Interview with Bishop Ackerman

The Diocese of Quincy

Choice quotes:

"If I do something and it is not popular with the House of Bishops than its disobedient. If they [revisionists] do something and they think its a rather good thing, even if its inconsistent with the Canons and the Lambeth conference then its prophetic."

"We are successfully [reversing] the creation story rather well; we are creating God in our own image and we are bringing chaos out of order."

biretta tip AnglicanTV

Reading List

A couple of months ago I asked Fr. Chad Jones to recommend some of his favorite books on Theology and Church History. In the interest of the common good I make this list avalable to everyone.

The Catholic Religion by Vernon Staley
The Christian Faith by CB Moss
An Introduction to the 39 Articles of the Church of England by EJ Bicknell
Anglicanism edited by More and Cross
The Apostolic Ministry edited by KE Kirk
The King’s Highway by George D Carleton
A History of the Church in England by JRH Moorman
The Shape of the Liturgy by Dom Gregory Dix
Eucharist by Louis Bouyer
The Early Liturgy by Joseph Jungmann
The Elements of the Spiritual Life by FP Harton
Theological Outlines by Francis J Hall
Dogmatic Theology (in 10 volumes) by Francis J Hall
The Gospel and the Catholic Church by Michael Ramsey
Faith and Practice by Frank E Wilson
Ye Are The Body by Bonnell Spencer, OHC
The Vision Glorious by Geoffrey Rowell
The Faith of the Early Fathers (in 3 volumes) edited by William A Jurgens
Merrily on High by Colin Stephenson
The Oxford American Prayer Book Commentary by Massey H Shepherd
The Christian Priest Today by Michael Ramsey
Ministerial Priesthood by RC Moberly
Liturgy and Worship edited by WK Lowther Clarke and Charles Harris
Corpus Christi by EL Mascall
Christ, the Christian, and the Church by EL Mascall
Anglicanism by Stephen Neill
Answer Me This by CB Moss
Doctrines of the Creed by Oliver C Quick
Christian Proficiency by Martin Thornton
English Spirituality by Marin Thornton
A History of the American Episcopal Church by William Wilson Manross
The Early Church by Henry Chadwick
The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition by Jaroslav Pelikan
Early Christian Doctrines by JND Kelly
Early Christian Creeds by JND Kelly
Anglican Catholic Faith and Practice by Mark Haverland
The First Seven Ecumenical Councils by Leo Donald Davis
The Study of Liturgy edited by C Jones, G Wainwright, and E Yarnold
The Anglican Spiritual Tradition by JRH Moorman
The Reformation by Owen Chadwick
The Stripping of the Altars by Eamon Duffy

Regression

When i was little before going to bed (especially after a fight in the house) to prevent nightmares i would try to focus on thoughts that were super schmaltzy and happy to counterbalance the all the bad. The best i could come up with at the time were Care Bears and My Little Ponies. Its not that i was a fan, i just knew they where cheesy and would hopefully do the trick. Later when i put my little bother to bed when he was upset i used to say "just think of Care Bears and My little ponies" ....i'm sure he thought i was nuts.... For some reason i thought about Care Bears tonight. So, it turns out i'm Tenderheart.

	Tenderheart Bear You are thinker, organizer, peacekeeper, and leader all in one. You have a power to command attention and people listen to you. However, you are often so concerned about not hurting others' feelings that you don't tell them what they need to hear and this gets you both into trouble. But you always have loyal friends to help you out.
Take the Which Care Bear Are You? Quiz!

Episcopal Church embraces death

Jeremiah 8:

1At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:
2And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
3And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
4Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?
5Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
6I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
7Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
8How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
9The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
10Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
11For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
12Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
13I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
14Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
15We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!
16The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
17For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
18When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
19Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?
20The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
21For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
22Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

[see here]

Discernment Update

I was recently reminded how impersonal my entries have been of late, so I thought I should give you an update of my discernment.

