This is the time of year I make my formal apology to non-sports fans everywhere, as take the time to rejoice in the ritual of baseball’s spring training. I suppose I must also apologize to the fans of other sports, those sports which are ever so noble but regrettably inferior to baseball.
“Once upon a time,” an ancient story tells, “the master had a visitor who came to inquire about Zen. But instead of listening, the visitor kept talking about his own concerns and giving his own thoughts. After a while, the master served tea. He poured tea into his visitor’s cup until it was full and then he kept on pouring.
Chicago Tribune political columnist Clarence Page says racial interests appear to be outweighing ethical concerns.
James Dobson is done. Jerry Falwell and D. James Kennedy have passed away. Billy Graham is ailing. Pat Robertson is nearly 80 and has been relegated to sideshow status.The Republican Party isn’t the only far-right institution with a leadership vacuum.
As was reported here last month, a mission team from the Episcopal Church traveled to Southern Sudan. The purpose of the trip was to do groundwork for the expansion of diocese to diocese relationships. We now have reports on how things went.
Cadbury commits to going Fairtrade. Church Times Blog has a roundup of reports.
The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth along with the Rt. Rev. Edwin F. Gulick Jr., provisional bishop of the diocese, authorized a letter be sent to the attorneys working with the former bishop, the Rt. Rev. Jack L. Iker.
I am appointing a Doctrine and Worship Committee … to create a liturgy, appropriate protocols and procedures and an evaluative process. This will determine whether or not the blessing of same-gender couples civilly married will become a practice among supportive parishes within the Diocese of Ottawa…. – Bishop John Chapman
Emma Ruby-Sachs gives a preview of what we can expect to hear in the oral arguments before the California Supreme Court concerning Proposition 8:
Henri Nouwen: Writing about the spiritual life is like taking prints from negatives… Often it is the dark forest that makes us speak about the open field. Frequently it is prison that makes us think about freedom, hunger helps us to appreciate food and war gives us words for peace.”