Friday, February 4, 2011

Colleagues List, February 5th, 2011

Vol. VI. No. 21

*****

Wayne A. Holst, Editor

*****

Colleagues List Blog:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com/

*****

In this Issue:

Special Item This Week -
Movie Notice and Reviews

"The King's Speech"

_____

Colleague Comment:

Lorna Dueck
Art Bauer
Kelly Johnson
Doug Shantz
___

Net Notes:

Obama Affirms His Christianity
Religion Part of Egyptian Uprising
The Arab World is on Fire (Chomsky)
Saskatoon Canada's Fastest Growth Area
Anglican-Catholic Dialogue - New Phase
Parallel Universe May Exist - Scientists
Ratzinger Once Supported Celibacy Reform
Edmonton Weans Schools off Gambling Funds
More Calls for Probe into the Orissa Violence
Kerala Communists Attempt to Woo Christians
Anglicans Condemn African Gay Victimization

_____

Global Faith Potpourri:

Four ENI Stories This Week

_____

Quotes of the Week:

Mother Teresa
Rowan Williams
St. Maximus the Confessor
Enuma Okoro
Flannery O'Connor

_____

On This Day:

Jan. 30, 1948 - Gandhi killed by Hindu extremist
Jan. 31, 1865 - US amendment to abolish slavery
Feb. 2, 1943  - Nazi forces surrender at Stalingrad
Feb. 4, 1974  - Heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped
_____

Closing Thought

(end)

*****

Dear Friends:

In this issue of Colleagues List
I provide a special movie notice
of "The King's Speech" plus three
reviews from the Globe and Mail,
New York Times and Guardian (UK).

The film is a 12-time nominee for
Academy Awards, and has a good
chance of being selected as best
picture.

_____

Colleague Comment - for this week
includes contributions from friends

Lorna Dueck - producer of 'Listen Up'
TV. I grow more appreciative of her
work as time goes on.

Art Bauer - long-time associate
who has also traveled the cancer
journey ahead of me.

Kelly Johnson - Pentecostal chaplain
at the U. of Calgary. We have enjoyed
many good experiences together. Last
year, he and colleagues were guests
at St. David's United Church.

Doug Shantz - Chairholder of Christian
Thought at the U. of Calgary, gives
a lecture on a subject close to his
heart this coming Monday. We will
post the link to it when available.

___

Net Notes:

"Obama Affirms His Christianity" -
the president speaks of his prayer life,
especially in times of global crisis
like these (The Guardian, UK)

"Religion Part of Egyptian Uprising" -
a series of stories on the violence and
great unrest in Egypt; but also new hope
(New York Times, The Atlantic, Sojourners
and PBS Religion and Ethics)

"The Arab World is on Fire (Chomsky)" -
the implications of what is happening in
Egypt are significant for the Arab world
(Truthout, National Catholic Reporter,
The Tablet (UK), Christian Science Monitor)

"Saskatoon Canada's Fastest Growth Area" -
- it is good to read of this development
in a province that has traditionally given
up population to other parts of Canada
(Vancouver Sun)

"Anglican-Catholic Dialogue - New Phase"
- in spite of new differences between
these communions, there is hope for more
dialogue and convergence (Zenit News from
Rome, Anglican Church News, Toronto)

"Parallel Universe May Exist - Scientists"
- the universe just keeps getting bigger
(National Public Radio)

"Ratzinger Once Supported Celibacy Reform"
- for those who believe that Benedict has
always been a stern party-line moralist
this story is interesting (Irish Times)

"Edmonton Weans Schools off Gambling Funds"
- more Catholic dioceses are abandoning
their dependency on gambling funds. Good!
(Catholic News Service)

"More Calls for Probe into Orissa Violence"
- India seems to be paying more attention to
religion-based violence within its borders
(Uccan News)

"Kerala Communists Attempt to Woo Christians"
- the 'untouchables have traditionally been
good candidates for Christian conversion in
India. Now, another group is courting them
(Uccan News)

"Anglicans Condemn African Gay Victimization"
- the Anglican Communion is speaking out
against human rights violations within part
of its own family (The Guardian, UK)

_____

Global Faith Potpourri:

There are four ENI stories this week as the
office in Geneva re-organizes.

