Forward in Christ FThe magazine of ForwardC in Faith North America. Christ

Vol. 6 No. 4 April, 2014 Has Risen!

Also in this Issue: Lookin’ For Love Rebirth of the Russian $30 annual subscription Empire $200 p/a for bundles of ten Easter, a Perennial Spring Register Online at:

Speakers

The Rt. Rev. Donald Mother Gabriella is Parsons is the retired 6th the Abbess of the Bishop of Quincy and a Orthodox monastery former Dean of Nashotah of the Dormition of the House seminary, where Mother of God, at Rives he continues to serve as a Junction, Southern Professor. Michigan.

The Rt. Rev. Alberto Morales, OSB, is the Bishop of the Diocese of Quincy, and founder of St. Benedict’s Abbey, Bartonville, Illinois.

2 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org “They devoted themselves to prayer” (Acts 2:42) FIFNA’S 2014 ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

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Forward in Christ, April, 2014 3 Forward in Christ The magazine of Forward in Faith North America. Contents 6 In The News 17 The Offertory, Fundraiser or Sacrifice? Fr. Michael Heidt is Editor of Forward in Christ Malleus is an Anglican priest living south of the and a priest in the Diocese of Fort Worth. Mason-Dixon.

7 Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! 18 Parish Highlight Bishop Win Mott is Bishop for the Diocese of the St. Vincent’s Cathedral, Bedford, Texas. West (Reformed Episcopal Church) in ACNA. 19 Rings, Vows and Commitments 8 The Resurrection, a Perennial Spring Fr. Gene Geromel is Rector of St. Bartholomew’s Dr. Marianne Dorman is the author of several books Anglican Church, Swartz Creek, Michigan, in the on the Caroline Divines, and the Christian year. She Diocese of the Holy Cross. lives on Puget Sound. 20 When Jesus Taught on Prayer 10 The Rebirth of the Russian Empire Bishop Kenneth Myers serves as the Bishop of the Shane Schaetzel is the author of Catholicism for Convocation of Christ the Redeemer, within the Protestants (RegnumDei Press.Com), a freelance Missionary Diocese of All Saints, Anglican Church writer and the creator of CatholicInTheOzarks.Com, a in North America (ACNA). blog of apologetics and random musings from the Bible Belt. 22 Sir Alec Guinness & Charles de 13 Bishop Iker Adresses the REC Foucauld The Rt. Rev. Jack Iker is the Bishop of the Diocese Fr. Geoffery Attard is a Roman Catholic priest, of Fort Worth. serving in Gozo, Malta. 23 An Easter Sermon 15 Lookin’ For Love St. John Chrysostom. Bishop Keith Ackerman is the President of Forward in Faith North America. 16 Thinking Out Loud Bill Murchison is an author and journalist, living in This month’s cover is the Resurrection by Francesco Buoneri, Dallas, Texas. called Cecco del Caravaggio. 1619-20.

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4 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org The FIFNA Annual Vol. 6 No. 4 Assembly April, 2014 ForwardPublished in by Faith Devoted to Prayer -Three Great Traditions: St. Teresa of Avila, the Jesus Prayer, and St. Benedict North America

July 9-11, 2014 Upholding the Faith and Order of the Undivided Church

Each year in the summer, FIFNA hosts an annual assembly of their membership and friends. We gather from all across the country and abroad for fellowship, worship, and engaging presentations. Our assemblies have become like family Business Office reunions where we see familiar faces from years gone by along with making new P.O. Box 210248 friends. Bedford, TX 76095-7248 Email: For the past three years, we have reflected on Acts 2:42: “And they devoted [email protected] themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” www.forwardinchrist.orgWeb In 2011, the theme was “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” www.fifna.org 2012 was “They devoted themselves to the breaking of bread.” In 2013, we Facebook: www.facebook.com/FIFNA discussed the church in “Ecclesiology at the Crossroads.” This year’s theme Twitter: @FiF_NA is “Devoted to Prayer,” with the subtitle of “Prayer: Three Great Traditions: St. Teresa of Avila, the Jesus Prayer, and St. Benedict.” 1-800-225-3661 toll free

We’ve worked hard to present you with a wonderful line-up of speakers. Bishop Donald Parsons’ talk is entitled “St. Teresa of Avila on the Life of Prayer: Advice for Editor Christians”. Mother Gabriella of the Dormition Monastery of the Orthodox Church in America will speak on the “Jesus Prayer” and Bishop Alberto Morales, OSB, will The Rev’d Michael Heidt present “Listening, Prayer and Work in the Benedictine Tradition and Daily Life.” 204 N. Rosemont Ave. Dallas, TX 75208 Held at the beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois (just Email: across the river from St. Louis). Our Lady of the Snows is one of the largest outdoor [email protected] shrines in North America with 200 acres of natural beauty. Once there, you can park your car as your hotel and conference building are right across the parking lot from each other. Forward InSubscriptions Christ The cost is $300/single occupancy or $500/double. You can register online at is sent free of charge fifna.org or print and mail your form to us. If registrations exceed capacity, we to all contributing members of have an off-site hotel set up and a van to bring you back and forth. Forward In Faith North America.

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Forward in Christ, April, 2014 5 In the News FIFNA Assembly: Anglicans File Complaint Against Schori:

Registration is now open for this A group year’s Forward in Faith Assembly at Our Lady of the Snows, of conservative Anglicans, called the American Anglican Belleville, Illinois, July 9-11. Speakers to include Bishop Fellowship (AAF), has launched a canonical complaint Donald Parsons, former Bishop of Quincy, Mother Gabriella, against the Episcopal Church’s (TEC) Presiding Bishop, Abbess of the Orthodox Monastery of the Dormition, Katherine Jefferts Schori. The AAF lists six offences Michigan, and Bishop Alberto Morales, OSB, of the Diocese including, seeking the interpretation of church canons by of Quincy. The theme of the event is prayer. Book now to secular courts, misuse of the Abandonment of Communion reserve your place! canons, unconstitutional assumption of power over NashotahFor information House see Turmoil: pp. 2, 3, 5. Standing Committees and harassingForward clergy. in The Christ complaint has been sent to Bishop Clay Matthews, who oversees TEC’s North America’s top Anglo- disciplinary process for clergy. wishes Catholic seminary, Nashotah House, became embroiled in the Washington-based AAF well in its attempt to rein-in controversy following a decision to invite the Episcopal theAnglicanink.com. Episcopal Church’s litigator-in-chief, but wonders if Church’s (TEC) Presiding Bishop, Katherine Jefferts Matthews will take up the case. Schori, to preach at a seminary Eucharist. The invite was Diocese of South Carolina Gets Oversight: issued by Nashotah’s Dean, Bishop Ed Salmon, after a meeting of Nashotah trustees in October, 2013, and was The made at the request of a seminary student who had been traditional Diocese of South Carolina, which left the Episcopal a member of TEC’s Executive Council, Deacon Terry Star. Church in 2012, has found primatial oversight within the When the invitation was made public earlier this year, two wider Anglican Communion. Following a unanimous vote traditionalist bishops, Jack Iker and William Wantland, in March, 2014, the Diocese of South Carolina will become resigned from Nashotah’s Board in protest and conservative part of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, while Board members voiced dissent in a letter to Salmon and the looking to Archbishops of the Global South for oversight. Chairman of Nashotah’s Board. “This will give us gracious oversight from one of the largest Subsequently, Nashotah student Deacon Star was found ecclesiastical body’s in the (Anglican) Communion,” stated dead in his room on the seminary campus, and Jefferts Schori the Bishop of South Carolina, Mark Lawrence, to the annual has now been invited to give Star’s eulogy at Evensong, diocesan convention. Lawrence is also in conversation with instead of preaching at a seminary Eucharist. Unappeased, a the conservative-minded Anglican Church in North America Nashotah trustee, Fr. Marcus Kaiser, wrote an open letter in (ACNA)Virtueonline.org. and hasn’t ruled out a future affiliation with that March, attacking Salmon’s decision to invite TEC’s leaderene, church group. while renewing calls for a special meeting of the seminary Orthodox Ecumenical Council: Board. 13Virtueonline.org, of the 25 bishops Anglicanink.com. who have students at Nashotah are Patriarchs of the not in the Episcopal Church. world’s 250 million Orthodox Christians have decided to Fort Worth Wins, TEC Keeps Suing: convene a council of the denomination’s bishops, which will meet in Constantinople in 2016. With sufficient episcopal The Texas Supreme representation, this will count as the first Ecumenical Court refused an appeal by Episcopal Church litigants to Council of the Orthodox Church in 1,200 years. At their rehear its decision to overturn a Texas county court’s ruling meeting this year, the Patriarchs also called for peace in the that the traditionalist Diocese of Fort Worth had to hand UkrainePatheos.com. and an end to attacks on monasteries and churches over its assets and property to TEC. The suit now goes back in the troubled region. to the Tarrant County court, which has been instructed by Transgender Priest Denied: the Texas Supreme Court to judge the dispute in accordance with Texas’ neutral principles of property law, as opposed The Rev. Greg Fry, who to deferring to the Episcopal Church. Apparently unfazed by now wants to be known as “Gwen” Fry after undergoing a this reversal of fortune, TEC lawyers announced in March sex-change, has been told by his bishop to resign from his that they would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. position as priest-in-charge of Pine Bluff’s Grace Episcopal In the meanwhile, the Diocese of Fort Worth’s legal team Church. Bishop Larry Benfield, of the Diocese of Arkansas, areForward requesting in Christ that a $100,000 bond paid into the Tarrant terminated Fry’s “relationship” with Grace Church 5 days County court’s registry be returned to the diocese. after the clergyperson announced his new sexual identity requests your prayers for the Diocese of to the congregation. Benfield’s decision seems to contradict Fort Worth and an end to TEC’s legal harrassment. According the canons of the Episcopal Church, which state that, “No one to AnglicanThe Diocese lawyer, of Fort A.S. Worth, Haley, TEC has spent $40 million on shallgender be identity denied rights, status or access to an equal place in litigationAnglicancurmudgeon.blogspot.com. since the year 2000. theStandfirminfaith.com. life, worship, and governance of this Church because of...... ” Has “Gwen” been railroaded out of Grace?

