Episcopal neopaganism
There are those who doubt that paganism has penetrated the
Episcopal Church. If you're among them, check out this "Women's
Eucharist," the text for which comes from the
Worship Resources section of the ECUSA Women's Ministries Web
site:
A Women’s Eucharist: A Celebration of the Divine Feminine
We gather around a low table, covered with a woven cloth or shawl.
A candle, a bowl or vase of flowers, a large shallow bowl filled
with salted water, a chalice of sweet red wine, a cup of milk
mixed with honey, and a plate of raisin cakes are placed on the
table.
When all are seated on the floor and comfortable, one of the women
lights the candles saying,
"Mother God, Giver of light, let this flame illumine our hearts
and minds. May its warmth remind us of the love in which you
embrace us all. We thank you, Mother, for light."
Placing both hands on the fabric covering the table, one of the
women says,
"We thank you, Mother, for the hands that wove this cloth. May
her life be rich and full. We thank you for the colors, the
textures, and the patterns that cover our sacred time and places.
We thank you for the wisdom of the weaver’s art, the glory of the
interplay of thread and cord. May we be woven together with cords
of love and trust as we weave the vision of our lives."
Gathering the flowers to her face, another woman says,
"Blessed are you, Mother God, for the fertility of this world.
We thank you for the sight and scent of flowers, for the way their
shape evokes in us the unfolding of our own sexuality, and for
their power to remind us of the glory and the impermanence of
physical beauty. May our days of blossoming and of fading be days
spent in your presence."
Dipping her fingers into the bowl of salt water, one of the women
says,
"Sisters, this is the water of life. From the womb of the sea,
Mother Earth brought forth life. From the womb waters of our own
bodies our children are born. In the womb shaped fonts of our
churches, we are baptized into community. This is the water of
life." Touching the water again, she continues. "This, too, is the
water of our tears. Our power to weep is an expression of God’s
love in and through us. We weep in sorrow for that which we have
lost. We weep in anger for the pain of others. We weep in hope of
healing and wholeness, and we weep in joy when our hearts are too
full to contain our feelings."
Dipping her fingers in the water, each traces a tear on the cheek
of the woman beside her saying,
"Remember, sister, tears are the water of life."
The chalice of sweet red wine is raised and a woman says,
"Blessed are you, Mother God, for you have given us the fruit
of the earth. Red as blood, warm as life itself, sweet and
intoxicating as love. We thank you for wine. We bless you for the
power of this drink to remind us of our own power. We praise you
for the strength and beauty of our bodies, and for the menstrual
blood of womanhood. We embrace the mystery of life which you have
entrusted to us, and we pray for the day when human blood is no
longer shed and when woman’s blood is honored as holy and in your
image."
The cup is passed hand to hand and all drink from it.
The cup of milk and honey is raised and a woman says,
"Thank you, Mother, for the abundance of life. Thank you for
the rich, full, pleasing, and life giving milk of our bodies.
Thank you for the children who drink from our breasts for they
bring sweetness to our lives. We drink this cup as your daughters,
fed from your own bosom. May we be proud of our nurturing and
sustaining selves. May we honor our breasts as symbols of your
abundance. Thank you for the milk and honey of your presence with
us."
The cup is passed and shared by all.
The plate of raisin cakes is raised and a woman says,
"Mother God, our ancient sisters called you Queen of Heaven and
baked these cakes in your honor in defiance of their brothers and
husbands who would not see your feminine face. We offer you these
cakes, made with our own hands; filled with the grain of life --
scattered and gathered into one loaf, then broken and shared among
many. We offer these cakes and enjoy them too. They are rich with
the sweetness of fruit, fertile with the ripeness of grain,
sweetened with the power of love. May we also be signs of your
love and abundance."
The plate is passed and each woman takes and eats a cake.
