Funny (and revealing?) Photo from UK Debate

Yes, that is a rather bizarre photo, is it not? It sure grabbed my attention when I first saw it.

Cranmer has an interesting take on it. Although I consider Brown and Clegg virtually mirror images of UK Leftism, I will not go quite as far as he.

But I will note the two are both lifting their left leg.

Lying Charlie Crist

Thanks to Stand Firm for pointing out that, by running for Senate as an independent, Charlie Crist reveals himself to be a big liar.

Charlie Crist only a month ago:

Asked by Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace if Crist was "ruling out that you will file as an independent by the April 30the deadline," Crist said, "That's right. I'm running as a Republican." Asked if he would support the winner of the GOP primary, Crist said, "Of course I will. Of course I will."

"You are saying you are going to run in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate," Wallace persisted. "You will not run on the no party affiliation line."

"That's right. That's right. That's what I'm saying," Crist said.

But today he will announce he is doing just that, running as an independent.

One wonders who would be so stupid as to vote for a man who so easily lies and goes back on his word when the political winds suit him?

Maybe I shouldn’t ask that. Bill Clinton got reelected.

Not-so-by-the-way, Charlie Crist is a walking illustration of the lesson that those who try to be everybody’s friend may end up being nobody’s friend. Republicans now hate him. Democrats won’t back him. And very few (I hope) trust him.

The irony of this is that if Crist had shown some grace and stepped aside for this race, he would have won a lot of good will that would have served his political ambitions in the future. But now, he will likely become a byword.

Gordon Brown and the “Bigoted Woman” UPDATED

There is quite a furor in the UK over Gordon Brown being caught on microphone calling a pensioner who asked him about immigration a “bigoted woman.”

In addition to further documenting that Brown is a jerk, this shows he wholeheartedly believes the Leftist meme that if you are concerned about immigration, you are a “bigot.”

Brown has just apologized. Too late! And you said what you really think about those who question Labour’s mad immigration policy, so why apologize for letting the truth out about your bigotry, Brownie?

By the way, LibDem Nick Clegg has said he won’t comment on the matter. No doubt because that Leftist also thinks those who oppose open immigration from the EU are bigots.


UPDATE: Clegg has changed his mind and has commented:

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: 'Everybody in every walk of life will mutter things underneath their breath they wouldn't want people to know about.'

'In an election campaign, you have got to give as good as you get but treat whatever questions you receive with the respect they deserve. I think saying something clearly fairly insulting to the lady in question is not right, it's not right at all.'

Clegg then muttered "even if she is a bigot." No, he didn't say that, but he surely thought it.

And, yes, the link reveals the Daily Mail is having a field day with this.

Obama, the Post-Racial Uniter Divider

During the Glorious Campaign, Obama was touted as a post-racial uniter. But now he has completely rubbished that messianic fantasy once and for all. He is openly urging a coalition of “young people, African-Americans, Latinos, and women who powered our victory in 2008 [to] stand together once again” for the 2010 elections.



By definition such an unpresidential call divides America along the lines of race, gender and age.

Can you imagine the rightful outrage if a Republican president called for a coalition of mature White men to stand together to elect Republicans? Such a president would be denounced, with justification, as racist and divisive.

Then why should Obama not be likewise so denounced?

On “the Permanent Scandal of the Vatican”

I am slightly tied up catching up with the world this morning. But I want to direct you to this piece on “the permanent scandal of the Vatican” by First Things’ Joseph Bottum. It is the best big picture take on the subject I’ve seen yet.

Hat tip to The Anchoress, who also has written very thoughtfully on the subject.

