Whoops - in the original version of this, I forgot that "coram" takes the ablative rather than the dative, and so declined ecclesia incorrectly. Serves me right for trying to use a fancy Latin phrase!
My take on the Mike Michie piece was that we should give the Washington National Cathedral a pass because they were so large, so many people will attend, and it is so expensive to have all those Christmas Eve services. A version of might makes right.
I had a Bad Thought when reading about WNC charging admission....It was "since most people who show up for Christmas Eve are there for the show, why not acknowledge reality and give a performance and sell tickets?"
One of the things I really, really struggle with as an Episcopalian is the pomp and ceremony. I love it,and it enriches worship for me by creating an otherwordly environment that says "This Is Important". But not everybody is transported by organ music, incense, rich vestments, and beautiful altars. We've become such an informal culture--where you can wear your pajamas to the grocery store and nobody thinks it's odd--dressing up and getting out the good china is seen as snobby and if you are a person who doesn't have anything to dress up in or any china to use, it can be marginalizing. But I worry that we're prioritizing liturgy over worship. Or we are worshiping our liturgy. Or something. I realize there are a lot of Episcopal churches that don't use organs, or gold plate, or vestments. They do not seem to be any better at saving souls than the cathedrals are.
I too think the Episcopal church has a lot to offer, but I often worry that God is hitting us over the head and we aren't paying attention. We keep doing what we are doing, and people continue to drift away.
And if the Anglican/Episcopal church really does expire someday, do you think there will people who do historical re-enactments of things like Christmas Eve and Easter and the Royal weddings/funerals? Kind of like the people who re-enact Civil War battles.....
Yes, I have often noted how some in leadership sometimes behave as if they are leading a generic secular liberal NGO, like a charitable foundation.
Whoops - in the original version of this, I forgot that "coram" takes the ablative rather than the dative, and so declined ecclesia incorrectly. Serves me right for trying to use a fancy Latin phrase!
Thank you for this, very thoughtful.
My take on the Mike Michie piece was that we should give the Washington National Cathedral a pass because they were so large, so many people will attend, and it is so expensive to have all those Christmas Eve services. A version of might makes right.
I had a Bad Thought when reading about WNC charging admission....It was "since most people who show up for Christmas Eve are there for the show, why not acknowledge reality and give a performance and sell tickets?"
One of the things I really, really struggle with as an Episcopalian is the pomp and ceremony. I love it,and it enriches worship for me by creating an otherwordly environment that says "This Is Important". But not everybody is transported by organ music, incense, rich vestments, and beautiful altars. We've become such an informal culture--where you can wear your pajamas to the grocery store and nobody thinks it's odd--dressing up and getting out the good china is seen as snobby and if you are a person who doesn't have anything to dress up in or any china to use, it can be marginalizing. But I worry that we're prioritizing liturgy over worship. Or we are worshiping our liturgy. Or something. I realize there are a lot of Episcopal churches that don't use organs, or gold plate, or vestments. They do not seem to be any better at saving souls than the cathedrals are.
I too think the Episcopal church has a lot to offer, but I often worry that God is hitting us over the head and we aren't paying attention. We keep doing what we are doing, and people continue to drift away.
And if the Anglican/Episcopal church really does expire someday, do you think there will people who do historical re-enactments of things like Christmas Eve and Easter and the Royal weddings/funerals? Kind of like the people who re-enact Civil War battles.....
Moral therapeutic deism explains so much of what you're discussing.