Just thought I'd give you a quick run-down of the week's events.
Monday I set up a small computer network for our centre while Julian made calls to local pastors about the East London Gospel Partnership (part of SEGP). Then we went and visited the vicar of three Church of England churches. We had been told ahead of time that she is a wonderful woman who loves Jesus but who speaks a different language than most "evangelicals". We spent almost an hour with her.
She is a self-described Anglo-Catholic. Very much on the "mystic" side of the experiencial spectrum. Her "specialty" is facilitating quiet days or weekends for meditation and reflection. She also gave us a thorough lesson on icons...the true meaning of icons, not the misunderstood meaning that many Protestants attach to them. She told us they are pieces of theology, not art. Every element is carefully planned to communicate some piece of theological truth. People hold the icons in high esteem - not because they worship the icon itself, but because they love and worship the God about whom the icon speaks. (Iconography - another Seminary Course That Should Have Been).
All in all, it was a pleasant meeting. She's not sure they will join the East London Gospel Partnership. She doesn't really see eye-to-eye with the more evangelical wing of the Anglican church - the guys who are helping spearhead the ELGP. I think she'd bring some much-needed diversity to the group, and could help the partnership think seriously about connecting with the more spiritual/mystical segment of society.
4 comments:
I really hope she joins you guys. She sounds very cool. I am a closet mystic myself and feel like it is a much neglected part of evangelical faith. I took a class last fall at PENN on Song of Songs and fell in love with mysticism. Of course i ammend it to fit my 21st century tastes, but i was sad i had never been exposed to it before. It just must not be important to the religion department at Grove City College. They are too busy trying to convince us that capitalism is Biblical. Oops, too cynical, right? sorry.
Anyway, i do think she would add a beautiful new dimension to the group. And i think Mystic writers and the History of Christian Mysticism would be another great seminary class.
Dan,
Are you going to have her lead you on a one-day quiet retreat? I think that would be awesome.
Jeff
Personally, the evangelicals I know seem to just adhere to whatever stance other ev's take on periphial issues like icons, instead of thinking deeply through the issue themselves. I know that sounds harsh, but is what I observe from ev's I know. How many ev's have a picture of Rembrandt's "The Return of the Prodigal" hanging in their office or den. Is that an icon? What about any other religious art?
The last time I checked, there's no 100% accurate way to measure a person's intentions, which is the point with icon's, isn't it?
By the way, I almost woke my wife up laughing at Krissy's "...capitalism is biblical" comment!HA!
Thanks guys. I enjoy the conversations we have here, even if I'm not all that timely in responding.
Jeff, that's not a bad idea...my team leader at the centre mentioned that he had been thinking about scheduling a quiet day for the workers at the centre - maybe we could ask this woman to lead it.
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