Global South Singapore Communique: No More Business as Usual

The Communique from the Singapore Global South conference is out. The concluding paragraphs deal forcefully with the present Anglican Communion issues:

16. In contrast, we continue to grieve over the life of The Episcopal Church USA (TEC) and the Anglican Church of Canada and all those churches that have rejected the Way of the Lord as expressed in Holy Scripture. The recent action of TEC in the election and intended consecration of Mary Glasspool, a partnered lesbian, as a bishop in Los Angeles, has demonstrated, yet again, a total disregard for the mind of the Communion. These churches continue in their defiance as they set themselves on a course that contradicts the plain teaching of the Holy Scriptures on matters so fundamental that they affect the very salvation of those involved. Such actions violate the integrity of the Gospel, the Communion and our Christian witness to the rest of the world. In the face of this we dare not remain silent and must respond with appropriate action.

17. We uphold the courageous actions taken by Archbishops Mouneer Anis (Jerusalem and the Middle East), Henry Orombi (Uganda) and Ian Ernest (Indian Ocean) and are encouraged by their decision not to participate in meetings of the various Instruments of Communion at which representatives of The Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada are present. We understand their actions to be in protest of the failure to correct the ongoing crisis situation.

18. Some of our Provinces are already in a state of broken and impaired Communion with The Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada. Their continued refusal to honor the many requests [1] made of them by the various meetings of the Primates throughout the Windsor Process have brought discredit to our witness and we urge the Archbishop of Canterbury to implement the recommended actions. In light of the above, this Fourth South-to-South Encounter encourages our various Provinces to reconsider their communion relationships with The Episcopal Church USA and the Anglican Church of Canada until it becomes clear that there is genuine repentance.

19. We were pleased to welcome two Communion Partner bishops from The Episcopal Church USA (TEC) and acknowledge that with them there are many within TEC who do not accept their church’s innovations. We assure them of our loving and prayerful support. We are grateful that the recently formed Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a faithful expression of Anglicanism. We welcomed them as partners in the Gospel and our hope is that all provinces will be in full communion with the clergy and people of the ACNA and the Communion Partners.

20. For many generations Anglicans have lived together with a shared understanding of our common faith; indeed among our great gifts has been the Book of Common Prayer that has provided a foundation for our common life. In recent years the peace of our Communion has been deeply wounded by those who continue to claim the name Anglican but who pursue an agenda of their own desire in opposition to historic norms of faith, teaching and practice. This has led to a number of developments including the GAFCON meeting that took place in Jerusalem in June 2008. [2]

21. Global South leaders have been in the forefront of the development of the ‘Anglican Covenant’ that seeks to articulate the essential elements of our faith together with means by which we might exercise meaningful and loving discipline for those who depart from the ‘faith once for all delivered to the saints.’ We are currently reviewing the proposed Covenant to find ways to strengthen it in order for it to fulfill its purpose. For example, we believe that all those who adopt the Covenant must be in compliance with Lambeth 1.10. Meanwhile we recognize that the Primates Meeting, being responsible for Faith and Order, should be the body to oversee the Covenant in its implementation, not the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion.

22. Over the last 20 years we have been distracted by conflicts and controversies that have kept us from effectively fulfilling the Great Commission. While we have been so distracted, Christian heritage, identity and influence has continued to decline in the West. We believe that there is a need to review the entire Anglican Communion structure; especially the Instruments of Communion and the Anglican Communion office; in order to achieve an authentic expression of the current reality of our Anglican Communion.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1,2)


Paragraph 21 is most telling. Past communion agreements have been signed with a wink and a nod. See Frank Griswold’s signing of the Windsor Report. The Global South says that will not do with the Anglican Covenant and insists, for starters, on compliance with Lambeth 1.10 before a province can sign. Since that means no gay bishops or blessing of homosexual relationships, that would rule out The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada.

The communiqué also says no to Rowan Williams’ practice of anointing stacked committees to further undermine communion agreements. So forget a stacked so-called Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion to oversee the Covenant. Instead, the Primates Meeting is the appropriate and more representative overseer.

Paragraph 22 further targets stacked Anglican Communion structures, particularly the Anglican Communion office. And one doesn’t have to read much between the lines of the communiqué to see that His Grace’s video request for more patience and time and dithering is politely ignored. There is instead a since of urgency finally to get past the too many years of being “distracted by conflicts and controversies that have kept us from effectively fulfilling the Great Commission.”