_____

Quotes of the Week:

Sojourners Online provides insight from
the following people:

Mother Teresa, Rowan Williams,
St. Maximus the Confessor, Enuma Okoro
and Flannery O'Connor.

_____

On This Day - Jan. 30th - Feb. 4th

From the archives of the New York Times
read on-the-scene reports of these
news stories from over the years:

Gandhi killed by Hindu extremist (1948)
US amendment to abolish slavery (1865)
Nazi forces surrender at Stalingrad (1943)
Heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped (1974)

_____

Closing Thought - a bit of humour to
complete this week's edition.

Blessings to all of you,

Wayne

************************

SPECIAL ST. DAVID'S LINKS

Contact us at: asdm@sduc.ca (or)admin@sduc.ca
St. David's Web Address - http://sduc.ca/

Listen to audio recordings of Sunday services -
http://sduc.ca/services.htm

___


ST DAVID'S ACTS WEB PAGE

Created and maintained by Colleague
Jock McTavish

http://stdavidscalgary.net/

__

INTRODUCING OUR
ST.DAVID'S WINTER STUDY FOR 2011

Books Considered:

"An Altar in the World"
 by Barbara Brown Taylor

(and)

"I Shall Not Hate -
 A Gaza Doctor's Journey"
 by Izzeldin Abuelaish

More study and website particulars will
be posted as they become available.

Classes have already begun!

Here is the link to the sessions:
http://tinyurl.com/46eyn5j

*****

INTRODUCING MY UNIVERSITY
WINTER COURSE FOR 2011

GOD, ATHEISM, AND MORALITY

We continue our investigation of the
New Atheists and consider the question:
"Can we be good without God?"

Text for the course will be Sam Harris'
new book:

"The Moral Landscape:
 How Science Can Determine Human Values"
 (Free Press, October, 2010)

Supplementary text:

"Godless Morality" by Richard Holloway
 (Canongate (new edition) 2009)

Course description and registration
information:

http://tinyurl.com/2fc7xr4

Classes have now started. A great group!
I hope to learn much from them and will
post insights as they emerge.

*****

REMINDER:

ST. DAVID'S 50th ANNIVERSARY
TOUR OF CELTIC LANDS - 2011

We plan a 15-day tour of special Celtic sites
in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England -
April 26th - May 10th, 2011.

A highlight of the tour will be a visit to
St. David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire. Choir
members from our group will sing at various
informal cathedral events through the day
and at Evensong, on Saturday, May 7th!

We have 26 choristers signed up as part of
the tour group. This special choir begins
rehearsals in early January - led by our
congregation's music director, Brent Tucker.

Details are presently being finalized with
the St. David's cathedral dean, Fr. Jonathan
Lean and their music director, Alex Mason.

We are also planning to sing while visiting
Iona, Scotland and the Church of Mary
Immaculate in Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland.
Fr. Ned Carolan, host. Rehearsals began
Sunday, January 23rd and will continue
through April.

ALL 38 PLACES ON THE TOUR
ARE NOW SOLD OUT

January 26th was the deadline for all
trip payments - 90 days before departure.

We continue to gather a waiting list for this
trip, as there may be some drop-outs as we near
departure.

We have started an interest list for more and
future tours!

Let me know if you are interested in knowing
more about exciting, spiritual tourism!

*****

STUDY ARCHIVES

A collection of twenty-five+ studies conducted
since 2000 can quickly be found at:
http://bookstudies.stdavidscalgary.net/

This collection of study resources represents
a decade of Monday Night Studies at St. David's,
plus extra courses too!

You are welcome to use our course outlines,
class notes and resource pages in your personal
and group reflections.

******************************************

SPECIAL ITEM

THE KING'S SPEECH

A Reflection on the Oscar Nominee
for Best Picture and Other Awards -

My Thoughts:

Like many people of Canadian but
non-Anglo-Saxon background in my
generation, I have valued the British
monarchy and its representatives in
my country.

This has sometimes set me at odds
with people of Anglo-Saxon background
who feel the monarchy is a waste of
time and resources, and wish that
Canada would evolve into a republic
like India or South Africa.

