Good Friday morning, good pilgrims of the Epiphany Season. So, there have been an interesting few *things* happening on social media as responses to the homiletic moment between The Bishop and the Old King.
One is that, apparently, a good deal of the citizenry think that because the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is more popularly known as "The National Cathedral," it belongs to the government of The United States of America, the way, say, The Cathedral of Notre Dame belongs to France.
Nay, nay. It is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC. The "cathedra" - the chair of the bishop - is kept there, as a symbol of episcopal power and authority.
So, no, children. The POTUS can not "fire" the bishop. Nor can he control what happens at The Cathedral. He can't, for example, order the ashes of Matthew Shepherd, which are interred in a columbarium there, removed, as some on social media have apparently called for.
No, really. They have. Some of the members of the Flying MAGA Monkeys are a vicious lot, aren't they?
Oh, but the viciousness doesn't end there. There's a meme going 'round with a picture of Bishop Mariann with the words, "Deport Illegal Anglicans."
Vicious? Yes. Here's the rich irony of that. That meme is being promoted in the dark, ugly corners of the internet where those who have left the Episcopal Church over the ordination of women and LGBTQ+ people tend to lurk, to nurse their wounds even as they pick at the scabs to keep them open and bleeding.
It would be hilarious if it weren't so pathetic. And so very, terribly un-Christ-like.
Oh, you're going to love this: One particularly snarky, sad "Anglican" inferred that Bishop Mariann was "racist" when she talked about "the people who pick *our* crops and clean *our* office buildings . . .". As if she were supporting a caste system versus naming the reality that exists in our society.
This is what happens when you eat a steady diet of the Bread of Discontent and Resentment. It can turn young people into crabby old men and women, clutching their cardigan sweaters and shouting, "Get off my damn lawn."
Then there are the inevitable memes with illusions to the game of chess. In that game, of course, there are two bishops, one near the king and one near the queen. A king can move one square horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, one unoccupied square at a time. The king can capture an opponent's piece if it's undefended.
Bishops can move any number of squares diagonally as long as there are no pieces in the way. The long-range diagonal movements of the bishop can be used to protect pawns and threaten the opponent's pawns.
I know. It was too delicious not to meme.
Umm . . . well, yes, that was a moment. And, while there was some controversy, it was more about the "American Black Church Style" of preaching in a traditional Church of England royal wedding when there was already controversy about the biracial status of the divorced American commoner who was marrying the Prince.
This controversy with this diocesan bishop is different. First of all, the bishop is a woman. And, she spoke directly to the POTUS who would be King. In her two-minute ending to her sermon, she pleaded for "mercy" for "those who are scared right now".
The Bishop moved diagonally over several squares to protect the pawns in the game. The King was notably outraged. This was all to the absolute delight of some and the great distress of others.
So, some are asking, Is it wise to seize the moment for evangelism when you are only going to appeal to 49.8% of those who voted for the King?
Only half? Isn't half more than we have now?
Is it reasonable to expect that our appeal will be 100%? Didn't Jesus say, "Let those who have ears hear?" I suspect he knew that some are simply incapable of hearing the Good News.
In a time of the "official governmental demise" of DEI, what percentage of the population will be attracted to our slogan, "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You"?
How many will be offended by our ad campaigns, many of them showing women and people of color smiling and laughing and standing shoulder to shoulder with Caucasian men and women?
Or, is that the appeal of denominationalism? Different angles on the same gem? If you don't like our sparkle, try another denominational prism.
Here's another concern: Are we promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ or are we promoting those who promote the Gospel?
Which brings us to the essential question: Why do people come to church? Is it to hear the Gospel or to hear the particular person who is proclaiming the Gospel?
How much of the leader's personality is a healthy part of the church's appeal?
It's an interesting dance, isn't it? Apparently, it's as old as the early church. Evangelism vs a promotion/marketing thing based on the leader's personality.
I don't have any answers. It's just an endless fascination for me. And, apparently, for the church.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: This is a great time to be a Christian. Indeed, I think it's a great time to be a person of faith. That's because this time is calling us to look closely at what it is we say we believe and who it is we say we are. And, to stand up and speak out for both.
Rahm Emanuel said, "You never want a good crisis to go to waste." I think the man makes a good point.
I hope something good happens to you today.
Bom dia.
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