NOTES, 29 MARCH 2022
Welcome, blog reader, on a beautiful spring day, at least it is at my house. Here's a wish that all goes well with you and yours today. It is time to check in on the topics we have been following for a long time. So, let's plunge right in.
PANDEMIC. All metrics show a great decline in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States. The fourth great surge is over. However, the plague persists and in some places in the world is actually surging once again. In the U.S., the average death rate is now around 700, still unacceptable even if a fraction of recent rates. Nearly one million Americans have died of COVID-19 in the past two years. Pause and reflect on this for a moment.
It is premature to declare victory and return to the pre-pandemic "normal" across the board. In fact, news reports say there will soon be a new booster shot for people over the age of sixty. This would be the fourth inoculation. The point is that the coronavirus is still very much a part of our lives and we should act accordingly.
SCHISM IN SC. Still waiting on the South Carolina Supreme Court. And, still crickets.
As for the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, apparently Edgar is functioning as the new diocesan bishop. Lawrence is off the payroll as of March 31.
THE ADVENT. The search committee is still at work on seeking a new dean to replace Andrew Pearson who resigned last year at the Episcopal Cathedral Church of the Advent, in Birmingham AL. It seems to be taking its own time which I suppose is a good thing. Meanwhile, the interim dean, Criag Smalley, seems to be succeeding in nudging the parish back toward the mainstream of the Episcopal Church after Pearson had tried to move it to the evangelical edge, perhaps beyond the edge.
Given the sensitive state of the Advent at the moment vis à vis the Episcopal Church and diocese, it is a bit surprising to see some of the choices for the parish's Lenten Preaching Series. On April 4-5, Ephraim Radner will speak. He is a prolific and influential theologian who for three decades has argued for greater unity and conformity in the Anglican Communion. For instance, in 2019, he published an article in The Living Church magazine supportive of the Anglican Church in North America. Find the article here . He asserted that the anti-homosexual Resolution 1.10 of 1998 should be standard in the AC and churches that refuse this [TEC, Anglican Church of Canada] are "outside" the boundaries of Anglican teaching. He also said the AC should have "serious deliberation" on how the ACNA can be "fully integrated" into the AC. He seems to support the development of the AC into a covenant religion, something it has never been. In fact, the AC is a collection of 42 self-governing local churches. It is not bound by a confession or a covenant or any other instrument that could interfere with local independence. Resolutions of the Lambeth conferences are just that, resolutions. They are not laws enforceable on the provinces.
The ACNA was created by GAFCON and American anti-human rights Episcopalians in 2009 specifically to oppose equality for and inclusion of non-celibate homosexuals from the leadership of the church. It threw in women to boot. The stated aim of ACNA is to replace the Episcopal Church as the only legitimate Anglican province in the U.S. Thus, there is not room in the AC for both TEC and ACNA, It is one or the other. The Archbishop of Canterbury has made it clear, more than once, that ACNA is not in the Anglican Communion. There is no sign it will ever be however much GAFCON may promote it and oppose TEC.
THE RUSSIAN WAR ON UKRAINE. Several points have become clear now more than a month into the war. The leading one would be that poor showing of the Russian military. They have obviously failed in their objective of capturing the country quickly and installing a puppet government. Their incompetent invasion has gained little while losing as many as 15,000 soldiers killed including seven generals. However, they continue to pound cities with missiles, bombs, and artillery. This stalemate could go on indefinitely.
Another point is the phenomenal resistance of the Ukrainians. President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have arisen to the occasion. David has stopped Goliath in his tracks. We can all cheer for the underdogs here.
Yet another point is the unification of virtually the entire western world in defense of national independence and democracy. This is unprecedented in the world since WWII.
Talks for a peace are going on and have been going on all along with no sign of agreement. Meanwhile there are signs the Russians are retreating into the territories they hold while continuing to shell the cities. The purpose of all this is as unclear as the future. What is the clear is the gross evil and immorality of the Russian invasion and war on Ukraine.
So, we are still confronted by numerous unresolved issues. Nevertheless, spring is here and we can revel in the beauty of the season all around us. Here are a couple of pictures of my garden today:
The Japanese flowering cherry tree is always beautiful at this time of the year. The green tree in background is Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria). The cherry tree is near the street curb and cars often slow down when passing.
This dazzling crabapple tree brightens up the back side of my garden, far from the street.
I hope you are enjoying this springtime as much as I am. Peace.
