Thinking Anglicans

Advent opinions

Gary Anderson writes in The Times that If sin creates a debt, almsgiving creates a heavenly credit.

Stephen Wang writes there also. He argues that Religious education is not brainwashing.

Mark Vernon writes in the Guardian about Galileo’s dependence on John Philoponus. Read Face to Faith.

Andrew Brown wrote at Cif belief Who are the creationists?

Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times that [Parkour is] No way to overcome urban ennui.

Last week, Chris Chivers wrote in the Church Times about multiculturalism. See No model and no checks.

And Richard Parrish wrote about church schools. See Call us what we are: of the Church.

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Father Ron Smith
Father Ron Smith
14 years ago

“If sin creates a “debt” that must be repaid, then it is altogether logical that an act of moral virtue – such as the giving of alms to the poor – would create a “credit” – Gary Anderson, The Times – This was the theory of the RCC in Luther’s day. In John Osborne’s marvellous play ‘Luther” the author has a scene where Bishop Cajetan was in the market-place, supervising the infamous “Sale of Indulgences”. This was seen, in the play, to be one of the important reasons for Luther giving up on the Roman Catholic Church. The only problem… Read more »

Charlie
Charlie
14 years ago

Can anyone help me find the Daniel quote in the same article?

“Pay off your sins by almsgiving and your iniquities by deeds of mercy toward the poor.” -Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar in the Gary Anderson article.

I have basic bible search software and can’t find it in Daniel anywhere. Including in apocryphal Daniel.

Am I being dense?
Charlie

BillyD
14 years ago

“Can anyone help me find the Daniel quote in the same article?”

Daniel 4:27

The word “tzedakah” literally means “righteousness” or “justice,” but is also the Hebrew term for what Christians call “almsgiving” or “charity.” The JPS version and, I think the Douay-Rheims translate the word as pertaining to alms, whereas a lot of Protestanty versions seem to translate it as “righteousness.”

Christopher (P.)
Christopher (P.)
14 years ago

Charlie–

Try Daniel 4:27, although the NRSV has

Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone for your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged.

Christopher (P.)

Charlie
Charlie
14 years ago

Thank you. I see it now, though the translation seems to make quite a bit of difference.

Interestingly the New Jerusalem Version (where it is v24)reads to me as if it has gone in a more “Protestant” direction. It looks like the meaning of the verb is what makes an even bigger difference than alms/righteousness.

‘May it please the king to accept my advice: by upright actions break with your sins, break with your crimes by showing mercy to the poor, and so live long and peacefully.’

Thank you for the swift help,
Charlie

ordinary vicar
ordinary vicar
14 years ago

Fr Ron – you seem to have bent the point somewhat to make a comment about the Roman Catholic church. Again. I’m not making a judgement, just puzzled; you clearly have left it but you don’t seem quite free of it …

Father Ron Smith
Father Ron Smith
14 years ago

“Fr Ron – you seem to have bent the point somewhat to make a comment about the Roman Catholic church. Again. I’m not making a judgement, just puzzled; you clearly have left it but you don’t seem quite free of it … “ – Ordinary Vicar – Actually, NO. I never was part of the Roman Catholic Church – not have I ever considered joining it’s ranks. I, like you, am just an ‘ordinary vicar’ – retired, but not inactive. My ‘catholicity’ stems from my Baptism in the Church of England, worship in many countries of the world, and ultimately,… Read more »

Christopher (P.)
Christopher (P.)
14 years ago

The sale of indulgences may have been discontinued, but the theology is very much alive, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church shows–and I guess, Anderson’s article.

drdanfee
drdanfee
14 years ago

Fr Wang is being simplistic. He completely breezes past how frequently sectarian educations encourage children – who already have developmental tilts going – to consolidate their own sense of worth and autonomy (I am special to God, to my parents, to my gang, and to myself?) by dissing and bullying other kids who are defined as Outs And Downs by some particular religion dogma and/or social pecking order. He also might do well, if he is going to opine so loftily about religious schools and education and children, to go back and re-read Piaget and Kohlberg and related developmental psychology… Read more »

drdanfee
drdanfee
14 years ago

The varieties of creationism are all about a certain constrained and uncritical confidence in how revelation and holy texts are. Deeply, are. If God has not spoken simply and plainly, zero risk; then according to this forced either/or, one can have no trust in God, or in holy texts, at all. One might as well eat, drink, and be merry before dying sooner or later. No believer I’ve ever really met will live that way; but they always think that they are at some profound risk of coming to live so mindlessly? The gap or lacunae of self and self-scrutiny… Read more »

Father Ron Smith
Father Ron Smith
14 years ago

“By Michael Heidt and David W. Virtue http://www.Virtueonline.org/ Forward in Christ Magazine November 30, 2009 VOL: Would the Diocese of Fort Worth be forced to leave ACNA if Archbishop Duncan ordained women? Iker: Archbishop Duncan does ordain women to the priesthood (and always has), and this places us in an impaired relationship. From this time on, it would be immensely helpful if he were to delegate such ordinations to other ACNA bishops. If at some time in the future ACNA authorizes the ordination of women bishops, Fort Worth would withdraw.” This Advent Statement, made by the renegade Fort Worth Bishop… Read more »

ordinary vicar
ordinary vicar
14 years ago

Fr Ron – apologies. I had you confused with another posster.

OV

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