In short, the communiqué forcefully and in some detail says “No” to what has become business as usual under Rowan Williams.

Archbishop Duncan Presides at GSE4 Holy Communion

I don’t want to read too much into this. But I think it worthy of note that ACNA Archbishop Robert Duncan has presided at Holy Communion at the Global South-to-South Encounter meeting in Singapore.

Report: GS Reaction to ++Rowan’s Video Address is . . . Silence.

Rowan Williams via video to Singapore asked for more patience from the Global South. He in effect asked, “Trust me.” For after all, “as I speak to you now, I am in discussion with a number of people around the world about what consequences might follow from [the election and consecration of Mary Glasspool in Los Angeles].”

Wow! The Archbishop of Canterbury is in yet more discussion! We must therefore wait upon him no matter how many years he strings us along!

The reaction of the audience at the Global South conference was much less snarky than mine. However . . .

. . . after Archbishop Rowan Williams' video address to the Global South-to-South Encounter audience was over, there was silence. No one applauded, and glances around the room revealed lots of head-shaking and eye-rolling. According to one of the sources, "it did not go off well."

And that is as it should be when someone who has betrayed trust again and again . . . asks for more trust.

++Okoh on the Gospel and Apostasy

After reading ++Nicholas Okoh’s address on “The Gospel of Jesus Christ” at the Global South meeting, I am glad he is the new Primate of Nigeria.

Two things about the address stand out to me. First, it is very scholarly, packing a lot of meaty teaching into one address.

Second, at the end he calls out those *coughTECcough* who have committed “the treachery of another Gospel which is afraid of and denies the deity of Christ.” His concluding words:

. . . the deity of Christ is increasingly becoming offensive in some quarters in our communion. For others the uniqueness of Christ cannot be taught in our pluralistic society. But pluralism was there, in the first country. The Jewish religion was there, so were the Greek Philosophies and religions, hence it was said that the cross was foolishness to the Greeks, and a stumbling block to the Jews. The creeds, the 39 articles (see 2, 3, 4) and the Holy Scriptures, all uphold the deity and uniqueness of Jesus, the Christ. To deny these fundamentals is to abandon the way; it is apostasy; it is “another gospel”, which is condemned in scripture.

Methinks Dr. Rowan Williams’ desire that this Global South meeting does . . . not much of anything about The Episcopal Church and its enablers just might be disappointed.


Hat tip to Northern Plains Anglicans.

Tea Parties and the Arrogance of Obama and Clinton

Another benefit of the Tea Party protests I forgot to mention yesterday is that they have smoked out just how arrogant Democrat leaders are. Thousands protest mainly to ask that they be left alone and that their children not be saddled with ruinous national debt and taxes. That’s not asking for much. The response from Obama, Pelosi and their ilk? Ridicule and smears.

Recent statements on Tea Parties from Obama and Bill Clinton are typical. Charles Krauthammer sums up their arrogance well.

On Obama saying those ungrateful peons who protested on April 15th should “be saying thank you”:

I think it was Obama with his usual condescension — except he ratcheted it up to Code Orange into snootiness — where he looks down his nose at the gun-and-god crowd, the lumpenproletariat, as he sees it. And he ridicules them because they're not grateful enough to him. . . .

And I think it is in his character to ridicule — this is a man on the day he won the Democratic nomination said that day would mark a day on which the earth began to heal and the oceans recede. So he does not have a low opinion of himself.

On Bill Clinton once again using the Oklahoma City bombing to smear the Right:

I think it's disgusting. It's a replay of what he did — his administration did — after Oklahoma City. Remember, that happened shortly after he got crushed in the mid-term elections, the Gingrich revolution, that he began his comeback by exploiting Oklahoma City and implying — and having his minions imply — that it was a result of Newt and Rush and all the agitated, angry white males, as it was called by the media at the time. This is a replay.



When there was dissent in the Bush years, he was called a Nazi, Cheney a war criminal, and there was actually a play on the assassination of George Bush — you didn't hear a word from him or others about agitated language.



