If you wish to alter, spending time at the altar is a good place to start.
This blog seeks to promote and establish ecumenism among all groups and denominations of the Christian Faith via expressions in written language, and through any means of communication. We seek the promotion of others that are working towards the same common goal, as well. The prayer of Jesus in John 17: 21 was: "I pray that they may all be one…." Ultimately and eternally, the creation of unity among all believers and followers of Christ is sought desiring harmony with and for all of humanity.
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Saturday, December 25, 2021
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Golden Rule
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets."
- Matthew 7:12, NRSV
Man with a mission?
Oh, the missionary man, he's got God on his side
He's got the saints and apostles backing up from behind
Black eyed looks from those Bible books
He's a man with a mission, got a serious mind
There was a woman in the jungle and a monkey on a tree
The missionary man, he was following me
He said, stop what you're doing, get down upon your knees
I've a message for you that you better believe
The
foregoing excerpt is taken from the lyrics for the song Missionary Man by the Eurythmics
(Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart). I decided to share the official video of the
song on here. We can usually use some entertainment, especially when it seems
to have a message. Of course, you all can decide on what the message is for
yourselves. Either way, I hope you enjoy. Blessings!
Reference:
Sunday, October 31, 2021
Video on Martin Luther and October 31
Today is All
Saints’ Eve (The evening before All Saints’ Day). On the liturgical calendar, November
1 is All Saints' Day (also known as All Hallows' Day). Hallows meaning hallowed
(holy). All Saints’ Day honors all saints who came before us who have passed on
and gone to heaven. The evening before All Saints' Day became a holy (hallowed,
eve), and eventually Halloween. Pope Gregory III is the pope who established
November 1 as All Saints” Day during the eighth century. Well, this is my summary
of the history behind the day. Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on All Saints’
Eve around 800 years later. The fact that he chose this day appears to be significant.
Ryan M.
Reeves (PhD Cambridge) is Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Dr. Reeves states the following with
relevance to a YouTube video he shares titled: Martin Luther and the 95 Theses.
The 95 Theses in many ways started the Protestant
Reformation. Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door of Wittenberg, and
the Catholic Church later excommunicated him for these views. But what are the
95 Theses? Why did Luther post the 95 Theses? This video explains this and the
start of the Reformation.
I hope you
enjoy watching this video by Dr. Reeves.
Sunday, October 17, 2021
On new posts
In case there are no new post to read, it is either that I am on a hiatus or simply not posting. In the past I have posted regularly on here; however, in the future posts may or may not appear regularly.
Saturday, September 25, 2021
Church business or business of the church
“Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone."
- Jesus
I will say a
few things in case anyone doesn't want to read further after what I’ve said. Of
course, something we don't read could be an idea which never crossed our minds,
previously. This may almost be a brief rant, but it’s not intended as a
diatribe. Yes, the introductory quote will be relevant. That quote is relevant
in Christianity because if Jesus didn’t want to be called good, it’s probably a
beneficial concept to pursue ourselves. “Why do you call me good? No one is
good but God alone." I know many who consider themselves progressive
Christians. There is nothing wrong with being a Christian wanting a better
Christianity. Certainly, some portions of Christian history aren’t all that
admirable; however, some were indeed. For example, Mother Teresa and many
others were exemplary in their faith. We can’t change history. We must take the
good with the bad, and then again often this is true for all aspects of life.
My concern in this post is that if we really shouldn’t call ourselves good, we should
be careful in judging others. Well, that is my introduction, here we go.
First and
foremost, if we judge, we are not progressives. We are simply someone being
critical of someone who has a slightly different worldview. We may as well
accept we are also fundamentalists with a different worldview than the one we
believe is wrong. A good question I like to ask is can I prove the other person
is wrong in their view? Furthermore, if we answer yes because it's how we interpret
Scriptures, I rest my case. We are then obviously fundamentalists like any
other, but with a different view (or a different type). Based on my experience,
if one is really searching, our worldview might change more than once throughout
our life, depending on many factors. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t question or
challenge what doesn’t seem right.
