One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic

Yes, Catholic! And One, and Holy, and Apostolic... These terms are called the 'Four Marks of the Church' and there's a pretty good explanation of their meaning and use on Wikipedia.

Almost all Christians use the Apostles Creed, and most use the Nicene Creed, and in each of these the term 'catholic' is used to describe the church. In these contexts, catholic is taken to mean 'universal', as it does in the original Greek. By universal, we mean that God's grace through Jesus Christ is available to everyone, everywhere at all times and in all places.

As Bill Cain, SJ pointed out once at a meeting at the Church of Saint Francis Xavier, there's a innate contradiction in the idea of a "Roman Catholic" church. Can you be universal and yet require obedience to the Bishop of Rome? Most Anglicans, Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox and Protestants would answer 'no'. As Ed Condry, canon treasurer of Canterbury Cathedral, pointed out during a recent session of the Canterbury Scholars, Anglicans have always considered our branch of the universal church a temporary approximation of the unity that we will find in the ultimate kingdom of God that awaits us at the end of time. We don't claim exclusive rights to the salvation of Christ Jesus. Rather, we claim that that salvation is Christ's gift to all humanity.

And in the Episcopal Church, we practice our catholicity every Sunday. In the Episcopal Church all baptized Christians are invited to partake of the Eucharist. Our baptism makes us Christians, and Christianity, as we understand it, is catholic by definition. And every Christian of every stripe is welcome at God's table.

Two Ordinations?!?!?!?!?

Here's the text of a note that I included with my (few) mailed invitations that explains (somewhat) why I'll be ordained twice -- and that your prayers and presence at either are both will be a great joy to me:

Dear friends and family,

This message comes to you with what are for me some very glad tidings! I am to be ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church on March 15th, as the enclosed invitation details. You may not be familiar with the traditions surrounding ordination in the Episcopal Church. So, here is a little summary:

The Episcopal Church follows the centuries old tradition of “successive orders,” which means that one is first ordained a deacon before being ordained a priest; and one is a deacon, and then a priest before becoming a bishop. This is done not only to continue a biblical and historical precedent, but also to remind those who are ordained and all in the church that ministry begins in service, and service has always been the primary role of a deacon.

What does this mean for you? It means that there’s going to be a great celebration in a few weeks at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York and I’d love for you to be there. But it also means that “God willing, and the people consenting,” there will be another celebration on Saturday, September 20, 2008 when I am ordained a priest. I would be thrilled to have all of you present for both ordinations. But, please know that your prayers for both -- and presence at which ever celebration is convenient for you -- will be most welcome and greatly appreciated.

Joyfully,

Some elemental Anglican fun

The blog Barkings of an Old Dog has begun an Anglican Periodic Table. I'm not enough of a science geek to get all the references, but I can attest to the veracity of the table's list of attributes for Tobiasite, named for the Rev. Tobias S. Haller, BSG, Vicar of St. James Fordham Manor, a noted blogger himself -- and my field ed supervisor (and friend). Old Dog says, "Tobiasite is essential for the normal growth and maintenance of backbones and teeth... Tobiasite is a useful and essential component to a healthy Anglican diet." Here, here!

Get your dose of Tobiasite at his blog In A Godward Direction. See all of Old Dog's Anglican Periodic Table here, including such elements as Lambethium (Cc) and Akinolon (Bp).

God willing and the people consenting...

Thanks for your prayers

It looks like they worked! I passed my General Ordination Exams! Sincerely, thanks to all who offered kind words and wisdom. A major hurdle is behind me -- thanks in no small part to God's grace and your faithful prayers.