When a Republican is in power, dissent is the highest form of patriotism. And when a Democrat is in power, dissent is near treasonous and a call to mutiny and insurrection. This is really disgraceful.

I couldn’t say it better myself.

There is nothing like a little opposition to bring out the arrogance of those who worship their own power. The opposition of Tea Partiers to the Obama regime has exposed that arrogance in spades. And for that we should be thankful . . . to the Tea Party movement.

Whither the Tea Party Movement?

Since the April 15th Tea Party protests, I’ve been thinking about the future direction and strategy of the Tea Party movement.

And I think it is time for a shift in strategy.

To date, Tea Partiers have put a lot of energy into public protests. And those have been successful, serving the following purposes:

1. The protests let those unhappy with the radical direction of Obama and his allies know they are not alone and not powerless. This is significant. I was among those who felt overwhelmed by the onslaught of Obama in 2009. Remember when it seemed he had a new Leftist initiative every day last Spring? My hope for this country was not very strong at that time. And I was not alone in that regard. The quick rise of Tea Party protests revived hope.

2. The protests made it easier and more acceptable to oppose Obama and his agenda. It is human nature that it is easier to take a stand when one sees thousands of others taking the same stand.

3. The protests provided a vent for popular anger with Obama and his allies. As I’ve posted, when a government shows such disregard for consent of the governed as the Democrats have, the anger that disregard provokes raises the danger of violence. The Tea Party protests did the country a service by providing an important vent to popular anger.

4. The protests helped slow the progress of Obama’s agenda. They were a very visible part of strong public opinion against Obama’s Leftist agenda. That public opinion increased resistance in Congress to Obama’s designs. Yes, Obama and Congress did a lot of damage. It would have been worse without the Tea Party movement.

Others can surely find additional benefits of the Tea Party protests. And many thanks to those who organized and led those protests!

But now I think it is time for those in the Tea Party movement to shift their energies from protests to the nuts and bolts of working the electoral process for the following reasons:

1. Many sympathetic to libertarian/conservative ideas think that elections really don’t matter. So they cast their vote foolishly in ways which do not help or even hurt conservative candidates (by, for example, voting for a third party candidate when a conservative Republican candidate has a chance of winning) or they do not vote at all. These need to be educated and exhorted to vote and vote wisely. Protesting in the streets may instead feed the attitude that the more prosaic task of casting a wise vote doesn’t matter.

2. Human energy and enthusiasm is limited. Therefore, turnout for tea party protests are likely to decrease, which would not help the cause. Personally, I attended two tea party protests last year. But I am not eager to attend another. Holding protests with lower turnout would send the wrong message.

3. Because energy and enthusiasm is limited, we must make sure to channel limited energy into the elections, through voter registration, getting out the vote, working for good candidates, etc. Our anger/enthusiam won’t do much good if we don’t turn out the vote to unelect those who attack our freedom and to elect those who will defend it.

4. Although the Tea Party movement has done an admirable job of protesting peacefully and of not letting their protests be hijacked by loons and Leftists, continued protests are very risky in this environment. Combine a news media and a regime eager to discredit the Tea Party movement with the fact that protests (no matter what the cause) almost always attract a few who are misguided or just don’t restrain themselves well, and you get an environment where further protests can easily backfire.

In short, I see the benefits of continued protests as diminishing while the risks increase. And that at a time when the nearing November elections, as well as the primaries beforehand, demand that we pour time and energy (as well as money) into getting the right people elected. That should now become the focus of the Tea Party movement.

Writing (and marketing) Pilot Point, and the D-Word

I’ve mentioned here before that I’ve been rewriting my novel Pilot Point. And now it is pretty much in final draft form.

As I prepare it for potential publishers, agents, and customers, I’m having to face an issue many Christian writers of fiction face sooner or later: the use of profanity.

This is not an easy issue for me as there are strong Christian themes in my novel I think many Christian book readers would appreciate. At the same time, key characters in my novel are rather salty cowboys. And I find deleting their natural mild profanity altogether probably does not work well.

