Giving Thanks

 Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving. Pewsterspouse and I are going to drive through the flood ravaged mountains of North Carolina to join up with the Pewsterinlaws and their families. We are thankful that so many will be there in spite of all of the aging and health issues present in that clan. 

As for my side, I shall remember those who have gone before, and those who are far away. 

And I shall not forget my Mayflower ancestors, without whom we would not be here or making this trip.

So who should we thank?

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit of course.

Onward ho!

Pilate's Choice

 This Sunday's reading is from John 18:33-37 contains the following exchange between Jesus and Pilate,

 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’

 Pilate must have been irked by this type of answer. He was probably not used to such talk from a prisoner. At this point he asked the famous question (not included in today's reading), 

Verse 38: Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

Pilate at this point had to decide guilt or innocence  (also not included in today's reading),

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

 In the end, Pilate chose to let a mob decide Jesus' fate,

But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

Pilate's choice to please the mob over his own verdict is a lesson we and our leaders should take to heart.  

 

The Ultimate Result of "Hate Speech" Laws

I have never been a fan of "Hate Crime" legislation. When one person murders another, a crime has been committed. Why tack on a subjective judgement such as whether or not the crime was done with hateful intent? Where will such accusations eventually take us? 

The answer my friends can be found in the following report from across the Atlantic in The Times, 

 Children are among thousands of people being investigated by police for non-crime hate incidents, The Times can reveal.

Police forces recorded incidents against a nine-year-old who called a primary school classmate a “retard” and against two secondary school girls who said that another pupil smelt “like fish”.

Every kid in my school got called that and worse when I was in K-12 Episcopal schools.   

They were among several cases of children being logged as having committed non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs), according to freedom of information requests to police forces.

Government guidance says that NCHIs are supposed to be recorded for incidents “clearly motivated by intentional hostility” and where there is a real risk of escalation “causing significant harm or a criminal offence”. Classroom incidents that do not amount to crimes are not supposed to be recorded, and neither are incidents involving journalists expressing lawfully held views with no hostility.

However, The Times has found evidence of widespread confusion among police over what types of incident should be recorded.

No 10 said that the Home Office would review its guidance to protect “the fundamental right to free speech” after the journalist Allison Pearson claimed she was being investigated over an NCHI. Essex police say this is inaccurate and have defended their handling of the case.

However, data collected by The Times shows the recording of NCHIs is widespread. More than 13,200 hate incidents were recorded in the 12 months to June this year, according to statistics from 45 of Britain’s 48 police forces.

Critics have asked whether the recording of non-crime hate incidents is an appropriate use of police resources, particularly in cases involving children...

...Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, a former director of public prosecutions added: “Five years down the line, when they apply for a job, they might not get it. And that might be as a result of a so-called non-crime hate incident recorded against their name that was entirely baseless, entirely motivated by spite or misunderstanding or whatever.

“I mean, the idea that the police are recording the name of a child because that child has described another child as smelling like a fish is just beyond belief.”

Yep, this is where all "hate" legislation eventually leads.

Words of Warning

This Sunday's reading is Mark 13:1-8,

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

The Temple was thrown down, and the birth pangs of the early Church were dreadful. 

Wars and famines keep coming and going.

Being led astray happens all the time. A good defense against false shepherds, prophets, teachings, interpretations, and denominations is to build biblical literacy, and to engage in Bible study with other orthodox Christians. 

Don't Expect Any Change

Justin Welby has resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury, and it wasn't because Trump won, or was it? I don't expect any improvement with the next one whoever it may be.

 Statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury

12/11/2024

Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Makin Review has exposed the long-maintained conspiracy of silence about the heinous abuses of John Smyth.

When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow. 

It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024. 

It is my duty to honour my Constitutional and church responsibilities, so exact timings will be decided once a review of necessary obligations has been completed, including those in England and in the Anglican Communion. 

I hope this decision makes clear how seriously the Church of England understands the need for change and our profound commitment to creating a safer church. As I step down I do so in sorrow with all victims and survivors of abuse. 

The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England. For nearly twelve years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done.

In the meantime, I will follow through on my commitment to meet victims. I will delegate all my other current responsibilities for safeguarding until the necessary risk assessment process is complete.

I ask everyone to keep my wife Caroline and my children in their prayers. They have been my most important support throughout my ministry, and I am eternally grateful for their sacrifice. Caroline led the spouses’ programme during the Lambeth Conference and has travelled tirelessly in areas of conflict supporting the most vulnerable, the women, and those who care for them locally.

I believe that stepping aside is in the best interests of the Church of England, which I dearly love and which I have been honoured to serve. I pray that this decision points us back towards the love that Jesus Christ has for every one of us. 

For above all else, my deepest commitment is to the person of Jesus Christ, my saviour and my God; the bearer of the sins and burdens of the world, and the hope of every person.

Things of Value

 This Sunday's reading is Mark 12:38-44,

As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’

Jesus turned the ancient world on its head with these two observations of human behavior, and the divine judgement if each. 

His words are just as true today as our celebrity engrossed culture needs to beware of the rich and famous, many of whom went out of their way to try to influence our last election. How often those celebs show up in their designer attire, and are seated in places of honor.

But the first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

 

 

Prayer for an election

 In the back of the 2019 ACNA Book of Common Prayer you can find prayer #31, "For an election."

Let us pray, 

Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers

and privileges: Guide and direct, we humbly pray, the minds

of all those who are called to elect fit persons to serve in

the United States of America. Grant that in the exercise of our choice we may

promote your glory, and the welfare of this nation. This we ask

for the sake of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"There is no other commandment greater than these"

 This Sunday's reading is from Mark 12:28-34,

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbour as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.

Is it humanly possible to keep these commandments all the time?

I think not, and that is why we need a Savior.