I'd don't respect the British monarchy
because of its traditional elitist
tendencies; or a few of it's current
representatives - some of whom will
soon be providing great-grandchildren
for Elizabeth II whom I admire.

When all is said an done, I believe the
monarchy at its best can stand above
politics and draw people together, as
it appears to do in the latest movie
"The King's Speech."

OK, accuse me of being romantic!

Many years in the gestation stage,
(because Elizabeth the Queen Mother
found the whole idea of George VI's
speech defect extremely sensitive and
painful, even after all these years)
a movie about it has now appeared.
When long-living Elizabeth died - well
past 100 - a window of opportunity opened
and the producers set to work.

I usually try to provide a notice of
one Oscar nominee during Academy Award
Season, and this will be my selection
for this year.

____

"The King's Speech" continues a movie
trend to 'humanize' the monarchy - a good
thing - even if it has to twist the truth
and historical facts in the process.

After my thoughts, I include three reviews:
A Canadian, American, and British-American
perspective can be found, below.

But let me summarize here.

Richard Groen of the Globe and Mail calls
it "a more or less true story that turns
Pygmalion (aka My Fair Lady) on its
fanciful head. In this instance, the
commoner teaches the monarch.

Lionel Logue, an Aussie transplant to the
UK some eighty years ago, becomes the
royal speech therapist - 'lacking a medical
degree but not common sense.' In doing so,
he upsets the archbishop of Canterbury,
but "Berty" (Albert/George VI) sides with
him because he has had such bad luck with
the professionals.

Manohla Dargis in the New York Times,
reveals that the future king had a stutter
debilitating enough that, as an adult "he
felt compelled to conquer."

What we encounter are two intriguing
characters - an odd coupling - of an
imperious yet vulnerable and needy
king-to-be and an affable and informal
therapist who is strict and demanding
with his patient.

"Albert barks and brays," says Dargis,
"and wraps out a calculatingly cute
string of expletives" that nonetheless
lead to a considerable improvement in
his ability to speak.

"Many images add 'a reassuring ordinariness
of the royals' such as when the king's wife
is pictured bouncing up and down on her
husbands stomach in the therapist's floor,
as they try to work out his psychological
and physical blockages in order to lead to
more cogent speaking.

The climax of the movie is quite moving,
says Groen, and a good fusion of the
majestic and the intimate.

In the end, when he gives a stirring speech
to the people of the UK and the world that
brings Great Britain into the war against
Hitler (1939) "the king continues his ceaseless
battle with his inner demons and the world
soon follows suit."

Still, a nation listened and was galvanized
against tyranny. They needed a king to assure
them.

In spite of human weakness and miscalculation,
the monarchy succeeded in bringing a nation
together against a dire threat to its freedom.

---

With interesting arguments, the iconoclast
Christopher Hitchens (Brit-turned-American)
in the Guardian, criticizes the way Churchill,
Edward and Albert are portrayed in the movie.

He views them as skewing history to serve their
own purposes. The real heroes in the drama were
the English people, not them, he claims. "The
Churchill lobby has continued to color the story,
right up to the end."

I am a respecter, not a worshiper, of Churchill.
I believe his devotion to the empire makes him
totally outdated, and his attitude to colonials
like Gandhi 'that naked fakir' (and peasants
like me) do not make me an easy defender of the
Churchilian legacy. He did great things in
spite of his flaws.

In a true sense, that is the point of this movie.
George VI did great things too. History is messy.
We do not usually go to movies to get our history
right. We go to be entertained, even inspired.

That, I believe, is what "The King's Speech"
succeeds in doing.

As the movie ended, I said to the stranger
beside me in the theatre - "it makes you
proud of the British monarchy, in spite of
everything."

And I meant it.

