles issued a statement on November 5 concerning the passage of Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that amends the state constitution to define marriage as only the union of a man and a woman, therefore outlawing gay or lesbian marriage.

Bruno, along with Bishop Suffragan Chester Talton and Bishops Assistant Sergio Carranza and Robert Anderson, joined bishops of the six Episcopal dioceses of California in publicly opposing the measure.

Text of the bishop's statement follows.

I call upon Californians who supported Proposition 8 to make an honest and dedicated effort to learn more about the lives and experiences of lesbian and gay humanity whose constitutional rights are unfairly targeted by this measure. Look carefully at scriptural interpretations, and remember that the Bible was once used to justify slavery, among other forms of oppression.
It is important that we understand that we are a state that lives with freedom of religion - and freedom from religious oppression.
In my view, and in that of many Episcopalians, Proposition 8 is a lamentable expression of fear-based discrimination that attempts to deny the constitutional rights of some Californians on the basis of sexual orientation. It is only a matter of time before its narrow constraints are ultimately nullified by the courts and our citizens' own increasing knowledge about the diversity of God's creation.
Too often the road to justice is made deeply painful by setbacks such as Proposition 8, which nearly half of California voters rejected. But as our new President-elect has said, "...let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other."

J. Jon Bruno
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles

Love and marriage...

Below is a letter from Bishop Bruno (pictured left) regarding the work of the task force on marriage, including some very helpful educational materials. Do take a look if you have a moment. You will be glad you did!

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

The Supreme Court of California has determined that all citizens of our state should have equal access to marriage as a civil right based in our state constitution. The Court's ruling provides the Church with an opportunity to reflect on our own theology of marriage. In the Diocese of Los Angeles, we have sought to provide the Church's blessing to all the baptized people of God. Among those are people who have sought to have same-sex relationships blessed in the community of faith. I know that the acceptance of same-sex unions has caused spiritual struggle and questioning for some members of our Diocese, our Church and the Anglican Communion. My policy has been to allow clergy to respond to the needs of their community with pastoral sensitivity including the blessing of these unions as they deem appropriate to the pastoral context.

Earlier this year, when the court made same-sex marriage an option in civil law, I felt it necessary to convene a task force to develop a diocesan policy by which clergy in our Diocese might officiate at same-sex marriages. The task force has developed educational materials that I hope will help you and members of our Diocese to reflect on the issues involved in same sex-marriage as we discern our way forward. I hope that all clergy in our Diocese might educate our congregations about marriage and have conversations about it.

Performing and blessing these marriages is not simply theoretical. There are real people in congregations large and small who have waited sometimes for many years for this opportunity, and the witness of their faithful love has been an inspiration to me. Other couples will step forward in the future. I hope you will take the opportunity in the next several weeks to listen to their stories. Many among these couples are members of our congregations.

While no one in this Diocese will be forced to move beyond what his or her conscience allows, we seek to provide that gracious space for those whose conscience compels them to bless the marriages of all faithful people as together we discern the work of the Holy Spirit who continues to lead us into all truth.

Your Brother in Christ,

J. Jon Bruno

Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles

For a copy of the Task Force report, click here.

alternatives

Two Sundays ago our gospel reading was from Matthew 22.1-14, which is the parable of a King who throws a wedding banquet for his son. The "traditional" interpretation of this parable is an allegorical one with God as the tyrannical King, the King's absentee son as Jesus, etc. However, there is an alternative interpretation that I stumbled upon during my research. I found it on the Girardian lectionary website. Rene Girard, pictured right, is a philosopher (among other things) who has made quite a contribution to the doctrine of atonement in his scapegoat and mimetic desire theories. It's all heady stuff, but quite helpful to those of us who are working with congregations and Biblical texts. The Girardian lectionary interprets Biblical texts in light of Girard's theories and the interpretation for our gospel lesson above is wonderfully unique! Click here to get to the site. To read the full text of the essay on the gospel reading written by Marty Aiken, click on The Kingdom of Heaven Suffers Violence:
Discerning the Suffering Servant in the Parable of the Wedding Banquet.

Economy

How do we begin to understand the current economic crisis? How do we address it as people of faith? If you, like me, are interested in thinking and praying on our economic state, I turn your attention to Religion and Ethics Weekly's contribution this week on economies human and divine. I hope you will find some food for thought!

The Rabbi and the Religulous

Yesterday I posted a review of Rabbi David Wolpe's book, Why Faith Matters, and this morning, while reading my electronic copy of the LA Times, I came across an article by Rabbi Wolpe in beautiful response to the movie, Religulous. The trailer for the movie is immediately below, followed by the LA Times article. I am thinking of going to this movie (for the sake of being informed and NOT because I agree with its premise, obviously) and it would be great to have some company! Anyone care to join me? Just send an email...




Opinion
Maher's mockery misses the point
His movie, 'Religulous,' is one-dimesional, while religion is varied and colorful.
By David Wolpe
October 7, 2008

There are three problems with Bill Maher's new movie mocking faith: It misunderstands religion, misconceives God and gets human nature all wrong.

