wonderfulexchange

sweeping generalizations

23 January, 200730 July, 2007 wonderfulexchange11 Comments

Proceed with caution. Read this only if you can cope with sweeping generalizations, oversimplifications, and one side of the story.

Christine asks why The Episcopal Church in the States is so much more exercised by the ‘big divisive issues’ in the Anglican Communion than we are in the SEC. By which I assume she means ‘why are they talking about it, thinking about it, acting on it while we tuck our heads hoping that trouble will pass us by?’

‘It’, by the way, can be variously interpreted as ‘a Christian understanding of homosexuality’ or ‘the apparent crumbling of the Anglican Communion.’

I suspect that the variation in response reflects a basic difference of temperament between the churches. And this is where the sweeping generalizations start. For those of you familiar with Myers-Brigs, the American Church is predominantly Extrovert and Feeling. They sort out what matters most to them by talking about how it feels.

Britain, on the other hand, is Introvert –Thinking. They like to think through what they believe for themselves, and would generally prefer root canal to having to speak about it in public.

When we apply that to the current issues (of human sexuality and the nature of the Anglican Communion) it results in the following… Continue reading “sweeping generalizations” →

your turn

22 January, 200722 January, 2007 wonderfulexchange3 Comments

OK congregation(s) — (and anyone else who wants to join in) — this blog is getting to be more and more idiosyncratic. What would you like from it? Suggest a topic. Ask a question. Else we are in real danger of it becoming ‘Kimberly’s blog’.

opportunities

22 January, 200714 February, 2007 wonderfulexchangeLeave a comment

Loch Fyne Having scheduled a vestry meeting for my usual day off this week, I went to play in the sun today.

…and learned that photography takes more nerve than I have. No sooner had my eye spotted the potential in something than my brain intervened with, ‘the road’s too narrow, there’s a massive great lorry right behind you and you can’t possibly stop.’ So, on I went, past one stunning opportunity after another. This photo is courtesy of the one well placed parking bay.

listening process

21 January, 200730 July, 2007 wonderfulexchange1 Comment

I suspect most of you will have already seen this at Thinking Anglicans, but in case you haven’t…

There’s an interesting public conversation going on between a Tutor in Ethics and Wycliff and a rector in South London. They come from opposite theological camps and have quite different views on what’s happening in the Anglican Communion, but are agreed in their determination to listen to each other.

The first letters set out the game board and offer nothing surprising. They seem too to be very English (I cannot imagine anyone in Scotland turning so quickly or so often to the 39 articles). It might be interesting, though, to see if they can keep conversation going without coming aground on opposing assumptions.

They deserve credit for talking publicly and civilly when so many people are either hiding or shouting.

The Thinking Anglicans link is here.