---

Read the summaries and reviews:

Globe and Mail

It begins in paralyzed silence,
with a speech aborted by a stammering
prince, and ends in vocal triumph,
with a regal address stirring enough
to echo through history. In between,
we’re treated to a more-or-less true
story that turns Pygmalion on its
fanciful head – this time, it’s the
lowly commoner who teaches none other
than the British monarch how to speak
the King’s English.

http://tinyurl.com/4fh8vch

---

New York Times

'King's Speech': The Film to Beat and to Bad-Mouth

Unless questions about King George VI's anti-Nazi
stance or the vagaries of Hollywood math derail it,
"The King's Speech" is in line for a best picture
Oscar.

http://tinyurl.com/4uh2pus

---

The Guardian

Why "The King's Speech" is a Gross Falsification
by Christopher Hitchens

The King's Speech is an extremely well-made film
with a seductive human-interest plot, very prettily
calculated to appeal to the smarter filmgoer. But
it perpetrates a gross falsification of history

http://tinyurl.com/4qkhacf


***********

COLLEAGUE COMMENT

LORNA DUECK
Burlington, ON.

January 30th, 2011

Wayne:

Excellent and valuable sharing Wayne,
thank you.

And Praise God for the wonderful news
about your cancer healing.

Off to Saskatchewan today to interview
Premier Brad Wall and Senator Wallin --

This week’s program is a lovely look
at Brother Andre’s celebration in
Montreal.

http://www.listenuptv.com

Blessings,

Lorna

---

ART BAUER
Pompton Plains, NJ

January 30th, 2011

Wayne:

Your mature and thoughtful comments
regarding cancer were appreciated...
it took me back to my own experience
and "dismissal" from Sloan-Kettering
some years ago. The words "Don't come
back" were most welcome.

I join in your thankfulness.

Keep your good service...
it is valued by many.

Art

---

KELLY JOHNSON
Calgary, AB.

Thanks again Wayne for your writing -
good to hear of your cancer reflections
and your work.

Kelly

---

DOUG SHANTZ
Calgary, AB.

Chair of Christian Thought Lecture
Christ Church, Elbow Park, Calgary
Monday, February 7th, 2011. 7:30PM

"The Church and the Academy:
 What a Church Historian Can
 Offer the Church of Today"

http://tinyurl.com/4cad4ys

*****

NET NOTES

OBAMA AFFIRMS HIS CHRISTIANITY
The Guardian, UK
February 3rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/48gg3eb

*****

RELIGION PART OF EGYPTIAN UPRISING

New York Times
Jan. 29th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/48b5vps

---

The Battle in Cairo's Tahrir Square
Egyptians Battle Each Other

The Atlantic
Feb. 2nd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/6j4extx

---

An Urgent Call for Mubarak Resignation

Sojourners Online
February 3rd, 2011

This call was also endorsed by Colleague
Donald Grayston in an email to me this
week Canadians should contact their MP,
but using this link, you can go directly
to President Obama and avoid middlepeople.

http://tinyurl.com/4omj5s2

---

A Reading List for the Egypt Crisis

New York Times
Feb. 3rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/4cpssep

---

Protests in Egypt
Give Hope to Coptic Christians

PBS Religion and Ethics
Feb. 4th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/468wfx7

*****

THE ARAB WORLD IS ON FIRE
Events in Egypt Impact all Arabs with
Significant Implications for the West

Truthout
Feb. 3rd, 2011
by Noam Chomsky

http://tinyurl.com/45og23z

---

Egyptians Will Not Be Silenced

National Catholic Reporter
February 3rd, 2011

http://ncronline.org/node/22655

---

Arab World Needs a Free Egypt

The Tablet (UK)
February 4th, 2011

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/article/15852

*****

Exclusive Pictures of Cairo Turmoil

Christian Science Monitor
February 3rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/4wcpaxl

*****

SASKATOON -
CANADA'S FASTEST GROWTH REGION
A New Day for a Saskatchewan city

Vancouver Sun
Feb. 3rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/5wn7vlh

*****

ANGLICAN-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE
OPENS NEW PHASE
New Beginings

Zenit News from Rome
Feb. 3rd, 2011

http://www.zenit.org/article-31650?l=english

---

Toronto Anglican Bishop Appointed to ARCIC
Dialogue With Roman Catholics Continues

Anglican Journal
Feb. 4th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/4quekes

*****

PARALLEL UNIVERSES MAY EXIST
SAY SCIENTISTS
Universe Expansion Continues

National Public Radio
January 30th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/6c9g8ys

