eChurch Blog

This is an excellent article (as usual) from Tmatt over at the Get Religion website, covering the bizarre news recently, of the discovery of a treasure trove belonging to the late Michael Ramsey, a former archbishop of Canterbury at the bottom of the River Wear!

Want to read something that’s really bizarre?

What we have here is either a crime story, a liturgical mystery or a sad story about one of the most distinguished and important Anglo-Catholic leaders of the 20th century. I have no idea which choice is the correct one, but I hope its a crime mystery. Here is the top of the Associated Press report:

Read more at Get Religion

Some of the loveliest human beings I have ever had the pleasure to meet have been Downs Syndrome folk!

Previous related post:-

Endangered species – Down Syndrome children are disappearing because of the popularity of do-it-yourself eugenics.

The Christian Institute

ROME (JTA) — Relations with the Jewish world appears to be one topic at the heart of talks between the Vatican and a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group.

Representations of the Vatican and the Society of St. Pius X began a series of talks Monday aimed at reconciliation.

A Vatican statement said among a number of “main doctrinal differences” between the Society and the Vatican to be discussed in a series of upcoming meetings were “the relationship between Christianity and non-Christian religions, and religious freedom.”

In January, Pope Benedict sparked outrage when he lifted the excommunication order against four of the society’s bishops, including a Holocaust denier, Bishop Richard Williamson, as part of an attempt to return the men to the mainstream Catholic fold.

John Piper

Sometimes readers of the Bible see the conditions that God lays down for his blessing and they conclude from these conditions that our action is first and decisive, then God responds to bless us.

That is not right.

There are indeed real conditions that God often commands. We must meet them for the promised blessing to come. But that does not mean that we are left to ourselves to meet the conditions or that our action is first and decisive.

Here is one example to show what I mean.

In Jeremiah 29:13 God says to the exiles in Babylon, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” So there is a condition: When you seek me with all your heart, then you will find me. So we must seek the Lord. That is the condition of finding him.

True.

But does that mean that we are left to ourselves to seek the Lord? Does it mean that our action of seeking him is first and decisive? Does it mean that God only acts after our seeking?

No.

Listen to what God says in Jeremiah 24:7 to those same exiles in Babylon: “I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.”

So the people will meet the condition of returning to God with their whole heart. God will respond by being their God in the fullest blessing. But the reason they returned with their whole heart is that God gave them a heart to know him. His action was first and decisive.

So now connect that with Jeremiah 29:13. The condition there was that they seek the Lord with their whole heart. Then God will be found by them. But now we see that the promise in Jeremiah 24:7 is that God himself will give them such a heart so that they will return to him with their whole heart.

This is one of the most basic things people need to see about the Bible. It is full of conditions we must meet for God’s blessings. But God does not leave us to meet them on our own. The first and decisive work before and in our willing is God’s prior grace. Without this insight, hundreds of conditional statements in the Bible will lead us astray.

Let this be the key to all Biblical conditions and commands: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13). Yes, we work. But our work is not first or decisive. God’s is. “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

I’m putting the following link to an article I have just read, written by a humanist, on his reflections, having attended the Atheist Alliance International meeting, as I found it rather insightful.

I think it is worthwhile once in a while, to look into the atheist world and see what motivates them and note their internal divisions and contradictions.

Atheists Gather in Burbank: A Humanist’s Response

FURTHER LINK

Atheism’s own fundamentalists lead ‘religion’ of ‘Not’

chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it

by Sandro Magister

ROME, October 26, 2009 – With the Mass celebrated yesterday in St. Peter’s Basilica, Benedict XVI closed the second special synod for Africa, in which 231 synod fathers took part.

The international media gave very little coverage to the meeting. For various reasons, not least the mediocrity of the discussion and the modest scope of the final propositions.

Benedict XVI sat in on many of the sessions himself. But in a departure from previous synods, he never participated directly in the discussion. He gave two homilies at the opening and closing Masses, he gave a meditation after the third hour of the first day of work, and he made a few comments at the end of the lunch that concluded the work on Saturday, October 24 (see photo).

But in these few comments, the pope laid bare the practical limitations of the synod, the theme of which was “The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. ‘You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world’ (Mt. 5:13-14).”

Pope Joseph Ratzinger said:

“I could say that the theme itself was not an easy challenge, containing two dangers. The theme ‘Reconciliation, justice and peace’ certainly implies a strong political dimension, even if it is obvious that reconciliation, justice and peace are not possible without a deep purification of the heart, without renewal of thought, a ‘metanoia,’ without something new that can only come from the encounter with God. But even if this spiritual dimension is profound and fundamental, the political dimension is also very real, because without political achievements, these changes of the Spirit usually are not realized. Therefore the temptation could have been in politicizing the theme, to talk less about pastors and more about politicians, thus with a competence that is not ours.

