The Filioque, ACNA, and the Anglican Communion

For the vast majority of people in the Anglican Communion the Nicene Creed is recited week after week with the filioque clause. This of course is where we say in the creed that the Holy Spirit proceeds from “the Father and the Son. The “and the Son” clause is “filioque” roughly in Latin. However, many Anglicans do not know that the Anglican Church, at least from the side of leadership, has been moving to remove the filioque and go back to the original Creed which says, “The holy Spirit proceeds from the Father.” Here are some things to consider:

• In 1978 the Anglican Communion’s Lambeth Conference requested “that all member Churches of the Anglican Communion should consider omitting the Filioque from the Nicene Creed, and that the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Commission through the Anglican Consultative Council should assist them in presenting the theological issues to their appropriate synodical bodies and should be responsible for any necessary consultation with other Churches of the Western tradition.”
• In 1988 the conference “ask(ed) that further thought be given to the Filioque clause, recognizing it to be a major point of disagreement (with the Orthodox) … recommending to the provinces of the Anglican Communion that in future liturgical revisions the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed be printed without the Filioque clause.” At a subsequent joint meeting of the Anglican Primates and Anglican Consultative Council in 1993, a resolution was passed urging Anglican churches to comply with the request that “in future liturgical revisions the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed be printed without the Filioque clause.”
• In 1985 the General Convention of The Episcopal Church (USA) recommended that the Filioque clause should be removed from the Nicene Creed, if this were endorsed by the 1988 Lambeth Council. Accordingly, at its 1994 General Convention, the Episcopal Church reaffirmed its intention to remove the words “and the son” from the Nicene Creed in the next revision of its Book of Common Prayer.The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer was last revised in 1979, and has not been revised since the resolution.
• In 1985 The Synodical body of the Anglican Church of Canada approved the original Nicene’ Creed to be printed and used in the Alternative Service Book of the Anglican Church of Canada.

It is true that there have been more pressing concerns recently within the Anglican Communion,, including issues surrounding the authority of Lambeth 1998. However, those who would like to call attention to Lambeth 98 as authoritative should also look at Lambeth 78 and 88, and consider removing the filioque in compliance with those previous conferences.  The Anglican Church of North America, is in the process of looking at various liturgical revisions.  Likewise, they have also entered into renewed ecumenical talks with the Eastern Orthodox Church through OCA.  It would go a long way in showing our support for Lambeth and a gracious nod to our Ecumenical partners in Orthodoxy if we were to return to the original Nicene Creed in any future liturgical reforms that come out of our Province.   It will be interesting to see if the Anglican Communion could live without the filioque clause, the Church on the British Isles did for centuries and I think her descendents could again.

The dangers of politics: You cannot serve God and Money

Every few years America enters the ritual of politics: mudslinging, lies, destruction of lives, and false promises.   Billions of dollars are spent every political cycle, not to get information out to people so that they can make informed decisions, but rather so that they might hate one of the candidates enough to vote for the other guy (that they really don’t like either).   It’s a fascinating time to be an American.   And it’s potentially one of the hardest times to be a Christian.

I say that because at no other time in American life are Christians more divided than during the political cycle.   Part of the problem is just the nature of our democratic system.   Christians, like other groups, are exploited during election seasons so they can vote for democrats, republicans, the left, the right, the tea party or the green party (I’m personally leaning toward the green-tea party).  We are exploited by 24 hour news, mass media, talk radio, and grassroots campaigns.   A lot of money is used to enrage, to anger, to manipulate, to bear false witness, to cause hatred – which ultimately only serves to inflame our passions not for the love of God, but for the fear of man.

What are Christians to do then during this season?   Not vote?  Whether or not you vote is up to you.   Who you vote for is up to you.  There are Christians on the left, right, the center, democratic, republican and in a variety of other political affiliations.   However as a Christian, whatever you do and whoever you vote for, you have the responsibility during the political season to love your fellow Christian no matter how they cast their vote.    Talk about who you like, pray about who you should vote for, pray for your country, and vote your conscience, but do not forget that your ultimate allegiance is to Our Father in heaven.

So when you talk about the tea party don’t call them names, when you talk about the President don’t bare false witness, when you disagree with the democrats don’t belittle them, and when you argue against republicans … argue against ideas not their humanity.   If Christians during this time, at the Advent and around America, can go through this cycle of politics loving those we disagree with, then we will prove that that we truly serve God and not the billions of dollars spent to control us and our passions.

In one way this is a counter politic.   And this counter politic finds its fullest expression in the liturgy every Sunday when we as the people of God pass the Peace to our neighbors, no matter what political affiliation they identify with.   For it is in the passing of the Peace of Christ that we affirm our first allegiance to the King of heaven and earth.   In a world starved for authority which truly helps people, there is the Peace of Christ.  In a world full of violence and uncertainty, there is the Peace of Christ.  In a world divided and angry, there is the Peace of Christ.   The exchange of the Peace of Christ is the greatest political statement we can ever make.  Let us then vote as we may this season, but let us allow the Peace of Christ to be our primary political statement for the Glory of God.