6 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Bishop Win Mott

In the post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus, the disciples usually did not recognize him at first. Mary Magdalene thought he was the gardener at the tomb. The disciples near Emmaus, later that day, didn’t recognize him until he broke bread, and the disciples fishing didn’t recognize him at first on the shore, cooking breakfast. So we are not the first to fail to discern the presence of the risen Lord during the everyday details of life. Despite prophecies and four years of superb teaching, the disciples simply did not expect it. Neither, for the most part, do we, despite solid historical witness and the message of two thousand Easters. The society around us, of which we are more a part than we care to think about, is focused on other things. Even some who call themselves Christian fail to discern, claiming the Resurrection was not historical, but rather some vague concept of immortality. Nevertheless, this is about history. As St. Paul puts it, if this did not really happen, we are wasting our time. God is real and the fact of the Resurrection on that morning after Passover in Jerusalem is as real as any other event in ancient history and a lot more verifiable. Our society, which likes to relegate Jesus’ life and Resurrection to a “religious” category for reference on Sunday by believers, as opposed to an historical fact, such as the lives of Napoleon, Caesar, or Alexander the Great, misses the point. This event is not optional, depending on your belief. To reference more recent history, Hitler did not lose the Second World War only if you In America, with its hidden but still active Puritan believe he did. He just flat-out lost it, in real life, and we have roots, religion by definition is gloomy and self-righteous. facts and witnesses to prove that he did. Likewise, Jesus There is no Puritan Easter (nor Christmas), only Sabbath, didn’t rise from the dead, or not, depending on your belief. a day defined by what you must not do. Happiness in this He just flat-out did it, and we have facts and witnesses (over context is left for gurus, bartenders, sports victories and TV 500) to prove it. counselors like Dr. Phil, and frankly, it doesn’t look like the So then, knowing that, what manner of people ought happiness is going well. we to be? The traditional Gospel for Easter tells the story We Christians are free of all that, of both sour religion of the event, but the epistle (1 Corinthians 5:6-8) poses a and tinsel happiness. Our Liturgy is not a Sabbath dirge but “therefore” response, that we are expected to be a leaven a celebration of Sunday, Resurrection Day, of real history which roots out the old sour dough of malice and wickedness when Pontius Pilate was governor in Palestine, and real and rises instead with sincerity and truth. Easter is not a rejoicing in the fruits of the event. If people come into your consumer event, providing one unit of salvation for each life and don’t see that, or come into your church and don’t of us. It is an interactive impact on our world, demanding catch that spirit, perhaps you need to analyze your message a response from us, which begins with a profound “thank for mission drift. “Let us keep the feast,” say St. Paul to the you,” Eucharist, but does not end there. congregation, not with the moldy lumps of malice, griping, The Tradition of the Church sets the tone. She decrees and complaining, but with a new working leaven, reflecting that it is forbidden to fast during Bright Week, beginning the joy of Resurrection. Easter Day. Since modern people tend not to fast much Christ, after all, really is risen. Indeed, he is risen to give anyway, the point can be obscured, but the idea is the same. us new and joyful life today, not just in the next life; a joy It is a week for unmitigated rejoicing. In the early Church strong enough to wipe out the malice of our old ways. It and still in the Eastern Church, kneeling is abolished for the is always the Day the Lord has made and we always have forty days of Easter. It is not that sin ceases during Easter reason to rejoice in it. season, nor does it get worse in Lent. But there needs to be WinAlleluia, Mott is Christ Bishop is forRisen! the He Diocese is risen of indeed! the West (Reformed a time in the church year to concentrate on the incredible Episcopal Church) in ACNA. He also serves as chair of the good news of Resurrection, the central point of history as Immigration Task Force within ACNA and is co-chair of the well as the most cheerful. Just as it is not possible to think dialog with the North American Lutheran Church. of the Crucifixion and remain self-righteous, how can you think of Resurrection and remain in gloom and despair? Forward in Christ, April, 2014 7 The Resurrection, a Perennial Spring By Marianne Dorman

The Council of Nicaea decided that Easter would be observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon that followed the Spring Equinox. This meant that the Resurrection of Jesus would always be celebrated in spring with all its freshness and newness. Lancelot Andrewes in his beautiful Easter sermon for 1620, focusing on Mary Magdalene in the garden as she desperately looks for her Lord’s body, specifically tells us it is spring. “God makes all our gardens green, sends us yearly1 the spring, and all the herbs and flowers we then gather;” Spring at its very best is like a painting and we rejoice in the handiwork of the Artist. None hasSpring described this artistry better than the Jesuit poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins, in the octet of this sonnet, aptly named .

Nothing is more beautiful as Spring When weeds in wheel, shoot long and lovely and lush; Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing; The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush The descending blue, that blue is all in a rush 2 With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

Just as there can be no spring without winter, so there a herb grow out of the ground this day as the like was never can be no resurrection without death. The starkness and seen before.”4 His “dead body” shot “forth alive out of the death-like appearances of our gardens, meadows and parks grave.” in winter remind us that there cannot be life without first Returning to the sonnet, Hopkins in the sextet reminds being stripped naked. Similarly, Christ was stripped of us that the perfection of spring was man’s too before he every shred of dignity and honour before He shed His blood. sinned and consequently was cast out of paradise. He is the true naked branch that exploded with new life in all its fresh greenery. What is all this juice and all this joy? After the broken and naked body of our dearest Lord A strain on the earth’s sweet being in the beginning was taken down from the cross, it was given to Joseph of In Eden garden - Have get, before it cloy, Arimathæa who prepared His body with lavish ointments Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning before wrapping it a clean shroud. It was then placed in Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy, 5 a tomb. Andrewes remarked this tomb was in a garden Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worth the winning. “wherein the ground was in all her glory, fresh and green and full of flowers.” This divine continued, that during God in His infinite mercy once again made possible that those three days in the “’heart of the earth’” there was “life perfection through the “maid’s child” when He broke the in it” when Christ preached to the souls in Hades. Here He bond of death, the sentence for man’s sin, with His fleeing released Adam and all mankind gone before Him. Their lives from the grave-linen in the Easter garden. had been like “the earth dead for a time, all the winter”. However, as Andrewes posed, we, the children of Eve, Christ trampling down death was like: through our lack of faith, continually ask, “Where may this be” this perfect spring? corrumpi, As frail creatures contaminari, we marcescere know only When the waters of heaven fall on it, shows it has life, this, “It is not here - upon earth no such seat, All here savour bringing forth herbs and flowers again. And even so, of the nature of the soil, , when the waters above the heavens, and namely the are the proper passions of earth, and all earthly things.” dew of this day distilling from Christ’s rising, will in After Adam’s sinning in the Garden of Eden the perennial like sort drop upon it, ... ‘as the dew3 of the herbs, and Spring was lost, and never to be retrieved by us. Yet through the earth will give forth her dead’. God’s infinite love and mercy the second Adam assured us of another garden, another paradise, even better than the first, Andrewes further noted that Mary of Magdala was heaven. It was from here the Word had come to reconcile the correct in thinking of Jesus as a gardener. “Christ rising was sin in the first garden with heaven. By living in obedience to indeed a gardener, and that a strange one,” who “made such His Father’s will, Our Lord absorbed the disobedience of that 8 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org 8 first Adam into His crucified body and took it back to heaven. forth itself.” Here nothing is defiled, “all things keep and continue to this6 When we admire the loveliness of spring let it always day in their first estate, the original beauty they ever had.” remind us of the Resurrection. Apart from spring decked in What of us? We too can hither ascend to that perfection all its glory, every time we see a new shoot, a new blade of through Christ’s death and rising. Here spring is eternal grass it should also remind us of Christ bursting forth from with its lushness and loveliness; where “nothing fades, but the tomb and therein is our hope. As Andrewes informs us: all springs fresh and green.” Hence “at this time, here, but, at all times there, a perpetual spring; no other season there but Of all that be Christians, Christ is the hope; but that. For such ‘an inheritance, blessed be God.’” not Christ every way considered, but as risen. Even in Andrewes emphasised that Christ not only offers us Christ unrisen there is no hope. Well does [St. Paul] the heavenly garden but He is the perpetual gardener. A begin here; and when he would open to us a gate of dedicated gardener knows how to root out weeds that choke hope, carry us to Christ’s sepulchre empty; to show us, growth and bloom, and so does our Gardener, the Risen and to hear the angels say, He is risen. Then after to Christ, who continually weeds the gardens of our souls and deduce; if He were able to do thus much for Himself, looks after them by watering “them with the dew” in order He has promised us as much, and9 will do as much for to bring forth flowers of grace. Yet it is not only our souls us. We shall be restored to life. that He tends to, but also our bodies. He will “turn all our graves into garden-plots”, with the firm assurance that “one In that hope, as St. Paul, would tell us, Christians are the day [He will] turn land and sea and all into a great garden, most fortunate. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! and so husband them, as they shall in due time7 bring forth He has trampled down death, the last enemy to be conquered. live bodies, even all our bodies alive again.” This eternal garden is thus the gift of the Resurrection of Christ. Just as spring heralds the certainty of new life and loveliness ahead, so does the Resurrection of Our Lord bring hope to hearts that have been imprisoned by sin and death. Dr. Marianne Dorman lives on Whidbey Island in the Puget “The hope of that life immortal is the very life of this life Sound of north-west America. She is the author of several mortal.” Yet the good news is that we do not have to wait books on the Caroline Divines as well as meditative books until we have died to experience the eternal life because on the Christian year. Visit her website: Christ’s Resurrection enables us to enjoy our “inheritance” now, Andrewes insisted. The resurrection gives grace; mariannedorman. indeed “Easter day… has an efficacy continuing, that shows homestead.com.

