Friday, November 25, 2011

Colleagues List, November 26th, 2011

Vol. VII. No. 15

*****

Wayne A. Holst, Editor

*****

REIGN OF CHRIST/ADVENT WEEKEND
EDITION OF COLLEAGUES LIST
A Turning of the Seasons

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

My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telusplanet.net

*****

Special Item:
In This Issue -

"The Ends of Economic Activity"
 by Colleague Miroslav Volf

A lecture given November 18th at
Ambrose University College, Calgary
___

Colleague Comment:

Ontario Friend
Harry Winter
___

Colleague Contributions:

Philip Jenkins
Doug Koop
Lorna Dueck
Kelly Johnson
___

Net Notes:

BC Polygamy Ruling Stands
Did Einstein Believe in God?
How Do You Welcome Strangers?
Cardinal Laws Resigns His Post
Secrecy on Pedophilia No Solution
Sears Wish Book or Charity Gift Card?
Grafitti Artist Stops Church Closure
Atheists Launch Non-Believers Campaign
Christian Witness, Inter-religious World
Scandal Hits Bible School at Three Hills

___

Global Faith Potpourri:
Ten ENI Geneva stories.
___

Quotes of the Week:

Desmond Tutu
Maya Angelou
Dorothy L. Sayers
Elise Boulding
D.H. Lawrence
___

On This Day:

24 Nazi leaders are tried before an
international war crimes tribunal,
Nuremberg, Germany (1945)

---

JFK is assassinated in Dallas.
Suspected gunman Lee Harvey Oswald
is arrested. LBJ sworn in as 36th
president of the United States (1963)

---

Jack Ruby shoots and kills Lee
Harvey Oswald, accused assassin
of President Kennedy (1963)
___

Closing Thought: Jesus

(end)

*****

Dear Friends:

We have come to the end of another
church year, and we begin a new,
joyous celebration of the Advent
season leading up to Christmas.

May this time be one of special
spiritual significance for you!

---

Doug Koop of Winnipeg, a longtime
friend, associate and colleague -
informed people this week that,
after 25 years, he was stepping
aside as editor of Christian Week.

I am saddened to see him go, but
hopeful that new challenges will
be part of his future, even though
he is uncertain about what they
might be.

May God bless and go with you,
friend! You have been a great
supporter and inspiration to me
for many years.

---

Special Item:

This week, I have transcribed
a talk given by colleague Miroslav
Volf of Yale. He gave this lecture
at Ambrose University College, in
Calgary, Friday, November 18th.

It is entitled:

"The Ends of Economic Activity"

I hope you find my notes helpful.
___

Colleague Comment:

Ontario Friend - comments this
week on my CL notice, last week,
of John Horman's scholarly book -

"A Common Written Greek
 Source for Mark and Thomas."

Thanks, friend, for the time and
effort you put into writing this
response!

---

Harry Winter writes about the
appointment of Fr. John Crossin as
executive director of the US Catholic
Bishops Secretariate for Ecumenical
and Interreligious Affairs.

Thanks for this update from the
USA, Harry.
___

Colleague Contributions:

Philip Jenkins - writes of travels
in Eastern European and the memories
of religious persecution he still
picks up there (Christian Century)

Doug Koop - here is the official
announcement of Doug's resignation
as editor of Christian Week.
(Christian Week)

Lorna Dueck - advocates for more
Christian inpute to end-of-life
decisions in our nation's homes,
hospices and hospitals.
(Globe and Mail)

Kelly Johnson - shares a youtube
report from a ministry assoicate on
the difficult Christian religious
situation in Egypt, with additional
comment by Brian Stiller.

I add an article by Joan Chittister
(National Catholic Reporter)

___

Net Notes:

"BC Polygamy Ruling Stands" - in what
is probably not the end of legal process,
the BC Supreme court ruled to uphold the
current rejection of polygamy in its law
(CTV. CBC)

"Did Einstein Believe in God?" - the
discussion continues on whether Einstein
was, in truth, a believer (Miranda Global)

"How Do You Welcome Strangers?" - all
churches seem to be more attuned to this
issue (National Catholic Reporter)

"Cardinal Laws Resigns His Post" - after
he was ousted from Boston, Pope John Paul
gave Law a major church in Rome. He has
now reached retirement age for cardinals
and must resign (Huffington Post)

"Secrecy on Pedophilia No Solution" -
Asian Catholic bishops have been holding
top secret talks on this troublesome
issue that seems to be circling the globe.
A Catholic commentator objects to secrecy
(ENI, Ucan News)

"Sears Wish Book or Charity Gift Card?"
- here are some alternative ideas to
buying "more things" for yourself this
Christmas (Christian Week online)

"Grafitti Artist Stops Church Closure"
- an intriguing story from Germany about
how one declining church was able to
keep the doors open (Spiegel online)

"Atheists Launch Non-Believers Campaign"
- atheists in the evangelizing business?
This seems to be happening in some places
(Huffington Post)

"Christian Witness, Inter-religious World" -
here is good comment from the Evangelical
Fellowship of Canada on the newly approved
ecumenical guidelines for evangelism
(EFC Website)

"Scandal Hits Bible Institute at Three Hills"
- one of the classic religious establishments
of Alberta has been hit by - you guessed it -
sex scandals; proving that no part of the
church has a corner on the abuse of power
(Montreal Gazette/Calgary Herald)

Note: Colleague Tim Callaway is quoted in this
article.

___

Global Faith Potpourri:

Ten religion stories from Ecumenical News
International, Geneva, appear this week.

___

Quotes of the Week:

Desmond Tutu, Maya Angelou,
Dorothy L. Sayers, Elise Boulding
and D.H. Lawrence share their
insights with us.
___

On This Day:

24 Nazi leaders were tried before an
international war crimes tribunal,
in Nuremberg, Germany (1945)

---

JFK was assassinated in Dallas. Suspected
gunman Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested. LBJ
sworn in as 36th president of the USA (1963)

---

Jack Ruby shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald,
accused assassin of President Kennedy (1963)

___

Closing Thought:

The Canonical Jesus (or Christ)
with comment by Mathew Fox

---

May your Advent expectations and
experience bring you a great deal
of satisfaction this year.

Wayne

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

SPECIAL FALL STUDY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Introducing the Full Program

ST. DAVID'S MONDAY NIGHT STUDY 2011

Series nearing completion:

"Living Ethically Amid Chaos"
 Two Books by Richard Holloway

September 19th - November 28th
TM Room, St. David's United Church
7:00PM - 9:00PM

"Between the Monster and the Saint"
 Spiritual support for pursuing a life
 that seeks above all to be good

Information on the book from Amazon.ca:
http://tinyurl.com/4369obx

---

"Godless Morality"
 Learning how to separate "God says"
 from doing what is right

Information about the book from Amazon.ca
http://tinyurl.com/3d45x3t

---

Final 'Bookend' Session
Monday, December 5th, 2011

Special Guests from the Calgary gay,
lesbian and transgendered community -
the Kirby Centre and Knox United Church,
downtown.

Theme:

"How can St. David's congregation be
 more hospitable to the gay community?"

---

Led by Jock McTavish and Wayne Holst

Registration: $25.00 for class fees,
and special hospitality. No more books
are available. Order from Amazon.ca.

*****

UNIVERSITY TUESDAY NIGHTS

A Study Program Sponsored by:
The Department of Continuing Education
At the University of Calgary

Taught by: Wayne Holst

"God, Atheism and Morality" (ten sessions)
 Tuesday Nights, 7:00PM - 9:00 PM
 September 27th - December 6th, 2011

Series concluding.