In the Name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Little Advent: the Church as Family

With the addition of new families coming and plugging into The Advent, I thought it would be good to write an article laying out the theological nature of our children’s ministry.  This may seem strange because often the focus is on “vision” or “purpose,” — and we have those things too.  But as a priest and parent (I’m a Father and a father), I want to illustrate an important theological aspect of our parish, to help us move forward together as more families join us.

Stanley Hauerwas, a theologian and ethicist, in talking about the church and children said this:

“We, as church, are ready to be challenged by the other. This has to do with the fact that in the church, every adult, whether single or married, is called to be parent. All Christian adults have a parental responsibility because of baptism. Biology does not make parents in the church. Baptism does. Baptism makes all adult Christians parents and gives them the obligation to help introduce these children to the Gospel. Listen to the baptismal vows; in them the whole church promises to be parent. In this regard the church reinvents the family.”

Within the Church today it’s fashionable to talk about “community,” and you may even hear me occasionally use the word.  There’s nothing wrong with the idea of community.  But if that’s all the church is, then it’s being less than what it’s called to be.   The Church, at its heart, is not simply a community of individuals but the family of God.   It is within this identity of the Church as “the family of God” that children are brought into a nurturing relationship with God and one another.   Within this living family children learn to say with us “Our Father who art in heaven.”  The Church is the place where our children experience the Family of God and begin to know the name of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Church then, as a whole, becomes responsible (both single and married) for the spiritual growth and discipleship of every child (and adult convert) within the parish.  Within the Anglican tradition we have vows similar to the ones Hauerwas refers to.   They appear in the Book of Common Prayer in the Rite of Baptism.   The baptized along with their “sponsor” (traditionally called Godparent) make vows to continue to pursue Christ throughout their lives.  And then the Church is asked by the one baptizing:

Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ?

The Church responds, “We will.”  It is this “we will” that calls all of us as Christians to support with our lives and words those among us who are just starting out on their journey of faith.   This is why it is important for children to be among us, whether they are baptized or not.   If we as a parish know what we’re about, we will see children among us as gifts from God and work to ensure that with our lives and words they will know Christ — not in the abstract, but in the concrete reality of our lives together.

This is why we invite all kids four and above into the service during Communion.     We want our children with us during the Eucharist.  Through this part of the common worship we want them to learn with us how to worship God, what it means to be baptized, and how to give thanks to God for his saving acts.   In essence, we want our children to learn how to be a part of the family of God.   In the end we believe that this is one of the ways that we at the Advent can be faithful to Christ when he commands his disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”  Luke 18:16

Icons and the Incarnation

Icons are images depicting Jesus, saints of the church, or scenes from the Bible that have been used by the church for centuries. The art of making these images dates back very early in the life of the church, at least to the 2nd century catacomb churches in Rome. Icons continue to be widely used in the church, especially in the East. But it is very unusual to see Icons in Western churches these days. Since the reformation, many churches have been wary of having images where they worship. There are several reasons why, not least for fear of idolatry. Without covering the full history of the use of Icons, here is a brief explanation why we at The Advent use Icons in our worship.

The first thing that one needs to know is that an Icon is a work of visual art which reveals heavenly realities. Icons do not simply signify something, they reveal it. The image of Christ in the Icon is not to simply be observed as a work of art, but to be a bridge to bring us into the presence of Christ. This is not unlike the purpose of musical art in worship – for music is not there as an end in of itself but rather to bring us into God’s presence. Visual and musical art, when they give glory to God, can become conduits of the presence of God. Psalm 22:3 puts it this way, “God is enthroned in the praises of His People.” This was true in the Old Testament and even more so in the New.

This leads to the second thing about Icons that is important: Icons are an affirmation of the Incarnation. The New Testament is the story of the Incarnation. It is the story of God the Creator becoming a part of His creation. The implications of this cannot be exhausted, for it is truly one of the great mysteries of our faith. However, one implication to this story is that creation has been hallowed. Creation itself has been sanctified by the presence of God in the person of Jesus Christ. That is why the church has long defended the use of Icons throughout the ages – because the Incarnation makes “things” holy.

To quote one of the fathers of the Church in the 8th century: “Of old, God the incorporeal and uncircumscribed was never depicted. Now, however, when God is seen clothed in flesh, and conversing with men, I make an image of the God whom I see. I do not worship matter; I worship the God of matter, who became matter for my sake, and deigned to inhabit matter, who worked out my salvation through matter.” – St. John of Damascus

The use of Icons are affirmations of the Incarnation. They are not only conduits of God’s presence, but are visual reminders that He has come in the flesh and dwelt among us.