When all have eaten, they say together:
"We thank you, Mother, for revealing yourself to us in the
mystery of our womanhood. We thank you for the water of life in
which we swam in the womb and which gives us the power to weep. We
thank you for the blood of life which flows in and from our bodies
and which makes us creators in your image as we give birth to new
life. We thank you for the milk and honey of life which we receive
from our mothers and which we give to our own children. And we
thank you for the rich, sweet, and savory taste of life found in
the grain of the earth and the fruit of the vine -- the gifts of
your body shared with us. May we cherish it and ourselves always,
and may we live in your peace."
This comes to the ECUSA courtesy of the Rev. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk of
St. Francis in the Fields, Malvern, PA. Now, compare it to this
item, found on
Tuathe de Brighid, which refers to itself as "a Clan of modern
Druids":
A Celebration of the Divine Feminine in A Eucharist to our
Mother Goddess by Glispa
We gather around a low table, covered with a woven cloth or shawl.
On the table are a candle, a bowl or vase of flowers, a large
shallow bowl filled with salted water, a chalice of sweet red
wine, a cup of milk mixed with honey, and a plate of raisin cakes.
When all are seated on the floor and comfortable, one of the women
lights the candles saying,
"Mother God, Giver of light, let this flame illumine our hearts
and minds. May its warmth remind us of the love in which you
embrace us all. We thank you, Mother God, for light."
Placing both hands on the fabric covering the table, one of the
women says,
"We thank you, Mother God, for the hands that wove this cloth.
May her life be rich and full. We thank you for the colors, the
textures, and the patterns that cover our sacred time and places.
We thank you for the wisdom of the weaver’s art, the glory of the
interplay of thread and cord. May we be woven together with cords
of love and trust as we weave the vision of our lives."
Gathering the flowers to her face, another woman says,
"Blessed are you, Mother God, for the fertility of this world.
We thank you for the sight and scent of flowers, for the way their
shape evokes in us the unfolding of our own sexuality, and for
their power to remind us of the glory and the impermanence of
physical beauty. May our days of blossoming and of fading be days
spent in your presence."
Dipping her fingers into the bowl of salt water, one of the women
says,
"Sisters, this is the water of life. From the womb of the sea,
our Mother Earth brought forth life. From the womb waters of our
own bodies our children are born. In the womb shaped fonts of our
churches, we are baptized into community. This is the water of
life."
Touching the water again, she continues.
"This, too, is the water of our tears. Our power to weep is an
expression of Mother God’s love in and through us. We weep in
sorrow for that which we have lost. We weep in anger for the pain
of others. We weep in hope of healing and wholeness, and we weep
in joy when our hearts are too full to contain our feelings."
Dipping her fingers in the water, each traces a tear on the cheek
of the woman beside her saying,
"Remember, sister, tears are the water of life."
The chalice of sweet red wine is raised and a woman says,
"Blessed are you, Mother God, for you have given us the fruit
of the earth. Red as blood, warm as life itself, sweet and
intoxicating as love. We thank you for wine. We bless you for the
power of this drink to remind us of our own power. We praise you
for the strength and beauty of our bodies, and for the menstrual
blood of womanhood. We embrace the mystery of life which you have
entrusted to us, and we pray for the day when human blood is no
longer shed and when woman’s blood is honored as holy and in your
image."
The cup is passed hand to hand and all drink from it.
The cup of milk and honey is raised and a woman says,
"Thank you Mother God for the abundance of life. Thank you for
the rich, full, pleasing, and life giving milk of our bodies.
Thank you for the children who drink from our breasts for they
bring sweetness to our lives. We drink this cup as your daughters,
fed from your own bosom. May we be proud of our nurturing and
sustaining selves. May we honor our breasts as symbols of your
abundance. Thank you for the milk and honey of your presence with
us."
The cup is passed and shared by all.