I have a fantasy of a counter-movie. I would travel around the world and interview every scientist with a crackpot theory or a quack cure. I'd find researchers who were venal, eccentric, foolish or cruel, throwing in a few responsible scientists for credibility. Call it, say, "Scientifictious."

Of course, that would be no more convincing than "Religulous." Religion is not univocal; there are lots of varieties and personalities. There is no shortage of strange beliefs and practices. There is ample opportunity for derision. Think of the movie he could have made about people's eating habits.

What Maher seems not to know, or to understand, is that religion is not a fantasy flung upward but an intuition of something far greater than ourselves. Everyone who lives with open eyes has reason to question. In the search there will be missteps, even cruelties and division, but also sublimity, kindness, beauty, wonder and faith.

Perhaps Maher's greatest misunderstanding of religion is his central indictment: that religion is responsible for the world's violence. It is not. Violence is a product of human nature. Before monotheism, the Assyrians were not kind; the Romans were bloodthirsty beyond the imagination of religious regimes. When religion became less potent in people's lives after the French Revolution, instead of making the world less violent, it became far more violent: World War I and WWII, communism, Nazism -- all shed blood on an unprecedented scale. None were religious regimes or religious wars.

Maher's dislike of religion is not reasoned, however, but visceral. He told Mother Jones magazine about the Jews praying on his plane to Israel: "Even on the plane over, they were, at a certain point, they all stood up in the aisle of the plane davening [praying] ... they just looked like crazy people, always bowing their head. It's disconcerting." No doubt had they worn Armani suits and been tapping at a keyboard, Mr. Maher would have found them rational; but seeking transcendence in coach -- crazy.

If faith is, in part, the summit of our hopes, a guide and an aspiration, then what does Maher's creed leave him with? Again, as he tells Mother Jones: "I'm telling you. I've got nothing." It should not be hard to understand why someone might choose ancient wisdom over modern nihilism. It is not heroic to believe we are accidents of chemistry.

Maher's view of human nature as essentially animalistic (he repeatedly wonders why anyone would curb their sexual appetites) is dispiriting and plain wrong. Animals we are, but we are much more than animals.

Maher misunderstands God as a projection of human need. This is a common atheistic trope -- your belief is based on psychological deficiencies, while mine is reasoned. In truth, the existence of God is not an antidote to fear but a consequence of wonder. God does not come about through faulty reasoning but through a worshipful and humble orientation of the soul.

"Religulous" repeatedly calls faith irrational. True, it is not a product of pure reason, but then what is, apart from mathematics? Reason does not get us out of bed, or move us to love or kindness. Religion is supported by reason, however. The marvel of values, ideas and consciousness -- nonphysical but powerful phenomena -- can reasonably be thought to have an origin in a nonphysical entity: that is, God. Centuries of people emboldened by, and ennobled by, faith can reasonably be thought to have something more than foolish illusions in their minds and hearts. Nevertheless, Maher calls religion a "neurological disorder."

In study after study, religion proves to make people not just happier but more likely to give to charity and have stable marriages, to reduce drug and alcohol dependence and improve mental health. That does not make it true, but it is worthy of thought: Why should something so "irrational," a mere "neurological disorder," be so helpful to society?

Many of us suspect -- or yes, believe -- that there is more to the world than we know, that there is a mystery at its heart. That mystery may evoke some unworthy speculation, attract some charlatans, occasion some cruelties. Faith is also the spur for everything from the poetry of Psalms to the Cathedral at Chartres to relief missions. "Religulous" is one-dimensional. Religion is as varied and colorful as God's blessed world.

David Wolpe is the rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles and the author of "Why Faith Matters."

Room for all...

You may have seen the news this past week about the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh's decision to leave the Episcopal Church (or click here if you haven't heard and would like to read about it). Pittsburgh is a long way away from us here, but it is still part of our church and it is a sad day when any one of our number decides they can no longer remain in relationship with the rest of the church.

Our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori (KJS), has made a statement about Pittsburgh's decision which you can see in the video below. Also, check out this interview with KJS by Terry Gross of Fresh Air. KJS has a lot to say to put into context what is happening in the church. However, most important is her take on who we are as Anglicans and what it means to be in this communion. Despite the sad news from Pittsburgh, I found her interview and video to be inspiring and hopeful! I hope you will take the time to both watch the video and listen to the interview. Enjoy!

Why Faith Matters

Hot off the press book review from today's Episcopal Life Daily. The author of the book, Rabbi David Wolpe, is a Rabbi at Sinai Temple on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles. Click here to see a video of Rabbi Wolpe debating renowned atheist Sam Harris on the existence of God (Sam Harris on the right and David Wolpe on the left).

