An observation by an historian. “In 1834, George Washington Doane,
Episcopal Bishop of New Jersey and rector of St. Mary's in Burlington,
had builders place a cross atop his newly refurbished church. There was
an immediate uproar. Some of the vestrymen, alarmed, paid a carpenter to
have the symbol sawed off in the dead of night. Doane was determined, and
the cross was remounted. Such late-night carpentry sounds bizarre to modern
ears. But mid-19th-century Americans would understand. The cross looked
altogether too Roman Catholic. Crosses on Protestant churches may be commonplace
now …. However, in that era, even "high church" Episcopalians
risked disapproval. It was a time of rising anti-Catholicism, ‘always
latent in Anglo-America,’ … Catholics were a rapidly growing
presence … But as anti-Catholicism grew, crosses, Gothic architecture,
stained glass, candles, flowers, and other accouterments once condemned
as "popery" were competitively adopted by Episcopalians, Congregationalists,
Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists well aware of the appeal of the
Catholics' ‘sensuous sanctity.’ If it's hard today to imagine
crosses as a target, consider, for example, one Presbyterian magazine that
called the cross ‘not a symbol of redemption through the blessed
Saviour, but a perverted, abused symbol of a great system of superstition
and imposture.’ Ironically, some Congregationalists were equally
ugly backing their use … …by adopting the cross, but not the
crucifix, Protestants sidestepped squeamishness about Christ's body. An
empty cross expressed not agony, but the triumph of the resurrection.” [The Chronicle
of Higher Education; Section: Research & Publishing 'Gothic
Arches, Latin Crosses: Anti-Catholicism and American Church
Designs in the Nineteenth Century' By NINA C. AYOUB; Volume
52, Issue 38, Page A20;
May 2006]
From its inception, the followers of Christ have had many sharp
disagreements and divisions. In the New Testament Book of Acts this “people of
God” (in other words, the Church) is portrayed honestly as quarrelsome
and often not very nice to each other. Then and now, it has
not lived up to the ideals of the full Message it has been gathered to
live and share.
The Christian Church in all of its manifestations is in the
ongoing process of becoming the full-fledged Christian Church! The same
type of observation
could be made about every gathering of human beings - whether
their messages are religious, political, social, or what have you; all
are in process;
none is yet finished.
In Columbus, Ohio, from June 13th to the 21st the 75th triennial
General Convention of the Episcopal Church will meet. The House of Bishops
and
the House of Deputies (elected clergy and laypeople from each
diocese) will meet to discuss and debate many issues and to resolve some.
They will
elect the 26th Presiding Bishop from four worthy and able candidates
selected by regional, discerning nominators and three more by a formal
petition
process. From dedicated people, conflicting proposals to return
to the “good
old days” or to usher in a new age could well give the impression
of utter disunity. Continuing tender issues of human living and doctrinal
meanings are being faced sometimes squarely, sometimes manipulatively,
often adversarially -- just like in the Book of Acts. And yes, at the end
of it all, a small percentage will withdraw from the Episcopal Church and
the majority will continue to live out their Baptism as Episcopalians.
In the past, some men and women left the Episcopal Church as women began
to participate fully in the life of the Episcopal Church; some left whenever
the Book of Common Prayer was revised; some left as people of all sexual
orientations were included in all ministries of Christ. I’ll bet
that some left Bishop Doane’s parish when the cross was remounted
on his church!
In 1952, while in high school, I attended the opening service
of the General Convention held in Boston and a related service held at
the historic Old
North Church. At the latter, I prayed from this very Book of
Common Prayer, given to me by my parents five years earlier! The Archbishop
of Canterbury,
Dr. Geoffrey Francis Fisher, our British, honorary symbol of
the international Anglican Communion, was on hand as a welcome and beloved
visitor. After
the Service, he took a moment to sign a 15-year-old boy’s Prayer
Book, a custom for some of us! I haven't a clue as to what was on that
General Convention's agenda. If my memory serves me correctly, women had
neither voice nor vote in General Convention, and no one had suggested
differently; they had their auxiliary groups, and women's interests were
confined to those groups. Issues of human sexuality were not on the table,
especially at a Convention held in Boston! Instead, many were more worried
that someone might display elaborate "high-church" ceremonial
tendencies. Matters of liturgical renewal were probably limited to seminary
classrooms, if that. Concerns about thieves, exploiters, and predators
among the clergy were virtually non-existent. Because it had not occurred
to many people to raise unseemly issues or to suggest significant changes,
the Church seemed to be wonderfully united, at least to those of us in
the pew. In a book entitled A History Of The Episcopal Church the chapter
about the Church's 1945 to 1965 years is aptly called "The Church
Triumphant" – my Church from age 8 to 28!
Since those years, however, both the Church and society have been
evolving in what often feels like embattled circumstances. Must we yearn
for the
apparent unity of the good old days of "The Church Triumphant" when
all seemed so simple, clear, and finalized? Is there any realistic
hope for any form of peaceful unity now or in the future?
Before answering, let us consider two variables. First, the Anglican
Communion, of which the Episcopal Church in the United States is an autonomous
national
church, is committed to ongoing, sound academic research and
scholarship. As such, we embrace the inevitable tensions between members
who prefer
that the Church remain unchanged and those who, as the result
of thorough study, propose revisions. On the one hand, if we were unchangeable,
we
would eliminate ongoing clarifications, new information, and
inspired insights derived from our ongoing corporate experience. On the
other hand, if we
were to uphold every new well-conceived proposal, we would
lack stability and leap – perhaps ill advisedly - from one view
to another.
Second, upholding Scripture and honoring tradition, the traditional Anglican
Way is to reason carefully, proceed cautiously and prayerfully, and agree
to differ - within our doctrinal and moral boundaries. Yet, amidst differences,
we can experience significant and peaceful unity, if we are willing. Our
fundamental unity is experienced in our common Baptism and
corporate acts of worship, particularly the Holy Eucharist. We believe that this model
of unity has profound implications for the evolving unity of the entire
Christian Church.
Unfortunately, in recent years, a very-unAnglican mentality has
invaded the heart and mind of the worldwide Anglican Communion. A belligerent,
unwillingness to “agree to differ” has surfaced in small but
vocal ways in the Episcopal Church and among many of the Anglican Communion’s
other regional Churches. This may eventually result in a different
configuration of the Communion. Life will go on!
In today's Reading from John, Jesus prayed elegantly for the completion
of his revealing work. We heard him pray for his disciples
remaining in the world after his Ascension, that we may be one in purpose
- as God and
Jesus are one in purpose. Our ultimate mission is Communion
with God and with each other. In that Spirit, we bear Christ’s invitation to all
people to discover the life united in committed, mutual respect; the life
of friendship ever growing in love and service. All humanity is called
to the abundant life of harmony among diverse people willing to differ
and find workable resolutions. Everyone is offered the faith-filled life
witnessed as one, diverse, inclusive household of God "to the ends
of the earth." We are invited to the family table, the Eucharistic
altar from which we leave “graced” to apply our baptism during
every moment of every day - whether at prayer, work, or leisure. We pray
His prayer, break His Bread, sip His Wine, and discover the Sacred Word
beneath and within the words of Scripture. Here at Saint Andrew’s
we do not need to yearn for 1952. The basic unity we truly
need is here this very hour as we affirm each other as children
of God and as we make
a Holy Communion. The fuller unity is far in the future.
Accordingly, and adapting our Lord's words, we pray now and always, "Holy
Father, protect, strengthen, and sanctify us in Christ's name,
that we your Church may be one in purpose, as you are one with Him." Amen.