[Magdalen] How to view Presiding Bishop Installation Service

[Sally Davies]

Not TEC either but I am Anglican, have a Bishop, +Bethlehem Nopece, as well
as an Archbishop, ++Thabo Makgabo; and I love and value both of these godly
men.

People who don't like the principle of Apostolic succession etc have many
egalitarian churches and religions to choose from and good luck to them.
I've tried a few of those myself and don't like them much, finding them not
to be free of powerr struggles. People may also have done with organised
religion altogether -  a position I well understand, but not one that we in
South Africa can easily afford.

Not everyone like what Bishops do, and not all Bishops deserve respect
(though I haven't yet met that kind). But the structure of authority and of
the Diocesan system works for us in many practical ways, and these leaders
have, over time, had significant national impact that would not have been
the case had they not had the leadership status that they do. Our South
African bishops have also, over the years, led the way in ecumenism and
promoting tolerance of other faiths, though there is still far to go with
that.

We just saw the potential impact of prominent Anglican leaders in the UK's
Upper House where two former Archbishops - very different men - combined to
lead something of a revolt against anti-family neocon legislation. Their
leadership has impacted the lower house as well spurring something of a
backbench revolt against this arrogant Cabinet. No other member of the
House of Lords could have done that, I suspect, because unlike most of
their Lordships the Lords Spiritual are widely known and respected.

Our South African Archbishops have played a significant role in promoting
spirituality and social justice and they still do - most recently
lending headway along with other religious leaders to an unexpected wave of
public support for our students who are protesting unaffordable fees. This
was in the face of a lacklustre mainstream media who were busy constructing
the same-old narrative familiar from the apartheid era - them and us,
people wanting something for nothing, mindless violence of black people
blah blah fishpaste.

We pray for both our Metropolitan and our Diocesan Bishop every time we say
the Prayers of the People together, and we honour them, and if that's
sheeplike and docile then so be it. For us that shepherd's crook still
means something real and important.

Sally D

On Sunday, October 25, 2015, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:

> Jay, you may not have noticed, but several people on this list are not
> members of tec.
>
> Bishops are an anachronism we don't need anymore, and it is a bit of a
> surprise to me to think that folks have any qualms with that.  Numerous
> folks have expressed profound reservations about the wisdom of having
> significant power resting in one induhvidual who may or may not know how to
> handle it.
>
> I was brought up to refer to all ministers as Mr.,  and nobody ever really
> made any overt changes in that.
> We would never refer to Mr. McClean or Mr. Fitzgerald or Mr. Smith or any
> of the other ministers in my church as any of that popish "father" title.
> It's not an appropriate term in any case. Not today!
>
> You do not need to agree with me, and I respect that.
>
>
>
>
> James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
> except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
>
> On Sat, Oct 24, 2015 at 9:03 PM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com
> <javascript:;>> wrote:
>
> > Then why, Jim O., are you still an Episcopalian? Or am I mistaken and you
> > are really a Unitarian after all?
> >
> > On Saturday, October 24, 2015, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
> > oppenheimerjw at gmail.com <javascript:;>> wrote:
> >
> > > We all put our pants on one leg at a time. It's time to retire the
> whole
> > > bishop concept anyways.
> > >
> > > James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> > > *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not
> preserved,
> > > except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
> > >
> > > On Sat, Oct 24, 2015 at 1:26 PM, Marion Thompson <
> > > marionwhitevale at gmail.com <javascript:;> <javascript:;>>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > *Mr* Curry?  Come on.
> > > >
> > > > Marion, a pilgrim
> > > >
> > > > On 10/24/2015 2:31 AM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> I have absolutely no information at all about the event. I just cut
> > and
> > > >> pasted the text out of the email I got.
> > > >>
> > > >> The reason I posted it was because of the reference to the
> "liturgical
> > > >> buzz-word bingo." I was just sort of reading along and ran into that
> > and
> > > >> got a really big belly laugh.
> > > >>
> > > >> I wish Mr. Curry all the best, but that show is not something I plan
> > to
> > > >> watch. I'm sure he'll get installed just fine whether or not I
> watch.
> > > >>
> > > >> James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> > > >> *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not
> > > preserved,
> > > >> except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
> > > >>
> > > >> On Fri, Oct 23, 2015 at 12:57 PM, Grace Cangialosi <
> > gracecan at gmail.com <javascript:;>
> > > <javascript:;>>
> > > >> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> Great, Jim, but according to the Cathedral website, the service
> starts
> > > at
> > > >>> noon.
> > > >>>
> > > >>> On Thu, Oct 22, 2015 at 9:53 PM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
> > > >>> oppenheimerjw at gmail.com <javascript:;> <javascript:;>> wrote:
> > > >>>
> > > >>> I just got this in the weekly news email from my former parish:
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> *Calling All Church Nerds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
> > > >>>> *Presiding Bishop Installation: November 1st*
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> Join us at 1 p.m. in the Newton Community Room to watch a live
> > > simulcast
> > > >>>>
> > > >>> of
> > > >>>
> > > >>>> the Installation of the Presiding Bishop, The Rt. Rev. Michael
> > Curry,
> > > >>>> bishop of North Carolina. Lunch will be served and liturgical
> > > buzz-word
> > > >>>> bingo cards will be given to all who join us!!
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> [Christ Episcopal Church, Poughkeepsie, NY]
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>> James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> > > >>>> *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not
> > > >>>> preserved,
> > > >>>> except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>>
> > > >>>
> > > >>> --
> > > >>> Grace Cangialosi
> > > >>> Ruckersville, VA
> > > >>>
> > > >>> Keep Calm and Carry OM.
> > > >>>
> > > >>>
> > > >
> > >
> >
>