Notes

1. The Works of Lancelot Andrewes eds. J. Bliss & J.P. Wilson, 11 vols (Oxford, 1841 – 1854), Vol. 3, pp. 15-16 (afterwards Andrewes). 2. The Mentor Book of Major British Poets, ed. O. Williams (New York, 1963), p. 350 (afterwards British Poets). 3. Andrewes, Vol. 2, p. 385. 4. Ibid., Vol. 3, p. 16. 5. British Poets, p. 350. 6. Andrewes, Vol. 2, p. 380. 7. Ibid., Vol. 2, p. 376; Vol. 3, p.316. 8. Ibid., Vol. 2, p.374; Vol. 3, p.100. 9. Ibid., Vol. 2, p.209.

Forward in Christ, April, 2014 9 The Rebirth of the Russian Empire Shane Schaetzel considers the rise of Russia and the decadence of the West

Throughout the 1990s, South Ossetians in what came to be called the before protests and rioting erupted in Ossetians aggressively pushed for Russo-Georgian War. the capital, mainly sponsored by ethnic independence from the Republic Most Americans were oblivious to Ukrainians, who were supported by of Georgia, ultimately seeking the circumstances leading up to the the West. After the Ukrainian president reunification with North Ossetia in conflict which led to the common (albeit was ousted, and the constitution Russia. Then on the 12th of November in false) perception that Russia simply voided in favour of returning to a 2006, South Ossetia held a referendum invaded Georgia and took a section of previous constitution, Russia stepped which resulted in an overwhelming their territory against the will of the in to “help maintain security” in the “yes” vote for independence from people who lived in South Ossetia. heavily Russian-speaking region of Georgia. In response both the Republic The November 12, 2006 referendum Crimea. While the West considered this of Georgia, and the international tells a different story. South Ossetia an “unlawful act,” Ukraine apparently community in the West, ignored the wanted this, voted for it, and welcomed signed a security pact with Russia years voting results. Why? Because a fairly the Russians as “liberators.” Why? prior that permitted the movement of large oil pipeline ran through the This seems to go against all of our Russian troops inside Ukraine. Ethnic region of South Ossetia and the United assumptions in the West. Russians in the southern peninsula States was courting Georgia with NATO The current conflict in Ukraine also of Crimea overwhelmingly voted membership in exchange for access to has echoes of familiarity. The most “yes” in a referendum to break with that pipeline. Then in August of 2008 recent general election in Ukraine saw Ukraine and rejoin Russia. In what Russian forces responded to military the victory of the ethnically Russian the Ukrainian government and NATO clashes between Georgia and South half of the country. It wasn’t long allies termed an “invasion,” Russian forces consolidated control to secure the region and uphold the results of the referendum. Crimeans immediately celebrated. Why? Again, this seems to go against all Western assumptions. It is reasonable to assume that more heavily Russian regions of Ukraine will soon follow Crimea’s example. Ukraine is filled with oil and gas pipelines that provide a large portion of energy to Europe. If half (or all) of Ukraine eventually falls under Russian control, that would make Russia a primary supplier of energy to Europe. So what’s happening here? In short, Vladimir Putin is very cleverly rebuilding the Russian Empire. This is not the USSR, mind you. This is not a godless communist regime. This is different. Baptised in secret by his parents during the Cold War, Putin is cleverly playing his cards as an alleged “Christian” leader. On the one hand, he has used his training in the KGB to rise to the top of the criminal food-chain in the post-Soviet Russia that descended into organised crime after the fall of the iron curtain. Putin now keeps the Russian mafia contained and squarely under his thumb as the master kingpin. At the same time he works toward restoring Russia’s once Christian heritage by building new churches, teaching Russian Orthodoxy in public schools, and giving considerable policy