“The other danger was – to avoid this temptation – pulling oneself into a purely spiritual world, in an abstract and beautiful world, but not a realistic one. A pastor’s language, instead, must be realistic, it must touch upon reality, but within the perspective of God and His Word. Therefore this mediation involves, on one hand being truly tied to reality, taking the care to talk about what is, and on the other hand not fall into technically political solutions: this means to demonstrate a concrete but spiritual word.”

In spite of all these dangers, nonetheless, the synod was “good work,” the pope said. It was able to mediate sufficiently between the political and spiritual dimensions. “And for me this is also a reason for thanks because it makes the post-synodal document easier to draft.”

Every synod, in fact, leads to a post-synodal apostolic exhortation that is published months later, written by the pope on the basis of the propositions formulated by the fathers at the end of the meeting.

In the past, these propositions were kept confidential, but since Ratzinger has been pope they have been made public, at his decision.

This time, there were 57 propositions – “propositiones” in Latin. And here is a link to the complete text:

Please click the below link if you wish to view the 57 propositions in English:-

> Final List of Propositions

Previous related posts:-

The so-called “defamation of religions” U.N. resolutions, proposed by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, would create a “global blasphemy law,” the chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom warned on Wednesday.

A ministry working with persecuted Christians launched a campaign Tuesday against a U.N. resolution (The Defamation of Religions Resolution) that many human rights groups say can be manipulated to oppress Christian minorities living in Muslim-majority countries.

By William Wan – Washington Post Staff Writer

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized on Monday an attempt by Islamic countries to prohibit defamation of religions, saying such policies would restrict free speech.

“Some claim that the best way to protect the freedom of religion is to implement so-called anti-defamation policies. . . . I strongly disagree,” Clinton said. “The protection of speech about religion is particularly important since persons of different faiths will inevitably hold divergent views on religious questions.”

While unnamed in Clinton’s speech, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, a group of 56 Islamic nations, has been pushing hard for the U.N. Human Rights Council to adopt resolutions that broadly bar the defamation of religion. The effort has raised concerns that such resolutions could be used to justify crackdowns on free speech in Muslim countries.

Clinton made her comments while unveiling the State Department’s annual report on international religious freedom.

Many advocates of religious freedom applauded Clinton’s remarks on blasphemy laws, but some said the report did not go far enough in censuring or proposing action against countries with a track record of abuses or persecution on religious grounds.

“To date, President Obama has raised religious freedom in his speeches abroad without those sentiments being translated into concrete policy actions, and our hope is that this report will be the administration’s call to action,” said Leonard Leo, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent federal agency.

The 1998 legislation that established the annual report on religious freedom created Leo’s group — a permanent, nine-member commission to advise the president and government — as well as an ambassador at large for international religious freedom.

Knox Thames, acting executive director of the group, singled out the report’s description of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Vietnam. “I think it could be stronger. In their Vietnam chapter, for instance, it completely ignores the issue of prisoners. It’s believed several individuals are in jail because of their religiously motivated politics,” he said. “We just think that’s a mistake.”

Tom Farr, who was the first director of the State Department’s office of international religious freedom and now teaches at Georgetown University, called the report imbalanced. “It spends too much time identifying the problem and not enough on what the U.S. is doing and should be doing to address the problem,” he said.

Farr also noted that the report was presented without an ambassador at large in charge of international religious freedom, because Obama has not nominated a candidate.

“I think it’s a bad sign,” he said. “There’s no excuse for not having anyone in that spot by now.”

Monday’s report also was notable for highlighting interfaith efforts, something Obama has pushed in his international speeches. Clinton, in her remarks, made deliberate mention of two such efforts, including contributions by Jordan to an interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

Staff writer Mary Beth Sheridan contributed to this report.

FURTHER INTERNET LINKS:-

Clinton Denounces Proposed ‘Defamation of Religions’ Policy

U.S. Releases Annual Freedom-Of-Religion Report To Promote ‘Universal Value’

Shocker: Hillary Clinton breaks with her boss, denounces “defamation of religion” laws

Islamic countries push a global ‘blasphemy’ law

Christians suffer the greatest number of violations of religious freedom, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the apostolic nuncio who leads the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, told the U.N. General Assembly last Wednesday. He called for the revision or repeal of anti-blasphemy laws, saying their abuse aids such discrimination.

Islamic states pushing for ‘global blasphemy law’ – Opponents say real goal is crackdown on Christians, members of other faiths

Cross-post by Yeze at the Rosh Pina Project

The annual US state reports on International Religious Freedom have been published today, October 2009. You can read its report on Israel on the Department of State website.

