Archive for March, 2008
Written by: Rev. Professor Christopher Seitz
Saturday, March 29th, 2008
Because of its reflective character, John’s Gospel dwells on details and lets them speak in ways the other Gospels’ proximity and excitement sometimes prevents. The beloved disciple is “he who remains,” abides, literally leans on Jesus, and remaining is a key word in this Gospel. Because remaining allows one the space, the time, even the awkwardness of inaction, to discern and believe.
John does not criticize the active role of apostles; this has its place in God’s plans of sending forth and announcing and doing as Jesus did. But John stays where he is, close to Jesus, and so dwells on details and lets their significance come into focus.
read more...
March 29 2008 | Articles
Written by: Rev. Professor Christopher Seitz
Friday, March 21st, 2008
Good Friday provides us a second occasion-the traditional occasion-to reflect on the Passion of our Lord. The Gospel of John is exactly suited (designed) for this. For it too is a second and more in-depth look at the Passion, than what we had in Matthew on Palm Sunday.
read more...
March 21 2008 | Articles
Written by: Rev. Professor Christopher Seitz
Friday, March 21st, 2008
With what deep irony does John report the transfer of Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate. The Jews do not enter the Roman governmental headquarters for fear of defilement-in accordance with the law-and so do not hear the words they need to hear, and never will hear. Unless, like us, at a later day through this account from John.
And the true Passover lamb is Jesus himself. They will not partake of him as they attend to the Passover requirements he is himself, in himself, fulfilling. At noon on the day of Preparation, the slaughtering of Passover lambs begins, and leaven is removed from their houses and burned. It will be at that hour that Jesus is sentenced, having been scourged and flogged within an inch of his life, the true lamb led to slaughter. Yes, for John, this too, maybe even essentially this, is what he means when he says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” As the church fathers knew, this is what it meant for Jesus to be the servant of Isaiah: he bore our infirmities and carried our sicknesses: even the sicknesses we ourselves devised in the cruel cabinets of our imaginations. Justice meant to terrify and warn. Dispensed in ruthless fashion here.
read more...
March 21 2008 | Articles
Written by: Rev. Professor Christopher Seitz
Friday, March 21st, 2008
Our first two lessons served to expose the depths of treachery in the hearts of us all, in the heightened form of Gentile power and Jewish fear and hatred. But through it all, Jesus was neither condemning nor vindictive. He stood forth as King, through all the worst thrown his way. By this show of unworldly power the opponents of his kingdom had the secrets of their own hearts revealed, because of this and in smite of themselves. One commentator has said: “Pilate’s fear of the sinister and suspicious emperor was even greater than his awe of the mysterious personality of the Accused; his own safety appeared to him more important than a passing triumph over the accusers who were unsympathetic to him.” But God was using this all for an accomplishment it was always Jesus’ intention to fulfill, until his lips moved for the last time to form the words: “That is it; it has been accomplished.” It is finished.
read more...
March 21 2008 | Articles
Written by: The Anglican Communion Institute, Inc.
Monday, March 17th, 2008
The current public dispute over the canonical legality of the Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops’ recent vote to depose Bishops Schofield and Cox amounts at best to a severe embarrassment to the Presiding Bishop, her advisors, and the House itself; at worst, it exposes a travesty of Christian justice and prudence. How was it possible that the process and definition of terms demanded by the canons were not openly examined, discussed, and agreed upon prior to this vote, so as to avoid the prima facie plausible accusations now being made that appropriate consents were not in fact given? Indeed, given the intrinsic seriousness of the matter – the deposition of a bishop – and the overwrought character of the moment within both TEC and the Anglican Communion and within which the deposition process has unfolded, and the general ecclesiological stakes at play within the Communion at large that are caught up in this moment, it is simply unconscionable that such preparation was not carried through. Trust in the good will and/or good sense of our leadership is no longer just frayed; it has been torn asunder.
read more...
March 17 2008 | Articles