Bishop's Address
September 1, 2011
As we commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I recall that on September 11, 2001, our diocesan clergy were at Morning Prayer at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Chestnut Hill, when someone scribbled me a note saying that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. Ironically, we had just recited in the Psalter's only profane work, Psalm 45, these lines:
Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, in your pride and in your majesty. Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth and for the sake of justice. Your right hand will show you marvelous things; your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.
When days later I read in the New York Times a verbatim of an Arabic manual found in the luggage of Mohamed Atta, one of the organizers of the 19 hijackers, which did not make it onto Flight 11, the language felt eerily similar to the psalm's in its bellicosity. Here's a sample:
Clench your teeth, as did [your] predecessors, God rest their souls, before engaging in battle. If God grants any one of you a slaughter, you should perform it as an offering on behalf of your father.
The difference between the Biblical text and that resonating with Koranic piety, I would say, is that the psalm's warrior, unlike Mohamed Atta's, fights for justice and truth. But, then, mine is a Judeo-Christian, not a Muslim, perspective, and who doesn’t root for the home team? So, before rushing to judgment, I might better ponder the warning from Samuel Miller, my seminary dean, that "the line between healthy religion and unhealthy religion is very thin, indeed."
All of us, whatever our religion, are heirs to the violent, murderous rivalry between Cain and Abel, described in Genesis 4 as our original condition in paradise lost, east of Eden. Socially-constructed hierarchy based on various criteria – family of origin, birth order, school, wealth, class, race, gender, sexual orientation, looks, height, weight, intelligence, talent, whatever – is inevitable, and when and where it occurs, insidious envy and mimetic desire pervade. If we cannot raise ourselves up to collapse the differential between others and ourselves, we are tempted to tear others down.
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Judge Rules in Good Shepherd, Rosemont, Case
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On Friday, August 26, the Honorable Stanley Ott issued an Order stating that David Moyer, a Bishop in the Traditional Anglican Communion, and two other individuals no longer have any right or authority to serve as rector or on the vestry of the Church of the Good Shepherd, located in Rosemont Pennsylvania.
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Call to Convention 2011
August 24, 2011 | The Feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle | Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, I call you to assemble as a Council of the Church for the 228th Diocesan Convention to be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, November 5, 2011. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the Opening Eucharist will be at 8:30 a.m.
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List of Open Positions for 2011 Diocesan Convention
The Nominating Committee is seeking lay and clergy candidates to stand for election at Diocesan Convention, 2011. You may propose yourself or someone else as a nominee.
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Safe Church Administrator's Training
Dear Clergy, Parish Administrators, and Program Coordinators, The diocesan Safe Church Training program is now fully online. In order for your parish to participate, a Safe Church Training Administrator needs to be designated for your parish to authorize access to the program and track your parish's data.
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Prayer Gathering of Memory and Hope on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
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Please join the Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia for a prayer gathering of memory and hope on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
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Ray Suarez: Jerusalem: Center of the World
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Friday, October 7, 2011 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. St. Peter’s Church, 313 Pine Street, Philadelphia Free, and open to all. No reservations are needed. The American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem is co-sponsoring this event with Philadelphia Theological Institute, The Middle East Study Group and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.
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Antiracism Training on Columbus Day Weekend
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Oct. 8-10, 2011 | Clergy and lay leaders are especially encouraged to attend. Note that this workshop meets canonical and diocesan antiracism training requirements for clergy and lay leaders, helps satisfy continuing education requirements for clergy of the Diocese of Pennsylvania and may be eligible for financial support from the Diocesan Continuing Education Fund. You must be in attendance for the entire workshop.
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Resources for Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
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The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have had a profound effect on us as both as a nation and as individuals, especially for those whose loved ones died in the attacks, or who were involved in recovery efforts. As we approach the 10th anniversary of the attacks, we have an opportunity to remember those who died, to seek healing for those still affected, and to work for reconciliation and peace, between people, nations, and religious traditions.
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2011 Clergy Conference
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A gathering for Clergy to build up community among clergy of the Diocese | Christianity After Religion: Questions Shaping a New Spiritual Awakening, Featuring Diana Butler Bass. Monday noon – Wednesday noon, November 28-30, 2011.
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2012 Intercessions Prayer Calendar
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July 24, 2011 through January 21, 2012 | In an effort to eliminate printing costs and paper waste, the new edition of the Intercessions Prayer Calendar is being emailed to everyone who has access to email with hard copies being printed out by request only.
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