*****

RATZINGER ONCE SUPPORTED
CELIBACY REFORM

The Irish Times
January 29th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/65cm4m9

*****

EDMONTON DIOCESE WEANS SCHOOLS
OFF GAMBLING FUNDS

Catholic News Service
January 31st, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/4fvnnkk

*****

GROWING CALLS FOR INDIA
PROBE INTO ORISSA VIOLENCE

Uccan News
Feb. 2nd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/45a4dr9

*****

KERALA COMMUNISTS ATTEMPT
TO WOO DALIT CHRISTIANS

Uccan News
February 3rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/62c4556

*****

ANGLICANS CONDEMN VICTIMIZATION
OF GAYS IN AFRICA

The Guardian, UK
January 31st, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/66mjals

*****

GLOBAL FAITH POTPOURRI

4 stories provided by
Ecumenical News International
from Geneva

---

Ecumenical News International
News Highlights
4 February 2011

Australian Anglicans engage atheists online

Canberra (ENI news)--Outspoken atheists have
captured attention worldwide; now, Australian
Anglicans have launched a website encouraging
Christians to enter the debate. The Anglican
Diocese of Melbourne's new website offers a
set of resources answering the hard questions
about why people can believe in God.

_____

Philippine government,
churches wrestle over birth control

Manila (ENI news)--The Philippine government and
the Roman Catholic Church are debating whether
artificial birth control should be included in
proposed legislation that seeks to address the
issues of a growing population and poverty in
this Southeast Asian nation of over 90 million.

_____

Churches call for passage
of UN resolution on Israel

New York (ENI news)- A coalition of U.S. church
bodies is calling on the Obama administration
not to block a proposed United Nations Security
Council resolution seeking an end to construction
of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East
Jerusalem.

_____

Global Fund strengthens financial controls

New York (ENI news)--In the wake of revelations
of US $34 million in misappropriated funds, a
prominent private/public health partnership that
fights AIDS and other diseases has announced it
is toughening its internal anti-fraud efforts.

*****

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Provided by Sojourners.online

January 31st, 2011

“Keep giving Jesus to your people,
not by words, but by your example,
by your being in love with Jesus, by
radiating holiness and spreading his
fragrance of love everywhere you go.
Just keep the joy of Jesus as your
strength. Be happy and at peace."

- Mother Teresa

---

February 1st, 2011

"Our present ecological crisis, the
biggest single practical threat to
our human existence in the middle to
long term, has, religious people would
say, a great deal to do with our failure
to think of the world as existing in
relation to the mystery of God, not
just as a huge warehouse of stuff to
be used for our convenience."

- Archbishop Rowan Williams

---

February 2nd, 2011

"Do not listen to gossip at your neighbor's
expense. Do not spend time talking with those
who love to find fault in others. Otherwise,
you will fall away from the love of God. You
will find yourself alienated from eternal life."

- St. Maximus the Confessor

---

February 3rd, 2011

"And the work of God is rarely dull...
but it's not always necessarily what we think.
Transformation is hard stuff. Seeking to bring
about the kingdom of God -- caring for the poor,
feeding the hungry, visiting prisoners, caring
for the sick, renouncing demons in God's name
- you don't do that in a 15-minute lunch break."

- Enuma Okoro

---

February 4th, 2011

"Faith is what someone knows to be true,
whether they believe it or not."

- Flannery O'Connor

*****

ON THIS DAY

Jan. 30, 1948 - Gandhi murdered by Hindu extremist

http://tinyurl.com/4rp4drc

_____

Jan. 31, 1865 - US passes amendment to abolish slavery

http://tinyurl.com/462xt6y

_____

Feb. 2, 1943 - the remainder of Nazi forces from the
Battle of Stalingrad surrendered in a major victory
for the Soviets in World War II.

http://tinyurl.com/6j64war

_____

Feb. 4, 1974 - newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst
was kidnapped in Berkeley, Calif., by the Symbionese
Liberation Army.

http://tinyurl.com/4l3uzo4

*****

CLOSING THOUGHT -

Sign of a musically challenged congregation:

Too many members think a cantata is an entree
at Taco Bell

(end)

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