*****

ST. DAVID'S ACTS MINISTRY AND
THE FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY CENTRE
ON THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY CAMPUS

Fall series concluded:

Welcome to our -

Noon Hour Book Discussions for Faculty,
Staff and Students Autumn and Winter Series
for 2011-12

Series One -

"A Public Faith:
 How Followers of Christ Can Serve the Common Good"
 by Miroslav Volf

Putting your personal faith to work for others.
Oct. 14th - Nov. 25th - six Friday noon sessions

http://www.ucalgary.ca/faithandspirituality/
http://tinyurl.com/42hkejb

---

Winter, 2012

Series Two -

"An Altar in the World" by Barbara Brown Taylor

Discovering God in the ordinary experiences of life
March 2nd - March 30th - five Friday noon sessions

Time and Location for all sessions:
12:00 to 1:00PM in the Native Centre Board Room
Located above the Dairy Queen, Mac Hall Student's
Centre

Led by: Wayne Holst,
Coordinator of the ACTS Ministry, St. David's United
and a Faith and Spirituality Centre Liaison.

Cost of the book: $15.00 each

---

Hear Barbara Brown Taylor speak in Calgary!

Friday - Sunday, December 2nd-4th, 2011
Christ Church, Elbow Park

http://tinyurl.com/7onepkf

*****

Join us this year for stiumlating campus discussions!

For more information: Adriana Tulissi 403-220-5451
Co-ordinator, Faith and Spirituality Centre, U. of
C.  - artuliss@ucalgary,ca

*****

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

*****

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 ENDS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

A Lecture by Miroslav Volf, Yale Centre
for Faith and Culture

Presented at Ambrose University College,
Calgary Alberta; Friday, November 18th,
2011. 7:00PM.

This lecture was taped and should appear
on the Ambrose University College website
by the end of November, 2011.

---

Dr. Volf introduced himself as associating
with the Yale Centre for Faith and Culture
in New Haven, CT. whose purpose it is to
link Christian and societal concerns. In
this case the link is between faith and
business. He is concerned about how faith
can get “legs” in everyday life. Currently,
the theme of this lecture has evolved for
him as he teaches a course in “Faith and
Globalization” with former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair.

“I am concerned about “ends” and the
thought processes we take to determine
and move toward these ends,” he said.
My lecture will focus on globalization
and faith.

---

Globalization

Taken together, religious faiths and
globalization are very powerful forces.
There is actually a high level of
inter-connectivity between them. We live
in a highly inter-related world. There
are no isolated places in it. An issue
in one place affects all other places.
More than ever, we are becoming aware
of our “global oneness.”

What drives globalization? Trade,
exploration, warriors, preachers.
Globalization is driven dominantly by
market forces and this leads to rapid
and constant change. Marx described
this as a permanent revolution.

---

Faith

Will market forces make faith obsolete?
This is the secularization thesis which
developed and was popular in the
twentieth century. In other words,
will modernization lead inevitably to
secularization?

My definition of secularization: the
diminishment of religious belief and
practice; faith becomes less a factor
in public life and a privatization of
faith results.

Has the secularization thesis proven
true? No. Actually, there are more
religious people on earth today than
ever and the percentage of the world’s
population that is religious is actually
increasing in relative terms. Consider,
for example, the Muslim, Hindu and
Christian (Catholic/Protestant)
populations – there were 800 million
such people in 1900CE. In 2000CE there
were 3.82 billion. At the same time,
the number of the world’s secular
people has also increased.

Religion is also stepping more boldly
into the public realm.

The democratization process is expanding
considerably around the world (for example,
in India, the poor have been activated by
democracy.) Faith influences many in the
public realm, and it is politically
assertive in many parts of the globe.

There are no longer any “clean social
places” where all are of the same
religious persuasion. Pluralism, or
the existence of differing faiths in
the same place, dominates.

We face a common challenge. How can we
live together as a variety of groups?
Is an exclusivist faith possible? That
possibility is becoming less and less
the reality around the globe. This
creates a new context for living
faithfully as sequestered faith is
not possible. Integrating faith and
the political life is a growing global
necessity.

---

Faith and the Creation and Distribution
of Wealth; Faith and the Purposes of Work

The Creation of Wealth. It used to be
(as described by Max Weber) that the
work ethic, inner worldliness and self-
discipline (the so-called Protestant
work ethic) leading to a creative
individualism, was possible. Now, there
is more focus on “social capital.”
I need to relate to others, and must
build trust with them. Today, faith
traditions generate significant social
capital.

The distribution of wealth, private or
systemic, is influenced by the faith
traditions. Means must be found to
care for those ‘beyond the group’
and also to provide for the poor
and unfortunate among us.

The purposes of work are affected by
these changes. What role has faith in
the shaping of the question? Why do
we engage in business? Profit? What
is the purpose of profit?

These questions lead to wider questions
concerning the purposes of life; what we
call the “examined life.”  I ask these
questions of my students at Yale. “Why
are you here?” “What are the purposes
of life as you understand it?” Why have
so many universities stopped asking
their students such questions? We have
been taken over, more and more, by the
scientific ideal. We don’t ask “meaning
questions” any more. We ask “how,” not
“why” questions today. When we consider
all values and paths equal, “meaning”
disappears from the discussion.

---

My Main Concern:

I am interested in our procedures – the
justice and fairness questions. We also
need to focus on the purposes of life –
the ends, and the accounting questions.

How can our engagements lead to human
flourishing?

I personally was raised by my parents
to “seek first the Kingdom of God and
God’s righteousness" … so I ask, “How
do our engagements point to the Kingdom?”
Purpose/goal questions are the key
questions people of faith ask as they
engage in public life.

*****

Questions and Answers:

1. You speak of the rise of religion
   but the loss of purpose in today’s world.
   Why is this?

I think we need to define what kind of
religion we are talking about. We seem
to have a “God the butler” image of God.
“What can God do for me?”  Not, “How am
I orienting myself to God?” Here, I think
is why we have both a rise in religion,
but a loss of purpose. There is more
religion, but less faith in our time.

---

2. How can we discuss purpose in a
   pluralistic society?

Christian faith has a lot to offer.
Not as something unique, but to help
us focus on truth.I think that today,
it is better to emphasize a mutual
quest for the truth rather than
Christian uniqueness. This kind of
truth can be summed up in the phrase
“God is love.”

---

3. What happens when the quest for
   truth becomes a battleground?

I think that in our mutual questing as
humans there will be both agreements
and disagreements. Public space is
needed to give people with a place to
debate and to disagree. We need
“pluralistic space places.” The
Golden Rule should govern our
evangelical tactics. Respect,
above all, must dominate.

---

4. One member of the audience
congratulated Dr. Volf at this point
for demonstrating the respect about
which he was talking. “Always be ready
to give an account for the hope that
lies within, but do it in a spirit of
respect.” (I Peter 3:15.)

Volf: “I believe we can respect other’s
opinions even as we may disagree with them.

---

5. What is the focus and theological
   vision of the “Occupy Movement?”

It is a rage against injustice. I am
concerned that Christians have not picked
up on this sentiment and articulated
positive alternatives. Still, I don’t
know how I would go about that. I need
to reflect more on this movement
because it represents a call to rethink
our societal directions. Christians have
always been good moralizers and complainers.

---

6. What is “the Good Life?”

Modern Christians have not engaged this
question. We need to develop coherent
answers to this question, not necessarily
uniform answers. We are currently impotent
about this.

---

7. Is the Christian voice possible in the
   larger issues of “the military,” “business,”
   and “government?”

We should not be discouraged, but work from
the place and groups within which we find
ourselves. We have a responsibility to get
to the heart of the issues out there, and
not give simplistic answers.