"Why Faith Matters" from HarperCollins Publishers, by David J, Wolpe, foreword by Rick Warren, 208 pages, hardcover, c. 2008, $24.95

[HarperCollins Publishers] Judging by today's bestseller lists, you'd think that religion is either irrational or extreme. What's missing between the atheists and the fanatics is a genuine debate; someone to point out that religion does have value in the modern world. Why Faith Matters is just such an articulate, nondenominational defense of established religion in America. Rabbi Wolpe presents the case for religion and proposes solutions toward engaging religion in discussions of modernity. By refuting the cold reason of the atheists with a vision of religion informed by faith, love and understanding, Wolpe follows in a literary tradition that stretches from Cardinal Newman to C.S. Lewis to Thomas Merton--all individuals of faith who brought religion and culture together in their own works.

Wolpe takes readers through the origins and the nature of religion; popular misunderstandings of the relationship between religion, violence, and progress; the place of the Bible in modern life; and the compatibility of religion and science. He concludes with a powerful argument against calls for the end of religion.

To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at
http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, or call 800-903-5544 -- or visit your
local Episcopal bookseller, http://www.episcopalbooksellers.org

Blessings old and new...

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
(Numbers 6.24-26)

As a lover of all things (or nearly all things) ancient, the Priestly Blessing from the book of Numbers is one of my favorite blessings to use at the end of the Sunday liturgy. And ancient it certainly is, dating at least as far back as the First Temple period (that's Solomon's temple). Amulets with the blessing inscribed on them have been found in burial places from that time period, however, it is not unlikely that the blessing itself is quite older. While there are variations in translations, the translation above is fairly common and might even be familiar!

The image above shows the position of the hands for the blessing. If you think it looks a bit Hollywood, you are right! Dr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) adapted this gesture as the Vulcan greeting on Star Trek.

A few days ago, I came across another, more recently composed blessing. I share it with you below because I think it articulates so well the gospel paradox. Choosing to be followers of Christ does not mean a way of comfort, but it does mean a choice for life, a choice for the peace that passes understanding. Read below and see what you think.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
amen.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
amen.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort and to turn pain into joy.
amen.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you may do what others claim cannot be done.
amen.

Hey Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat...

Indeed, I am a fan of Rocky and Bullwinkle. I loved that show as a kid! However, the article you will find below is not about the kind of magic Rocky and Bullwinkle parodied, but rather about a recent archaeological discovery that references, "Christ the Magician." Now, isn't that intriguing! It could be Jesus, or it could not be Jesus, but regardless, it's a great read and will give you a sense of how archaeology and Biblical studies intersect. (You can also read the article on the MSNBC website by clicking here.)

Earliest reference describes Christ as 'magician'

Bowl dated between late 2nd century B.C. and the early 1st century A.D.

By Jennifer Viegas

updated 7:23 a.m. PT, Wed., Oct. 1, 2008

A team of scientists led by renowned French marine archaeologist Franck Goddio recently announced that they have found a bowl, dating to between the late 2nd century B.C. and the early 1st century A.D., that is engraved with what they believe could be the world's first known reference to Christ.

If the word "Christ" refers to the Biblical Jesus Christ, as is speculated, then the discovery may provide evidence that Christianity and paganism at times intertwined in the ancient world.

The full engraving on the bowl reads, "DIA CHRSTOU O GOISTAIS," which has been interpreted by the excavation team to mean either, "by Christ the magician" or, "the magician by Christ."

"It could very well be a reference to Jesus Christ, in that he was once the primary exponent of white magic," Goddio, co-founder of the Oxford Center of Maritime Archaeology, said.

He and his colleagues found the object during an excavation of the underwater ruins of Alexandria's ancient great harbor. The Egyptian site also includes the now submerged island of Antirhodos, where Cleopatra's palace may have been located.

Both Goddio and Egyptologist David Fabre, a member of the European Institute of Submarine Archaeology, think a "magus" could have practiced fortune telling rituals using the bowl. The Book of Matthew refers to "wisemen," or Magi, believed to have been prevalent in the ancient world.

According to Fabre, the bowl is also very similar to one depicted in two early Egyptian earthenware statuettes that are thought to show a soothsaying ritual.

"It has been known in Mesopotamia probably since the 3rd millennium B.C.," Fabre said. "The soothsayer interprets the forms taken by the oil poured into a cup of water in an interpretation guided by manuals."

He added that the individual, or "medium," then goes into a hallucinatory trance when studying the oil in the cup.

"They therefore see the divinities, or supernatural beings appear that they call to answer their questions with regard to the future," he said.

The magus might then have used the engraving on the bowl to legitimize his supernatural powers by invoking the name of Christ, the scientists theorize.

Goddio said, "It is very probable that in Alexandria they were aware of the existence of Jesus" and of his associated legendary miracles, such as transforming water into wine, multiplying loaves of bread, conducting miraculous health cures, and the story of the resurrection itself.

While not discounting the Jesus Christ interpretation, other researchers have offered different possible interpretations for the engraving, which was made on the thin-walled ceramic bowl after it was fired, since slip was removed during the process.

Bert Smith, a professor of classical archaeology and art at Oxford University, suggests the engraving might be a dedication, or present, made by a certain "Chrestos" belonging to a possible religious association called Ogoistais.