Last month I finally finished the application for Postulancy in the Diocese of Quincy, Illinois (including psychological exam, physical exam, and a paper on my faith journey and biography.) The most difficult part of the paper was writing about my faith journey (including significant events, persons, and things that have influenced how I see myself as a person of faith), under 2000 words. I find it easier to write with pen and paper than with a computer (yes, I’m that old fashion), so when I typed up what I had written I realized I had exceeded the 2000 word limit. After a couple rewrites I was able to edit it down within the limit. I have to admit that writing about where I have been and where I am going in my faith was very enlightening although at times excruciating. I really dislike writing about myself. I can only hope I was successful. I tried to be as concise and honest as possible. And I had Greg reread and edit any of my incoherent blabbering. The best part of the application was answering the question “What are the major differences between a lay person and an ordained person?” Since this was more of a theological question it was much more enjoyable researching and answering this question.

I recently talked to the Diocese, they want me to reapply to Nashotah House and make sure I will be able to get in before I continue the process of Postulancy. This will require money. The main reason I was unable to attend last year was because I didn’t have the money or support to pay for it.

As a “refugee” aspirant from a heterodox diocese (Maryland) to an orthodox one (Quincy) I lose some of the support I may have gotten from my home diocese. Nashotah House will cost $81,000 for 3 years of study required to get a Masters of Divinity. An unattainable amount if I was left to my own devices.

So, this is what I’ll be working on next. I will need at least $17,000 to start the first year of seminary. I’m going to be writing as many people/churches that I think will be willing to give me support. If it is God’s will for me to get that support I’ll start seminary in this fall.

Catholic Quiz

You scored as Traditional Catholic. You look at the great piety and holiness of the Church before the Second Vatican Council and the decay of belief and practice since then, and see that much of the decline is due to failed reforms based on the "Spirit of the Council". You regret the loss of vast numbers of Religious and Ordained clergy and the widely diverging celebrations of the Mass of Pope Paul VI, which often don't even seem to be Catholic anymore. You are helping to rebuild this past culture in one of the many new Traditional Latin Mass communities or attend Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy [if you only knew, I'm an Anglican]. You seek refuge from the world of pornography, recreational drugs, violence, and materialism. You are an articulate, confident, committed, and intelligent Catholic. [gee thanks]

But do you support legitimate reform of the Church, and are you willing to submit to the directives of the Second Vatican Council? [Uhm, No] Will you cooperate responsibly with others who are not part of the Traditional community? [Maybe... if they convert]

Traditional Catholic		95%
Radical Catholic		88%
New Catholic		79%
Evangelical Catholic		62%
Neo-Conservative Catholic		43%
Liberal Catholic		12%
Lukewarm Catholic		0%

What is your style of American Catholicism?

[biretta tip: All too Common]

Novena to the Holy Spirit

Please pray for the Primates meeting in Tanzania Feb. 12-19.

On The Care And Feeding Of Seminarians

Read about it here.

(St. Lawrence patron of Seminarians)

New Year's Wish

i just want to see you happy

A Message from the Prophet Malachi

(God's Messenger St. John the Baptist)

1"Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts.
2"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.
3"He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.
4"Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
5"Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts.
6"For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
7"From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts.

(Malachi 3:1-7)

St. John of the Cross

“In giving us his Son, his only and definitive Word, God spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word, and he has no more to say.”

(Saint John of the Cross)

One Kick-Ass Sermon

Listen to this great sermon by the late Bishop Festo Kivengere.


biretta tip: BabyBlue

Mother of God

The Mother Of God by William Butler Yeats


THE threefold terror of love; a fallen flare
Through the hollow of an ear;
Wings beating about the room;
The terror of all terrors that I bore
The Heavens in my womb.
Had I not found content among the shows
Every common woman knows,
Chimney corner, garden walk,
Or rocky cistern where we tread the clothes
And gather all the talk?
What is this flesh I purchased with my pains,
This fallen star my milk sustains,
This love that makes my heart's blood stop
Or strikes a Sudden chill into my bones
And bids my hair stand up?

Advent

Advent is the season when we penitently prepare ourselves for the second Advent as we liturgically await the first.

From a catechetical instruction by St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386):

"We do not preach only one coming of Christ, but a second as well, much more glorious than the first. The first coming was marked by patience; the second will bring the crown of a divine kingdom.