We constantly
must evaluate right and wrong as we grow in our spiritual lives. I personally
question many things. A good example for me is should the Lord's message be
given freely? I have always thought, yes. Did Jesus say in The Great Commission
go into all the world and charge a hefty fee for the good news? Some aspects of
church have become a business. Yes, there are some who have private jets, and
all sorts of things to aid in spreading their message. A lot of that message is
interpretation of Scripture by them. Sadly, Scriptures are often interpreted for
someone's own personal benefit. If we look at church history, not just using a Sola-Scriptura
worldview, we might learn that some of the customs of the early fathers were not
the way we've interpreted them to be today. This is probably why many prefer not
to study history that much. There’s much in Scriptures that can enlighten us
about making a living from the Good News. For instance, from Scriptures alone
we know that Saint Paul was a tent maker. He worked secularly. Don't get me wrong,
everyone knows if one is fair and honest in what they do. Do your own self-analysis.
It is always good to check where we are at a certain moment in time like the
present. I will stop here. Blessings!
Saturday, August 28, 2021
Article on the 175th Anniversary of the WEA
On Aug. 20, 175 years ago today, some 800 evangelical leaders from 11 countries representing 52 Christian denominations resolved to establish the WEA, which is now based in Deerfield, Illinois in the United States.
The foregoing brief excerpt is from an article titled: World Evangelical Alliance launches 175th anniversary commemoration. It is written by Peter Kenny and published on ECUMENICAL NEWS ecunews.com. I hope you enjoy reading this informative article as much as I. Read it fully at the link below. Blessings!
Saturday, July 24, 2021
New museum in Philadelphia
The American Bible Society has a new museum at Independence
Mall in Philadelphia. An article by Inga Saffron published in The
Philadelphia Inquirer gives us the recent story. The following excerpt is
from the mentioned article.
The Bible Society immediately
knew it wanted to expand its mission by opening an exhibition space on the
corner. Along with distributing thousands of Bibles in dozens of languages, the
society had amassed an impressive collection of historic Bibles, including the
one used by William Penn. What better place to showcase its story, the group
figured, than the city where Penn established a colony founded on religious
tolerance, and where the American republic came into being.
Read about it at the following link.
Monday, June 7, 2021
Saturday, May 15, 2021
Hans Küng passed away on April 6, 2021
Catholic theologian Hans Küng was buried April 16 in the
southwestern German city of Tübingen following funeral services. Küng, a native
of Switzerland, died on April 6 at the age of 93 (www.ncronline.org/).
The
foregoing excerpt is from the National Catholic Reporter. The article also reads as follows.
The world-renowned theologian planned the final ceremonies
himself, with the saying of prayers that he formulated and the performance of
cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach and compositions by Felix Mendelssohn
Bartholdy. Due to ongoing pandemic restrictions in Germany, only a limited
number of people were present. The local television broadcaster SWR carried the
ceremonies live.
In the funeral sermon, Fr. Wolfgang Gramer said Küng had
fought for the freedom of God's children, including in his efforts to challenge
what he viewed as the wrongly understood dogma of papal infallibility. The
Vatican and the German bishops had withdrawn Küng's teaching license in 1979
partly because of the theologian's critique of the dogma (www.ncronline.org/).
I personally
never had the opportunity to meet Hans Küng, but if you are interested in
finding out more about him, it will not be too difficult to find a plethora of
material written about him or by him. The world of Theology and Ecumenism lost
a hero on April 6, 2021. I do not think I can share more about him than what
others have said. I strongly recommend reading more about him if you have never
done so. I certainly have found him very inspiring for many years.
The Catholic
Weekly said the following:
Hans Küng certainly had talent. His doctoral dissertation on
Karl Barth, arguably the greatest of 20th-century Protestant theologians,
became a pioneering book in ecumenical theology.
The Guardian published the following about
Küng:
Despite the impression that this self-confident, clever and
ever so slightly vain priest may have given, Küng was not one of nature’s rebels.
His chosen approach would have been to work from within, but the Catholic
church in his heyday was intolerant of such dissenting voices among its
priests. If the choice was silence or uneasy internal exile, he was not going
to bite his tongue.
When challenged about his maverick role in the history of
modern Catholicism, he remained fond to the end of quoting one of his heroes,
Pope Gregory the Great: “If scandal is taken as the truth, then it is better to
allow scandal to arise than to abandon the truth.”
As I said
before, it will not be too difficult to find a plethora of material written about
Hans Küng, or written by him. A warning, however, be prepared to be informed. I
really cannot say more than others who knew him well, so I will end here.
