Testing post

I'd like to test this. Which doesn't belong?

• CS Lewis
• Lewis Dodgson
• Robert Louis Stevenson

1. Start
2. Stop
3. Continue

Dear Mother,

Since we are called to be a community of Christians, to be a Church, we must think of our faith in terms corporate as well as individual. Reflecting on this in the last few days, my perspective has been shifting in a number of ways. Among them are the following:

We must sublimate our schisms Good or bad, the whole history of the Church is part of who we are. We cannot turn back the clock to a time in Church history that we like, that is, a time that we believe that the Church was righteous or pure. We cannot ignore the diverse schisms that have emerged within the Body of Christ over the course of its existence, for when we say, “I am a Christian,” we are allying ourselves with all of them. At times I’ve wished to turn back the clock to the time before the “reforms” of Gregory Hildebrand in the 11th century, or the time of the Act of Uniformity in England. This is no more possible to turn back the clock to the time of the “Early Church” of Acts, or to the time before the Schism between the East and West, or to the time before the Reformation, or even to the time before the 2003 diocesan synod of the Diocese of New Westminster. These events and their consequences must be accepted as part of our identity. This does not mean that we must relish every choice – good or bad – but that we must accept it, evaluate it, and work for a temporal future that is informed by our past.

The Global Village is not a Christian village Christianity may be the progenitor of the current “international” culture, as well as the culture in Europe and North America, but it is not the synonymous with it. Many churches have already recognized this, but the common response appears to be to try to adopt the cosmetic trappings of the local culture. In some cases this has proved to be the “thin edge of the wedge” leading to the affirmation of popular beliefs rather than the affirmation of the faith that we have received through tradition. (Before anyone finds fault with me for advocating tradition over scripture, please note that scripture is part of what I mean when I say tradition.) It is important that we the Church maintain our identity at all levels, but to do so without gratuitously alienating and antagonizing the secular community.

Mother, we continue to be in pieces: as a Church, as a society, as a world and as individuals. I know this greaves you. I'm sure we will have much to say to eachother about this beyond what I have here written. Please pray that we might know healing and the peace of Christ. My prayers, as always are with you.

Your loving son,

Joel

The Church: what is it?

Dear Mother,

Here are some reflections on our calling as the Church:

1. GOD is paramount. He is the Almighty. He is supreme regardless of what we do and how we choose to worship Him. Therefore, it is only right that He should be the hub of our lives.
2. Community is a precious gift from GOD. We are social creatures. GOD has given us each other so that we might flourish in ways we would not if we were solitary. We must not disrespect this gift.
3. The Church is the community in revolution around GOD. If it is fitting that we each conduct our own faith-lives in utter or near privacy, involving only ourselves and GOD, there is no need for a Church. As the Church we are called to participate in each other’s faith lives, challenging and sharing burdens temporal and spiritual. The Church is a communal relationship with GOD.

Please continue to pray for us as surely as we continue to hold you in our prayers.

Your loving son,

Joel

My church is getting a divorce

Dear Mother,

As a "cradle Anglican," I feel like the child of parents who are getting a devorce. Not that you are or anything, but the Anglican Church of Canada feels like it's drifting away from the Worldwide Anglican Communion. More than that, I worry at times that the Anglican Church in general is getting a devorce from GOD. A terrible thing to think, I know. But there it is.

We rationalize everything we do. If we open ourselves to GOD, we do so as privately as possible for fear of rebuke from some other congregant. As an organization, we make decisions about our future based on current trends, not things that are of GOD and are eternal.

We forget the Prime Commandments that Christ gave us. Christ said, "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." (Luke 10:27) Is that really so easy to forget?

It's been a long day. I must go.

Your loving son,

Joel