This is what the report says on religious freedom in Israel:

While the Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty does not specifically refer to freedom of religion, it does refer to the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, which explicitly provides for the protection of religious freedom. In addition, numerous Supreme Court rulings incorporate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including their religious freedom provisions, into the country’s body of law. The Declaration describes the country as a Jewish state, establishing Judaism as the dominant religion while also promising full social and political equality, regardless of religious affiliation. The Basic Law describes the country as a “Jewish and democratic state.” Government policy continued to support the generally free practice of religion, although governmental and legal discrimination against non-Jews and non-Orthodox streams of Judaism continued.

The report notes:

There is a small but growing community of approximately 10,000 Messianic Jews.

On discrimination against Messianic Jews:

The legal defense NGO, Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ), alleged again this reporting period that officials in the Interior Ministry denied services to some citizens based on their religious beliefs. The JIJ’s legal defense caseload included numerous cases dealing with attempts by the Interior Ministry to revoke the citizenship of persons discovered holding Messianic or Christian beliefs, or to deny some national services–such as welfare benefits or passports–to such persons. In other cases the JIJ alleged that the Interior Ministry refused to process immigration applications from persons entitled to citizenship under the Law of Return if it was determined such persons held Christian or Messianic Jewish religious beliefs. On May 13, 2009, the JIJ filed a petition to the High Court on behalf of three Messianic Jews under the Law of Return whose application for immigration was blocked by the Ministry of Interior. They cited an April 2008 High Court ruling, which stated that the Government could not deny status to a person eligible to immigrate under the Law of Return on the basis of that person’s identification as a Messianic Jew, provided that person was not also considered Jewish under the Orthodox definition. The case was ongoing at the end of the reporting period.

On Messianic Jews in Israeli society:

Jewish-Arab tensions remained at approximately the same level as in recent years. However, tensions between some Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities and evangelical Christians and Messianic Jewish communities grew significantly during 2007 and 2008, and maintained their elevated levels through the end of the reporting period.

On the activities of Yad L’Achim, the harassment of Messianic Jews, and the false belief that missionary activity in Israel is illegal:

Society’s attitudes toward missionary activities and conversion generally were negative. Most Jews were opposed to missionary activity directed at Jews, and some were hostile to Jewish converts to Christianity. While proselytism is officially legal, missionaries continued to face harassment and discrimination by some Jewish activists and organizations. The Messianic Jewish and Jehovah’s Witnesses communities, among others, accused groups such as Yad L’Achim and Lev L’Achim, and Jewish religious organizations opposed to missionary activity, of harassing and occasionally assaulting their members. According to Yad L’Achim’s annual report for 2008, quoted in the newspaper Yom L’Yom, the organization “saved 174 souls from the clutches of the [Messianic and evangelical] mission” during the year. The organization’s semi-clandestine Counter-Missionary Department, headed by Rabbi Alex Artovski, also claimed to have dozens of informants and infiltrators in the Government and in Christian or Messianic Jewish congregations, enabling the organization to force the closure of 18 religious meeting places and expel 12 “top-ranking” missionaries from the country during 2008. According to JIJ attorneys and representatives of affected religious communities, Yad L’Achim succeeded in such activities by pressuring landlords, employers and Interior Ministry officials to assist its campaign against groups it deemed “dangerous cults.”

Despite harassment, the number of Messianic Jews and evangelical Christians has grown in recent years through both immigration and conversion. During the reporting period, however, increased press reporting and complaints from religious freedom activists indicated a corresponding increase in Yad L’achim and associated activism, and a growing wider backlash against the presence of evangelical Christian or Messianic Jewish congregations and missionaries living in Jewish communities. Exacerbating these tensions was the widespread but false belief that proselytizing is illegal in the country.

On violence against Messianic Jews:

On June 10, 2009 the Be’er Sheva District Court handed down sentences to two defendants charged with assaulting the pastor of a Messianic congregation in Be’er Sheva and damaging property. Members of the congregation filed charges against the assailants after a witness to the assault filed a report with the Be’er Shiva police in December 2005. Earlier that month, a witness reported that a group of approximately 200 Orthodox Jews had violently disrupted the religious service of that congregation in Be’er Sheva. According to the account, the group pushed and slapped the congregation’s pastor and damaged property.

On May 15, 2009, ultra-Orthodox residents of the Tel Aviv suburb of Rehovot attacked and beat a group of Messianic Jews who were handing out New Testament pamphlets on the street. According to press reports, secular passers-by joined in the beating before police intervened to stop them.

U.S. government policy:

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. The U.S. Embassy consistently raised concerns of religious freedom with the Foreign Ministry, the police, the Prime Minister’s office, and other government agencies.

Embassy officials maintained a dialogue with NGOs that follow human and civil rights matters, including religious freedom, and promote interfaith initiatives. Embassy representatives also attended and spoke at meetings of such organizations.