Lent & Fasting

The season of Lent is officially forty days. This does not include Sundays that fall through Lent, because Sundays are days of celebration and corporately the Church never fasts on those days. Forty is a significant number in the Bible. In the story of the great flood, Noah and his family were protected during a forty day and night deluge by being placed in an ark. When Israel was delivered from Egypt in the Exodus, they wondered in the wilderness for forty years. And it was Jesus who after being baptized went into the wilderness for forty days. All of these stories in some way are brought together within the season of Lent. However, it is the story of Jesus which most defines this season. Jesus fasted for forty days and that is why the Church calls us to fast for forty days in preparation for Easter.

Fasting has taken on a variety of meaning in the Church today. During the time of Jesus, fasting was exclusively food. You fasted food. Typically, fasting only happened from morning to evening. Today the church recognizes that fasting can be abstaining from other things besides food. Some people fast television, facebook, news, or alcohol. While abstaining from these things can be good if they create time and space for repentance and prayer, we should not overlook the value of forgoing certain foods and even meals. Nothing can help us become convinced of our spiritual emptiness like an empty stomach. Likewise, nothing can help us experience our spiritual void than the blandness of certain foods. Judaism and Christianity both have a deep belief in the spirituality of food. Our bodies and souls are intimately connected and so often we ignore the condition of our souls, therefore we have to be awakened to that void, emptiness, and desire for God; and one of the best ways to do that is through fasting food.

Consider then what food you might be able to give up this season of Lent. You can give up meat, or just red meat. In the eastern churches there is a tradition of giving up red-meat and all dairy products. Some people give up a meal throughout the day, and others fast the traditional morning to evening. There are some who will need to talk with their doctors beforehand because they have special dietary needs and fasting is never to be self destructive. Whatever you give up this season, though, allow it to be something that awakens you to your need of God. It can be difficult sometimes, but as the Church Father and Mothers all testify is it worth the price you pay, for ultimately you are seeking God.

Ordinary Time

When I first began to attend liturgical churches, one of the first things that stood out to me was the idea of the Church calendar. I was familiar with holidays like Christmas and Easter, but I never grew up participating in seasons like Lent or Advent. The idea of seasons in the Church was foreign to me. When I started really looking at the Church calendar, though, I was amazed at how “Christ-o-centric” it was. The Church year begins with Advent, the anticipation of the coming of Christ – both his first and second coming. Then there is the 12-day season of Christmas, which is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. That leads straight to the season of Epiphany and the celebration of the revelation of who Jesus is for the world, specifically remembered in the Magi coming to visit Christ. This time goes on until the season of Lent when the Church embarks on a 40 day fast in preparation for the great Feast of the Resurrection and the great 50 days of Easter. This culminates in the crowning feasts of Ascension and Pentecost. As you observe these you discover that the first part of the Church year is the journey through the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. It’s an annual pilgrimage the Church makes in adoration of the Savior.

What are we to make, then, of the second part of the Church year – the period that follows this great pilgrimage – called Ordinary Time? Initially I thought this season was strange. Was the first part of the Church year dedicated to journeying with Jesus and the second part for us to just go back to our “ordinary lives?” The problem, I think for most of us, is the language. The word ordinary comes from the word “ordinal” which simply means “to count.” Ordinary Time then is the time we count from Pentecost to the season of Advent. But where does this leave us with our journey with Jesus? Is the journey over in Ordinary Time? Not at all, for as we journey during the first part of the year with Jesus in his life, within the second part of the year we as Christians are called to live out the life of Jesus in our own lives. It is a season that the Church calls us into in order to reflect on all that we have been given by God the Father in Jesus his Son; and to learn to live that out in thanksgiving. The second part of the Church calendar is equally as Christ-o-centric as the first. So the Church worships and celebrates throughout the whole year the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, & Lent

Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, & Lent

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent.  It begins our time of preparing ourselves for Holy Week: the celebration of Pascha (Passover).  The Church does not rush towards Holy Week; rather we are called to reflect on our life, to repent, and to fast.   Lent is a time of corporate repentance and fasting; and the beginning of that time is marked by the traditional Jewish sign of repentance: ashes.  In the Old Testament, when people were in mourning and repentance they would put ashes on their head and wear sackcloth.   The Church continued part of that Tradition by marking Christians at the beginning of Lent with a cross made of ashes on their forehead.

The ashes that are placed on our heads are not random but are made from palm branches which were used in the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration.  Palm Sunday is the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the Gospels tell us that people celebrated and hailed Him as Messiah.   But it was those same people who in just a few short days would cry out to Pilate, “Crucify Him!”  It is a dramatic sign that what we use in the Church for worship, Palm branches, becomes the sign of our repentance the following year.  The Church throughout the ages knows all too well that we are no different than those who welcomed Jesus and then turned against Him.  We are broken, wounded, and yes sinful people who know that it is only the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that saves us.  Let us then turn to God is the season of Lent through repentance to find our healing and forgiveness so that we can truly celebrate the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.