In general, what relates to our Lord Jesus Christ has two aspects. There is a birth from God before the ages, and a birth from a virgin at the fullness of time. There is a hidden coming, like that of rain on fleece, and a coming before all eyes, still in the future.

At the first coming he was wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. At his second coming he will be clothed in light as in a garment. In the first coming he endured the cross, despising the shame; in the second coming he will be in glory, escorted by an army of angles. We look then beyond the first coming and await the second. At the first coming we said: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. At the second we shall say it again; we shall go out with the angels to meet the Lord and cry out in adoration: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

The Savior will not come to be judged again, but to judge those by whom he was judged. At his own judgement he was silent; then he will address those who committed the outrages against him when they crucified him and will remind them: You did these things, and I was silent.

His first coming was to fulfill his plan of love, to teach men by gentle persuasion. This time, whether men like it or not, they will be subjects of his kingdom by necessity. Malachi the prophet speaks of the two comings. And the Lord who you seek will come suddenly to his temple: that is one coming.

Again he says of another coming: Look, the Lord almighty will come, and who will endure the day of his entry, or who will stand in his sight? Because he comes like a refiner’s fire, a fuller’s herb, and he will sit refining and cleansing.

These two comings are also referred to by Paul in writing to Titus: The grace of God the Savior has appeared to all men, instructing us to put aside impiety and worldly desires and live temperately, uprightly, and religiously in this present age, waiting for the joyful hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Notice how he speaks of a first coming for which he gives thanks, and a second, the one we still await.

That is why the faith we profess has been handed on to you in these words: He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

Our Lord Jesus Christ will therefore come from heaven. He will come at the end of the world, in glory, at the last day. For there will be an end to this world, and the created world will be made new."

Behold, the Name of the Lord comes from afar, and his glory fills the whole earth.

Traditional Catholic Monks of Papa Stronsay, Scotland

Youth Group

Church is for Punks


My church, All Saints in Selinsgrove (ECUSA) has asked me help lead their youth group. Which is now non-existent. The ages of the youth range around the tweens.

I’m a product of really lame youth groups. The point of these youth groups was mostly just to have youth group. I had some friends that also went to these groups but it seemed none of us really enjoyed it.

I would have liked nothing better than to sit around and listen to the Smiths and discuss Morrissey’s eschatology or compare and contrast the social and cultural revolutionary aspects of the gospel and punk music.

I am probably the last person one should ask to help lead a youth group. But I guess they asked because they don’t know me that well (or think because I am "young" I’ll be able to relate to them better). I couldn’t relate to the youth of my own age how do you expect me to relate to them now? But I’m willing to accept the challenge.

The biggest mistake one can make is not having a purpose. The idea of a youth group is not just to give the kids something to do. They, I’m sure, have plenty they would rather do. So, what is the point of a youth group? I will suggest that it must actually have a point for starters. A youth group should not only be about fellowship and keeping kids away from crime but hopefully to edify and teach. The point of a youth group should be to help form them spiritually to be better Christians. To instruct them on what it means to be a Christian or even specifically as Anglicans and integrate them fully into the Body of Christ.

And already I see problems with All Saints’ view of their youth. They do not stay for the whole Mass at Church they only come in for the Eucharist (they are not an integrated part of the Body). And I don’t think they are even given instruction back there in the parish hall. I think they are just kept out of the way. They are enforcing the idea that church is boring. This is of course problematic and wrong. These children are the future of the Church… so don’t be surprised when they abandon the Church in adulthood.

I can’t abide the direction-less, meaningless, banal, or hyperactive youth group. If they ask me to lead a youth group ok, i accept; but, if your current system is broken you must also be willing to fix it. We need to do nothing less than lead a youth revolution.

Anglicans on Radio

Recently, there have been some interesting radio interviews with some important figures of the Church.

The ABC tries (and fails) to convert John Humphrys (who didn't want to be converted anyway).

Presiding Bishop Katherine tries (and fails) to prove she's not a Unitarian, on "Here and Now."

Bishop Iker on the same program tries (and succeeds) to prove that he's catholic.