One example of that. Bowie Smith solemnly proclaims an ex-wife of his as “a d--n good woman.” In context, “a dang good woman” or “a good woman” just does not work as well to this writer’s ear.

So I can take a diminished, maybe slightly diminished, but still what I would consider a somewhat neutered novel into both the Christian and secular markets. Or I can keep good writing first and stick to the secular market. (Profanity sharply reduces access to Christian bookstores, to say the least.) At least that is how I see this choice at this time.

I now think I should stick to the secular market because of this issue. I do not take that decision lightly as I have good (if mixed) memories of taking my past book into Christian bookstores. But I would rather sell fewer books for a work I can be proud of without reservation, rather than with a book I weakened to accommodate others.

Two caveats. I do think profanity is overused in our culture. And I am keeping it to a minimum in Pilot Point. I especially think the f-word is so overused, it has become passé. I still smile/cringe at pop artists who think they are so avant-garde when they let the f-words fly.

More importantly, this should not be taken as a knock on those Christian stores and customers who want no profanity at all in their books. I understand and respect them as well as good readers of this blog who may disagree with me on this. And I’ve gladly written for that market before and may do so again.

But I’m reluctantly coming to the conclusion that Pilot Point will not fit into that market. I am going to sleep and pray on this issue, though.

Quick History Lesson: FDR, the Depression and Tax Slavery

This week was the 65th anniversary of the death of Franklin Roosevelt. Trust me when I say I have not been marking the occasion. Really didn’t even notice it until this morning.

But I will take the occasion to remind people that the myth that Roosevelt ended the Great Depression is just that, a myth. Well, maybe he helped end the Depression . . . by dying and making it easier for the country to roll back his radical policies to some extent.

But before his demise, he surely made the Depression worse by, among other things, raising the top income tax rate to 94%. That is not a misprint: 94%. Did your FDR worshipping history textbook tell you that? I didn’t think so.

And yet, Democrats still worship the man. For they are still the party of slavery, tax slavery.

++Ernest Excommunicates TEC and ACC

In a polite but strongly worded letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Ian Ernest, Archbishop of the Indian Ocean makes clear he has had enough:

I believe that I have been patient and hopeful that our co-operation and listening, our reasoning and brotherly concern would have brought transformation. However it is now abundantly clear to me and to my people that the Episcopal Church has no intention of honouring any of the commitments it has made whether that be in terms of ‘moratoriums’ or ‘gracious restraint’. It is to my mind hell bent on a course that is in radical disobedience to the counsels of God in Holy Scripture.

He therefore excommunicates, even shuns(!), the apostates:

Consequently, I feel constrained by my conscience to uphold my duty as shepherd of the flock and to forthwith suspend all communication both verbal and sacramental with both the TEC and the ACC – their Primates, bishops and clergy until such time as they reverse their theological innovations, and show a commitment to abide by the decisions of the Lambeth Conference. This suspension of communion would not include those bishops and clergy who have distanced themselves from the direction of the TEC (such as the Communion Partners group).

It is gratifying to see there are still Anglicans who know how to excommunicate. He also makes clear he is no longer interested in business as usual from His Grace:

If over 80% of Anglicans live in the global south, why is this not reflected in communion structures? Further attention needs to be given to the adoption of the Anglican Covenant which would bring the communion back to its true calling. However the matter of credibility of the structures which are meant to oversee the process needs to be addressed.

In other words, stop rigging the Anglican Communion, Your Grace.

I also support Archbishop Henry’s call for a Primates meeting. I also will only attend this meeting on condition that we as Primates be consulted first before the agenda is finalised, and on condition that the Primates of TEC and the ACC are not present.

This letter, along with public letters from ++Anis and ++Orombi when TEC is about to ordain a lesbian “bishop” makes one wonder if the Global South is on the verge of laying down the law to Rowan Williams. The 4th Global South to South Encounter is about to meet in Singapore. Will an important statement come from there?