Klaus Hallof, director of the Institute of Greek inscriptions at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy, added that if Smith's interpretation proves valid, the word "Ogoistais" could then be connected to known religious groups that worshipped early Greek and Egyptian gods and goddesses, such as Hermes, Athena and Isis.

Hallof additionally pointed out that historians working at around, or just after, the time of the bowl, such as Strabon and Pausanias, refer to the god "Osogo" or "Ogoa," so a variation of this might be what's on the bowl. It is even possible that the bowl refers to both Jesus Christ and Osogo.

Fabre concluded, "It should be remembered that in Alexandria, paganism, Judaism and Christianity never evolved in isolation. All of these forms of religion (evolved) magical practices that seduced both the humble members of the population and the most well-off classes."

"It was in Alexandria where new religious constructions were made to propose solutions to the problem of man, of God's world," he added. "Cults of Isis, mysteries of Mithra, and early Christianity bear witness to this."

The bowl is currently on public display in the exhibit "Egypt's Sunken Treasures" at the Matadero Cultural Center in Madrid, Spain, until November 15.

Kissing the Leper...

While we are most familiar with St. Francis' love for animals (thus the Blessing of the Animals coming up on October 5, one day after the Feast Day of St. Francis where the church remembers and celebrates his life), St. Francis also took care of the outcast of his time - the poor and the lepers. There is a story of St. Francis kissing a leper he encounters during his travels. Click here to read more. Below is the editorial I mentioned in my sermon last Sunday. It was written by the Rev. Dr. Tim Vivian and published in the early 1990's in the Californian, Bakersfield's local paper.

Kissing the Leper

Last Friday I sat with the lepers and outcasts. Inside St. Paul's Episcopal parish, delegates for diocesan convention were meeting, but we were outside because Bishop Schofield refused to allow us inside. Who were we? Members of Integrity, the national organization supporting gays and lesbians in the Episcopal Church. Bishop Schofield not only refused us entrance to St. Paul's, he has refused to allow Integrity to meet in any parish in the diocese; he has forbidden the clergy of the diocese to celebrate Communion for the people of Integrity.

I wish this fear and hatred of gays by many Christians were an isolated event, a simple example of theological racism, but it isn't. Among some Christians, homophobia is just one symptom; others are fear of women, fear of sexuality, fear of the poor, fear of those not like us, and fear of change.

The reasons for these fears--and the hatred that often accompanies them--are complex, but they are bound together by, and find their common expression in, a profound misunderstanding and misuse of the Bible

With regard to homosexuality, the extreme conservative argument is simple: Homosexuality is evil, a sin, because the Bible says so. Such an argument reduces a complicated human subject to absolutes of good and evil, right or wrong. Those who make this argument conveniently--or blindly--ignore the fact that "the Bible" variously endorses polygyny, slavery, massacre, and the sequestration of women during their periods.

Put more positively, the Bible is a human document (or collection of documents), a human witness to God's being, activity, and presence. As a human witness, it is a fallible one. Since the Bible is a human witness, those who wrote it--however inspired they were--were subject to social, political, ethnic, temporal and religious biases and prejudices, just as we are today.

In ignoring all this, conservative biblicists make a serious mistake; unfortunately, in their use of the Bible they commit a worse one: false use is worse than false understanding. Biblicists mistakenly believe that the Bible is a book of dictates and rules, revealed by God. Once they have this infallible rule book in hand, like a boy scout with his handbook, they selectively decide which issues are most important. Usually for biblicists it is homosexuality or sexuality in general, abortion, and women's subordination. Biblicists are so obsessed with these issues that they usually ignore questions of social justice, poverty, homelessness, or war and peace.

It is a question of priorities, and biblicists have their priorities wrong. While more and more of our people go hungry and homeless, die from drugs and violence, and live lives without meaning, biblicists care more about who is sleeping with whom and what parts of the body are being used to do what.

Those who condemn homosexuality say they are speaking of "biblical" ethics or as a "biblical" Church. But what is this "biblical" belief as it seems to be practiced in this country?

Is it "biblical" to condemn homosexuality while at the same time keeping a patriotic and blasphemous silence (as virtually all of the churches of Kern County did) when the United States slaughtered over 100,000 Iraqis?

Is it "biblical" to oppose abortion while supporting or keeping silent about the death penalty (legalized State murder)?

Is it "biblical" to deny, in the name of scripture and tradition, the full ministry of women in the Church--as the local Episcopal Church does?
No. None of these is biblical. Some who espouse certain "biblical beliefs" are misguided: they naively and simplistically use the Bible to support non-Biblical agendas.

Others, though, who make "biblical" statements--such as certain bishops, priests, and ministers--should by their training know better. Their use of "the Bible" is at best a form of fundamentalism; at worst, it is knowingly mendacious. Such biblicism is not Christian.

Those of us who are not biblicists or fundamentalists, as we listen to their increasingly strident voices, need to remember that--despite their loud shouts--they do not represent the truth of Christianity. Their misuse of the Bible in no way damages its real message: that God is a God of love and compassion, mercy and tenderness; that God became human in order to fully know our humanity; that God loves each of us equally and completely.

