*****
GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telus.net
Colleagues List Web Site:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com
"Quicklinks" are included with many items
at the beginning of this issue. To get a more
complete picture, however, scroll down to
find your special selection in the body of
the blog.
*****
Dear Colleagues:
The Special Item this week is my
Anglican Journal column for November:
"Modern Life in a Global Village" - and is
a reflection after the Holy Land tour we
took with at total of 29 people last month.
http://tinyurl.com/nk4zrsy
I hope you enjoy it.
--
Colleague Comment this week is from:
Douglas John Hall (Montreal) who reflects
on a timely theme - religion and violence.
Please scroll down to read his helpful
comments.
--
Herbert O'Driscoll (Victoria) shares his
thoughts and a New York Times article
he found helpful, on the same theme:
"Finding Peace Within the Holy Texts"
http://tinyurl.com/q3oe5c5
--
Chris Diamond of Sydney, BC shares an
article on Teilhard de Chardin relating
to evolutionary theology from an Irish
friend. It was presented on the:
Association of Catholics in Ireland Website
"A Cosmic Spirituality for a New Theology;
Teilhard de Chardin’s Evolutionary Journey
to Omega Christ"
http://tinyurl.com/o4hjz6y
--
Colleague Communications -
Beth Porter (Richmond Hill ON)
interviews on the Truth and
Reconciliation Report:
A Human Future
L'Arche Canada Foundation
"After the TRC -
Interview With Marie Wilson"
http://tinyurl.com/q2795kk
--
Martin Marty (Chicago IL)
takes up a theme that gets less
attention than it should from us -
"Public Orthodoxy"
http://tinyurl.com/p6vrtel
--
Jim Taylor (Okanagan BC)
deals with a subject needing
constant assessment and
reconsideration -
"Updating God -
The Moon is Not Made of Green Cheese!"
http://tinyurl.com/qf7u3nh
--
Ron Rolheiser (San Antonio TX)
shares his reflection on the theme:
"Lacking the Self-Confidence for Greatness"
http://tinyurl.com/ptvv5xx
--
Don Moore (Ariss ON)
provides insights from his own experience
with World Vision Canada:
"Leading Millennials -
What They Look for in a Leader"
http://tinyurl.com/q9tgskp
--
Net Notes - these items caught my
attention on the web this week:
"Living by the Qur’an" - scholar/theologian
Jonathan Brown, specializing in Islamic
studies, provides this article for Christian
readers (The Christian Century)
http://tinyurl.com/o2sm553
--
"Our's is a Religion of Peace" - a
Christian writer/journalist, shares
his views. William Grimm of Tokyo
deals with how Christian history
has had to teach us the hard way
(UCA News)
http://tinyurl.com/pwrhtad
--
"Rifts in the Mormon Family" -
many have recently left the LDS
over its same sex policies. What
just happened and why?
(the Guardian, UK and Sightings)
http://tinyurl.com/q4hq6se
http://tinyurl.com/pm5g3d5
--
"Meaning of a Successful Life" -
the Dalai Lama provides a teaching
on this subject, filmed in India (Youtube)
http://tinyurl.com/qgnp95h
--
"Mosques Attacked in US, Canada" -
in reaction to the recent terror in Paris,
some in North America have been
attacking Islamic centres (BBC)
http://tinyurl.com/njyp759
--
"Protestantism Booming in Vietnam" -
when we think of Christians in Vietnam,
we tend to think of Catholics, but that
is only part of the story. Protestants
have experienced significant growth
since the war in SE Asia (UCA News)
http://tinyurl.com/q3dydxy
---
"In the Wake of ISIS Terror, Be Wise" -
here is the first of two helpful reflections
Jim Wallis writes of mourning, lament,
and discernment (Sojourners online)
http://tinyurl.com/o24jrhs
--
"'Understand ISIS' - Urges Rowan Williams" -
the second reflection is from the former
Archbishop of Canterbury who opposes
dehumanization of the enemy
(Anglican Church News Service)
http://tinyurl.com/ppj2rf8
--
"Mennonite Farmers Prepare to Leave Mexico" -
and water issues at stake (New York Times)
http://tinyurl.com/o7wf6u7
--
"Most Canadians Oppose Quick Syrian Resettlement"
- amid the government move to bring thousands
of Syrian refugees into Canada the current terror
crisis is prompting some sober second thought
(The National Post) http://tinyurl.com/oqee3go
Wisdom of the Week - is from Sojourners
and the Bruderhof online - with our thanks:
Helen Prejean, C.S.J., Blaise Pascal,
Søren Kierkegaard, Kathleen Hasenberg,
Thomas Merton and Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Please scroll down to read them.
--
On This Day -
From the archives of the New York Times
"Lincoln Delivers Gettysburg Address"
http://tinyurl.com/y9bvp8n
"Spain Votes for Democracy"
http://tinyurl.com/lpxr6kn
"Nuremberg War Trials Begin"
http://tinyurl.com/3vlno
--
Closing Thought - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Scroll to the end of the blog to read him
(end)
For those interested in our Autumn events,
please scroll to the end of the blog:
Continuing Our Program Season -
Autumn 2015 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry at St. David's United Church,
Calgary.