Strong Majority Wants Obamacare Repealed

I find the latest Rasmussen Poll very significant. It indicates that 58% of likely voters and rising want Obamacare repealed. Not only that, 50% strongly want it repealed. Yes, eye-opening numbers.

This should tell Republicans that not only is the repeal of Obamacare needful public policy, it is very good politics. Corker, Cornyn and other Republiwimps take note.

And if Republicans are smart enough to turn November’s congressional elections into a referendum on Obamacare (or to just let it become a referendum on the same), the repudiation of Democrats could get downright biblical.

Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens: Arrest the Pope!

I have previously said the pope-bashing is getting silly. I think it has now jumped the shark.

Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have now officially reached clown status. That does not surprise me in Dawkins’ case. But I am disappointed in Hitchens. I actually admired him for being original, intelligent, and not at all kneejerk. But it seems he also is losing it to pope-bashing fever.

Orombi Resigns from Standing Committee UPDATE: Oops! Not exactly.

The Archbishop of Uganda, Henry Orombi, has now joined ++Mouneer Anis in resigning from the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion. (Actually, he is supporting ++Anis, but is not resigning. See below.)

His letter of resignation to Rowan Williams notes how Dr. Williams and allies have used the standing committee to subvert the authority of the Primates:

The Windsor Report was not a “process.” It was a Report, commissioned by the Primates and received by the Primates. The Primates made specific and clear requests of TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada. When TEC, particularly, did not clearly answer our questions, we gave them more time in 2007 to clarify their position.

Suddenly, though, after the 2007 Primates Meeting in Dar es Salaam, the Primates no longer had a role to play in the very process they had begun. The process was mysteriously transferred to the Anglican Consultative Council and, more particularly, to the Joint Standing Committee. The Joint Standing Committee has now evolved into the “Standing Committee.” Some suggest that it is the Standing Committee “of the Anglican Communion.”

There is, however, no “Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion” The Standing Committee has never been approved in its present form by the Primates Meeting or the Lambeth Conference. Rather, it was adopted by itself, with your approval and the approval of the ACC. The fact that five Primates are included in no way represents our Anglican understanding of the role of Primates as metropolitan bishops of their provinces.

Anglicanism is a church of Bishops and, at its best, is conciliar in its governance. The grave crisis before us as a Communion is both a matter of faith as well as order. Matters of faith and order are the domain of Bishops. In a Communion the size of the Anglican Communion, it is unwieldy to think of gathering all the Bishops of the Communion together more frequently than the current pattern of every ten years. That is why the Lambeth Conference in 1998 resolved that the Primates Meeting should be able to “exercise an enhanced responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters.” (Resolution III.6).
What has emerged, however, is the Standing Committee being given “enhanced responsibility” and the Primates being given “diminished responsibility,” even in regard to a process begun by them. Indeed, this Standing Committee has granted itself supreme authority over Covenant discipline in the latest draft. Under these circumstances, it has not been possible for me to participate in meetings of the
Joint Standing Committee that has taken upon itself authority it has not been given.

He concludes by calling on the Archbishop of Canterbury to do what he should have done too many years ago:

Accordingly, I stand with my brother Primate, Bishop Mouneer Anis, in his courageous decision to resign from the Standing Committee. Many of us are in a state of resignation as we see how the Communion is moving away further and further into darkness, especially since the Primates’ meeting in Dar es Salaam.
Your Grace, I have urged you in the past, and I will urge you again. There is an urgent need for a meeting of the Primates to continue sorting out the crisis that is before us, especially given the upcoming consecration of a Lesbian as Bishop in America. The Primates Meeting is the only Instrument that has been given authority to act, and it can act if you will call us together.

The agenda for that meeting should be set by the Primates themselves at the meeting, and not by any other staff in advance of the meeting. I reiterate this point because you will recall our cordial December 2008 meeting with you, Chris Smith, and the other GAFCON Primates in Canterbury where we discussed the agenda for the Primates meeting to take place in Alexandria the following month. None of our submissions were included in the agenda. Likewise, at the beginning of the January 2009 Primates meeting I was asked to present a position paper on the effect of the crisis in the Communion from our perspective, but I was not informed in advance, so I did not come prepared. Yet, other presenters, including TEC and Canada, were given prior information and came very prepared. I have never received a formal written apology about that incident, and it has caused me to wonder if there are two standards at work in how a Primate is treated.

