For those wondering what inspired the Episcopal Church's newly-elected, female presiding bishop to refer to "Mother Jesus" during the General Convention, the answer might be found on the "Office of Women's Ministries" (OWM) page on the official national church website.
Indeed, this is not the first time that the OWM has gotten into liturgical mischief. The phrase used by Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori appears in a "Eucharist Using Female Nouns and Pronouns" on the OWM's section of the Episcopal Church (TEC)-sponsored website. The rite is accompanied by "Morning Prayers to the Lady" - and this does not mean our Lord's mother. Both services offer worship to "Our Lady" and to the "Holy Mother," and end with the salutation "Blessed be" - a common statement of farewell among Wiccans.
The author of the services, Sandra Thomas Fox, wrote them in 2001, five years after she had a feminist epiphany during her first walk in a labyrinth - a spiritual exercise that actually has New Age roots - at the National Cathedral. There, she became sensitized to "the misogyny in the liturgy."
The webpage that leads to the two feminist liturgies has an all-capitalized disclaimer for each: "NOT AN OFFICIAL LITURGY - FOR USE IN DISCUSSION." Nevertheless, the pages from which each of the services can be downloaded invite readers to use them as well in "gathering communities of worship." Therefore, these services can be used anywhere.
6 comments:
And Catholics get attacked about respecting Mary, the Mother of Jesus
Is any of this a surprise to anyone? The further communities get away from the one church Christ founded, the less 'Christian' they become.
I say let them destroy themselves and let God correct them in the end.
-Anony
More like the further they get from God's word.
You are incorrect. Bishop Schori was quoting the medieval mystic Julian of Norwich, whose writing can be found in every anthology of British literature there is and who was used by T. S. Eliot in his "Four Quartets." It is very well known in British Catholic/Anglican spirituality. You need some education.
Who needs some education? Anon or NH?
The key to this whole thing is that by changing the words they show thier lack on understanding. Father, Son and Holy Spirit give indication ot subject/object and person distinction NOT male versus female.
To make it the latter shows the utter lack of spiritual discernment. The which, Scripture says will come int he last days and to the point that people drive God out of their lives, secularily or religiously, He will give them up to rebrobate minds and they will think that what they do is smart AND correct- while those who remain faithful will be dumbfounded at t what they see.
Does this whole thing cause your jaw to drop? If it does, great! If it doesn't take it as a warning sign...
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