*****
SPECIAL ITEM
My Anglican Journal November Column:
"Modern Life in a Global Village"
http://tinyurl.com/nk4zrsy
*****
COLLEAGLUE COMMENT
Douglas John Hall
Montreal, QC
November 8th, 2015
Re: Karen Armstrong's CL Book Notice
November 16th, 2014:
"Fields of Blood:
Religion and the History of Violence"
http://tinyurl.com/kp685m4
Dear Wayne,
I do appreciate these communications of yours;
it is a great service to the faith community, and
I thank you.
Inspired by the terrible event in Paris, I have
again asked myself about the relation between
religion and violence.
I agree with Karen Armstrong that secular
ideologies (Nazism, Marxism, nationalism, racism,
etc.) have been more responsible for violence than
have any of the religions; but this does not excuse
the religions for their obvious and subtle contributions
to violent acts, assumptions and attitudes.
Every religion should ask itself two questions:
(1) What is there in this system of belief that
might encourage, stimulate or activate, support
or excuse the will to violence that is part of the
human socio-psychic make-up?
(2) What is there in this system of belief that
helps its adherents to recognize, critique, and
resist capitulation to the human socio-psychic
propensity to violence?
Best wishes,
Douglas H.
--
Herbert O'Driscoll
Victoria, BC
November 17th, 2015
Wayne
Re: Your notice of the Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
book on religion and violence:
Colleagues List November 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pyat9a5
will probably be found within religion itself."
Herb
Please read this article:
New York Times
November 17th, 2017
"Finding Peace Within the Holy Texts"
http://tinyurl.com/q3oe5c5
--
Chris Diamond
Xristos Community Society
35 - 10070 Fifth Street
Sidney BC V8L 2X9
November 2nd, 2015
Hello Wayne:
This is a good article and exchange that I thought
you might enjoy if you haven’t already read it.
I don’t pretend to grasp Teilhard except that I
understand his general evolutionary drift. (I like
that Pelagian theology.)
I correspond with Sean (the author) in Coleraine
of Derry (Ireland) mostly by email though I have
talked with him as well. He is a retired High School
teacher and a frequent writer.
All the best,
Chris
Association of Catholics in Ireland Website
"A Cosmic Spirituality for a New Theology;
Teilhard de Chardin’s Evolutionary Journey
to Omega Christ"
http://tinyurl.com/o4hjz6y
*****
COLLEAGUE COMMUNICATIONS
Beth Porter
Richmond Hill ON
A Human Future
L'Arche Canada Foundation
Fall, 2015
"After the TRC -
Interview With Marie Wilson"
http://tinyurl.com/q2795kk
--
Chicago, IL
Sightings
November 16th, 2015
"Public Orthodoxy"
http://tinyurl.com/p6vrtel
--
Jim Taylor
Okanagan BC
Personal Web Log
November 18th, 2015
"Updating God -
The Moon is Not Made of Green Cheese!"
http://tinyurl.com/qf7u3nh
--
Ron Rolheiser
San Antonio, TX
Personal Web Site
November 16th, 2015Ron Rolheiser
San Antonio, TX
Personal Web Site
"Lacking the Self-Confidence for Greatness"
http://tinyurl.com/ptvv5xx
--
Don Moore
Ariss, ON
World Vision Canada
Linked-In Website
"Leading Millennials -
What They Look for in a Leader"
http://tinyurl.com/q9tgskp
*****
NET NOTES
LIVING BY THE QUR'AN
Muslim Scholar Jonathan Brown
The Christian Century.
November 17th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o2sm553
--
OURS'S IS A RELIGION OF PEACE
It Wasn't Always that Way
UCA News Editor
William Grimm, Tokyo
November 20th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pwrhtad
--
RIFTS IN THE MORMON FAMILY
What Just Happened?
Sightings, Chicago, IL
November 19th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/pm5g3d5
The Guardian, UK
November 15th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/q4hq6se
MEANING OF A SUCCESSFUL LIFE
Dalai Lama Advises from India
Youtube
November 18th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/qgnp95h
--
MOSQUES ATTACKED IN US, CANADA
Paris Terrorism Impacts America
BBC
November 18th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/njyp759
--
PROTESTANTISM BOOMING IN VIETNAM
Significant Growth Since the War
UCA News
November 20th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/q3dydxy
--
IN THE WAKE OF
ISIS TERROR, BE WISE
Jim Wallis Writes of Mourning,
Lament, Discernment
Sojourners
November 19th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o24jrhs
--
'UNDERSTAND ISIS'
URGES ROWAN WILLIAMS
He Opposes Dehumanization
of the Enemy
Anglican Church News Service
November 19th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/ppj2rf8
--
MENNONITE FARMERS
PREPARE TO LEAVE MEXICO
Water Issues at Stake
New York Times
November 16th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/o7wf6u7
--
MOST CANADIANS OPPOSE
QUICK SYRIAN RESETTEMENT
They Suggest More Caution
in Taking 25,000 Refugees
National Post
November 18th, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/oqee3go
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
From Sojourners and the Bruderhoff Online:
There are spaces of sorrow only God can touch.
- Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J.
--
We do not grow tired of eating and sleeping day
after day, because hunger and fatigue return;
without them, we should be bored. It would be
the same without hunger for spiritual things;
we should be bored.
- Blaise Pascal
--
Christ chose to be the socially insignificant one.
The fact that he descended from heaven to take
upon himself the form of a servant is not an
accident which now is to be thrust into the
background and forgotten. No, every true
follower of Christ must express existentially
the very same thing – that insignificance and
offense are inseparable from being a Christian.
As soon as the least bit of worldly advantage
is gained by preaching or following Christ,
then the fox is in the chicken house.
- Søren Kierkegaard
--
The attitude that if one serves God, only
pleasant results will follow, reveals a
sentimental interpretation of the word
“love” (whereas the love of God is strong
and powerful). It also shows that one has
not faced the facts of history.
What about Christ? God certainly guided him –
and that guidance led to the cross. What of the
apostles – one has only to read Acts to see that
physical hardship, deprivation, and imprisonment
all resulted from being true to the guidance of God.
- Kathleen Hasenberg
--
It is as if in creating us God asked a question, and
in awakening us to contemplation He answered the
question, so that the contemplative is at the same
time, question and answer. We become contemplatives
when God discovers Himself in us.
- Thomas Merton
*****
ON THIS DAY
From the archives of the New York Times
"Lincoln Delivers Gettysburg Address"
http://tinyurl.com/y9bvp8n
"Spain Votes for Democracy"
http://tinyurl.com/lpxr6kn
"Nuremberg War Trials Begin"
http://tinyurl.com/3vlno
*****
CLOSING THOUGHT - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing
compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams
is greedy for immediate action, rapidly performed
and in the sight of all. Men will even give their lives
if only the ordeal does not last long but is soon over,
with all looking on and applauding as though on the
stage. But active love is labor and fortitude…
(end)
*****
Continuing Our Program Season -
Autumn 2015 Adult Spiritual Development
ACTS Ministry at St. David's United Church,
Calgary.
AUTUMN 2015 MONDAY NIGHT STUDY
Theme: "Living in Darkness - Living in Light"
Books: "Learning to Walk in the Dark"
by Barbara Brown Taylor
"Between the Dark and the Daylight"
by Joan Chittister
http://tinyurl.com/pncmzec
http://tinyurl.com/qy9netg
A ten-week study in contemporary spirituality
with books by two prominent Protestant and
Catholic writers.
Ten Monday evenings, 7-9PM
In the St. David's TM Room
September 21st - November 30th, 2015
Books and Registration/Hospitality - $60.00
Books only - $35.00
Total Class Registrations: 28.
We have sold all of our 37 supplied book sets.
Thanks to Brenda and Joan who helped Jock when
Wayne participated in the "Jerusalem and the Land
of Three Great Faiths" tour (October 16th - 31st)
Now into our sixteenth year of Monday Night Studies
Our thirty-first series of (usually) ten week sessions!
Our Current "Spiritual Darkness" Study Design/Links:
http://tinyurl.com/nu4ze5b
Check our complete archives for all 45 book studies:
http://tinyurl.com/q3bw6dh
*****
THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
Theme: The Book of Exodus from the Hebrew Bible
"A Classic Story of Human Liberation"
Ten sessions 10-11 AM
Gathering at 9:30AM
In the St. David's TM Room
September 17th - December 3rd
No charge.
Study resource -
The DK Complete Bible Handbook
http://tinyurl.com/odxlv7q
(copy available in our church library)
*****
ST. DAVID'S SPIRITUAL TRAVELERS'
SPECIAL 2015 SIXTEEN DAY TOUR
"Jerusalem and the Land of Three Great Faiths"
October 16th - 31st, 2015
http://tinyurl.com/plg4sgo
THIS TOUR IS COMPLETED.
Tour Company: Rostad Tours Calgary
Tour Hosts: Wayne and Marlene Holst
Sponsored by: St. David's ACTS Ministry
Endorsed by: St. David's Church Council
Talk with or write to Marlene and Wayne
(403-286-7416) waholst@telus.net
marleneaholst@gmail.com
We had 29 paid-up participants taking
the tour.
A service to "report to the congregation
on the tour" is took place, Sunday,
November 15th.
Recommended books -
JERUSALEM:
One City, Three Faiths
by Karen Armstrong (1997)
http://tinyurl.com/qb4urn5
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, PETRA & SINAI
DK Eyewitness Travel (2014)
http://tinyurl.com/prl3k8m
TOP TEN: Israel, Including Sinai & Petra
DK Eyewitness Travel (2014)
http://tinyurl.com/pyromfc
*****
ACTS LENTEN RETREAT, 2016
Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre
Cochrane, Alberta
http://www.mountstfrancis.ca/
Mark your calendars!
Sunday February 28th
11:30 AM - 4:00 PM
John Griffith is on sabbatical this year.
Reflections will be led by a Franciscan on staff.
*****