10 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org influence to the Russian Orthodox Church. No, this isn’t communism. Whatever Putin is building (or rebuilding), he’s using Christianity as a social foundation, not the failed atheism of the past. Call it what you like, but you can’t call it communism, because by definition, it simply is not. What seems repugnant to Westerners, is rather inviting to some Easterners, particularly those with Russian ancestry. So what is drawing people back under Russia’s sphere of influence? It would appear that it’s not just attraction to Russia alone. Rather, a significant aversion to the West seems to be playing a role. So what’s so bad about the West? It doesn’t take much to understand once you look at it from an ethnically Russian Vladimir Putin point of view. Remember, under the USSR, the Russians were essentially sheltered from the social upheavals probably safe to assume this trend will for this, and certainly he does deserve that transpired in the West during the not end with South Ossetia and Crimea. it to some degree. He’s been cold and 1960s through 1980s. There was never In the process the West is losing control uncooperative with the West, but then any “sexual revolution” to speak of in of pipelines, and with that the flow of the West has tried to control him, ignore the Soviet East. While most Russians oil and natural gas -- particularly into him and even bypass him. We can do not practise Christianity, the basic Europe. Yes, Putin is playing his cards lament the mistakes of the past all we Christian moral framework is still very well, and why shouldn’t he? The want, but that won’t bring back South present in Russian society. For the most West unwittingly helped stack the deck Ossetia and Crimea. Opportunities part, people still believe that the best in his favour. have been lost and they’re not coming way to live is to work hard, get married, The years to come will be hard for back. So where do we go from here? have babies and remain peaceful. So the West as the ascendency of Russia Maybe it’s time for the West to when Russians look to the West, with is impossible to stop at this point. The do a little soul searching. Since the all of our sexual liberation, and rioting US and EU have spent all their political fall of the Soviet Union, the West has as a form of “protest,” it scares them. capital in reckless finances, sexual spent a great deal of time and energy They see it as chaos, lawlessness, liberation, wars and uprisings, along manipulating the Middle East in such a and downright perversion. Western with unkept promises to those Eastern way that has been catastrophic to the military excursions into the Middle nations foolish enough to believe them Christians living therein. NATO has East, along with US and EU sponsoring (Georgia & Ukraine). Even a recent bombed Orthodox Christian regions of Arab uprisings (which has resulted opinion poll in the UK shows that in the former Yugoslavia, in part, for in the massacre of many Orthodox the majority of Britons have a more the purpose of liberating a Muslim Christians), hasn’t helped the West’s favourable view of Russia than the EU. region (Kosovo) that appears to now image much. Throw in the NATO A paradigm shift is occurring right be training terrorists. We haven’t done bombing of the Orthodox Christian before the world’s eyes, and the West nearly enough to conserve energy regions of the former Yugoslavia and is seemingly powerless to stop it. The resources and discover new forms the West gets a very bad reputation. Russian Empire is reborn, and every of energy. We have allowed (even Russia doesn’t have a whole lot to attempt to frame it in the old Cold War encouraged) our banks to become offer people in the way of money and motif has failed. insolvent and put the West into the material goods, but it can offer military This isn’t communism, it’s something longest recession since the 1930s. security, along with plenty of churches, else, and the West has no idea what to Finally, when one would think we decency laws and solid religious do. In the years to come Russia will would have more important things to instruction in public schools. continue to grab more land, and more look after, we have become obsessed Putin is shrewdly offering all this, pipelines in the process. Before long with sexual liberation, in the form of and Eastern people find it attractive, Putin will control most of the flow of oil “marriage” for homosexuals, along especially in the face of Western and gas across the Eurasian continent. with artificial contraception and expansion and moral relativism. That’s Europe and America will be nearly abortion-on-demand for everyone else. why they love him, and that’s why powerless to stop it, you see, because The West, and by that I mean primarily regions of various Eastern countries these land grabs will come by the will Europe and North America, has become are voting to join with Vladimir Putin of the people who live there. decadent, and it is this very thing that in his rebirth of the Russian Empire. It’s It’s easy to villainize Vladimir Putin has made us weak and pitiful in the Forward in Christ, April, 2014 11 can offer people wholesome Christian living backed by the state’s support of the Orthodox Church, then the West can offer it too, but more Christian and far more wholesome, backed not by the state’s support of a particular religion, but by the state’s support of religious liberty. The West has the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, who could potentially unite Christians in the West (if they are willing) and someday reach a reunification with the Orthodox churches (including the Russian Orthodox Church). In other words, the Fisherman holds the Keys to the future of Western civilisation. The Catholic Church remains the West’s strongest advocate for traditional Christian morality. If Western governments would recognise this, and back it as a means for survival, then that changes the whole game. If Putin can use the Russian Orthodox Church to rebuild a Russian Christian Empire, then the same can be done (but much better and with more freedom) through Western eyes of the East. moral backing of the Roman Catholic Church and those Do you believe in Divine providence? I do. Because for now churches that morally stand with her. It’s not hard. We’ve anyway, it would seem that God is using Russia to chastise done it before. Back during the 1950s it was common to the West for its sins and hopefully chide it into reform. The see Hollywood movies in which the Catholic Church, and vision Putin offers to Easterners is a narrow one. He offers all churches, were portrayed positively. Governments them a form of godliness but denies its power. He says, respected churches and even allowed religious symbols on “here is a Christian state,” but he enforces it using the ways public property. Laws were generally structured in such a of the devil -- which is power and coercion. Nevertheless, way as to respect the religious sensibilities of the people. people are falling for it. They fell for it in South Ossetia and etc. in Crimea. More Ukrainian regions will likely follow. The Simultaneously, the West can begin utilising the people will vote in favour of turning to Russia, and then natural resources of North America (oil and gas) far more Russia will move in to “accommodate” them. In truth, what effectively, while also exploring alternative forms of energy Putin offers them is not much, but when faced with Western more vigorously. Between the geothermal energy of Iceland decadence as their only alternative, many Easterners would and Yosemite, the West could conceivably produce enough rather move toward something more familiar and seemingly hydrogen to fuel automobiles for a thousand years with zero “safe.” That trend is not going away. Expect it to spread in pollution. Then of course, maybe we can start implementing the months and years to come. a little charity into foreign relations and stop pursuing The West has all the tools it needs to beat the Russian bear policies that result in the slaughter of Orthodox Christians. at his own game, but we’re not likely to use them anytime When these tactics are realised and implemented by soon. For now, the West is steeped in materialism, secularism Western leaders, some future Russian leader will be forced and moral relativism. Of course such ideologies lead not to come to the table with the West and broker an energy only to sexual license, but also to financial malfeasance deal that benefits everyone. and international treachery. So as Russia begins to block Until that day comes however, the West can expect to be the international advance of Western decadence, we can clobbered by Russia -- not militarily -- but socially, morally expect to see the West begin to “pick at itself” for a while. and in the realm of international influence. Conservative and traditional Christians will bear the brunt Shane Schaetzel is the author of of this trend with the loss of freedoms and social ostracism. (RegnumDeiPress.Com), a freelance writer and the creator of (Of course that will only lend more credence to Russia’s CatholicInTheOzarks.Com, a blogCatholicism of apologetics for andProtestants random argument.) In time however, there is hope that the West may musings from the Bible Belt. eventually begin to understand that the key to defeating Russia at its own game isTHE to up FELLOWSHIPthe ante. If Russia thinksOF CONCERNED it CHURCHMEN, whose mission is to identify and promote corporation amongst orthodox Anglicans and Episcopalians, will host their bi-annual meeting at The Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL. When: JULY 8 (5 PM) - JULY 9 (2 PM) Topic: PRAYER, FAITHFUL DEPARTED - The Rev. Robert Kerr (Guild of All Souls), BLESSED SACRAMENT - The Rev. John Heschle (Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament), BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - The Rev. Richard Cornish Martin (Society of Mary) COST: $150 single occupancy/$250 double QUESTIONS OR TO REGISTER, CALL: Wally Spaulding, President - 703-243-4923, Auburn Traycik, Secy/Treasurer - 202-621-6729(This precedes the FIFNA Annual Assembly by one day, so consider coming a day earlier to participate in both events.

12 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org Bishop Iker Addresses the REC Bishop Jack Iker preaches to the Convention of the Diocese of Mid-America