The plate of raisin cakes is raised and a woman says,
"Mother God, our ancient sisters called you Queen of Heaven and
baked these cakes in your honor in defiance of their brothers and
husbands who would not see your feminine face. We offer you these
cakes, made with our own hands. Filled with the grain of
life–scattered and gathered into one loaf, then broken and shared
among many. We offer these cakes and enjoy them too. They are rich
with the sweetness of fruit, fertile with the ripeness of grain,
sweetened with the power of love. May we also be signs of your
love and abundance."
The plate is passed and each woman takes and eats a cake.
When all have eaten, they say together:
"We thank you, Mother God, for revealing yourself to us in the
mystery of our womanhood. We thank you for the water of life in
which we swam in the womb and which gives us the power to weep. We
thank you for the blood of life which flows in and from our bodies
and which makes us creators in your image as we give birth to new
life. We thank you for the milk and honey of life which we receive
from our mothers and which we give to our own children. And we
thank you for the rich, sweet, and savory taste of life found in
the grain of the earth and the fruit of the vine–the gifts of your
body shared with us. May we cherish it and ourselves always, and
may we live in your peace."
No, this is not a double posting. You read correctly: this
neopagan liturgy is currently being offered essentially unchanged
on the official Web site of the ECUSA for use by Episcopal
churches. If you'd like to contact someone to express your opinion
about the, ah, appropriateness of this liturgy on an
allegedly Christian Web site, write to the director of Women's
Ministries, the Rev. Margaret Rose, at
mrose@episcopalchurch.org. I'm sure she'd love to hear from
lots of fans of Rev. Ruppe-Melnyk's handiwork.
(Hat tip: Erik.)
UPDATE: If you'd like to get in on the paganization of the ECUSA,
you can respond to
this invitation:
A Call for Resources
Many aspects of women’s lives and bodies have historically been
left unrecognized in the rites, rituals, and ceremonies of the
church. However, for women to move from representation to true
inclusion in the church and beyond, the church must embrace
pastorally, ritually, and liturgically the many passages and
experiences of a woman’s life.
We believe in the narrative aspect of liturgy–the ability to tell
the story of a woman’s life through ritual, prayer, and ceremony.
The following section provides worship resources that respond to
the lives of women. We anticipate this will be a place where women
can share with one another liturgies they have created or found
that respond to the various passages and experiences of their
lives. It is our hope that such resources may be incorporated
within the context of a Sunday morning service or any other
appropriate milieu. These can include but are not limited to:
* conception/pregnancy/miscarriage/childbirth
* menstruation
* menopause
* abortion
* any form of leave taking
* women saints’ days
Yessir, I can't wait to incorporate that menstruation liturgy from
the local Wiccan coven into my All Saints' Sunday worship.
Because, you see, it's all about us. That God character can
get His/Her/Its own worshippers.
UPDATE: Check out the comments by Ted Olsen of Christianity
Today's excellent Weblog
here.
Athanasius on 10.25.04 @ 09:47 PM EST [link]
Wednesday, October 27th
Keep looking, keep finding
More stuff from the Episcopo-Druids can be found at a business
they seem to have some association with,
Sacred Grove Handmade Prayer Beads and Wearable Sacred Art.
For example,
here's a portion of a pagan rosary, written by Episcopal
priest Bill Melnyk:
On each Earth Spirit Bead say:
Fur and feather, leaf and stone,
Aid me as I aid you.
Earth Spirits hear my prayer,
And accept my offering of love.
On the divider/space say:
I bind unto myself today the
Power of the Gods and Goddesses.
Meditate on the Honor of the Shining Ones . . .
On each God and Goddess Bead say:
Gods and Goddesses, Shining Ones,
Honor me as I honor you.
First-Born of Earth, hear my prayer,
And accept my offering of love.
On the divider/space say:
I bind unto myself today the
The presence of the Three Kindred.
And here's one from Oakwyse and Glispa (Episcopal priest Glyn
Ruppe-Melnyk): Goddess beads
On the space say:
I bind unto myself today the
Wisdom of the Crone.