The Bible--the true Bible--not only calls us to kiss, like St. Francis, the mouth of the leper. It calls us to claim the leper's mouth as our own.


Dr. Tim Vivian
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies
Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies
California State University Bakersfield

Forgive

As promised in today's sermon, I have included below the link to The Forgiveness Project as well as several other websites to check out on the topic of forgiveness and reconciliation.

The Forgiveness Project is an organization that "...works at a local, national and international level to help build a future free of conflict and violence by healing the wounds of the past.

By collecting and sharing people’s stories, and delivering outreach programmes, The Forgiveness Project encourages and empowers people to explore the nature of forgiveness and alternatives to revenge."

Please take some time to read the stories and see where you end up on the forgiveness question.

Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu has done some amazing work with reconciliation and forgiveness. You can learn more about what he has done by clicking here. Or, check out the The Desmond Tutu Peace Centre online.

Please, don't hesitate to send your responses!

And please do keep in your prayers all of those who were involved in the Metrolink crash in Chatsworth. Pray for those who have died and their families, the injured and their families, as well as the doctors and nurses who care for them, the rescue workers, and also, importantly, pray for the Metrolink engineer who has become the center of blame for this tragedy.

Rocks and piles of rocks

This past Sunday, our gospel lesson and our reading from Isaiah both dealt with rocks of one kind or another. In Isaiah, it was the rock from which Israel was hewn, and, in the gospel, it was Jesus naming Peter the rock upon which the church would be founded.

Rocks are often associated with the sacred in one way or another, and in the photo to the right, the cairn (a fancy name for a cone-shaped pile of rocks) marks the end of the medieval Celtic Christian pilgrimage route to Bardsey Island, home of 1,000 Saints.

In my sermon I mentioned the treacherous crossing to Bardsey which you can see in the photo. Look for the current (the change of color in the water) and this photo was taken on a day when the sea was like glass!

The photo on the right is of the steps that lead down to St. Mary's Well, the last stop for pilgrims before crossing to Bardsey. These are the steps hewn in the 6th century by pilgrims and made smooth over the 1500 years of people making their way to the well. It's not a great photo, but it does give a sense of how steep and rocky that cliff face is. (At top is my friend and hiking companion, Isabella).

Drive-in church?

Drive-in theatres may be a thing of the past, at least in most places, but the drive-in church is whole new idea. Honk if you love Jesus, a video from CBS News gives a whole new take on church. I knew drive-in churches existed in theory but until today I had never seen one. I found this video fascinating especially how parishioners describe their experience of worship and fellowship.

What can I say? The video says it all. Enjoy!



***note to subscribers: my last post "rocks and piles of rocks..." had some technical issues that I am working out. I understand the photos didn't come through. I will repost it when I can be sure to get the photos up! thanks!

the god strategy...

The God Strategy, by David Domke and Kevin Coe, is a recently published book that might be worth checking out for anyone interested in the current climate of religion and politics in the U.S. It was featured on Episcopal Life Online (aka ELO) a few months ago c and it caught my eye (ELO is a daily update of news, events, and resources published by our national Episcopal Church offices). Here is the review that appeared in ELO's email update:

"The God Strategy: How Religion Became a Political Weapon in America" from Oxford University Press, by David Domke and Kevin Cole, 231 pages, hardcover, c. 2008, $30

[Oxford University Press] In The God Strategy, scholars David Domke and Kevin Coe offer a timely and dynamic study of the rise of religion in American politics, examining the public messages of political leaders over the past 75 years-from the 1932 election of Franklin Roosevelt to the early stages of the 2008 presidential race. They conclude that U.S. politics today is defined by a calculated, deliberate, and partisan use of faith that is unprecedented in modern politics.

Sectarian influences and expressions of faith have always been part of American politics, the authors observe, but a profound change occurred beginning with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. What has developed since is a no-holds-barred religious politics that seeks to attract voters, identify and attack enemies, and solidify power. Domke and Coe identify a set of religious signals sent by both Republicans and Democrats in speeches, party platforms, proclamations, visits to audiences of faith, and even celebrations of Christmas. Sometimes these signals are intended for the eyes and ears of all Americans, and other times they are distinctly targeted to specific segments of the population. It's an approach that has been remarkably successful, utilized first and most extensively by the Republican Party to capture unprecedented power and then adopted by the Democratic Party, most notably by Bill Clinton in the 1990s and by a wide range of Democrats in the 2006 elections.

"For U.S. politicians today, having faith isn't enough; it must be displayed, carefully and publicly. This is a stark transformation in recent decades," write Domke and Coe. With innovative, accessible research and analytical verve, they document how this has occurred, who has done it and why, and what it means for the American experiment in democracy.

Just for fun...

By the way, I did take a quick photo of the bumper sticker I mentioned in this Sunday's sermon. Enjoy!

Also, just a reminder that you are welcome to post comments. I would love to hear from you!

A real, live theologian

Jürgen Moltmann is a German theologian whose book, Spirit of Life, I read several years ago making quite an impact on my understanding of the Holy Spirit. Moltmann has quite a story to tell that I promise will inspire! Click here for a video interview with Moltmann at the Episcopal Cafe website.