(end)

*****

COLLEAGUE COMMENT

ONTARIO FRIEND

November 20th, 2011

Thanks for your presentation and review
of John Horman's book. For many who grew
up thinking that the New Testament Gospels
were the only works of that kind, a work
like John Horman's is certainly an eye
opener, I'm sure. "We" do forget so
easily - especially, I believe, if "we"
know little of, or are little interested
in knowing, our Christian history - that
the Christians who wrote and edited and
preserved those four works we call the
Gospels did not live and work in a vacuum.

I'm currently reading Birger A. Pearson's
2007 work, Ancient Gnosticism, and am
struck again with how much thought and
study and writing was going on in the
first two or three centuries of the
Christian Church's history.

And this in no way, I believe, takes away
from the fact that Christians, living in
the Holy Spirit, imbued even with that
Spirit, also long ago came to the
conclusion as to which works/writings/
"books" they recognized and accepted
as our Sacred Scripture/Holy Writings,
containing the written Word of God.

Yes, definitely, yes, study of extra-
canonical works can and does enhance
the study of the Bible.

That a fixed canon is a reduced canon...
I see a fixed canon - as it is known in
the Catholic, Orthodox and Oriental
Orthodox Churches - more as a response
to those who reduced the canonical books
at a particular juncture in the history
of the Church, a response to those who
were perceived to be saying that certain
books or writings do not actually contain
the sure and certain written Word of God.
The fixed canon - fixed definitively in
the Catholic tradition at a time of
great polemics, as we know - says,
"These writings do contain that written
Word of God."

The early Church was nourished by writings
far more numerous than those that are today
included in the New Testament of the
Christian Bible. John Horman, and others
too, do us all a great service in making
us aware that none of this arose in a
vacuum or "fell from the skies."

---

HARRY WINTER OMI
Minneapolis, MN.

November 21st, 2011

If you pull up Father John Crossin
OSFS on the internet, you will find
a nice description of his being named
executive director of the US Catholic
Bishops Secretariate for Ecumenical
and Interreligious Affairs, Nov. 17.

John's field is moral theology, and he
has written books on the spiritual
dimension of ecumenism. He is an expert
on the spirituality of St. Francis de
Sales. He served as executive director
of the Washington DC Theological
Consortium. When we had a Cluster of
Independent Theological Schools and I
was representing the OMI's, he
represented the OSFS and our third
partner was the OP's (Dominicans).

I'm sure he would welcome our prayers as
he takes this new assignment. Can you
mention this in new weeks newsletter?

Hope the winter weather has not come
too soon to western Canada.

Harry


*****

COLLEGUE CONTRIBUTIONS

PHILIP JENKINS
State College, PA.

"Memories of Persecution"

The Christian Century
November 18th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7yhsgwr

---

DOUG KOOP
Winnipeg, MB.

"Editor Leaves Longtime Post"

Christian Week
November 22nd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7efcwjt

---

LORNA DUECK
Toronto, ON.

"Spiritual Resources in the
Face of End-of-Life Decisions"

Globe and Mail
November 23rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7cvawjh

---

KELLY JOHNSON
Calgary, AB.

UPDATE ON EGYPT
Unsettled Times

(Circulated by a friend)

Check out this youtube video of last
Friday nights all night prayer vigil
in the famous cave church in Cairo.
Over 70,000 attended and because Sat7
televised it live it is believed
that millions may have joined in
via satellite.

What impressed me was the unity
across denominations (the Coptic,
Orthodox and other churches), the
call to repentance for the Church,
the call to glorify Jesus, (there
was a special segment of blessing
for their enemies), and prayer for
their nation. You may not understand
the Arabic, but you can get a feel
for the Spirit of the event by
watching selected portions of this
clip. Everyone keeps saying God is
up to something in Egypt and in the
Middle East. Perhaps we can learn
from our Arab brothers and sisters!

http://tinyurl.com/c3uk7j5

Brian Stiller Reports from Cairo:
http://tinyurl.com/88pf9he

---

Joan Chittister Reports:

"Historic Evolution or
Violent Revolution - Choose"

National Catholic Reporter
November 23rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/89v3xb2

*****

NET NOTES

BC POLYGAMY RULING STANDS
Charter Not Violated

CTV News
November 23rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/8y2qx2p

---

A Woman in Polygamous
Relationship Responds
From Bountiful, BC:

CBC News Online
November 23rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/82dowls

*****

DID EINSTEIN BELIEVE IN GOD?

Miranda Global
November 18th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7cdjx67

*****

HOW DO YOU WELCOME STRANGERS?
Becoming a More Inclusive Church

National Catholic Reporter
November 22nd, 2011

Use Mozilla Firefox:
http://tinyurl.com/7judc4b

*****

CARDINAL LAW RESIGNS POST
Controversial Boston Prelate
Was at Major Church in Rome

Huffington Post
November 22nd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/885xkov

*****

SECRECY ON PEDOPHELIA
IS NO SOLUTION

Ecumenical News International
Gereva, November 23rd, 2011

Asian bishops hold closed-door
meeting on pedophilia

Bangkok (ENI news) - Asian Catholic
bishops held a conference from 14
to 19 November in Bangkok on the
"considerably serious problem" of
child sexual abuse, but the meeting
was closed to journalists and no
communique had been issued as of
22 November. The Federation of
Asian Bishops' Conferences told
news media that the conference,
entitled "The Impact of Pedophilia
-- Crisis in the Church in Asia,"
was closed and advised reporters
not to attempt to visit the venue
at Assumption University, according
to UCAnews, the Union of Catholic
Asian News service. An open letter
posted in January on the
federation's website invited
cardinals, archbishops and bishops
to the gathering to discuss "letters
from different quarters of the Church
that pedophilia has already become a
considerably serious problem in Asia."

---

Ucan News
November 23rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/6nrjrpy

*****

GRAFFITI ARTIST SAVES
CHURCH FROM CLOSURE

Spiegel Online International
November 6th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/5tgfu9m

*****

ATHEISTS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN
TO BRING OUT NON-BELIEVERS

Huffington Post
November 23rd, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/893q783

*****

CHRISTIAN WITNESS IN AN
INTER-RELIGIOUS WORLD
Comment on Ecumenical Policy

Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
Nov. 22nd, 2011

(pdf)
http://tinyurl.com/3bmeuhx

*****

SCANDAL-HIT BIBLE INSTITUTE
SUSPICIOUS OF THIRD PARTY HELP
Colleague Tim Callaway Comments

Calgary Herald/Montreal Gazette
November 20th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/6lql967

*****

SEARS WISH BOOK OR
CHARITY GIFT CARD?

Christian Week.org
November 21st, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7rybqea

*****

GLOBAL FAITH POTPOURRI

Ecumenical News International
News Highlights
21 November 2011

Despite protests, Polish order
defends silencing priest

Warsaw (ENI news) - A Polish monastic
order has defended its decision to bar
a former superior-general from speaking
to the media, despite a protest against
the decision from thousands of the
priest's supporters. "Like all monks,
the Marians take three community vows:
chastity, poverty and obedience - no
Marian can be the property of a TV
station or editoral board, or of an
institution or office," the Rev. Pawel
Naumowicz, the head of Poland's Order
of Marian Priests, wrote in an open
letter. The order was reacting to an
11 November petition urging the
withdrawal of a media ban on the Rev.
Adam Boniecki.