FURTHER INTERNET LINK

U.S. Releases Annual Freedom-Of-Religion Report To Promote ‘Universal Value’

MEDIA ADVISORY, (christiansunite.com) — A prominent Christian leader cautioned today against accepting a possible breakthrough in diplomatic negotiations with Iran on nuclear enrichment as a realistic solution to the Iranian nuclear problem. “Iran has a long history of not living up to its end of a deal,” according to Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, “and this proposed deal does not require Iran to stop enriching uranium. Furthermore, this deal assumes we know how much enriched uranium the Iranian government already has. How do we know they don’t have more hidden facilities where enrichment is taking place?”

According to press reports, Iranian negotiators have said a deal that would have Iran send most of its existing enriched uranium to Russia for processing is “on the right track,” but made it very clear that they have yet to gain approval of any such deal from Iran’s political leadership.

Land concluded: “If the deal is signed, I think President Reagan had it right when he said, ‘trust but verify,’ and in Iran’s case, it’s trust but verify on steroids.”

Recent Public Opinion Strategies polls reveal that 72 percent of American voters polled believe it is “unlikely” that Iran will live up to the type of nuclear agreement being discussed, while only 27 percent think it is “likely” they will. A full 39 percent say it is “not at all likely” that Iran will abide by the type of nuclear agreement being discussed in Vienna.

Land is one of over 50 signers of a letter sent to Congress by Christian Leaders for a Nuclear-Free Iran last month, calling for urgent action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The letter urged a total arms embargo and a cut off of exports of refined petroleum products, including gasoline, as a firm yet peaceful measure against the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.

Zenit News Agency (www.zenit.org)

The historical-critical method of interpreting biblical texts is legitimate and necessary, but it must not be forgotten that the key to the interpretation of Scripture is the faith of the Church, says Benedict XVI.

“If exegesis also wishes to be theology,” he told the Pontifical Biblical Institute today, “it must acknowledge that the faith of the Church is that form of ‘sim-patia’ without which the Bible remains as a sealed book.”

The Pope received in audience the professors and students of the Pontifical Biblical Institute on the occasion of the institute’s 100th anniversary. Pius X founded the institute in 1909, and entrusted its direction to the Society of Jesus.

Benedict XVI alluded to the debate on the historical-critical method of sacred Scripture, which aims to understand Scripture in light of the historical context and worldview of the era.

The Holy Father explained that the Second Vatican Council clarified in the dogmatic constitution “Dei Verbum” that the historical-critical method is legitimate and necessary, “reducing it to three essential elements: attention to literary genres; study of the historical context; examination of what is usually called Sitz im Leben” (roughly translated as “setting in life”).

“The foundation on which theological understanding of the Bible rests is the unity of Scripture,” the Pope affirmed, which implies “the understanding of the individual texts from the whole.”

“Scripture being only one thing starting from the one people of God, which has been its bearer throughout history, consequently to read Scripture as a unit means to read it from the Church as from its vital place, and to regard the faith of the Church as the real key to interpretation,” he added.

The Pontiff recalled as well that “the decisive word in the interpretation of Scripture corresponds to the Church, in her institutional organizations.”

“It is the Church, in fact,” he added, “that has been entrusted with the task of interpreting authentically the Word of God written and transmitted, exercising her authority in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Renewal

In his address, Benedict XVI recognized the important labor of the Biblical Institute and expressed his gratitude to the Society of Jesus for maintaining the Biblical Institute in Rome and in Jerusalem.

Putting the importance of biblical scholarship in perspective, the Pope noted that “in the course of this century, there is certainly an increased interest in the Bible and [...] greater awareness of the importance of the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church.”

“This has fostered in Christian communities a genuine spiritual and pastoral renewal, which above all has affected preaching, catechesis, the study of theology and ecumenical dialogue,” he noted.

The Pope praised the institute for making a “significant contribution to this renewal with scientific biblical research, the teaching of biblical disciplines and the publication of qualified studies and specialized journals.”

“Let us thank the Lord for this activity of yours that is dedicated to interpreting the biblical texts in the spirit in which they were written, and that opens to dialogue with the other disciplines, and with many cultures and religions,” the Pontiff added.

Benedict XVI continued: “The celebration of the centenary is an end, and at the same time a point of reference.

“Enriched by the experience of the past, continue on your way with renewed determination, aware of the service to the Church required of you, to bring the Bible closer to the life of the People of God, so that it will be able to address in an adequate way the unheard of challenges that modern times pose to the new evangelization.

“It is the common desire that sacred Scripture become in this secularized world, not only the soul of theology, but also the source of spirituality and vigor of the faith of all believers in Christ.”