Hopeful Ordinand

Hopeful Ordinand

45p

85 comments posted · 0 followers · following 0

13 years ago @ http://hopeful-ordinan... - Doing something I beli... · 0 replies · +1 points

I'm not quite sure what you're aiming at here. Are you suggesting that I'm engaging in some kind false humility exercise: 'Look at me, I'm so humble'? If so, that would miss my entire point.

It is, I think, perfectly reasonable to say that I'm not doing something because I want praise and acclamation. Give that I'm talking about other people's reactions to me, then why can't I say that I don't want their praise?

13 years ago @ http://hopeful-ordinan... - New templates · 0 replies · +1 points

Must remember to put intensedebate back in when I change templates!

13 years ago @ http://hopeful-ordinan... - What\'s in a name? · 0 replies · +1 points

Part (1) almost sounds like a challenge :)

Now, of course, I don't know if 'steven' is your real name - not that there's a problem with that! What's interesting is that your pseudonym is a 'real' name, so unlikely to get the same kind of response as a more overt pseudonym.

13 years ago @ An Exercise in the Fun... - If you wanted any proo... · 0 replies · +1 points

I suppose the short answer is 'yes' :)

I see the Bible as the basis of our understanding of God and salvation. The authority of Scripture is thus fundamental to the basis of Christian theology. That's not to say that other things can't inform that theology, but the basis is from the Bible. The Church of England is very good at expressing the correct way of thinking about this; canon A3 (1), for example ends with 'is agreeable to the Word of God': The Book of Common Prayer is consistent with the Bible, but sits under its authority.
My recent post What's in a name?

13 years ago @ http://hopeful-ordinan... - What\'s in a name? · 0 replies · +1 points

I can quote blog comments, if it helps jog your memory...

I still see no source to your assertions - though you seem quite happy to treat me as a real person by commenting on my blog.

13 years ago @ http://hopeful-ordinan... - What\'s in a name? · 0 replies · +1 points

Actually, you claimed that we were in a 'period of reception' for the ordination of men. I simply wanted you to provide the supporting evidence - nothing to do with the ordination of women - in the context of the discussion.

13 years ago @ http://hopeful-ordinan... - What\'s in a name? · 0 replies · +1 points

I am happy to give my opinion, and answer questions, when they are relevant to the discussion at hand. The discussion was about the 'period of reception', not about whether I think the Church of England will ever stop ordaining women. If we're involved in a discussion about the ordination of women, then feel free, ask away - at that point, my opinion is almost certainly pertinent.

13 years ago @ http://hopeful-ordinan... - What\'s in a name? · 0 replies · +1 points

Actually, what you said was that you wouldn't provide your sources while I remained anonymous. Nothing to do with my opinion - which was irrelevant to the matter at hand. Surely, your source is not dependent on my identity (or for that matter my opinion), or is this the ultimate in post-modern evidence? :)

The thing is, I don't really care whether you are the 'real' Canon Andrew Godsall, or not. Generally, it makes very little difference to the validity of your opinion - unless you are talking about issues in which being a Canon of the Church of England has an impact. Identity on the internet is a very malleable thing - what I'm interested in is opinion and discussion.

Let me extend the argument a bit. You post as Canon Andrew Godsall. Assuming that you are the Canon Andrew Godsall, do I take the views you express to be representative of that of the Diocese of Exeter? By posting with your title, you make that statement, even if you don't intend to.

13 years ago @ An Exercise in the Fun... - If you wanted any proo... · 2 replies · +1 points

"The ordination in Los Angeles was an opportunity to show how our tradition can embrace and enhance other cultural modes of worship, because it is based on the unique gift of worshipping God as He showed up and lives with us, a faith of the real and the actual."

I'm pretty sure that's a decent working definition of syncretism!

Your logic seems to be: there is only one God, therefore there can be no such thing as idolatry; to worship any god is in some way worshiping the one true God. That position is the 'all paths lead to God' of universalism, and that's not what the Bible says. From the beginning, the one true creator God commands our sole worship.

If this was not a serious issue, why would it be such a big deal through out the whole of the Bible. God's people are called to worship God alone, not to worship 'God and...'. If the early Christians had been able to worship God and the Roman Gods, they wouldn't have been killed. If Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had been able to worship God and Nebuchadnezzar, they wouldn't have been thrown into the fiery furnace, etc. etc. We can't have 'God and...', we can only have 'God alone'.

I suspect the Episcopalians and the tribal representatives may well have gone home thinking that their ceremony was just as valid as the others - that it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you're sincere, that all paths lead to the same God. Neither of that is the case.

There maybe 'cheerful baptisms' and the good works you mention are taking place. In to what are people being baptised and confirmed, to which god to the good works point? If they don't look to Jesus who said, 'No one comes to the Father except through me.' is their faith a real hope, or a faith in nothing?
My recent post What's in a name?

13 years ago @ http://hopeful-ordinan... - What\'s in a name? · 0 replies · +1 points

That's not the point I was making! Let's say I do call him. 'Are you Canon Andrew Godsall?' 'Yes'. That still doesn't tell me that the person I've called is the same!

How about if I call you, and check that you are who you say you are. It still doesn't tell me who you are - all it does is tell me that you use the same name. Identity on the internet is a very nebulous thing.