_____

In London, people of faith
reach out on Mitzvah Day

London (ENI news) A dozen members of
South London Liberal Synagogue walked
through the Streatham High Street
shopping center on 20 November, but
they weren't looking for pre-Hanukkah
bargains. They talked to shopkeepers,
asking how they coped with crime,
keeping streets safe and helping
neighbors. It was one small project
that was part of "Mitzvah Day 2011,"
an international day in which the
Jewish community reaches out to
neighbours with a range of good
deeds, and it had extra resonance
after a week of rioting last summer
affected London and other British
cities.
_____

Indian churches propose
anti-corruption legislation

New Delhi (ENI news) - Mainline
churches in India have prepared
a suggested version of anti-
corruption legislation and sent
it to the government as it is
drafting comprehensive anti-
corruption legislation to be
presented inParliament in early
December. "We want the government
to take intoconsideration the
views of the Christian community,"
Samuel Jayakumar,executive secretary
of the Commission on Policy,
Governance and Public Witness of
the National Council of Churches
in India (NCCI), told ENInews in
an interview from New Delhi.

*****

22 November 2011

U.S. fundamentalist university
maintains stunning Catholic
art collection

Greenville, South Carolina (ENI news)
-Walking across the tidy campus of Bob
Jones University (BJU) in Greenville,
South Carolina, there's no obvious sign
this bastion of Christian fundamentalism
is also home to one of the nation's
largest collections of Renaissance
and Baroque religious art from the
heart of Catholic Europe. It's all
the more surprising since the school's
old-time Protestant leaders have for
years taught that Catholicism is a
"cult" and even the "Mother of Harlots,"
Religion News Service reports. But the
school has amassed the collection out
of a sincere belief in the teaching
mission of great religious art,
according to school leaders and
art curators.
_____

Norwegian Christians and Muslims
condemn religious extremism

Oslo, Norway (ENI news) - In the
aftermath of attacks last July that
killed 77 and were carried out by a
self-described "cultural Christian,"
Norwegian Christians and Muslims on
22 November jointly condemned
religious extremism as "contrary
to the teachings of our religions."
Religious extremists "put themselves
in the place of God and believe that
they are fighting on behalf of God
against the enemies of God," said a
statement released on 22 November
from the Islamic Council of Norway
and the Church of Norway Council
on Ecumenical and International
Relations.
_____

Faith groups oppose
proposed cluster bomb accord

Geneva (ENI news) - Religious
groups are opposing a proposed new
international law on cluster bombs
currently being discussed in Geneva
since they say it would put more
civilians at risk than an existing
treaty. The proposal is being
considered at the Fourth Review
Conference of the Convention on
Conventional Weapons, which is
taking place from 18 to 25 November
at the United Nations offices. The
new law, supported by the U.S.,
Russia, Israel, China and India,
would mandate the destruction of
all cluster bombs produced before
1980, but allow stockpiled weapons
to be used for up to 12 years.
Faith groups say an existing law,
the Oslo Convention on Cluster
Munitions, offers better
protections.

*****

23 November 2011

In Philippines, vote urged on
population bill that Catholics oppose

Manila, Philippines (ENI news) Inspired
by the "Occupy Wall Street" movement in
the United States, various groups trooped
to the Philippine House of Representatives
in late November to demand a vote on a
population-control bill that is opposed
by Roman Catholic Church leadership.
Holding signs reading "keep your theology
out of my biology," demonstrators from
the "Occupy for RH" (Reproductive Health)
movement urged legislators on 21 November
to "listen to the people and not to the
bishops." The proposed law promotes both
natural and artificial methods of
contraception. But the Catholic Church
accepts only natural family planning
methods and has been opposing the bill.
_____

Cathedrals becoming rallying points
for anti-capitalist protesters

London (ENI news) In the two months
since the "Occupy" movement spread
around the world, protesters in
several cities are setting up camp
around cathedrals, with varying
reactions from clergy and parishioners.
In the United Kingdom, observers say
the trend is forcing churches to reflect
on their mission and demonstrates a
search for values. "Churches are
becoming an international mustering
point for protesters," the Rev.
George Pitcher, a former adviser
to the Archbishop of Canterbury,
told ENInews. "I think young people
are looking for a form of values-led
leadership, rather than the compliance-
culture that has prevailed in the City
of London," he said, using a phrase
that refers to those who only do the
minimum to comply with laws or
regulations.
_____

Number of Somali refugees declining
due to aid and rainfall

Nairobi, Kenya (ENI news)- With rainfall,
increased humanitarian aid and military
operations inside Somalia, the movement
of migrants into Dadaab, the world's
biggest refugee complex, has greatly
declined, a Christian relief agency
official said. Moses Mukhwana, Dadaab
project coordinator of the Lutheran
World Federation, spoke to ENI news
days after the United Nations reported
that famine had receded in the three
areas of Somalia previously described
as the worst affected. "There is
already reduced agency work and
presence in the camp. We are only
addressing critical humanitarian
needs," said Mukhwana.
_____

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Provided by Sojourners.online

November 21st, 2011

"If an elephant has its foot on
a mouse and you say that your
are neutral, the mouse will not
appreciate your neutrality."

- Desmond Tutu

---

November 22nd, 2011

"Words mean more than what is set down
on paper. It takes the human voice to
infuse them with deeper meaning."

- Maya Angelou

---

November 23rd, 2011

"Unless we do change our whole way
of thought about work, I do not think
we shall ever escape from the appalling
squirrel-cage of economic confusion in
which we have been madly turning for the
last three centuries or so, the cage in
which we landed ourselves by acquiescing
in a social system based upon envy and
avarice."

- Dorothy L. Sayers

---

November 24th, 2011

"Frugality is one of the most beautiful,
joyful words in the English language,
and yet one that we are culturally cut
off from understanding and enjoying.
The consumption society has made us
feel that happiness lies in having
things, and has failed to teach us
the happiness of not having things."

- Elise Boulding

---

November 25th, 2011

"My belief is in the blood and flesh
as being wiser than the intellect.
The body-conscious is where life
bubbles up in us. It is how we know
we are alive, alive to the depths
of our souls, and in touch somewhere
with the vivid reaches of the cosmos."

- D.H. Lawrence

*****

ON THIS DAY

Nov. 20, 1945 - 24 Nazi leaders went
on trial before an international war
crimes tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany.

http://tinyurl.com/7c43hvm

---

Nov. 22, 1963 - President John F.
Kennedy was assassinated while riding
in a motorcade in Dallas. Suspected
gunman Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested.
Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was
sworn in as the 36th president of the
United States.

http://tinyurl.com/77uyb7y

---

Nov. 24, 1963, Jack Ruby shot and mortally
wounded Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused
assassin of President Kennedy.

http://tinyurl.com/crjnlwq

*****

CLOSING COMMENT

"I am the light of the world"

- the canonical Jesus (or Christ)

---

These words do not come from the
lips of Jesus. The historical Jesus
did not talk this way about himself.
But they are words from the early
Christian community about the
Christ experience they had.

Learn more, purchase the book
"Christian Mystics" by Matthew Fox
from Amazon.ca:

http://tinyurl.com/7a3h92x

(end)

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Colleagues List, November 19th, 2011

Vol. VII. No. 14

*****

Wayne A. Holst, Editor

*****

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

My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telusplanet.net

*****

Special Item:
In This Issue -

Book Notice:

"A Commmon Written
 Greek Source for
 Mark and Thomas"
 by John Horman
___

Colleague Contributions:

Martin Marty
Margaret Somerville
Jim Taylor
Phylis Tickle
___

Net Notes:

Muslim Pilgrimage 2011
Wisdom from Loren Mead
LAMP Loses Pastor Pilot
World's Fastest Growing Church
Renunciation of Theocratic Force
Queen Marks 400 Years of the KJV
10 Ways "Occupy" Changes Everything
National Geographic - The Best Photos
Kerala Church in Shock at Nun's Killing
Vatican Threatens Action re Benetton Ad
___

Global Faith Potpourri:
Fourteen ENI Geneva stories.
___

Quotes of the Week:

Nelson Mandela
Amma Syncletica
Origen of Alexandria
Marian Wright Edelman
John Muir
___

On This Day:

250,000 stage peaceful demonstration 
in Washington against Vietnam War (1969)

Nixon tells the Associated Press
"I'm not a crook" over Watergate (1973)

Spain's parliament approved a bill to
establish a democracy after 37 years of 
dictatorship (1976)
 
Lincoln  delivered the Gettysburg 
Address as he dedicated a Civil 
War battlefield in Pennsylvania (1863)

___

Closing Thought: Julian of Norwich

(end)

*****

Dear Friends:

Colleagues List is late arriving in 
your mailbox this weekend because of 
extra activities on my calendar.

