*****
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)
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