Future of Anglicanism

Bishop Duncan of Pittsburgh gave an address at Nashotah House that's worth a read. "The Future of Anglicanism: an end to Western hegemony."

(Image from CS monitor article).

Why I haven't a clue

It is common now to see blogs where the author writes a statement on Why I left the Episcopal Church or Why I left the Roman Catholic Church, or "Why I am staying Anglican." (notice he didn't say "Episcopal.") I had hoped to avoid such a statement. I hate Church politics but it is difficult, or even impossible, to separate politics from anything else. As my friend Adam Clayton says in Rattle in Hum, you can't separate politics from music, from sport, from art, etc.... For better or for worse this is true.

Bishop Ackerman recently gave an address to the assembly of Forward in Faith. In it he bluntly says "there is no safe place for Anglo-Catholics" in America. I was stuck by the inherent fatalism in this statement, but I think he's right. Everything hinges upon the creation of a new province. Something that has never happened before. And which may never happen.

As an Anglo-Catholic in the Episcopal Church I am caught between a rock and a hard place. Whether we like it or not, practicing Traditional Catholic Anglicanism demands you make a political decision.

This has been made much more clear to me now that I live in central PA. There are no Anglo-Catholic parishes in the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of central PA. So, I am screwed. I recently decided to visit a continuing church (ACA) in Willamsport (about 45 mins. North of Norry). I was frankly surprised how little it mattered to me where I worshiped. (I guess I am not so shallow after all ;-) The church of the incarnation meets in a old store front. They use the 1928 BCP and the Anglican Missal. Their service was practically identical to GASP's service (my church in Balto). It was paired down due to the fact that they don't have an organ, there was no musical accompaniment at all and no choir. But this did not bother me. The essentials where there. In fact I found that stripping the service to its essentials can be helpful. I found that the worship was much more intentional. I'm not saying that I would do away with the organ all together but it can become more performance less prayer....

After the service I got the chance to speak with the priest. He thinks its insane that a person with my Catholic views would remain in TEC. He was an Episcopal priest himself until he was deposed, back in 2004, for wanting to join Forward in Faith. (There is no safe place.)

It is clear that TEC has walked away from the Catholic faith the evidence is every where (our PB-elect doesn't even believe in the after-life, views the scriptures simply as metaphor, denies Jesus Christ's gospel of eternal salvation by grace through faith.) TEC is so far beyond the pale of Anglicanism even the basic tenets of Christianity are rejected. So, why am I still in this church and why am I applying to be a postulant in this church? How could I ever promise obedience to bishops who aren't even Christian? (BTW, a Christian is someone who can say the Creeds and believe every word). I feel that it is indeed a cop out to want to be a part of a church just because there are still 3 Anglo-Catholic bishops left.

This ACA priest wants me to join them. I'd like to but I can't for the opposite reason I can't support TEC. I share their faith (and the particular expression of that faith) but I can't sign up to join a church which has a structure I don't agree with, namely the fact that the continuing churches (all 50+ of them) spilt from each other due to the egos of the bishops which started them. This is not Catholic. If the churches which split back in the 70s had stayed together it would be a completely different story. I would join their church right now. The priest I spoke with claims that the ACA is no longer political.... well if that's true than unite with your brother and sisters in the rest of the continuum. I have more hope for a separate province than I do with the continuum reuniting. I think it will happen but the current bishops will have to die first (crude but true). I think the responsibility of reuniting the continuum will lie with the next generation. They are taking steps but they should do much more.

So, I'm screwed.

As a member of the Episcopal Church discerning a call to the priesthood, I need support. Which means support from other churches in TEC (and who would give me support?). I don't want to leave TEC; I want TEC to believe what it says it believes (see Creeds and BCP). So who should be the one leaving? The liberal EC who want to contradict what it means to be Anglican and Christian or the orthodox in TEC?

I wait with bated breath for the Primates meeting in Feb. 07 where TEC will be kicked out of the Communion (or at least be given reduced status as Canterbury suggested) opening the way for a new province for orthodox parishes.....

"Internet Assembled Philosophy"

Bad Vicar Video