Leapin' Lizards!

Well, actually, walking on water lizards. This photo, courtesy of Cynthia Gould, is of a Costa Rican Basilisk Lizard, aka, the Jesus Christ lizard. The lizard walks on water! Click here to see a great National Geographic video of the lizard in action.

Jesus walked on water in today's gospel lesson which sparked all kinds of conversation about how we understand and explore our Biblical tradition - what truth is, how we engage the Biblical text, and how we come to know more about ourselves as God's beloved people. Here is a wonderful story that encourages me, and I hope you too, to think beyond mere acceptance and move toward a deeper, more engaged and playful intersection with our sacred stories.

One day the German [writer Bichsel] asked a Balinese [Hindu] whether
he believed the history of Prince Rama - one of the holy books of the
Hindus - is true.
Without hesitation the Balinese answered 'Yes.'
'So you believe that the Prince Rama lived somewhere and somewhen?'
'I do not know if he lived,' he said.
'Then it is a story.'
'Yes, it is a story.'
'Then someone wrote this story - I mean: a human being wrote it?'
'Certainly some human being wrote it,' he said.
'Then some human being could also have invented it.' The German felt
that he had triumphed, and thought that he had convinced the
Indonesian.'
But the Balinese said: 'It is quite possible that somebody invented
this story. But true it is in any case.'
'Then it is the case that Prince Rama did not live on this earth.'
'What is it that you want to know?' the Balinese asked. 'Do you want
to know whether the story is true, or merely whether it
occurred?'
R.S. Sugirtharajah, Postcolonial Refigurations: An Alternative Way of Reading the Bible and Doing Theology (London: SCM Press, 2003), 90.

Can't get enough sermons?

Just in case you can't get enough Sunday sermons, allow me to introduce you to the fabulous Grace Cathedral (San Francisco) website. The site has lots to explore. Grace also records and posts all their Sunday morning sermons as well as their Sunday morning Forums which bring in some amazing people to speak. Sermons and Forums are available on their website (click here) but, even better, you can subscribe to one of several podcasts via iTunes. Just put "Grace Cathedral" in the search bar and you will see the different podcasts available for subscription. It's all free and it's all very good. Enjoy!

Wisps of glory...

"Everybody born comes from the creator trailing wisps of glory..." says Maya Angelou in a great interview on NPR. Angelou is an extraordinary human being and an inspiration to many. Besides authoring I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou is also a poet, playwright, dancer, singer, and much more. At the end of the interview Angelou says about being Christian, "I am relieved to have a faith that there is no place where God is not." Well said! The interview is about 12 mintues long and well worth your time. Enjoy!

Happy Easter to you all! The photo on the right of a beautiful Calla Lily was taken by blog subscriber, "Minstral," in celebration of our Easter feast. Thank you, Minstral!

In other news...It has been about 6 weeks since we have had regular postings on the blog, however, I hope to post more regular now that we are well into the Easter season. Stay tuned! And feel free to comment on the blog or send me items you would like to see posted.

What is the greatest virtue?

Dr. Jarvis Streeter gave another great lecture last night on Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians. We read the whole book together, line by line, looking at Paul's theology and ethics as well as the primary themes in the letter. One thing that I found particularly noteworthy was Dr. Streeter's assertion that love is the primary Christian virtue. In 1st Thessalonians 1.3, Paul speaks of faith, hope, and love, but those of you who have been to a handful of weddings will probably also recall the following from Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13.13) Love as the primary Christian virtue certainly does have implications as to how we practice our faith and who we are in the world. It brings up many questions for me. What does it mean to practice love? How do we bring the gift of God's love to the world?

Homework for this week is to read 2 Thessalonians and Galatians. As was the case last week, Dr. Streeter would like us to pay attention to the theology and ethics of the letter. What is Paul telling the church to think (theology)? What kind of behavior is Paul encouraging (ethics)?

And, finally, just for review, Paul's letters all have a particular structure common to the genre of letter writing in the 1st century. Below is a basic outline of the structure of Paul's letters. Hopefully it will be a useful guide to you as you read and try to understand what Paul has to say about our faith.

Basic Structure of a Pauline Letter
1. Greeting (usually brief. A sentence or two though sometimes the sentences are quite long!)
2. Thanksgiving (about a paragraph or so in length. It varies from letter to letter and 1 Thessalonians has a very long Thanksgiving!)
3. Body of the Letter
a. Theology - what they should think
b. Ethics - how they should behave.
4. Conclusion (often including housekeeping matters, hellos to individuals, and sometimes a reiteration of the main themes of the letter)

Do your homework!

Homework, you say? Do I hear a groan? A gasp? Yes, we have some homework to do.