Regardless, it is an honor to do this brief homage to him. Rest in Peace, Hans
Küng. A final note: feel free to click on the links to the referenced articles
below to read more.
References:
https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/george-weigel-hans-kung-and-the-perils-of-fame/
https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/funeral-hans-k-ng-celebrated-ecumenist-great-spiritual-teacher
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/08/hans-kung-obituary
Saturday, April 3, 2021
Eyes on Sparrows?
Sammy Davis Jr. in the theme for an old TV show sang the following lyric line: "...keep your eye on the sparrow, when the going gets narrow.” Many churchgoers have sung a hymn that contains a lyric line which says: "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches over me." I want to share a little history about the latter.
"His Eye Is on the Sparrow" is a gospel hymn
written in 1905 by lyricist Civilla D. Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel.
It is most associated with actress-singer Ethel Waters who used the title for
her autobiography.[1] Mahalia Jackson's recording of the song was honored with
the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2010 (wikipedia.org).
The
foregoing is according to Wikipedia, no doubt. Mahalia Jackson was born in New
Orleans, Louisiana, and she passed away in Illinois in 1972. The posthumous
honor from the Grammy Hall of Fame obviously came 38 years after. With relevance to the two hymn authors,
Wikipedia says the following:
Civilla Durfee Martin (August 21, 1866 – March 9, 1948) was a
Canadian-American writer of many religious hymns and gospel songs in the late
19th century and early 20th century. Her husband, Walter Stillman Martin…(wikipedia.org).
Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (August 18, 1856 – September 14,
1932) was a writer of gospel songs and composer of gospel tunes. He is said to
have written and/or composed between 7,000 and 8,000 songs,[1] many of which
are available in 21st century hymnals. He used several pseudonyms, including
Charlotte G. Homer, H. A. Henry, and S. B. Jackson (wikipedia.org).
Sometimes we
learn more about the story behind a hymn or a song with just a little research.
Of course, I always take any information on the internet with a grain of salt. The
mention of Charles Hutchinson Gabriel writing so many hymns may mean he would
probably have to have written about 2 hymns daily for 10 years to get around 7000,
as a possibility example. So, it is possible, but seemingly a lot of work. Paul
Tillich said, "doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of
faith." I felt like adding the foregoing in here even if it may seem
irrelevant.
Oh, by the
way, the Sammy Davis Jr. song was Baretta's Theme which was written by David
Grusin and Morgan Ames. On a personal note, Dave Grusin has been one of my
favorite jazz keyboardist and composers for many decades. I especially love his
collaborations with Lee Ritenour. Done here...blessings!
Reference:
Friday, March 26, 2021
Isaiah 50
Isaiah 50
New Revised Standard Version50 Thus says the Lord:
Where is your mother’s bill of divorce
with which I put her away?
Or which of my creditors is it
to whom I have sold you?
No, because of your sins you were sold,
and for your transgressions your mother was put away.
2 Why was no one there when I came?
Why did no one answer when I called?
Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?
By my rebuke I dry up the sea,
I make the rivers a desert;
their fish stink for lack of water,
and die of thirst.[a]
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,
and make sackcloth their covering.
The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication
4 The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,[b]
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backward.
6 I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
7 The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8 he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9 It is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant,
who walks in darkness
and has no light,
yet trusts in the name of the Lord
and relies upon his God?
11 But all of you are kindlers of fire,
lighters of firebrands.[c]
Walk in the flame of your fire,
and among the brands that you have kindled!
This is what you shall have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.
Footnotes
• Isaiah 50:2 Or die on the thirsty ground
• Isaiah 50:4 Cn: Heb of those who are taught
• Isaiah 50:11 Syr: Heb you gird yourselves with firebrands
Source:
www.biblegateway.com
Saturday, February 6, 2021
Cardinal Burke Homily
Watch this! Blessings!
Source:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MOCyqWsVkr0&feature=share
Monday, January 11, 2021
Questions I ask myself about this ecumenism blog
Why am I still posting on here?
Why do I bother?
Does anyone really care about ecumenism?
With relevance to the previous question, if they do care isn't it really just on their terms?
If people want ecumenism on their terms are they really interested in hearing the other person?
Do people really want unity, or is it just something they say they want to make themselves feel good about themselves?
I have two other blogs, and this one is the least popular based on the stats, why should I continue posting on here?
Should I just go on a hiatus with this blog?
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