This could never have happened 20 years ago. When I became a Bishop in 1993, the Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) were not even talking to one another. It would have been unthinkable that the Bishop of a high-church, Anglo- Catholic diocese like Fort Worth would have been invited to preach at the annual synod of an REC Diocese. We represented the two different extremes of the churchmanship spectrum. Our theologies were at odds with one another, and the only time anglo-catholics in TEC spoke about the Reformed Episcopal Church was in critical, even derogatory terms – and vice versa, I assume. The REC had little good to say about high-churchmen such as me! My how things have changed! In a Typical High-Church worship matter of two short decades, we have gone from being opponents to being allies. We have moved from being two Your Presiding Bishop, Leonard and effective when we do it together, as separated churches to being part of Riches, was among those early leaders one church, rather than separately, on one united body – The Anglican Church in making Common Cause with other our own. in North America: one, missionary, conservative Anglicans and in finding Jesus reminds us that we belong biblical, and uniting. This is the Lord’s a way forward, together. The Anglican together – and indeed are part of one doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes! Communion Network, the Reformed another – in the teaching in today’s This does not mean that all our Episcopal Church, Forward in Faith Gospel where He says: “I am the vine differences have suddenly disappeared, North America, the Anglican Mission and you are the branches… He who but it does mean that we now stress in America, and many other Anglican abides in me… bears much fruit, for that what we disagree about is far less groups prayed together and talked apart from me you can do nothing.” than what we have in common. There together and sought God’s guidance (John 15:5) What a wonderful image is more that unites us than divides together, and the goal was to have one this is, of the Church as a fruit-yielding us. And this new sense of our oneness united, orthodox Anglican province vine, with different branches, but all in Christ and our unity as a church is in North America. And by the grace of enlivened by our common roots, our something God has done, and it is the God, the Inaugural Assembly of ACNA one source of life. Abiding in Jesus in work of the Holy Spirit – not man. was held here in the DFW area in June Scripture and sacrament and prayer. The origins of all this go back to the 2009, and a great renewed witness Abiding in Jesus in a common fellowship Common Cause Partnership and the for the Gospel was unleashed in this of brothers and sisters in Christ, united Round Table Discussions, as they were country and in Canada, by biblical not divided – one, though we are many. called, some six or seven years ago. The Anglicans. Bearing much fruit to the Glory of God erosion of biblical authority and the We are here today to thank God in making new disciples, in planting rise of liberal theological revisionism for all that has been accomplished new churches, in standing for the in The Episcopal Church had begun and to renew our commitment to authority of the Holy Scriptures, and in to lead to significant fall-out. Those doing mission together in the years exhibiting the fruits of the Holy Spirit who stood for orthodox Anglicanism ahead. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in our daily lives. That is our common began to make common cause with in the Epistle reading this morning: vocation and witness. others in different jurisdictions and “What we preach is not ourselves, but In my growing-up years in church bodies, to stand together for Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves Cincinnati and even in my studies at the truth of the Gospel and to reject the as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (II the University of Cincinnati and then false gospel that was undermining the Corinthians 4:5) It’s not about us – it’s at General Theological Seminary in Church. This made for some strange about Him. But what we preach to the New York City, I do not recall having bedfellows, or so it seemed. world around us is much more credible even met a member of the Reformed Forward in Christ, April, 2014 13 tensions and differences that we must address in our future life together in ACNA. I will comment on them very briefly. The biggest one, of course, is the issue of the ordination of women to the priesthood. It is not sufficient to simply say: “Well, some bishops do it and some don’t.” I am pleased that Archbishop Duncan has appointed a Theological Task Force on Holy Orders, which is now addressing this issue that some have called “the elephant in the room.” A final report is expected in January 2016, and then it will be decision time. I would simply observe that Anglo-Catholics and the REC stand together here. Those who do not ordain women make up a majority of the College of Bishops, and we see the ordination of women presbyters as a departure from the witness of Holy Scripture and the apostolic practice of the ancient Church. Pray for God’s guidance as we seek to resolve this deeply divisive issue, in the interest of deepening our unity in Christ. Second, there is a continuing tension between evangelicals Bishop Jack Iker and anglo-catholics that we live with. This is true in the international GAFCON movement as well as here in the ACNA, where evangelicals seem to dominate. Evangelicals Episcopal Church. Oh, I knew what it was, and there was emphasize the 16th-century Reformation and the work a passing reference to it in our American church history of the reformers in the Church of England. Everything is course. This meant that the REC was viewed with a certain referenced in terms of the 1662 Prayer Book and the 39 degree of suspicion and even denigration. Are their holy Articles. Anglo-Catholics reference the ancient Church of orders valid? Are their bishops really in the historic apostolic the patristic fathers and emphasize the historic faith and succession? Are they truly Anglicans? Aren’t they just a little order of the undivided church, before the division of the protestant sect? Church in the West from the Eastern Church. We rather like The first REC Bishop I ever met was Bishop Ray Sutton the 1549 Prayer Book as the standard. We would contend after he came here to the Church of the Holy Communion. that Anglicanism flourished in England for many years prior And after a few conversations with him, I began to think, to the Reformation era and that we are a reformed catholic “Well he’s not half as bad as I thought he would be!” – as an church rather than a Protestant denomination born in the REC clergyman, not as a person. But as we got to know one 16th century. Henry VIII did not found the Anglican Church another, the stereotypes began to crumble, preconceptions and neither did the reformers. Dr. Edward Pusey, the early were set aside, and we came to understand that we shared Tractarian and the spiritual father of the Oxford Movement, the same faith and ecclesiology and Prayer Book spirituality. said we understand “reference to the ancient Church, instead Now my greatest friends and allies in the ACNA College of the Reformers, as the ultimate expounder of the meaning of Bishops, as a traditional Anglo-Catholic, are your REC of our Church.” Bishops – Royal Grote, Ray Sutton, Leonard Riches, Sam Here too, Anglo-Catholics and the REC stand together. We Seamans, and others. Our fidelity to the Scriptures and the affirm the four essential elements for church unity called Anglican tradition are paramount, not our past histories of the Chicago/Lambeth Quadrilateral. estrangement. 1. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments You may be interested in knowing that the last four as the revealed Word of God, containing all things necessary priests who have come into the Diocese of Fort Worth as to salvation, and our ultimate standard and guide in matters new rectors have come from the REC – three of them from of doctrine and morals. this Diocese of Mid-America and latest one even from this 2. The Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds as sufficient parish – prompting Bishop Grote to say: “Jack, stop taking statements of the Christian faith. all my best priests!” I think our friendship depends upon it! 3. The two Sacraments of Baptism and Holy But on a more serious note, there are someThe seriousFIFNA CommunionDaily Prayer as instituted by Christ himself. O GOD our Father, bless Forward In Faith. Inspire us and strengthen our fellowship. Help us to witness to the saving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that with love and patience we may win many hearts to Evangelical Faith, Catholic Truth, Apostolic Order, and Godly Life with in the fellowship of thy Holy Church. We ask this through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

14 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org 4. The historic Episcopate, which preserves the are being fashioned according to the example of our Lord apostolic succession of bishops, priests, and deacons. Jesus Christ, so that we may show the power of His love to All of these are pre-reformation realities, dating back all among who we live. to the first apostles. They are not confessional statements This is our great heritage as Anglicans, living members originating in English Reformation theology. – by God’s grace – of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic So my dear friends in Christ, let us continue to stand Church of the ages. together and witness together for what St. Jude calls “the faith which was once for all delivered to This article is taken from a sermon preached at the REC Church the saints” (vs. 3) Let us give thanks to God for this goodly of the Holy Communion, in Dallas this year. The Rt. Rev. Jack fellowship of faith, where God’s Word is truly preached Iker is Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth. and truly heard; where the Sacraments are faithfully administered and faithfully received; and where our lives Lookin’ For Love By Bishop Keith Ackerman

they witnessed His mighty acts and requires us to respond with sorrow, encountered His teachings and His repentance, and amendment of life. love. They were still looking in other As we look at the arrangement of our places for the fulfillment of their lives. churches, we see “Love hanging” from In many ways even “His own received the Altar Crucifix, we see “Love present” Him not.” in our Tabernacles and Aumbries They wanted a Messiah to vindicate and we see “Love represented” in the them and to liberate them from what Stations of the Cross. In sum, Jesus they determined to be the cause of gives Himself in love to us in the Church their oppression. They chose to create and in our churches. an image of a Messiah who would meet We must look carefully into our own their needs: Pharisees, Sadducees, souls: with our church buildings so Scribes, and indeed, even some of the reflective of the reality of Jesus Christ disciples. Even with the only begotten as Risen Lord and Savior, and a Bible Bishop Keith Ackerman Son of God directly before them, they that records divinely given Truth, denied Him, betrayed Him. Still, they to say nothing of Apostolic tradition kept looking for love, for someone who and the teaching of the Church, are My move from Illinois to Texas has would deliver them and “Hosannah” we still looking for Love in all the not been entirely seamless. My wife (save) them. But they looked in the wrong places? Is Jesus the type of and I loved our 15 years in the Diocese wrong places and ultimately brought Messiah that we really need, or do we of Quincy in Illinois, and we are thrilled utter destruction upon Jerusalem and sometimes construct a Messiah who to be in Texas near our children and Israel. merely supports our thoughts and our grandchildren. Texas driving habits, Even after Christ’s Resurrection it feelings? Of course we would never refried beans, and Country Western was only the Holy Women who went to admit to looking for a false type of Music, however, have not yet become the tomb, and even they were asked why Messiah or Savior; but don’t we often a part of our delight to be residents of they were looking in the tomb. They wish that our Messiah would vindicate the Republic of Texas. The other day I were looking for the Risen Lord in the us, liberate us, act more quickly, and heard another “musical soap opera” wrong place. The Apostles remained lessen some of His expectations of us blasting over the air waves - “Lookin’ in the Upper Room. St. Thomas missed as revealed by Christ in Holy Scripture for Love in all the wrong places.” I Mass on Sunday, and tried to look for a and in His Church? Is it possible that began to wonder, “Isn’t that an Easter way outside of the Community of Faith we, too, are often “Lookin’ for Love in theme?” to resolve his grief, on his own. Once all the wrong places?” So much of Holy Scriptures contain again looking for love in all the wrong This Easter, let’s refocus our hearts, the theme of people waiting, living places. In fact, Jesus sought them out; minds and lives on the real source of in intolerable circumstances, and Love went looking for them. He seeks Love, on Jesus Christ, who died for us wondering when relief would come us out today. Where can we find Him? and rose again that we might live. - in most instances, waiting for the We find Him in His Church. With love and every blessing for a Messiah. The Prologue of St. John’s The Catholic Faith presents Jesus joyous Easter. Gospel is very clear in telling us that the Christ consistently in Word and in Bishop Keith Ackerman is the President Jesus’ own people “knew Him not.” Sacrament. Our Liturgies are drenched of Forward in Faith North America. During His 33 years, many chose not to with the real love of Christ - a love that acknowledge Him as Lord even when is unconditional and yet a love that

Forward in Christ, April, 2014 15 Thinking Out Loud Bill Murchison on the Twilight of the Gods and the New York Times New York Times

