[Magdalen] whose theology is this?

[Marion Thompson]

Ginga, it will take you quite a while to heal completely, from deep 
inside out, after the trauma of those long years.

Marion, a pilgrim   ... today my sail I lift ....

On 3/1/2015 5:43 PM, Ginga Wilder wrote:
> 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
>>>