After an unacceptably busy week on a variety of fronts (to do with being an institutional Vicar of parish rather than a priest) it was good to have some time today to catch up on the wealth which is to be found on other peoples blogs - they offer me some perspective which is vital.
Firstly however some words from the Epistle reading set in the Church of England lectionary for today. Paul writes to the Philippians:
"More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake II have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him..."
These words never cease to challenge me about what is essential in my faith , to my vocation as a mission priest and the way that I perform my role as Anglican vicar.
Rob Lord has a post form ECUSA ( I am not happy with their slightly imperialistic new title) about how the American Church will respond to the ultimatum from the wider Anglican Communion - which illustrates the myth that the American response is all liberal politics rather than faithful response.
Paul Fromont reflects upon Bonhoeffers view of "worldly faith" and a quote from Nicholas Nash before offering this summary which seems to link again with St Paul's challenge:
I continue to reflect more and more not about a rational defence of gospel; a rational, propositional defence of faith (it seems to me to be becoming increasingly meaningless in our contemporary post-Christendom context), but instead, to reflect on the importance of a quietly distinctive, humble and alternative embodied expression of “good news”. This is what gospel looks like, feels like, tastes like, sounds like – “taste and see,” “watch and listen,” “see how they love one another…” etc.
Does not the process of "regarding everything as loss" include our intellectual rational mindset which inhibits us from sharing our faith in new ways for each generation.
And it was a comment from Paul's site which took me to this youth worker blog which many will find interesting and stimulating
Cheers Tom. I'm delighted you found it useful and were able to make some connections with your own thinking and reflecting.
Pax.
Posted by: Paul Fromont | 27 March 2007 at 18:33
thanks for the link Tom... it was kind of you to send some folks my way.
Posted by: Doug Jones | 27 March 2007 at 19:01