Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Reformation ramblings.
On Monday, we commemorated Martin Luther, but as it was "only" a commemoration, Common Worship Daily Prayer didn't provide me with a handy Collect, leaving me to recognise the day or not as felt appropriate when leading Morning Prayer. Usually, even if there isn't a set prayer, I try to reflect the life and gifts of the one we are remembering in my own prayers, but when it came to Luther I wasn't sure whether to be thankful or repentent. This is in no way an indication of disrespect for Martin Luther, or for the Lutheran Church as a whole (LutheranChik is one of my must- read blogs, and I'd certainly hate to offend her) nor would I want anyone to think that I felt the Church had not stood sorely in need of Reformation at that point in her history. I just regret the fact that, from then on, whenever something seemed to be awry in the Church the instinct was to split off, to form a purer Communion, to escape with like-minded souls from the tainted status quo...As an Anglican who is currently watching an Archbishop whom I admire hugely being apparently forced to stifle his own world-view for the sake of unity, I'm at best ambivalent about the whole thing. Unity or inclusivity? Don't let's choose.
Kathryn, I agree with what you say in part. However, I would want to go onto say that in order for unity we must first embrace our the rich diversity that all of our traditions have to offer each other. I include a quote published in a book written by my college principle. "The body of Christ is the place where we all must work together at living out the radical equality implied by the death of Jesus, and central to that 'living out' is a mutual acceptance of our rich diversity."
ReplyDeleteGreat quote, Stewart, and one that I couldn't possibly argue with...but how do we do it, if people are convinced that theirs is the only valid way of being church? And that it is somehow threatened by the presence of other expressions of church...so the only thing is to emigrate to a safe distance??
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