Finally, the meeting should not include the Primates of TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada who are proceeding with unbiblical practices that contradict the faith of Anglicanism. We cannot carry on with business as usual until order is brought out of this chaos.

Sadly, “business as usual” is the best we can expect from the current occupant of Canterbury.

UPDATE: ++Orombi did send the letter to ++Canterbury, but it is not a resignation letter. ++Orombi is not resigning from the committee.

I am far from the only one in the Anglican blogosphere to be confused on this. But, still, mea culpa.

BREAKING: Bart Stupak will retire

Good riddance.

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Archbishop: Rowan Williams Endorses Pullman

When one wonders if the current Archbishop of Canterbury - that enabler of apostates, who says of Anglo-Catholics his church has pushed into the Tiber, “God bless them. I don’t” - can sink any lower, he does.

Rowans Williams has written a warm and favorable review of Phillip Pullman’s The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. Williams apparently thinks he hasn’t done enough damage to the faith and to the church, so he aligns himself with an author who vomits hatred of both.

What’s next? Will His Grace praise The Satanic Bible as “very impressive”?

Don’t answer that question.

Cameron Calls for Stricter Limits on Abortion. Brown Promises . . . Himself.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here, but I have on my twitter, that if I were a UK citizen I would vote UKIP. That’s how disgusted I’ve been with both major parties.

But now David Cameron is pleasantly surprising me to the point that I might have to change my mind. First, he has called for lowering the time limit for abortions. He has also spoken against assisted suicide. And his Tories have blocked Labour compulsory sex education proposals.

Gordon Brown, on the other hand, has pledged that he will serve a full five years as PM if Labour wins. . . .

Uh, is that supposed to make British want to vote for Labour?

Volker Reveals VAT Tax on the Way

Paul Volker has spilled the beans before the election. If we allow them to stay in power, Democrats will sooner or later push for a VAT tax. And that’s just for starters. Volker talked fondly of a carbon tax, too.

Every time in the past 80 years we have allowed the Democrats to gain too much power, they have pushed, often successfully, tax slavery. This latest push is more of the same. Look at the tax rates FDR and LBJ inflicted on us once they gained enough power in Congress. So do NOT think, “Oh surely they won’t do that.” They will if we let them. Do not think the Democrats have outgrown their fondness for slavery.

I may revisit this subject again.

++Gomez to Succeed --Mahony in Los Angeles

Today comes news that Jose Gomez, Archbishop of San Antonio, will succeed Cardinal Roger Mahony as Archbishop of Los Angeles upon Mahony’s retirement. (Mahony reaches the retirement age of 75 in February.)

I’ve heard nothing but good things about ++Gomez. And he clearly has a heart for Anglicans. So I am glad to see this.

As for Mahony, his weak defense of the faith and of children is well documented. He should not have been allowed to retire in good standing. But if it be so, his retirement cannot come soon enough.

----

Housekeeping: I just now noticed that this is my 2000th post. Yes, I can be persistent.

“The Light of Christ!”

One of the several reasons I became Anglican is that Anglican worship is more participatory. Well, this Easter, did I get to participate!

For the Easter Vigil, I got to carry the Paschal Candle in, chanting “The Light of Christ” at the three stations in the sanctuary. I’ve wanted to do that for at least a year or two. And I chant quite well if I may say so myself. I also read two of the lessons. (I’m not a deacon, but was vested as a cantor . . . for those who wonder about such things.)

The beginning of the procession was comical, however. There was a breeze, even in the church courtyard were we lit the New Fire. So we lit the Paschal Candle from it with some difficulty. Then, as I was carefully walking the candle to the door a persistent gust blew it out. We returned to the New Fire. But it was already an ex-fire. So the rector simply used his lighter to relight the candle. The congregation was amused.

