The Rector's Corner the Early Church to Paint Clear Boundaries Between the Traditions, but That Context Was Quickly Lost As Th
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the early church to paint clear boundaries between the traditions, but that context was quickly lost as the The Rector’s Corner teaching was passed on. Until very recently most By now I’m sure most of you know that I care deeply Christian denominations used John’s account and about words, particularly in regard to translation and Matthew’s description of the “blood curse” (we now understanding their use and intention as best as interpret Matthew 27:25 as referring to the possible in the original context of the community in destruction of Jerusalem 40 years later) to support which they emerged. For this Holy Week and the deliberately anti-Semitic policies and actions. It was Season of Easter there are two ways in which I’m only after the fruit of this destructive teaching was making some changes and I’d like to explain why and born in the Nazi death camps that we realized we how I’m doing so. Because our language and how we needed to change. use it matters. “Preachers [from the earliest times and The Passion and the Holocaust continuing into our own day] did not hesitate to remind their hearers of the guilt The reading of the entire Passion narrative is a of all Jews for the death of the Lord, with central part of Holy Week. We read the appropriate the consequence that quite commonly on cycle’s version on Palm Sunday (this year was Mark) Good Friday, Jewish families would remain and then always read John’s version on Good Friday. hidden in their homes in order to avoid This narrative follows the story of Jesus from the his abuse and even death.” (Episcopal Church betrayal by Judas to his death on the cross. This story SCLM acknowledgement 2013) is tragic in itself, but the way that two of our authors tell it (Matthew and John) has led to many more Over the last few decades Christian theologians and tragedies in the intervening centuries. clergy have been working to recover and emphasize the truth that Jesus and his followers were faithful Scholars generally agree that John’s telling was Jews by heritage and religion in 30 CE, and that our written around 100 CE, 70 years after the events it’s two religious traditions should not be opposed to describing, in a time when Judaism and Christianity each other. We seek to honor their distinctions by were in the final acrimonious stages of separating ceasing to appropriate liturgies (such as “Christian into distinct religious traditions. The author used the Seders”), preaching on our history and the truth of term hoi loudaios repeatedly and often in hostile ways Jesus’ Jewishness, and being careful with our for those opposing Jesus and his disciples. In the first language. century it simply meant “a resident of Judea” (a Judean, as distinct from a Galilean) but by the second The challenge of John’s Passion reading is that most century it became a shorthand for all Jews regardless translations still render hoi loudaios as “the Jews”. of where they lived. At this time it was important for This may be technically correct and relatively The Canterbury Cross | April 2021 1 harmless for those living in the immediate decades compare the differences of these two versions to John wrote for, but it does not represent the actual that of the Anglican Church published in 1625 we events Jesus lived through and after millennia of find that with two exceptions we are simply Christian anti-Semitism it continues to be deeply returning to the old language (and with one of those harmful today. It is clear throughout the New we’re returning to even older language). Testament that many Jews followed and loved Jesus, Here are the changes in total: just as others opposed him. It is also clear in our history how these words have been used to justify 1. Adjusting the language of incarnation to more oppressing, torturing, and killing Jews in the name of closely match the original version which more Jesus. closely connects the roles of the Spirit and Mary: 1635 BCP: Who for us men, and for our salvation There are many different ways that our Church came down from heaven, And was incarnate by continues to wrestle with in how we fix this the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, longstanding issue but there is solidarity in 1979 BCP: For us and for our salvation he came commitment to the work. This year I have chosen to deliberately modify our Good Friday reading where down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit appropriate so that it is clear when hoi loudaios he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, means “all the Jews” such as the label above the cross 1988 ELCA: For us and for our salvation he came placed by Pilate or references to the festivals while down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy clarifying when it is referring to the “Judean leaders” Spirit and the Virgin Mary who conspired with Rome to execute Jesus as a 2. Updating the point of the incarnation to focus on threat to their power and in opposition to many of what matters (theologians agree that humanity, the common Jewish and Gentile people who not gender, is the primary fact of the incarnation recognized Jesus as Messiah. and that “man” being inclusive of gender is The Nicene Creed archaic terminology today): 1979 BCP: And was made man As we resume the liturgy of the Holy Eucharist after a 1988 ELCA: and became truly human long fast with Morning Prayer, I thought this would be a good time to introduce a small “revision” of the 3. Removing the filioque clause that was added in th Nicene creed into our service. the 6 century by the Western church and has been an ecumenical barrier to communion with In 2018 General Convention passed a resolution the East every since. The Episcopal Church has (D078) allowing all Episcopal parishes to use already committed to remove this in the next “expansive-language” versions of three Rite II edition of the Prayer Book: Eucharistic Prayers as well as certain revised 1979 BCP: who proceeds from the Father and the elements of the rest of the liturgy. The idea of Son. expanding our language comes out of recognizing 1988 ELCA: who proceeds from the Father, how much our liturgical worship is heavily male- weighted in ways that diminish the dignity and 4. Removing the 1975 addition of masculine gender equality of women in our services even decades after to the Holy Spirit, which was especially egregious we affirmed gender equality in ordination. While considering that the Spirit is often referred to in much more needs to be done in this area, I have either neutral or feminine language in Scripture chosen to adopt the “new” Nicene Creed as an initial (such as Genesis 1:1 “she hovered”): trial step. 1635 BCP: Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake Now, the word “new” may seem threatening, but in by the Prophets. reality there are only four small adjustments of which 1979 BCP: With the Father and the Son he is only one is actually new in any sense. The English worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through translation we read in our 1979 Book of Common the Prophets. Prayer comes from a ecumenical workforce 1988 ELCA: who with the Father and the Son is publication in 1975. That group continued working worshipped and glorified, who has spoken and published a second version in 1988 which was through the prophets. accepted by the Lutheran Church (ELCA), with whom we are in full communion, and which is the version In this discussion it’s important to recognize that proposed for use in the Episcopal Church today. If we The Canterbury Cross | April 2021 2 both the Greek and English of the Nicene Creed has never been static. While it was first formulated in 325 at the Council of Nicaea, much was added and removed at the Council of Constantinople in 381 Holy Week Services (there was a long series of 5 condemnations at the The Paschal Triduum end in the original, with barely any mention of the Holy Spirit). Then in 451 the Council of Chalcedon approved it as authentic even though most gathered there had not heard of it before. How we translate it and use it in liturgy has varied by context and linguistic setting throughout time, and there is nothing substantially new to this latest iteration. I hope all this detailed discussion of language and liturgy has been edifying for the parish. If you have These three holy days mark the most sacred time in any questions or would like to discuss further, please the Christian year as we walk once again through the feel welcome to reach out to me. passion, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Be well, be blessed, be a blessing. Jesus. This year, as the pandemic continues, we will be holding a mixture of live-streamed and outdoor Fr. John gatherings: • Maundy Thursday (April 1): 7:00 pm on Zoom • Good Friday (April 2): 7:00 pm on Zoom • The Great Vigil of Easter (April 3): 8:00 pm out- doors Our Easter Sunday services will be held via live- streaming at 10:30 am and then with an outdoor gath- Parish Survey ering at 5:00 pm, both with music led by Dr. Bill Haller. The Vestry and Bishop Klusmeyer will soon begin the process of searching for our next Priest-in-Charge.