One of these was my attendance at
a lecture at Ambrose University,
Calgary, given by colleague Miroslav
Volf of Yale. I plan to transcribe
my notes for you in next week's issue
as he spoke interestingly on the theme:
"The Ends of Economic Activity." 

I found it very timely.

---

I have also given extra time to writing
the book notice shared with you this
week. A former fellow seminarian, Jack
Horman, has written a rather technical
study entitled: "A Commmon Written
Greek Source for Mark and Thomas" and
I want to introduce it to you in the
best way that I can. Remember, I am
not a textual specialist.

Long ago, I learned not to underestimate
the intelligence of my audience, but
some studies introduced here need the
best presentation possible so that their
value can be better appreciated by you 
my readers with such varied backgrounds.

When I saw that this book was being
published I contacted Jack and told
him of my intentions. I am sharing
with you here some of his insights 
on the scriptures available to the 
early Christian church (but hidden 
from us.) These scriptures were 
conceivably in the possession of 
some Christian writers during a 
period up to 150 CE, but were 
subsequently lost or discarded.  

People like John Horman are helping us 
to reconstruct those missing (oral and 
written) texts.

Jack, I hope this presentation helps put 
some focus to a major life project for you.
___


Colleague Contributions:

Martin Marty (Chicago, IL) provides 
insights into the good work of World
Vision, a major relief and development
organization, known to many of you.
Thanks, Marty!

Margaret Somerville (Montreal, QC)
demonstates how the interaction of
law and ethics is becoming increasingly
apparent in developing and implementing
Canadian public policy.
Thanks, Margaret!

Jim Taylor (Penticton, BC) offers one
of his inimitable biblical translations -
this time, of Genesis chapter one.
Thanks, Jim. 

Phylis Tickle (Millington, TN) has
created a teaching DVD on a major
specialty of hers - the emergent church
movement. It is reviewed this weekend
in the Englewood Review.
Thanks, Phylis!
___

Net Notes:

"Muslim Pilgrimage 2011" - here are
some marvelous pictures well worth
considering (The Atlantic Monthly)

"Wisdom from Loren Mead" - the founder
of the Alban Institute was a strong
supporter, and I am pleased to share
some of his written legacy with you
(Alban Weekly)

"LAMP Loses Pastor Pilot" - many
Canadian Lutherans are aware of
the Lutheran Association of
Missionaries and Pilots who serve
isolated communities in Canada's
North. Now, a sad story to report.
(LAMP website)

"World's Fastest Growing Church" -
we are used to hearing unusual church
growth stories from Korea, but this 
one is special (Ucan News)

"Renunciation of Theocratic Force"
- journalist Neil Reynolds writes
that the major focus of the Christian
church has shifted from stamping out
heresy to working for global peace
(Globe and Mail)

"Queen Marks 400 Years of the KJV"
- another story on a special year
to remember the appearance of the
King James Bible, and of biblical
translation (The Guardian, UK)

"10 Ways "Occupy" Changes Everything"
- we are discovering more rational
assessments of the occupy movement
and I share a good one with you
(Truthout)

"National Geographic - The Best Photos"
- no magazine has better photos and
here are the best from a recent contest
(The Atlantic Monthly)

"Kerala Church in Shock at Nun's Killing"
- the murder of a Catholic nun who worked
for justice and peace in Kerala state has
had a chilling affect (ANS News)

"Vatican Threatens Action Vs. Benetton Ad"
- Rome considers legal action against an
advertisement it considers harmful
(New York Times)
___

Global Faith Potpourri:

This week, Ecumenical News International,
Geneva, offers fourteen religious stories 
from around the world.

___

Quotes of the Week:

This week, Nelson Mandela, Amma Syncletica,
Origen of Alexandria, Marian Wright Edelman
and John Muir share their insights with us.
___

On This Day:

250,000 demonstrate against Vietnam War (1969)
Nixon says "I'm not a crook" re Watergate (1973)
Spain gets democracy after 37 years (1976)
Lincoln gives Gettysburg Address (1863)

___

Closing Thought: 

Julian of Norwich completes this issue with
comments on God as supreme goodness.

(end)


Wayne

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

SPECIAL FALL STUDY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Introducing the Full Program

ST. DAVID'S MONDAY NIGHT STUDY 2011

Series nearing completion:

"Living Ethically Amid Chaos"
 Two Books by Richard Holloway

September 19th - November 28th
TM Room, St. David's United Church
7:00PM - 9:00PM

"Between the Monster and the Saint"
 Spiritual support for pursuing a life
 that seeks above all to be good

Information on the book from Amazon.ca:
http://tinyurl.com/4369obx

---

"Godless Morality" 
 Learning how to separate "God says" 
 from doing what is right

Information about the book from Amazon.ca
http://tinyurl.com/3d45x3t

---

Led by Jock McTavish and Wayne Holst

Registration: $25.00 for class fees,
and special hospitality. No more books 
are available. Order from Amazon.ca.

*****

UNIVERSITY TUESDAY NIGHTS

A Study Program Sponsored by:
The Department of Continuing Education
At the University of Calgary

Taught by: Wayne Holst

"God, Atheism and Morality" (ten sessions)
 Tuesday Nights, 7:00PM - 9:00 PM
 September 27th - November 29th

Series underway.

*****

ST. DAVID'S ACTS MINISTRY AND
THE FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY CENTRE  
ON THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY CAMPUS

Series underway:

Welcome to our -

Noon Hour Book Discussions for Faculty, 
Staff and Students Autumn and Winter Series 
for 2011-12

Series One -

"A Public Faith: 
 How Followers of Christ Can Serve the Common Good"
 by Miroslav Volf

Putting your personal faith to work for others.
Oct. 14th - Nov. 25th - six Friday noon sessions

http://www.ucalgary.ca/faithandspirituality/
http://tinyurl.com/42hkejb

---

Series Two -

"An Altar in the World" by Barbara Brown Taylor

Discovering God in the ordinary experiences of life
March 2nd - March 30th - five Friday noon sessions

Time and Location for all sessions:
12:00 to 1:00PM in the Native Centre Board Room
Located above the Dairy Queen, Mac Hall Student's 
Centre
 
Led by: Wayne Holst, 
Coordinator of the ACTS Ministry, St. David's United
and a Faith and Spirituality Centre Liaison.

Cost of the book: $15.00 each

---

Hear Barbara Brown Taylor speak in Calgary!

Friday - Sunday, December 2nd-4th, 2011
Christ Church, Elbow Park

http://tinyurl.com/7onepkf

*****

Join us this year for stiumlating campus discussions!