There was more improvisation on Easter morning as a key pool of acolyte kids were late. I volunteered at the last minute and was the crucifer. So much for showing off my rarely seen Easter suit and sitting comfortably in the pew, but I enjoyed worshipping in the middle of such a glorious service.

About Fr. Raniero’s Sermon

I was going to abstain from controversy for the Triduum. But I think defending brothers from unjust attack is certainly appropriate for these days, so I will do so.

There is much wailing and carrying on over the Good Friday sermon by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa. In it, he supposedly made an inappropriate comparison between the recent attacks on the Roman Catholic church and past attacks on Jews. And many, even Ruth Gledhill, are using the sermon as an opportunity to attack the RC church as a whole.

But before we get overwrought, let us actually read the sermon passage in question:

By a rare coincidence, this year our Easter falls on the same week of the Jewish Passover which is the ancestor and matrix within which it was formed. This pushes us to direct a thought to our Jewish brothers. They know from experience what it means to be victims of collective violence and also because of this they are quick to recognize the recurring symptoms. I received in this week the letter of a Jewish friend and, with his permission, I share here a part of it.

He said: "I am following with indignation the violent and concentric attacks against the Church, the Pope and all the faithful by the whole world. The use of stereotypes, the passing from personal responsibility and guilt to a collective guilt remind me of the more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism. Therefore I desire to express to you personally, to the Pope and to the whole Church my solidarity as Jew of dialogue and of all those that in the Jewish world (and there are many) share these sentiments of brotherhood. Our Passover and yours are undoubtedly different, but we both live with Messianic hope that surely will reunite us in the love of our common Father. I wish you and all Catholics a Good Easter."

And also we Catholics wish our Jewish brothers a Good Passover.

My! How terrible! I must now go bash Cafflicks!

Seriously, I think to be offended by that sermon, one must be looking for excuses to be offended . . . or to Catholic bash.

I am confident my pious readers have better things to do and will have a quiet and peaceful Holy Saturday and a glorious Easter. And I also hope my Jewish friends have a Good Passover indeed. And my non-believing friends may be assured my thoughts and prayers are with you as well. God bless.

An Easter Message from Archbishop Duncan

Received via e-mail from the Anglican Church in North America:


"Go make the tomb secure"


Pilate invites Jerusalem's leaders to "secure" the tomb of Jesus [Mt.27.62-66]. They "secure" the tomb with a stone, sealant and soldiers. As if these could contain our Lord. Their efforts prove inadequate. Their materials and means turn out to be no match for the One through whom all things were made.

In this first year of the life of the Anglican Church in North America we have so much for which to give thanks. First and foremost is the cross of Jesus Christ, by which all previous securities are undone, and life comes by death.

There are many tombs which others have tried to "secure" with us inside. There are also some tombs in which we have been tempted to "secure" ourselves. None of these tombs hold when Jesus is there.

They can take our buildings and our assets here at home. They can even take our lives, as in far-flung places like Nigeria and Sudan and Indonesia But Jesus is with all those who embrace Him above all else, who follow Him to - and through - whatever crosses are asked.

For us as faithful Anglican Christians the efforts by others to "secure" our tombs have failed miserably, just as they did with the One we call on as Lord and Savior. There has been suffering and loss, pain and grief, anxiety and fear - these things have been very real, and demanded our very best efforts, as well as the grace of the Holy Spirit in abundance. "But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" [1 Cor.15.57].

As I look across the Anglican Church in North America this Easter - seeing its life, its vitality, its healing, its unity, its compassion, its forgiveness, its renewal, its multiplication and growth, its international partners, its clear sense of mission, its appreciation of the transforming love of Jesus Christ - I think I am understanding the mystery and the truth of Easter better than I ever have before. I hope you and yours are too. With Jesus it is just not possible to "secure" any tomb. Easter joy and love to all.

The Most Reverend Robert William Duncan, D.D.
Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America
Anglican Bishop of Pittsburgh

Easter, A.D. 2010