This past Wednesday, Dr. Jarvis Streeter, Professor of Religion at Cal Lutheran, began his Lenten lecture series at Epiphany on St. Paul (St. Paul is the author of much of our New Testament Letters that we hear every Sunday in the second reading right after the Psalm). Dr. Streeter is a great teacher! He is fun to listen to, relaxed, and has a way of presenting information that is engaging and interesting. On Wednesday, he gave us a lot of background information about Paul such as where he lived, where he traveled, the dates of his travels, and a bit about his writing. And, to get us ready for next week's lecture, Dr. Streeter asked us to read 1st Thessalonians, 2nd Thessalonians and Galatians. As we read, we should pay attention to tone, content, and style, as well as paying attention to differences between the letters. We can find clues in the text pointing to the likelihood that Paul is not the author of 2nd Thessalonians even though it is attributed to him!

Click here for some basic facts on St. Paul if you missed last Wednesday's lecture (or even if you didn't). Also, this website will keep you busy with its many links to all kinds of information and articles on St. Paul and his writings. My personal favorite is this website with maps of Paul's journeys and photos of the cities where he worked. Hope to see you all this coming Wednesday!

It's a dirty job...

...but someone's gotta do it!


Each year on the last Sunday of the Epiphany season, we sing as many Alleluias as we can possibly stand. Once Ash Wednesday comes around, the Alleluias are buried until Easter, right there, in that little hole in the ground that our Vicar, Hank Mitchel, has just dug and is pointing to. Well done, Hank!


Ok, really, when I say buried, I mean that only metaphorically. Hank didn't really bury the Alleluia but we do retire the Alleluia in word and song in favor of a more austere and self-reflective worship experience during the season of Lent.


However, there are some churches who really do bury the Alleluia. Inscribing the word Alleluia on to paper or some other natural material, the Alleluia is placed in a box and buried in the ground to signify the beginning of the penitential season of Lent. Some churches even dig up the Alleluia as part of the Easter celebration. Click here to read more on this and various different burial practices for the Alleluias we sing. And, for more information about Lent in click here.


Another important tradition for the Lenten season is taking on a new spiritual practice. I have included in various postings different websites for prayer and study and it is my hope that you might find one of these websites helpful for your daily practice of prayer. Below is a list of some of them for your convenience.


EPPN's Lenten series, For the Beauty of the Earth
I believe you can subscribe to this series and receive reflections, information and prayers during the Lenten season. I just signed up so we will see what happens.

Pray as you go
This is a great website for people on the go, and for stationary people too!

Sacred Space
This website has daily prayers year round AND special prayers for the Lenten season.

Episcopal Life Online
Several resources from the national church. You can browse here to your heart's content.

Forward Day by Day
These are meditations based on the Daily Office readings.

Oremus
Last but not least, Oremus is a wonderful resource for prayer year round! And, like many of the sites above, you can subscribe and have the daily prayer sent to you each and every day.

Just in time for Super Tuesday...

A different side of faith and politics! This time it's a profile of the democratic candidates in Super Tuesday's election. Click here to go to NPR's piece on Obama and Clinton in the Land of Lincoln. A fascinating article with plenty of links to click and explore! And, even though the Episcopal Church won't tell you who to vote for, we do encourage you to pray for the election, for the voters, and for the candidates. Below is a prayer for an election from the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). You may also click here to see all the prayers for national life in the BCP.

Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The end of the rainbow...

I will spare you all the cheesy references to pots 'o gold and leprechauns, but I can't resist connecting our legends about the ends of rainbows with where this rainbow ends. Our church, represented by the building, is a great symbol of what we value in our lives. The Bible refers many times to God's law and God's wisdom as more valuable than gold, like in this passage from Job, "It cannot be gotten for gold, and silver cannot be weighed out as its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls." The church, the body of Christ is who we are, and we come together as a community of faith not to seek material wealth or gain, but to inherit the wealth of a life lived seeking after God's wisdom. This is where life is found, at the end of the rainbow.

I can see clearly now...

After a good rain, blue skies, white clouds and the possibility of a rainbow makes me feel hopeful. Something new is on the wind. I took this picture yesterday afternoon at 4:15 p.m. What a beautiful sky after so many days of darkness, clouds and rain.

We are in an election year this year. It is on everyone's minds, of course. Something new is on the wind. One of Epiphany's newer members asked if the Episcopal Church sponsors or supports one particular candidate OR if there is a candidate that particularly embodies the values of the Episcopal Church. Two great questions! The answer to both questions is NO. The Episcopal Church does not endorse a candidate nor is there a candidate that embodies the values of the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church thrives on its diversity which includes political diversity as well.

However, that being said, there is plenty of religious rhetoric being tossed around in this election year and, in the interest of us all seeing clearly as Super Tuesday approaches, I thought I would send you to a couple of websites that address this issue of religion, politics, and the election. The first is The Revealer: A Daily Review of Religion and the Press. There is a great article called Holy Iowa that I referenced in a sermon not too long ago. This website is new to me but it seems worth exploring.

And, hot off the presses of Religion and Ethics Weekly is this article/video on Religion and the Presidential Primaries. If you go to the home page of Religion and Ethics Weekly there are other resources there as well.

What in the world....