For more information: Adriana Tulissi 403-220-5451
Co-ordinator, Faith and Spirituality Centre, U. of C. 
artuliss@ucalgary,ca

*****

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

*****

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

Book Notice:

A COMMON WRITTEN GREEK SOURCE
FOR MARK AND THOMAS
by John Horman

Canadian Corporation 
for Studies in Religion
Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2011
Hardcover. $85.00. 258 pages.
ISBN #978-1-55458-224-2

Publisher's Promo:

About John Horman -

John Horman received his Ph.D. from 
McMaster University in 1973 and is an 
independent scholar from Waterloo, ON. 
He has published in Novum Testamentum, 
and this is his first book.

---

Book Description -

This book uncovers an early collection of 
sayings, called N, that are ascribed to 
Jesus and are similar to those found in 
the Gospel of Thomas and in Q, a document 
believed to be a common source, with Mark, 
for Matthew and Luke. In the process, the 
book sheds light on the literary methods 
of Mark and Thomas. A literary comparison
of the texts of the sayings of Jesus that 
appear in both Mark and Thomas shows that 
each adapted an earlier collection for his 
own purpose. Neither Mark nor Thomas 
consistently gives the original or earliest 
form of the shared sayings; hence, Horman 
states, each used and adapted an earlier 
source. Close verbal parallels between the 
versions in Mark and Thomas show that the 
source was written in Greek. Horman’s 
conclusion is that this common source is N.

This proposal is new, and has implications 
for life of Jesus research. Previous research 
on sayings attributed to Jesus has treated 
Thomas in one of two ways: either as an 
independent stream of Jesus sayings written 
without knowledge of the New Testament Gospels 
and/or as a later piece of pseudo-Scripture 
that uses the New Testament as source. This 
book rejects both views.

Review:

... The N hypothesis will be provocative in 
the best sense; it will provoke debate, surely 
criticism, scholarly re-thinking of how to 
account for the composition of the Gospel of 
Thomas, still a front of hyper-activity in 
scholarship on early Christianity and its 
literature.”

— Willi Braun, University of Alberta, 

---

Author's Words:

In 1979 I proposed that the authors of the
Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Thomas
shared a common written Greek source for 
their respective versions of the original
story of the sower (Mark 4:3-8/Thomas 9)
a source apparently represented, at least
for this story, more accurately in Thomas.

Since Matthew and Luke depend on Mark for
their versions of that story, all versions
of the story go back to that source. Such
a source would have contained not only
one story, but also other sayings common
to Mark and Thomas...

Since then, I had some opportunity to
investigate the sayings which could be
attributed to such a source, beginning
with a close comparison between the
Greek text of Mark and the Coptic
translation of Thomas, taking into
account the Greek fragments of Thomas
and the Coptic translations of the
synoptic gospels. It became apparent
that the illustrative story about the
sower was no exception, and that other
sayings were, when subjected to
textual comparison, sufficiently close
to either allow or sometimes require
a literary relationship...

To account for the complexities of 
the evidence, I required a hypothetical 
source, written in the Greek language,
which I came to call N.

Since my article was published (more
than 30 years ago, new) developments
have added weight to the view that
Thomas, far from being a late Gnostic
forgery (believed by many back then)
contained independent evidence for
the sayings of Jesus...

The first has been significant new 
research into the Q (Quelle) document
... that might stand as an intermediary
between Thomas and one or more of the
Synoptics (Mt. Mk. Lk.)

My studies (also) suggest that both Q and 
my proposed common source were examples 
of a kind of document that was useful
for a long time until it became obsolete, 
probably in the final years of the 
second century.

Research into Q has provided fresh 
material for... renewed interest in
the teachings of Jesus... and shows
reason to believe that the Gospel of
Thomas often carries earlier versions
of the sayings which it shares with
the Synoptics...

Research into the sayings of Jesus
responds to a large public interest
while satisfying certain theological
goals. Whereas much of the doctrinal
structure of Christianity has lost 
its appeal for many modern thinkers,
perhaps an appeal to the historical
Jesus would present a form of
Christianity that could be considered
more plausible and more congenial...

It can easily be shown that many of
the sayings in the Gospel of Thomas 
are closer than the corresponding 
sayings in the synoptic gospels to 
the original forms postulated by the
form critics. Thus many see Thomas
as representing an original stream
of orally transmitted teachings of
Jesus uncontaminated by the heavy
theological agendas of the New
Testament gospels. While not
necessarily itself always containing
the original words of Jesus, it can
be used judiciously in close 
comparison with Q to provide something 
very close to what Jesus is likely to 
have said.

Therefore, if as (Marcus) Borg says,
Jesus "trumps the Bible" it should
follow that the Gospel of Thomas
is religiously more valuable than
anything in the New Testament, except 
perhaps for the reconstructed Q.

(Many assume that) Thomas can be 
explained only on the supposition that
either it was written before the
canonical gospels or it was composed
in some location far removed from the
Christian mainstream.

---

...N and Q, as early collections of
sayings attributed to Jesus, give
somewhat contrasting viewpoints. 

Perhaps both collectors, like some
modern authors of the lives of Jesus,
selected evidence congenial to their
own point of view in order to have
Jesus on their side. We cannot know 
this unless we allow both Q and N
to speak with their own voices.

We have to understand both sides
of the controvers(ies) that erupted
(over these differing sources) but 
we do not have to take sides...

It will be seen that my proposed
common source (N) if accepted, will
have consequences for our common
picture of Christianity before 150 
(CE). Evidently, sayings ascribed 
to Jesus were very important and
were handed down only by word of
mouth, but also in collections of
sayings. Not only Mark, but also
Thomas became very important for
their evidence about these sayings.

...Hence, the reader is asked to
weigh what follows very carefully,
and to subject it to close scrutiny
before deciding to agree or disagree.

- from the Introduction

---

My Comments:

For those who wish to read more
extensively, I propose you consider
the Wikipedia articles on the Gospel
of Thomas and the Q Source (below.) 
While these articles are constantly 
being refined, they provide, in their 
present format, a helpful background 
to the rather complex material 
presented to us by the author.

Gospel of Thomas:
http://tinyurl.com/2pqxky

Q Source:
http://tinyurl.com/7c4cxys

---

Jack Horman, the author, and I go back
to university days at Wilfrid Laurier
during the 1960's. When I saw that he
had written a study on the possibility
of a hidden source for not only the
Gospel of Mark but also of Thomas, I
was intrigued but not surprised.

This book of 258 pages, elegantly
published by WLU Press, Waterloo, ON.
does justice to the thousands of hours
of laborious research that has obviously
gone into this study over some decades.

It is quite obvious that Jack did this
as a labour of love for a field of study 
that has always intrigued and inspired 
him. That he would work in relative 
obscurity doing the somewhat "thankless" 
task of researching in ancient Greek and 
Coptic texts as a private scholar - 
without benefit of a tenured position
with its research grants - makes me
respect him even more.

What he really seems to want to do
is to press forward the exciting task
of digging into Christian origins and
helping us move past common wisdom,
handed down to us without benefit of
much critical assessment.

In writing this, he is doing what people
like Elaine Pagels, James Robinson,
Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan
(more public scholars and authors) have 
been doing for the last thirty years.
They have been attempting to search
below the schools of thought represented
by the early New Testament canonical
writers and to seek out what could be
the authentic sayings of the historical
Jesus.

I repeat, this can be a very difficult
and thankless task, and one that I simply
could not perform. But I honor that it
is being done.

---

Horman has selected 26 sayings common
to Mark and Thomas that he proposes
describe the 'scope of N' - and he adds
other selections as well. This he calls
'a new Greek source ' - now lost, for both 
Mark and Thomas.

There is something refreshing in
studying passages like the one about
Jesus' mother and brothers coming to
him (N 3:31 - Thomas 99; Mark 3:31-35),
carrying one's cross (N 8:34 - Thomas
55:2; Mark 8 34b) and paying taxes to 
Caesar (N 12:13 - Thomas 100; 
Mark 12:13-17).

