[Magdalen] whose theology is this?

[Ginga Wilder]

Thank you, Eleanor and Marion.  I am realizing that this man's teaching has
retraumatized me.  I honestly thought I had moved on from the awful abuse
rendered upon Episcopalians during the early 90s through 2012 in South
Carolina.  Whew!  Breathing in, breathing out.

Ginga

On Sun, Mar 1, 2015 at 5:26 PM, Eleanor Braun <eleanor.braun at gmail.com>
wrote:

> I do not understand the notion of only helping the neighbor we can see or
> who lives near us.
>
> Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to the lawyer's
> question, who is my neighbor.  Now there are many ways to interpret the
> parable, but it speaks to me in a way that says my neighbor is everyone,
> even the "other", the despised ones.
>
> It is unconscionable to me to suggest that those of us in the US and the
> West, who have so much, should *only* be concerned about those across the
> street.  When there is such a crying need for basic medical care,
> education, clean water and sanitation, and basic food security, we must
> care as much for our neighbor in Honduras, in Sierra Leone, and in India as
> we do for those in our zip code.
>
> As for not concerning ourselves with politics, I also disagree.  In order
> to satisfy the mandates of Matthew 25, we can do some of it through
> charity, but we cannot make a substantive difference until we change the
> structure of society so that all may enjoy God's abundance.
>
> Readings:  Ezekiel 34: 2-3 <http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=292248538>  Isaiah
> 10:1-3 <http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=292248653>
>
> Eleanor
>
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 1, 2015 at 4:56 PM, Ginga Wilder <gingawilder at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Our supply clergy this morning was from another diocese...a very liberal
> > diocese....but I don't think this is liberal thought.  He taught Adult CE
> > and preached.
> >
> > His premise this morning, among other things was that 'we really cannot
> > change the world.  We do not need to concern ourselves with the world
> > beyond our neighborhood.  Rather than give money to support ministries
> like
> > ERD, we should simply walk across the street and meet the need of our
> > neighbor.  (His example was giving money to a particular person in a 3rd
> > world country, rather than my ERD example, but the point is the same.)
> He
> > went on to declare that from a theological perspective, we do not need to
> > concern ourselves with politics...or even care about politics because we
> > cannot make a difference or change the world.  It was a one way
> > street...meet the need before you and ignore/don't care about anything
> > beyond.
> >
> > I behaved badly.  He spoke down to us as of we were the Episcopal
> bumpkins
> > in SC and I called him on it.  Now I'm having a major shame attack, even
> > though more than a few people thanked me....that has just made it worse
> > because my behavior was so similar to how nack in the mid 2000s, I
> > confronted the the teaching of the ultra conservative priests at St.
> > Paul's.  I'm not sure this makes any sense and I am still upset.
> >
> > So, what think the theological gurus in the pub (all of us) about this
> > theology??
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Ginga
> >
>