...is the Episcopal Church doing about the climate crisis, asked one of Epiphany's newer members. Participants in The Way of Jesus, a class for those newest to the church as well as those interested jumpstarting their faith, were asked to write down the questions they had about Epiphany, about the Episcopal Church, about religion in general, and about anything in the world that was on their mind! Over the next week or so, we will post responses to those questions, beginning with the question of what the Episcopal Church is doing about climate change.

Where to begin with the question of climate change? The Episcopal Church is responding in numerous ways to the climate crisis on local, diocesan, national and international levels. There is so much out there on the World Wide Web that shows what we are doing to make a difference, and yet there is still so much more we can still do! Below are a series of links for your exploration of the Episcopal Church's response. These are only a few. I encourage you to explore and let me know if you find anything that we should publish on the Epicenter and spread the word about. And now, on with the show...

Click here for information on what the Anglican Communion is doing in terms of environmental ministry and mission.

The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Los Angeles have both chosen the U.N. Millennium Development Goals as a focus for mission, including the goal of environmental sustainability.

The Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN)
This group is not limited only to environmental advocacy but spans the breadth and depth of issues we face.

EPPN's Lenten series, For the Beauty of the Earth
I believe you can subscribe to this series and receive reflections, information and prayers during the Lenten season. I just signed up so we will see what happens.

Environmental Stewardship
Also on the national level, this is a focus area of the Peace and Justice Ministries office. This site has numerous articles and resources. Lots to browse here!

Our diocese, The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, has a Minister for the Environment who wrote this article on the spiritual implications of global warming.

The LA diocese also sponsors Camp Stevens, an Episcopal Church camp that operates year round teaching children and adults about the importance of continuing to work toward environmental sustainability as an important part of the practice of our faith.

Arise! Shine!

For your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Isaiah 60.1
Here we are in the season of Epiphany and the Epicenter is back online. After a bit of a winter break, new posts are on the way! As promised in December, I want to follow up on our last class with Dr. George and give you his recommended reading list for further study and reflections. But first let me direct your attention to Dr. George's blog. The blog links to a great essay written by Dr. George on dreams. Once you are at the blog, look on the right side of your screen under "Categories" and then click on "Dream Interpretation." Enjoy!

And now for Dr. George's recommended reading...
On Dreams
Some Must Watch, While Some Must Sleep by William C. Dement
This text covers the laboratory research on sleep and dreams in a most readable way.
The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
The classic on dreams. Dreams are in italics throughout the book and the fascinating psychoanalytic interpretations follow.

Inner Work by Robert A. Johnson
Half of this book is about interpreting your own dreams.

Memories, Dreams and Reflections by C.G. Jung
Dreams: A Way to Listen to God by Morton T. Kelsey
Kelsey shows that dreams are an integral part of the spiritual life. His book also contains many practical tips for working with one's own dreams.

Dreams and Healing by John A. Sanford
Using case studies this book shows how to arrive at a concise statement of a dream's message, and contains an excellent section on working with one's own dreams.


For couples

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work : A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert by John M. Gottman and Nan Silver

The Relationship Cure: A 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships by John M. Gottman

Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: and How You Can Make Yours Last by John M. Gottman
Three of Gottman’s popularly-written descriptions of his research on couples in which couples were video-taped from 9am to 9pm on weekends. The results enabled Gottman to predict which couples will probably divorce based on their interaction patterns. Shows how marriages fail and what can help them succeed. Any of his books is good.

How Can I Get Through to You: Reconnecting Men and Women by Terrence Real
Filled with actual case studies from his couples counseling. (Real is also the author of I Don't Want to Talk About It, on men’s depression). He says because of men’s socialization not to deal with feelings, women hold the key to helping men open up, change and get what they need from their relationship and their life. Respects both male and female viewpoints.

The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller
Explains the devastating results of narcissistic parenting: selfish parents create selfish children. But selfishness may come out in caretaking of others with expectations that they will then take care of you. Lots of good examples and case studies by this psychoanalyst. Shows how important it is for each member of the couple to understand their own wounding childhood experiences and how these play into their relationship.

Between People by John A. Sanford
A concisely written little book on couples’ communication using Jungian ideas and vivid examples from Sanford’s counseling of couples and individuals.

Please Understand Me by David Kiersey
Gain self-understanding and acceptance of your mate’s differences from you through Jung’s psychological typology. The typology test is included in the book, or you can take it free at www.humanmetrics.com.

Gifts Differing by Isabel Briggs-Meyers
Title taken from St. Paul (Romans 12:6). The classic and readable book on Jung’s theory of psychological type by the originator of a Jungian typology test, the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator. Gives you a basic understanding of the system of categorizing people’s personality preferences (thinking-feeling, sensing-intuition), plus applications to relationships, work life, etc.

You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen
Analyzes men’s and women’s diverse conversational styles to understand the why they disagree so much in daily life. (Probably a precursor to John Gray’s Mars and Venus.)

Adult Attachment by Judith A. Feeney and Patricia Noller

Marriage: Dead or Alive by Adolf Guggenbuhl-Craig

Fair Fighting website
Because we all need help fighting fairly!