+Rowan burns bridges instead of building them...

On Facebook today, Diana Butler Bass, author, commented in her status line about the ABC of Canterbury's Pentecost letter punishing American Anglicans for neglecting to fall in line with "moratoria",

Diana Butler Bass: "Does anyone think it a little odd that ABC Rowan Williams issues a Pentecost letter essentially kicking American Anglicans off all ecumenical commissions while he was in DC attending a conference called "Building Bridges"? So many layers of inconsistency and irony that it leaves me breathless..."

Here's the letter in it's entirety [and I cannot seem to get the font to behave on blogspot!]:

Canterbury proposes resignation of ecumenical commission members

By Matthew Davies, May 28, 2010

[Episcopal News Service] Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams is proposing that representatives currently serving on some of the Anglican Communion's ecumenical dialogues should resign their membership if they are from a province that has not complied with moratoria on same-gender blessings, cross-border interventions and the ordination of gay and lesbian people to the episcopate. Williams made his proposal in a May 28 Pentecost letter to the Anglican Communion, in which he specifically refers to the May 15 consecration of Los Angeles Bishop Suffragan Mary Douglas Glasspool and the ongoing activity across provincial boundaries. Glasspool is the Episcopal Church's second openly gay, partnered bishop.

Two Episcopal Church members serving on the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue and one on the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order are expected to be affected by the proposal.

Sadly enough, read the rest here.

News you should know...

...about your Church.  Just follow the links below for all kinds of news stories, information and...just stuff.

Catherine

_______________________________________

First off, two women bishops ordained and out of the starting gate: Read about it here.

OR here, from Episcopal Life Online...

OR, thanks to Susan Russell+ at An Inch At A Time see some video of the consecrations, here.

Elizabeth Kaeton+ of Telling Secrets also has great coverage photos and first hand account of the consecrations, so do pop over.

Openly Episcopal in Albany has a great article on what the Presiding Bishop thinks of the Anglican Covenant.

The Episcopal Cafe has a great presentation on what other Episcopal churches are doing around the country.  I hope it's a permanent feature.

Women veterans are most likely to fall through "the cracks" upon their return home as resources are few and far between but a priest who as a part-time chaplain in the service saw the need and did something about it.  Please read about it here.

The Church of England is stuck in a time warp about women bishops.  If you must, and you should just so you know what our cousins are doing, read about the "amendments" to the consideration of women bishops [sorry, major eyeroll here].  Just. Get. On. With. It.  We are light years ahead of you, cousins in the C of E.

And then I came across this little gem of Christian Mysticism...I know, way off the news freeway but still I was looking for information on Margery Kempe and look what I found...if you haven't been to it already or know about it, you will LIKE!  

And finally, what self-respecting Episcopalian doesn't know that there is an Underground movement?  These guys are great and newsy.  Try Anglican Underground, THE blog.

Book review: The Art of Racing the Rain by Garth Stein

Lately I have been buying sad books.  Don't ask me why; dunno.  It has been a rough first part of the year work and health-wise but the weather is improving; I even gardened a little.  But it seems that the poignant books are making their way home with me.  And so it is or was with this title, The Art of Racing the Rain.  It's a book written from a pet dog's point  of view.  The book has its' lighter moments and its' unbelievable moments but it is heart-wrenching and shows the deviousness of the human hearts of the antagonists when their collective malicious hearts set out to take away everything the dog's owner holds dear. 

There was one particular "chapter" that moved me in a special way; maybe because of the loss of my own canine companion.  I like the philosophical sense behind this particular passage, as Enzo, the narrator and main character, reflects on the next life.  Well, his next life and the possibility:

"In Mongolia, when a dog dies, he is buried high in the hills so people cannot walk on his grave.  The dog's master whispers into the dog's ear his wishes that the dog will return as a man in his next life.  Then his tail is cut off and put beneath his head, and a piece of meat or fat is placed in his mouth to sustain  his soul on its journey; before he is reincarnated, the dog's soul is freed to travel the land, to run the high desert plains for as long as it would like.

I learned that from a program on the National Geographic Channel, so I believe it is true.  Not all dogs return as men, they say; only those who are ready.

I am ready."    ~~ Chapter 18 ~~ 

The faithfulness of a dog.  Well, there is nothing like it.  It is unconditional and steadfast.  They love you no matter what kind of day you have had and they look after you when you don't notice.  The perspective the author gave Enzo is so plausible.  Looking back I now understand some of Dragon's behaviors and those memories are endearing having read this book.

I won't tell you how it ends, but I encourage you to read it.  If anything you will learn how manipulative some people can be to make others miserable and try to take all they value away.  Maybe you know already; most of us do, but it's a different angle and honestly, we don't know ALL the angles of life.

When is a dog not a dog?  I suggest you read the book and find out.

I think we could all benefit from an Enzo.

Catherine

Picture is from dogtime.com