tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25560965.post6851783267032563891..comments2023-05-05T00:45:20.298-07:00Comments on Caught by the Light: A Mess of HistoryBr Richard Edward Helmer BSGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04603206783767329399noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25560965.post-78348279143833912002007-01-26T22:51:00.000-08:002007-01-26T22:51:00.000-08:00Joseph,
Thank you for your loving attention and f...Joseph,<br /><br />Thank you for your loving attention and friendship and, above all, your witness in our midst!Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07474786207149076221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25560965.post-78731068726354480172007-01-26T22:47:00.000-08:002007-01-26T22:47:00.000-08:00Dear Richard,
What a wonderful summary and deepes...Dear Richard,<br /><br />What a wonderful summary and deepest refletion through the Epiphay West. And thanks a lot for your post about my presentation under titlted "Understanding Akinola." You know, I am not all with ++ Peter, but we need to think about ongoing "bitterness" - bitterness of exploitation, racism, sexism, poverty, and warfare, etc -products of colonialist imperialism, which is getting worse in the name of globalization, especially led by American Empire, as Fr. John mentioned above. Beyond simply "putting their shoes," I hope we "Church" need to be more engaged in the issue of justice wherever we are, act, do ministry. <br /><br />Now, I am expecting your reflections about today's presentation by Drs. Radner and Te Paa for many other people.<br /><br />Thanks again and see you tomorrow morning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25560965.post-10857626596346508012007-01-25T21:21:00.000-08:002007-01-25T21:21:00.000-08:00The most helpful piece of writing about our troubl...The most helpful piece of writing about our troubles that I know of addressing the imperial and racial issues implicit in our struggles is Ethan Vesely-Flad's <a href='http://www.colorlines.com/printerfriendly.php?ID=43'>For the Soul of the Church.</a> FWIW.janinsanfranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07548452260456734928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25560965.post-31251368255673363242007-01-25T17:54:00.000-08:002007-01-25T17:54:00.000-08:00Richard,
Thanks for reporting on the conference; ...Richard,<br /><br />Thanks for reporting on the conference; it sounds like rich fare indeed. Your brief on the legacy of colonial imperialism is very helpful, I think. We would be naive, at the very least, to believe that our Communion's politics are not deeply affected by the aggressive "messianic imperialism" of the Bush administration. The irony is that many of the conservatives in C.A.N.A. support the kind of hegemonic U.S. foriegn policy that Archbishop Akinola rightly deplores! How often have we heard TEC's actions equated with those of the Bush Administration as an example of arrogant unilateralism? An odd analogy for U.S. conservatives to make. Schism makes strange bedfellows.Fr. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06647311951078750640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25560965.post-88869487977009632062007-01-25T13:49:00.000-08:002007-01-25T13:49:00.000-08:00So why doesn't the Episcopal Church, through Gener...So why doesn't the Episcopal Church, through General Convention, decide to support the Nigerian Church (unilaterally if need be, funneling resources through Canterbury or whatever channel it takes) to assist its horrible struggles with Islam, corrupt politics, economic and environmental collapse at the hands of Western oil companies, while engaging in whatever conversation might be possible on LGBT issues? <br /><br />If Akinola's point is "We are Christians, we are Nigerians, we are independent, we are homophobic like all African tribal Christians," then why not say yes to the first three while we protect Davis Mac-Iyalla and Changing Attitudes Nigeria?<br /><br />Why not double our commitment to the Millennium Development Goals concentrating specifically on Nigeria, precisely because of its position as an oil-rich country exploited by the West, with Islamic-Christian tensions and violence and a history of colonialism? <br /><br />Why not demonstrate Christianity on the ground?<br /><br />Akinola has often said he refuses American money and help, but that may not be the last word if there's a way to structure "assistance" so that the Nigerian Church and Nigerian people directly benefit -- say, by TEC's shareholder and political pressure on Exxon Mobil and the U.S. government?<br /><br />Why not embrace Akinola and love him to death? Who is in a better position than we are?<br /><br />We're rich, theologically aware, politically active, prayerful people. Nigeria is a country being raped every day; the environmental destruction is incalculable. 17 million people are crowded into the most ghastly slums in Lagos, without clean water or sanitation, while the desert expands from the Muslim north toward the Christian south. A hundred thousand people die of malaria every year. We can do something about this!<br /><br />The most Christian response to Akinola's hatred of TEC is to love him ten times harder. Let's make one simple request/demand/suggestion: Leave Davis and CAN alone for three years, till the next General Convention can take up the issue of doubling our commitment again.<br /><br />-- Josh ThomasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25560965.post-22046056035688006362007-01-25T10:18:00.000-08:002007-01-25T10:18:00.000-08:00Thanks for the interesting informatin, Father Rich...Thanks for the interesting informatin, Father Richard. I found your blogged link through Fr. Jake's (to which my bishop has accused me of making him an addict).<br /><br />You're bookmarked now, and I'll be thinking about the colonialist context from which some of the current "mess" might be better understood.<br /><br />Brendan<br />Alachua, FLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25560965.post-56607224709885757902007-01-25T09:30:00.000-08:002007-01-25T09:30:00.000-08:00Richard, I wish that this post could be required r...Richard, I wish that this post could be required reading for all members of the Anglican Communion.<br /><br />I have asked in the comments at <a href=http://frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com/>Fr. Jake's</a> more than once, "Which is the Golden Age of orthodoxy that we should return to?"<br /><br />I'm with Dr. Lyman. The use of the term "orthodoxy" is unhelpful. "Catholic" and "tradition" are much more useful.<br /><br />Thanks for your reporting.June Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723016934182800437noreply@blogger.com