What a joy to find the impeaching certain public editorial page staff on duty whenever necessities. That was when a tough moral question arises, such religion was seen as a different as, “Can the U. S. government require kind of necessity: reflecting business owners claiming religious Truth and Reality, shaping liberty privileges to fund contraceptive conscience, giving form to public care for employees?” institutions. Like marriage. Sure, natch, you bet, returns the Like marriage. Ah, yes. Times, doubtless to the relief of the Recent court decisions on same- United States Supreme Court, which sex unions tend to push away takes up the question formally in religious understandings of yet another suit stemming from marriage – universal as they ObamaCare. Owners who Times “personally have been – from consideration disapprove of certain contraceptives… of what marriage ought to be. On are wrong,” asserts the , “and the federal courts’ current logic, Bill Murchison the Supreme Court’s task is to issue marriage ought to be whatever a decisive ruling saying so. The real its participants want it to be – threat to religious liberty comes never mind ancient teachings particular birth control devices, as from the owners trying to impose (which we’ve Gotten Past, right?) on alleged, do cause abortion. So what? their religious beliefs on thousands of the union of man and woman and the That’s a religious scruple the Suprememy employees.” Get those employers and attendant duties of procreation and Court generally shoves aside on behalf their stale convictionsTimes outta here! child-rearing. of the secular claim that, hey, it’s Because, look – and one does need Sex is the realm in which the secular body we’re talking about! Which it to look, though the omits the spirit, seeking satisfaction, collides isn’t: not when a second body figures point from formal consideration – hardest and most often with religion. prominently in the case. But that’s America just isn’t the kind of country Religion, with both eyes on some Religion, right? We don’t do that stuff anymore where religious convictions Divine Personage no telescope has ever around here much any more. hold much water in the establishment revealed, lays down understandings, and maintenance of ideals.Times formulates rules it commends in The United States today is in fact a one form or another to everyone. pretty secular outfit, the all but Secularism says in response, hey, you whispers behind its hand; a place fairly can’t talk to me like that! I’ll call the well, and rightly, denuded of arguable government in! notions stemming from some kind of The government duly comes in, “faith” consensus, be it ever so ancient. with guarantees, formulated to suit Mumble your prayers if you like, the occasion, of the American right according to this view of things; to do pretty much what an American just don’t get to thinking that beliefs desires to do with his body. Or hers. formed outsideTimes the civic sphere have The secular understanding of what you relevance to civic purposes. Dearly ought to be allowed to do pretty well does the hope the high court will trumps the religious understandingwant – dismantle the pulpit from which the as old as civilization itself – that therenot owners of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. are certain things you ought to and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. to do, and other things you ought claim legal standing for non-secular to want to do. All you have to prove in ideas. Times federal court these days, seemingly, is William Murchison’s latest book is There is a sense in which the that you reject someone’s attempt to government’s, and the ’, counter- regulate your instincts out of deference To find out more about claim gee-haws with reality. Religion? to some old book or religious code. TheWilliam Cost Murchison, of Liberty: and The to Lifesee features of John We’ve got lots of that around here. The religious understanding that Dickinson.by other Creators Syndicate writers What if the Quakers tried to put the the Hobby Lobby and Conestoga and cartoonists, visit the Creators military out of business? Until recent companies advance before the Supreme Syndicate website at www.Creators. years we sidestepped such questions Court is pretty much – sad to say – the Com. Copyright 2014, creators.com. by working out accommodations that understanding to which courts these honored religious thinking without days display cool indifference. Maybe

16 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org The Offertory, Fundraiser or Sacrifice? Malleus argues for a real Offertory

I once knew a low-church priest, rector of a very prosperous parish, admittedly in his dotage, who would regularly interrupt the Consecration Prayer about half-way through and go sit in the bishop’s chair and count the collection and then go back to the altar and resume where he had left off. Martin Luther set the Protestant pattern, which was slavishly followed in the Prayer Book: Next comes all that abomination known as the Offertory, to which all the foregoing part of the Mass is compelled to be subservient. From this point onwards practically everything speaks and smells of oblation. In the midst of it all are placed the words of life and salvation, just like the ark of the Lord of old in the idols’ temple, next to Dagon. So then, let us repudiate all those things that speak of oblation, together with the wholeFormula of theMissae Canon, et Communionis and keep what is pure Sacrifice and holy; and thus let us order our Mass ( 1523). makes sense: for all who stand here around, as also for all Of course in the absence of state-sponsored and financed faithful Christians, both living and departed, that to me and Protestantism (not to mention state-sponsored terrorism to them it may avail for salvation unto life everlasting. against Catholics) this became something of a problem. So The prayer at the offering of the wine, by switching was born that peculiar rite of the Anglican Solemn High from first person singular to first person plural, reminds Offertory. Often with the organ blaring, the congregation the priest that, after all, this is not just his sacrifice and but belting out “All things come of thee, O Lord” or the Doxology, We offer unto thee, O Lord, the cup of salvation, humbly sacrifice of all who have gathered: the ushers come up the aisle and present the overflowing beseeching thy mercy: that in the sight of thy divine brass basins to the priest, who, in complete indifference to majesty it may ascend as a sweet-smelling savor for our the bread and wine on the altar, hoists the pile of checks and salvation, and for that of the whole world. cash up on high. No wonder the old priest had trouble taking anything after the “Offertory” seriously. Some mega evangelical churches, Something has to be made clear at the Offertory of the I am told, now take credit cards and the consequence might Mass and it cannot be made clear by gesture-less silence: the be that there is no offertory at all. Masses may not be for sale raw material of the Eucharistic sacrifice, which we provide, but everything else is. Suscipe sancté Pater has to be gathered that it may become the Body and Blood of In contrast, how robust and powerful were the words of Christ. The financing of a new education building is not the the Offertory of the old Mass. (Recieve, Receive, O holy Father, almighty and eternal God, this raw material of the Eucharist. Bread and Wine is and it is so O holy Father): spotless host, which I, thy unworthy servant, offer unto because it is that “which God has given and human hands Thee, my living and true God, for mine own countless have made.” sins, offenses and negligences, and for all here present; Does all that we have to repent consist of just the latest as also for all faithful Christians living and dead, that apostasies of Anglicanism, or are there perhaps things right it may avail both for my own and their salvation unto at the heart of the Anglican tradition which need correction everlasting life. Amen. in light of the practice of the whole Catholic Church. This much is sure: Catholic Anglicans,Orate fratres as grateful as we are for what Anglicans have maintained, have always thought there is still more to be restored. , Pray brethren. This makes it clear that the priest is entering into the holy of holies and that he better know how unworthy he is Malleus is an Anglican priest, living south of the Mason-Dixon. on account of his numberless sins, offences and negligences. The sacrifice is inclusive in the only sense of that word that

Forward in Christ, April, 2014 17 Parish Highlight St. Vincent’s Cathedral, Bedford, Texas

conventions and events, as well as many nation-wide events and committee meetings. The congregation of St. Vincent’s Cathedral is committed to carrying out the Great Commission by calling people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and by teaching people to obey all that He commands. They are also committed to reflecting the love of God to those around them and to serving all who are in need. St. Vincent’s is well-known in the diocese and surrounding area for its outreach programs, its catholic liturgy, and its music program. The church is home to The Redman Organ, Opus 4/59/66/87, which was originally designed and built for St. Vincent’s Church in 1971 by Roy Redman of the Redman Organ Company of Fort Worth, with the assistance of several of St. Vincent’s parishioners. It was the first pipe organ in the Mid-Cities area of Tarrant County, and is one of only a handful of mechanical-action organs in Texas and surrounding states. The acoustic design of the nave has lent itself to being a great stage for musical settings of the St. Vincent’s Mass, as well as numerous community concerts, recitals, and programs. The Cathedral Choir is well-known for its Cathedral is located in Bedford, Texas, and dedication to the performance of music of the highest is a warm, friendly, and active Christian community that is Christian inspiration, from early plainsong to the present centered in traditional worship and discipleship grounded day. in the catholic faith. The parish is in the Episcopal Diocese of The Cathedral’s outreach and mission programs have Fort Worth, in the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, included Adopt-A-Family, Habitat for Humanity, hosting and in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). It is parties at Bishop Davies Nursing Home, the Angel of Giving also an affiliate parish of the American Anglican Council program which provides Christmas for needy families, (AAC) and a Member Congregation in Forward in Faith Family Festival (begun in the 1970’s), Kairos Prison Ministry, North America (FIFNA). The Very Rev. Ryan S. Reed, SSC, is Union Gospel Mission, a Vision Clinic for under-privileged Dean of the Cathedral. children, and Vacation Bible School for both children and St. Vincent’s Church was established in 1955 as a mission adults. Its mission teams have been to Cambodia, Northern of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas in Euless, Texas, with Malawi, and Northern Mexico. The parish has a long-term only 17 members. The church was named after St. Vincent relationship with La Gran Familia Orphanage in Cuauhtémoc, of Saragossa, Deacon and first Martyr of Spain who died in Chihuahua, Mexico. 304 on January 22, which now is his feast day. By 1960, the The Cathedral has also operated St. Vincent’s School since congregation had grown to 129 members and St. Vincent’s 1963 and now educates students from Pre-K through 12th became a self-supporting parish. In 1983, an administrative grade. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this school year, division of the increasingly large Episcopal Diocese of Dallas the school is dedicated to academic excellence in Christian created the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and St. Vincent’s surroundings and has educated future leaders and helped Church became a member of the newly created diocese. them develop strong minds, good moral character, creative The property for the church’s present location was abilities, and the skills to help them reach their potential. The purchased in 1964 and is within a mile of the original site. school welcomes students from all religious backgrounds. In November of 1989, the Church, St. Mary’s Chapel with Every day students encounter the Good News of Jesus Christ Columbarium, the Parish Hall, and St. Vincent’s School was in morning chapel. The parish is guided in all it does by its dedicated by The Rt. Rev. Clarence C. Pope, Bishop II of Fort mission statement: To Make Jesus Christ Known in All That Worth. On December 21, 2007, the Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker, SSC, We Do. Bishop III of Fort Worth, designated St. Vincent’s as the For additional information, check out St. Vincent’s web site Cathedral of the Diocese of Fort Worth. The latest Parochial at www.stvincentscathedral.org. The Parish invites you to Report has 725 communicants and 945 active members on visit and experience its faith in action. Sunday Services: 7:30 the rolls. a.m. Holy Eucharist, 9:00 a.m. Choral Eucharist, 11:15 a.m. The Cathedral Parish of St. Vincent was the site of Holy Eucharist. St. Vincent’s Cathedral 1300 Forest Ridge Dr., the Inaugural Assembly of the Anglican Church in North Bedford, Texas 76022. America from June 22-25, 2009, at which ACNA was officially constituted. The parish has hosted numerous diocesan 18 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org Rings, Vows and Commitments Fr. Gene Geromel considers marriage

