Friday, February 28, 2014

I Just Had a Nauseating Experience

"In this latest debacle Salmon has revealed himself to be a prevaricator, a fence sitter and useful idiot for the episcopal administration". If you have the stomach for it, read David Virtue's excoriation of our former bishop, Edward L. Salmon, for inviting, at the request of 3 of his seminary students at Nashotah House, the Presiding Bishop of the very Institution that the seminary serves. Find it here--http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=18628#.UxDaqeNdUdB I hesitated to expose the gentle, innocent public to this. St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." But as the demon played by Tim Curry in the movie "Legend" said, "How can there be light without darkness?" And so, I ask you to cast your eye for this moment upon some insidious darkness, that the True Light that has come into the world may be the more clearly observed. Warning! Prepare to be nauseated. If you can make it that far, read the comments to Virtue's commentary. Set the "sort" to "most recent". Our fine, Christian servant and former bishop of South Carolina who seeks to follow Jesus in conversation with all who are looking for him, needs our prayers. May his detractors not come under the same judgement that they apply to him. And let's remember what it means to be "catholic";,i.e., "all-embracing in the LOVE of God". CH+

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing that refreshing piece! I was afraid that no one was left to stand up for the scriptures!

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    1. What ever happened to standing up for God, or even for the least of these? Sounds like the Scriptures have been turned into an idol. They are the written Word of God, not God.

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  2. I've found that it's not even worth reading when somebody uses words like "idiot." No matter what the issue, when someone refers to someone else using such inflammatory language, there pretty much is no use listening to the rest of their argument or engaging them in conversation. Judgement like that is an indication of a closed mind, in my experience, and arguing with someone closed-minded is an exercise in futility/frustration. The fact that people spend so much time arguing and judging other leaders is, to me, of the devil. The world needs reconciled to God - if we get that taken care of, then maybe we can argue over details.

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  3. Chris,
    We regularly had outside speakers at our chapel time at Calvin College. They were given an opportunity to share their views and then in classrooms throughtout the school professors discused it with their students. How would this be any different?

    I don't know if the House receives any financial support from TEC but if they do it would seem a little juvenile to feel like the PB is unwelcome.

    Additionally, these are not elementary children in a church run dayschool that we should worry about their formative religious foundations. The people that would hear the PB speak are grown men and women who hopefully have fully formed theology and can look at the PB's comments through the spectacles of Scripture.

    While I subscribe to very little of her beliefs I'm not busy looking over my shoulder for the TEC stormtroopers to kick in the front door of the church and start burning the altar linens.

    FWIW, I thought the comments made to you after the article were way out of bounds.

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