One gets the sense that Mark - the
official canonical writer that we are
used to reading - had access to sources 
long lost but very much alive to him at 
the time.

---

Some of us are becoming familiar with
the Gospel of Thomas - one of the books
that got a bad name because other gospels
were selected for inclusion in the New 
Testament canon instead of it. 
 
Some years ago, a Bible study group I 
led at St. David's worked through the 
114 Sayings attributed to Jesus in the 
Gospel of Thomas. It was a bracing and 
helpful exercise, and it gave us new eyes 
through which to study the gospels.

Horman takes us deeper, helping us to
isolate sources that Thomas may have
used in his own collection of Jesus
sayings. 

I do not view the study of extra-
canonical texts a diversion. I view
it rather as an enhancement of my
study of the Bible. My view of the
inspiration of scripture allows for
this, even though some might consider
it dangerous, even heretical.

To me, a fixed canon is more likely
to be a reduced canon. To honour the
Bible we have, but to recognize that
humans selected the books that were
included, should make us rather humble
in our opinions about what constitutes 
"the Word of God."

---

All of this builds the argument that the 
early Christian church was nourished by
a diverse set of sources containing the 
stories and sayings of Jesus. Only
slowly are we discovering what some of
those sources might be.

Thanks to John Horman, we can all learn
more about that rich field of meaning.

---

Buy the book from the Publisher:
http://tinyurl.com/3s5rz9n

Buy the book from Amazon.ca:
http://tinyurl.com/ckkcpfo

*****

COLLEAGUE COMMUNICATIONS

MARTIN MARTY
Chicago. IL
 
"World Vision Foreign Aid"

Sightings 
November 14th, 2011 
 
http://tinyurl.com/7kjvh8q

---

MARGARET SOMERVILLE
Montreal, QC.

"Is the Charter 'Applied Ethics'
 in Law's Clothing?"

Globe and Mail
November 14th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7v4z2fj

---

JIM TAYLOR
Okanagan, BC

"Genesis" - Possibilities
 A Free Translation of Genesis 1

Web Log
November 14th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7s8o9z2

---

PHYLIS TICKLE
Millington, TN

"Embracing Emergence Christianity"
 Six Sessions with DVD and Guide

Reviewed by the
Englewood Review of Books
November 18th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/6ul37dg

*****

NET NOTES

MUSLIM PILGRIMAGE 2011

The Atlantic
November 11th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/ct328aw

*****

WISDOM FROM LOREN MEAD
Alban Founder Still Relevant

Alban Weekly
November 14th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/85esb5p


*****

LAMP LOSES PASTOR PILOT
Pastor Downed in Colorado

Lamp Website:
http://www.lampministry.org/

*****

WORLD'S FASTEST GROWING CHURCH
Seoul-Based Denomination on Fire

Ucan News
November 14th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7e38p6y

*****

RENUNCIATION OF THEOCRATIC FORCE
From Heresy-Hunting to Peacemaking
Assessment of Benedict at Assisi

Globe and Mail
November 14th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/cryrkho

*****

QUEEN MARKS 400 YEARS
OF BIBLE TRANSLATION
Westminster Ceremony

The Guardian, UK
November 17th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7xhbp5v

*****

10 WAYS OCCUPY MOVEMENT
CHANGES EVERYTHING

Truthout
November 12th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/833q7hx

***** 

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO
CONTEST WINNERS, 2011

The Atlantic Monthly
November 17th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/bvq2sbj

*****

KERALA CHURCH IN SHOCK
AT NUN'S KILLING

ANS News Service
November 18th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/7zo4rc4

*****

VATICAN THREATENS LEGAL ACTION
AGAINST BENETTON AD PUBLICATION
It Shows Pope Kissing Imam

New York Times
November 17th, 2011

http://tinyurl.com/83ga8lu

*****

GLOBAL FAITH POTPOURRI

Ecumenical News International
News Highlights
14 November 2011

Despite faith efforts, Nigerian city 
remains tense, report says

Geneva (ENI news) - Religious leaders have 
been preaching peace in the conflict-ravaged 
Nigerian city of Jos, where up to 7,000 people 
have been killed in ethno-religious violence 
since 2001, but the message "does not trickle 
down fully," according to a report by a Geneva-
based research group. The tensions have been 
exacerbated by fears over religious domination 
and over resources, said the report, titled 
"A Deadly Cycle: Ethno-Religious Conflict in 
Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria," by the Geneva 
Declaration Secretariat, released on 10 
November. 
_____

El Salvador gives award 
to Archbishop Romero Trust

London (ENI news) - El Salvador on 
11 November bestowed the first "Amigo 
de El Salvador" award on the London-based 
Archbishop Romero Trust, which celebrates 
the legacy of human rights advocate 
Archbishop Oscar Romero. Hugo Martinez, 
El Salvador's minister for foreign affairs, 
presented a gold medallion at a London 
reception to the trust chair, Julian 
Filochowski, and said the award was in 
recognition of the trust's work. 

_____

As injured American veterans return home, 
congregations reach out

Newton, Massachusetts (ENI news) - 
Some wounds of war are all too visible -- 
a missing leg, a shattered arm. The 
invisible wounds of mind and soul are 
often more difficult to spot, and equally 
hard to treat. But those who know where 
to look can help them heal, and it's a 
message that is hitting home for U.S. 
congregations as more than 1.35 million 
veterans adjust to civilian life after 
deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, 
Religion News Service reports. With 
symptoms of post-traumatic stress 
disorder (PTSD) affecting an estimated 
one-in-six returning service members, 
congregations are coming face-to-face 
with the tolls of war. Experts say f
aith groups have much to offer, even 
when the wounds include PTSD and 
traumatic brain injury. 

*****

15 November 2011

Lutheran and Norwegian church groups 
agree to cooperate in emergencies

Geneva (ENI news) - The Lutheran World 
Federation (LWF) and Norwegian Church 
Aid (NCA) said they signed on 10 Nov. 
a cooperation agreement that will 
strengthen their response to global 
emergencies such as a recent crisis 
on the Tunisian border involving 
thousands of refugees fleeing turmoil 
in Libya. The agreement, signed in 
Geneva, means the two organizations 
are "committed to start a new phase of 
partnership based on mutual trust and 
accountability," according to Rudelmar 
Bueno de Faria, global program coordinator 
for the LWF's Department for World Service, 
as reported by the LWF's information 
service. 
_____

Austrian cardinal's church transfer to 
Orthodox gains Vatican approval

Vienna (ENI news) - The head of Austria's 
Roman Catholic church has agreed to give one 
of his parish churches to Orthodox Christians, 
after an appeal against the decision by local 
Catholics was rejected by the Vatican on 11 
November. In October 2011, Cardinal Christoph 
Schonborn said he had decided to merge two 
neighboring parishes in Vienna so that the 
church of Our Lady of Sorrows could be taken 
over by the Serbian Orthodox church's diocese 
of Central Europe. 