It is the one holiday of the year when I don’t have services, so every New Year’s Eve I do a ride along with one of the police departments where I am the chaplain. It was a rather quiet night. The normal half-hour of gun fire around midnight only lasted about ten minutes. One man got angry at someone and drove his large truck around their house and when they came out to see what was going on he crashed into their porch. Around two in the morning we were asked to pick someone up. It was not an arrest, merely helping a couple get home safely. I knew the man. When he and his young lady got in the back seat he introduced me as “Fr. Gene”. He had obviously been drinking and she was plastered. “Fr. Gene, I was raised catholic. Can you hear my confession?” The police officer driving began to She resigned from Vestry in a huff.) lady who told me that she had lived giggle. We both knew it was going to But let’s get back to the issue of with a man with whom she was madly be an interesting drive. She repeated commitment. What does it mean to be in love. He received a job offer in a herself. I told her that I would gladly committed? The young lady in the back city about seventy miles away, but she hear her confession tomorrow when of the police car forgot that when she didn’t think she could find employment she hadn’t been drinking. “You know was dating her boyfriend he was in a in that city and she had to finish her we are living in sin.” I told her that I “committed relationship”. For most of degree. He made it perfectly clear that knew they were living together. I, in us commitment means faithfulness. he was not going to support her nor fact, knew the last girl with whom “Forsaking all others, be faithful unto turn down the job offer. “And with all he was living in sin, but didn’t say so. him/her as long as ye both shall live?” A my worldly good I thee endow.” “For She then began to defend her actions. Christian relationship is monogamous. richer for poorer” is the commitment “We are more committed than many If one is not faithful before the marriage Christians make. married couples I know.” is there any reason to expect that it will In the 1979 prayer book there is I know many priests. They deal with be after the marriage? a wonderful moment. “Will all of you this sort of situation in various ways. But commitment means more than witnessing these promises do all I know some who will not marry a sexual fidelity. Many years ago I read in your power to uphold these two couple who are not living apart. I know an article by a priest whose daughter persons in their marriage?” The couple some who will not allow those who are was being seduced into living with her has already made the declaration of “living in sin” to receive Communion. boyfriend. It was in the form of a letter. consent. We know what they have I understand where they are coming He asked the young man whether or promised. We know what we are to from historically, traditionally and not he would care for her the rest of support. What promises have a couple scripturally. For better or worse, I her life if she came down with a serious living together made? What are we impose no such restrictions. I hope and illness? How many couples do you to support? A Christian marriage has trust that the grace of the Sacraments know where one member cared for the very specific commitments. It is clear will lead them to the right decision. other for many years? When I came to how they are to live and what we are (Twice I had situations where someone my parish thirty years ago, there was a to support. in a position of authority began living man whose wife came down with MS at There are vows and rings which tell with someone. In the first instance, fifty. He took an early retirement and us what is expected of those who are I sat down with the couple and told spent the quarter of a century caring joined in Holy Matrimony. them that the relationship needed to for her. He washed her, changed her, regularize. They understood that we and fed her. He loved her and he died Fr. Gene Geromel is Rector of St. as a parish were known for upholding less than a year after her death. “In Bartholomew’s, Swartz Creek, Michigan, traditional Christian moral values. sickness and in health”, is another form in the Anglican Diocese of the Holy Cross. They were married a few weeks later. of commitment. The second instance did not go so well. In a previous parish I knew a young Forward in Christ, April, 2014 19 When Jesus Taught on Prayer Bishop Kenneth N. Myers reflects on the Lord’s Prayer

Prayer is at the very center of what it means to be Christian, for prayer is communication with God. Yet many Christians feel themselves miserable failures at prayer because they don’t Learning By Doing know how to pray.

If you feel that you can’t pray because you don’t know how to pray, you shouldn’t feel alone. Even the disciples, who were the first followers of Jesus and who lived in his presence on a daily basis, needed instruction in prayer - they had to learn to pray. This is an important first step for us: to recognize that prayer is learned behavior! It doesn’t just happen automatically, but like any acquired skill, it takes practice to get good at. Three Ways To Pray The Our Father And I might add that even reading and for all our prayers. translations miss the definite article studying about prayer is no substitute “the”, it is clearly there in the original for actually doing prayer. Greek). In other words, the early The Gospel of Luke tells us that Christians pray this prayer in all Church continued to practice ordered, “One day Jesus was praying in a certain kinds of ways - at church, in daily written, liturgical prayer - and the place. When he finished, one of his prayer, at mealtime or bedtime, Lord’s Prayer held an important place disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to together and privately. But I would like in their prayer life. Not only was it part pray, just as John taught his disciples’” to suggest there are three basic ways of their worship service, we also know (Luke 11.1). So Jesus proceeded to to pray these words. thatDidache first century Christians prayed instruct them in prayer, and what he The first is liturgically. Whether it with devotion three times a day taught them, and what those disciples we find ourselves in a fully liturgical ( 8.11). passed on to us is what has become worship service (or prayer service) The second way to pray this prayer is known as The Lord’s Prayer or The Our or in an informal time of worship by intentional repetition. Jesus warned Father. and prayer, this prayer can be prayed (in Matthew 6.7) that we should not Some might be tempted to simply corporately or privately just as it is “babble like pagans”. The King James repeat the words that Jesus gave us in written, and every word can be prayed Version translates this verse, “But when a mechanical fashion, but Jesus never meaningfully. Some people are troubled ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as was one who went in for mechanisms. with “written prayers,” assuming that the heathen do.” Some people reading Throughout his life and ministry he these are incapable of being prayed in this verse automatically assume that was committed to the principle of a truly heartfelt manner. But Jesus was all repetition is vain repetition, but it relationship, not mechanics. His own a Jew. He grew up in the synagogue. isn’t. Just because a thing is repeated prayer times with the Father were He was a man of written prayers. Even does not make it “vain” or “empty”. The often intense and emotional and full when he was dying on the cross he was emptiness of the pagans’ prayer was of purpose. The prayer that he gave us, praying written prayers! “My God, My not so much in repetition, but that they if simply repeated mechanically and God, why have you forsaken me?” was were praying to an “empty” deity (cf. 1 drone-like, will never bear the fruit of not simply a phrase of the moment that Kings 18.26-29). As long as a thing is relationship that Christ intended when came from the mouth of Jesus, he was directed to the true and living God, and he taught the disciples how to pray. praying Psalm 22. is repeated with intention, with the Christians of all persuasions, Later, the disciples continued focus of the mind and with the passion from Roman Catholic to Baptist to the practice. The book of Acts tells of the heart, it is not empty. Think Pentecostal, have memorized the us that the early Church continued about it - we can sing choruses several Lord’s Prayer and can quote it at the steadfastly in four things: the Apostles’ times and mean every word of what we drop of a hat, but sadly many have teaching, the Apostles’ fellowship, the sing every time we sing it - this is not never looked closely at it as what Jesus breaking of the bread, and the prayers. empty repetition, it is intentional. intended it to be: instruction and form (Acts 2.42; although some modern In the Eastern Church there is an 20 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org The Anglican Heritage Press ancient tradition called The Jesus Prayer. It is a simple prayer for God’s mercy (loving-kindness) and it goes like this: “Lord The Anglican Heritage Press has been established by St Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Some Mark’s Traditional Anglican Church of Victoria, British Christians pray this, literally, hundreds of time a day and it Columbia, to aid the various church bodies remaining becomes rhythmic with their very breathing. In the same faithful to our tradition with various types of books: way, the Lord’s Prayer can be prayed by intentional repetition devotional, theological, educational, and also some fiction and bear much fruit in the believer’s life. with a religious base. The first book to be released is The The third way to pray Could this prayer You Not is Tarryby using One it Hour: as a Anglican Patrimony: The Canterbury Inheritance and the Learningframework the of Joy prayer. of Praying In 1986 the Charismatic pastor Larry Lea wrote a book titled Nature of Traditional Anglicanism. This was originally , in which he introduced thousands printed for the members of the parish, based upon lectures of Christians to using the Lord’s Prayer as a framework for at St Bede’s Theological College, now revised and enlarged. daily prayer. Certainly Larry Lea was not the first to see It gives a thorough “grounding” in what our traditional and this application - the early Church fathers, Tertullian and “continuing” churches are all about. For Lent there are two Augustine, also prescribed the Lord’s Prayer as a framework devotional books which are being released, Joy and Peace in to guide our prayer. Tertullian said that the Lord’s Prayer Believing, and Forty Days and Forty Nights. Coming books is a compendium of our faith, and “In only a few words, it will include The Apostle Paul, Dear Ben [for beginning summarizes the sayings of the prophets, the gospels, the university students]. A mystery novel, Death Knell, is soon to Apostles; the discourses, the parables, the examples and be released. A series about a small-town vicar, “theological the precepts of the Lord and, at the same time, so much of novels,” will be ready a bit later. our needs become fulfilled. In invoking the Father, we honor Forthcoming books will include a commentary on the works God; in the Name is the testimony of faith; in His will is the offering of obedience; in the Kingdom is the record of hope; of Bishop Jeremy Taylor, the great 17th century writer on in the Bread lies the question about life; in the asking for the Christian life, and on highlights from the writings of pardon is the confession of sins; in the asking for protection Archbishop Cranmer. is the fear of temptation. Why awe? Only1 God could have A website will come later, with access to Pay Pal. Further taught us how He wanted to be prayed to.” Augustine wrote information can be obtained by writing to the Editor, The “Run through all the words of the holy prayers [in Scripture], Rev. Canon Stanley R. Sinclair, Anglican Heritage Press, and I do not think that you will find anything in them2 that is 502-1157 Fairfield Road, Victoria, not contained and included in the Lord’s Prayer”. How then shall we pray? What if we begin by taking to British Columbia, Canada. heart the advice of our Lord, his Apostles, and the early Fathers of the church? Let’s not try to rebuild the structure Telephone 250-384-3268 during daytime hours. A good of prayer with newfangled and untested ideas; instead let’s way of contacting is via e-mail: [email protected] build upon the foundation that has already been laid. And so let us begin: “Our Father, who art in heaven…” This article is adapted from the book , a detailed study of the Our Father, and volume three in The How Christians Pray by Bishop Kenneth N. Myers. Foundation Series Bishop Kenneth Myers serves as the bishop of the Convocation of Christ the Redeemer, within the Missionary Diocese of All Saints, Anglican Church in North America.

