As a funeral director, I think one of the wisest passages concerning grief and celebration is straight from the (Episcopal) Book of Common Prayer: Continue reading
Tag Archives: Christianity
Embracing the real, not “what I think should be real”
Filed under Christianity, Church, Funeral, Uncategorized
Thoughts on Marriage (or, “An Exercise in Hubris”)
A friend of mine wrote a brief blog post on a subject I have been ruminating on for a few years, the purpose of marriage. His post compels me to write. I dare not say this is exactly in opposition to him, for he writes with several advantages over me:
- First of all, he has actually been successful, while I am twice married and twice divorced. The fact that both of my marriages and divorces were to and from the same woman may tell for or against me; I will leave that alone.
- He is demonstrably smarter than I am.
- He is a priest (Anglican/Episcopalian, hence #1 above) and has actually studied more than a little on these subjects. Mine was Psychology and Computer Technology, and much longer ago
- His post is full of biblical references,which he uses accurately.
- And most difficult for me, he is right.
Facing all these issues, how could I possibly resist the urge to stick in my own oar?
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Church, Marriage, Theology, Uncategorized
Yesterday, at the Church of the Redeemer
Yesterday, I went back to Redeemer.
God! What a statement! I had some idea of what I wanted
to say, why I wanted to write; but I had not formed any words in my head until
my fingers hit the keyboard. This is what came out, unannounced, a total
surprise to me. I have often spoken of writing as letting my pen speak to me,
and I am bowled over by what it has said. Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Church
A premature thought on “Divinity of Doubt”
Well, I’m about to do that which should (almost) never be done- I’m going to issue an opinion on a book I have never read. That book is Vincent Bugliosi’s “Divinity of Doubt.” Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Heaven and hell, Theology
A Poem of Restoration and Thanksgiving
As I continue to process the story of The Church of the Redeemer, Episcopal (Houston), I remembered a bit of a poem another person with a past at Redeemer had posted. I wish I could remember who, that person has earned my gratitude!
I finally found it. It nearly perfectly captures my emotions, particularly in what I understand as God’s redemption of that period of my life, particularly the final stanza.
I have reposted it here.
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Church
On the closing of The Church of the Redeemer
“My place in Redeemer & vice versa, ”compare and contrast “ with life in general and personal history, with particular emphasis on the themes of plans and expectation (see subtext “Judas”)…”
OK, yesterday eve (well, late afternoon!) when I finally got to bed after staying up like I was half my age, I couldn’t write what I wanted. But I was too full to properly resist, so I at least assigned a theme for myself, noted above. Upon reading my “assignment,” today, I am dismayed, and thankful on behalf of my non-existent class, that I do not teach High School English, nor do I assign term papers.
I have been dodging this topic all morning, and my available time is near an end. Some would say I have been dodging this topic for 20 years, maybe 25. Time to get to it… Continue reading
An introduction to Thoughts of The Church of the Redeemer, Episcopal (Houston)
By way of explanation, I have alluded to my coming to the Anglican Communion in the form of the Episcopal Church. The parish was “Church of the Redeemer, Episcopal”, which has had a widely reported existence over the last 40+ years. It has indeed been remarkable, not easily shoved into one ecclesial pigeon-hole. The physical building has this Sunday (27 February, 2011) been “secularized” meaning it is no longer set apart as a church. The life of that physical plant is at an end, due to an unattainable cost of essential repairs. The life of the parish continues, but it leads into a mist through which none but God can yet see.
Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Church, preaching, Uncategorized
And now…, the other shoe.
I’ve got to take care of a little unwelcome personal business.
As you may have picked up through these scattered threads lying about here are a number that try to make some connection between the themes of Christianity, of Christian theology, and the way the world seems to actually work in observation. Sometimes, as in “Simul Justes et Peccator” that connection is revealed by failure. Failure to act in accordance with what one knows to be true involves, if not a willful blindness, a willful “dimming of the eye,” a choosing not to see, a choosing to not know what one knows. Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Heaven and hell, Marriage, Theology
From a Voice of Christmas Past
As my life has taken on many changes, I have found myself talking with other people whose experience of this Christmas is less than idyllic. No Hallmark Card photographs here.
In those conversations, I have thought about a piece I wrote for a Christian coffeehouse back in 1984, and the advanced age of 29.
There are some cultural references that some may not catch today, and there are some things I would like to edit, or re-write entirely, but I think not. Because at the distance of 26 years, I am not speaking to you; the “Eric” of 1984 is now speaking to me as well. I think editing would be presumptuous of me! Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, preaching, Theology, Uncategorized
Simul justes et peccator (and how it relates to me and my marriage)
One of my “soap-box” points, on which I am continually harping, is the importance of the pastoral implications and applicability of doctrine, and of theology. If there is a particular point about the nature of God and of our relationship with Him that is intellectually stimulating and recreationally pleasing to fondle, but has no true impact on my life, then I think that is a pretty fair description of what it means to “take the Lord’s name in vane” (No, it doesn’t mean saying “OMG!” as tiresome as that is). Continue reading
Filed under ALL, Christianity, Heaven and hell, Marriage, Theology
Random Musings 