*****

16 November 2011

Christian leaders seek resolution
to Middle East stalemate

Washington, D.C. (EN Inews) - Christian 
leaders are urging the U.S. government 
to step up its leadership in resolving 
the prolonged stalemate in peace 
negotiations between Israeli and 
Palestinian leaders, especially in 
light of a recent move by Israel to 
establish a new settlement in East 
Jerusalem. An 11 November alert from 
the Episcopal Church's Episcopal 
Public Policy Network (EPPN) calls 
on Episcopalians and other religious 
advocates to write President Barack 
Obama asking him to state his "clear 
and forthright public support for the 
sharing of Jerusalem as a capital for 
both Israel and a future Palestinian 
state," Episcopal News Service 
reports. 
_____

Pakistani parliament 
criticizes murders of Hindus

Islamabad (ENI news) - Pakistan's 
parliament on 15 November condemned 
the killing of three Hindu brothers 
at a medical clinic in what observers 
said was an unusual show of support 
for religious minorities. The National 
Assembly observed a minute's silence 
in solidarity with the families of 
Ajeet Kumar, Naresh Kumar and Ashok 
Kumar, who were shot dead by 
unidentified gunmen on motorbikes 
in Shikarpur in Sindh province on 
8 November. "It is a positive 
development that all the political 
parties have condemned this shocking
killing," Michelle Chaudhry of the 
All Pakistan Minorities Alliance 
(APMA), told ENInews.
_____

Pope to make second trip to Africa

Vatican City (ENI news) - Pope 
Benedict XVI will begin his second 
papal trip to Africa on 18 November, 
visiting the West African country of 
Benin for three days, where he is 
likely to address economic justice, 
peace-building and interfaith dialogue. 
During Mass at a stadium in the city 
of Cotonou on 20 November, Benedict 
will present Catholic bishops from 
across Africa with an authoritative 
papal document about the church's 
efforts to promote "reconciliation, 
justice and peace," Religion News 
Service reports.

*****

17 November 2011

Austria's dissident Catholics urged 
to "maintain church unity"

Warsaw (ENI) - Austria's Roman Catholic 
bishops have rejected a call by dissident 
church members for laypeople to begin 
presiding at Mass when parishes have no 
priests, but the bishops also pledged to
 maintain a dialogue over possible changes 
in church life. In their 10 November 
declaration, the bishops rejected a 5 
November call by Austria's We Are Church 
movement for laypeople to preside at Mass 
and celebrate the Eucharist. The bishops 
were also reacting to a July "Call to 
Disobedience" signed by 250 of Austria's 
4,200 Roman Catholic priests, urging the
ordination of women priests and 
distribution of Communion to non-Catholics 
and remarried divorcees. 
_____


Lutheran churches in Indonesia 
pledge to combat HIV/AIDS

Sukamakmur, Indonesia (ENI) - Lutheran 
churches in Indonesia have approved several 
steps to revitalize their commitment to 
fight the AIDS epidemic. Two conferences 
on HIV/AIDS called "Embracing Life: Our 
Common Responsibility" were organized by 
LWF (Lutheran World Federation) Indonesia 
from 6-10 November. Sixty youth delegates 
and church leaders attended. 
_____

Protestant and Catholic leaders reflect 
on Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Germany

Berlin (ENI) - Religious leaders 
representing the Protestant and Catholic
churches in Germany called this week for 
further ecumenical cooperation and said 
that the two churches should stand 
together as a common base for Christians. 
In a panel discussion on the "state of 
ecumenism after the Pope's visit," 
Stephan Ackermann, the Bishop of Trier, 
and Nikolaus Schneider, president of 
the council of the Evangelical Church 
in Germany (the federation Protestant 
churches in Germany), agreed that 
the Catholic and Protestant Churches 
could mutually benefit from and enrich 
each other. 

*****

18 November 2011

As Uganda re-considers anti-gay law, 
former bishop calls for tolerance

Kampala, Uganda (ENI news) - As legislators 
in Uganda prepare to re-open debate on a 
bill that would harshly punish homosexuals, 
a church leader who campaigns for gay rights 
has renewed his call for tolerance and 
compassion. Christopher Ssenyonjo, former 
Anglican bishop of West Buganda diocese, 
said in an 18 November interview with ENI 
news that fear of attack among lesbians, 
gays, bisexuals and transgendered people, 
or LGBTs, was increasing each day with 
many being forced to shift houses. 
_____

Ecumenical group highlights 
Israeli demolitions

Imneizil, West Bank (ENI news) - Before 
electricity came to her village, Nihad 
Moor, 25, sometimes spent more than half 
the day doing housework. A set of solar 
panels installed two years ago in this 
small South Hebron Hills village made 
her life a bit easier. Now she is afraid 
that if a final demolition order issued in 
October by the Israeli Civil Administration 
for the solar installation is carried out, 
the village will be without electricity 
again. This is the kind of situation 
highlighted by the Ecumenical Accompaniment 
Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), 
which hosted a visit to Imneizil on 16 
November. The solar panels had been 
installed by the Energy Research Center 
of the Palestinian Al-Najah University, 
the Spanish government and SEBA, a Spanish 
non-profit organization that specializes 
in solar energy.
_____
 
'From Gutenberg to Google' is one theme 
of Reformation anniversary

Budapest, Hungary (ENI news) - 
Communications - "from Gutenberg to Google" - 
will be an important factor in 2017 when 
churches celebrate the 500th anniversary 
of the Protestant Reformation, according 
to a committee that is guiding the Lutheran 
World Federation (LWF) in marking the event. 
At its first meeting in Budapest, Hungary 
from 14 to 15 November, the "Luther 2017: 
500 Years of Reformation" group also 
identified leadership formation and the 
central role of worship as crucial issues, 
according to a news release from the 
Geneva-based LWF. 

*****

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Provided by Sojourners.online

November 14tH, 2011

"To be free is not merely to cast 
off one's chains, but to live in 
a way that respects and enhances 
the freedom of others." 

- Nelson Mandela 

---

November 15th, 2011

"In the beginning there is struggle 
and a lot of work for those who come 
near to God. But after that, there is 
indescribable joy. It is just like 
building a fire: at first itÂ’s smoky 
and your eyes water, but later you get 
the desired result. Thus we ought to 
light the divine fire in ourselves 
with tears and effort.”

- Amma Syncletica

---

November 16th, 2011

"The law becomes an 'old testament' 
only for those wish to understand it 
carnally, but for those who understand 
it and apply it in the Spirit and in 
the gospel sense, the law is ever new 
and the two 'testaments' are a new 
testament for us, not because of 
their date in time but because of the 
newness of the meaning. For those who 
do not respect the covenant of love, 
even the gospels are 'old.'"

- Origen of Alexandria

---

November 17th, 2011

"So often we think we have got to make 
a difference and be a big dog. Let us 
just try to be little fleas biting. 
Enough fleas biting strategically can 
make a big dog very uncomfortable."

- Marian Wright Edelman

---

November 18th, 2011

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, 
places to play in and pray in, where nature 
may heal and give strength to body and soul."

- John Muir

*****

ON THIS DAY

Provided from the archives
of the New York Times

On Nov. 15, 1969 -  a quarter of a million 
protesters staged a peaceful demonstration 
in Washington, D.C., against the Vietnam War.

http://tinyurl.com/7sa2rwm
___

Nov. 17, 1973 -  President Nixon told an 
Associated Press managing editors meeting 
in Orlando, Fla., that ``people have got 
to know whether or not their president 
is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook.''

http://tinyurl.com/78gcqrw
___

Nov. 18, 1976 - Spain's parliament 
approved a bill to establish a democracy 
after 37 years of dictatorship.

http://tinyurl.com/c2x8q5b
___

Nov. 19, 1863 -  President Abraham 
Lincoln  delivered the Gettysburg 
Address as he dedicated a national 
cemetery at the site of the Civil 
War battlefield in Pennsylvania.

http://tinyurl.com/86edt3n

*****

CLOSING THOUGHT

"God is everything that is good and the 
goodness that everything possesses is God."

- Julian of Norwich

Here Julian reports that goodness is God.
Every experience of goodness is an experience
of God. Is that your experience also?

When you experience goodness in your life,
to whom do you give credit?

- Matthew Fox in "Christian Mystics"

(end)