Notes

1 2. Tertullian, De Oratione, 9.1-3. . Augustine, Ep 130, 12, 22.

Forward in Christ, April, 2014 21 Sir Alec Guinness & Charles de Foucauld By Fr. Geoffery Attard

One of the less likely devotees or admirers of Blessed isolated beasts we are not to know about a man like Charles de Foucauld could arguably be the renowned that. It’s beautifully written, reasonably translated, British actor of universalMonsignore acclaim, Don SirQuixote Alec Guinness. I and reads rather like a Western. Robbers and camels came to know Guinness when a priest friend of mine lent and buried gold and sand and midnight meetings and me the DVD entitled which was a the philosopher’s stone and continuous disguises. cinematographic rendering of Graham Greene’s famous Very exciting – I can’t believe it keeps it up. HowListener right novel bearing the same name. It is a film I will never forget! of Mr Eliot to talk about it. Incidentally, I’m enclosing In July 2013 I spent a three-week working holiday at his broadcast talk, which was published in the . St Mary and St Andrews’ Parish, the Catholic Parish of It is good. Galashiels in the Scottish borders; in my free time – when How providential it was that Sir Alec was to hear of de I was not driving from one parish to the other to say Mass Foucauld for the first time from the mouth of another great – I would open the parish priest’s book-case and search for Anglo-Catholic or ‘High-Church’ ChristianMurder poet in the such Cathedral as T. S. an interesting book. Greene’s Eliot,The the Four author Quartets. of the famous novel was one of the first to play attract my attention. The role and of Monsignor Don Quixote The biography that Sir played by Sir Alec came back Alec read of Blessed Charles to my mind; I felt I wanted must have been in French, to know more about the the language spoken by man who played the role of de Foucauld; an expert on the controversial priest but the French Blessed would I did nothing about it. Then perhaps be able to tell us in February 2014, as I came which particular biography across aThe reference Tablet to Piers the English actor read. Read Paul Read’s biography of Sir quotes Peter Ackroyd’s Play.comAlec in I decided acclaimed biography of T. I would try to obtain a copy. S. Eliot as he provides us always comes in with this bit of interesting very helpful; I ordered a information about the second-hand copy of the book Christian life of Sir Alec and I found myself reading Guinness. the English actor’s biography. Blessed Charles de Foucauld Later on in life, Sir Alec It turns out Sir Alec did met T. S. Eliot in person not know his father; he had a and they spoke about their turbulent childhood. However common liking for Blessed Charles and other great Christian at a particular point in time he decided he would convert mystics such as Saint Theresa ofPiers Avila Paul and Read St John of the to Christianity. Initially he was a confirmed atheist. Blessed Cross. Charles de Foucauld is aptly described as the ‘fiercely Charles de Foucauld would play an important role in the ascetic’ Charles de Foucauld (cfr. , 226). life of Sir Alec. In the fourteenth chapter of the book, Read The third and last reference to Blessed Charles in Sir narrates the ‘story’ of Sir Alec’s conversion. Guinness might Alec’s biography is a clear acknowledgement of the fact that have lived and died without ever having heard of de Foucauld his reading of Blessed Charles’s life was one of the stages if it wasn’t for the Anglo-American poet of international he went through which eventually brought him to embrace repute T. S. Eliot. This is what Piers Paul Read has to say Catholic Christianity. about it all: Sir Alec Guinness’ special love for Blessed Charles de He also read a biography of Charles de Foucauld, the Foucauld is a proof to us that his life of service and self- French soldier who became a hermit in the Sahara oblation entirely dedicated to Christ has been on inspiration Desert, which had been mentioned in a broadcast by to atheists and believers alike in their search of the truth, T. S. Eliot, a poet Alec particularly admired. a search that did not let the great Augustine of Hippo find peace before actually embracing it in Christ Jesus, the God And here follows an excerpt from a letter of Sir Alec to his made man. wife Merula dated 19th April, 1941: It reminds me, in a remote way, of our pony ride round the Pyramids. Or perhaps I’m thinking of sand and Fr. Geoffery Attard is a Roman Catholic priest in Gozo, Malta. wind because of the De Foucauld book. It’s terrific! Couldn’t be more pleased about it. What ignorant, 22 Forward in Christ, www.fifna.org An Easter Sermon

Are there any who are devout lovers of God?

Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!

Are there any who are grateful servants? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages!

If any have toiled from the first hour, let them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour, let him with gratitude join in the Feast! And he that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss. And if any delayed until the ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his delay. For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that toiled from the first. It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed. To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows. It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated. He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor. It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive. The deed He honors and the intention He commends. Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! Hell took a body, and discovered God. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. First and last alike receive your reward; It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did rich and poor, rejoice together! not see. Sober and slothful, celebrate the day! You that have kept the fast, and you that have not, O death, where is thy sting? rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! O Hell, where is thy victory?

Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one. Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated! Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down! faith. Enjoy all the riches of His goodness! Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is Risen, and life is liberated! Let no one grieve at his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead; for Christ having risen from the dead, Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen for forgiveness has risen from the grave. asleep.

Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen! set us free. He has destroyed it by enduring it. He destroyed Hell when He descended into it. He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.

Isaiah foretold this when he said, “You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below.” The Easter sermon of St. John Chrysostom (circa 400 AD). Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with. It was in an uproar because it is mocked.

Forward in Christ, April, 2014 23 Forward in Faith North America P.O. Box 210248 Bedford, TX 76095-7248

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