Meditate on the Presence of the Crone . . .
On each Crone Bead say:
Crone now stands in moonlight gleaming,
Starlit night and silver hair;
Peace and wisdom from you streaming,
Goddess, keeper of our care.
On the space say:
I bind unto myself today the
Fertility, Power, and Wisdom of the Goddess.
On the silver Moon Bead conclude:
Blessed Mother, stay by me,
and cast your lovely, silver light.
Uncloud your face that I may see
unveiled, its shining in the night.
Triple Goddess, Blessed Be,
and Merry Meet, my soul's delight!
These folks are deep into this stuff.
Athanasius on 10.27.04 @ 11:26 PM EST [link]
More on the Druid story
Turns out that the "Rev." Bill Melnyk–also known as the Druid
priest "OakWyse"–serves a
parish of his own, St. James Episcopal in Downington, PA.
Here's how he describes himself on his church's site:
Father Bill has served congregations in South Carolina,
Tennessee, Michigan, Florida, and New York before coming to
Pennsylvania. His chief pastoral interests are in the fields of
teaching (especially Old and New Testament, theology, and
ethics), preaching, and liturgical planning and leadership. He
has extensive experience in spiritual direction, personal
spirituality, and retreat leadership.
Fr. Bill is deeply involved in the study of Celtic Sprituality,
including the interface between the early Celtic Church and
pre-Christian Celtic spritual expressions. His personal
spirituality is centered on the unconditional love of God for
all creation, and the goodness and worthwhileness of all human
beings.
Uh, huh. You wonder whether his congregation knows just how
"deeply involved" he is with that "interface." You also wonder
whether his bishop, the notorious Charles Bennison, will give a
hoot.
(Thanks to
MCJ for the link.)
UPDATE: The original link URL no longer works. So if you want to
take another look at the source of the hubbub, look
here.
Athanasius on 10.27.04 @ 10:42 PM EST [link]
Priest and priestess
The readers of the Rev. Kendall Harmon's blog
Titusonenine have been hard at work, and have established
that the "Rev." Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk did not plagiarize the
neopagan "Women's Eucharist" from the Druid site
Tuathe de Brighid and the author "Glispa." That's because
she is the Druid author. Here's the connection, courtesy of
"Nicholas":
Okay I’m convinced now. I did find the link via the husband.
This link identifies the druid "Oakwyse" as being Bill
Melnyk.
This one identifies Bill Melnyk and Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk as a
couple.
This one links the two again and gives Melnyk’s email
address as being oakwyse at aol dot com. And several links such
as
this one link Oakwyse and Glispa.
The two of whom have also co-authored
this:
Wiccan Lunar Ritual (excerpts)
Honoring the Lady
[Gong] In the Face of the Moon we honor Our Lady, who was of old
called among humankind Isis, Artemis, Astarte, Aphrodite, Diana,
Mary, and by many other Names.
She stands in the Center of the Circle, with head bowed and arms
across her chest.
For the Full Moon, robes are removed at this point and replaced
at the conclusion of the prayers.
Prayers are offered for the appropriate Lunar phase.
Both sit in silent meditation for a time. A Bell is rung once to
end the silence.
Other Working may be done as neede, One note is sounded on the
Bell.
New Moon Ritual
Death and New Life
Invocation of the Goddess
[Priest] Dark is the night, new is the Moon,
Quiet as death, dark as the tomb;
Grandmother, Lady, come to us soon,
Warm as life, secure as the womb.
Behold the Lady of Darkness:
Mother, Grandmother, old yet ever young.
Receiving the Blessing of the Goddess
[Priestess] Old and eternal, young as the Spring,
Waning and waxing, new life I bring;
Round is my turning - Full unto New,
Blessing of rebirth I offer to you.
First Quarter Moon Ritual
Nursing
[P] Mother Goddess, silver bowl,
From your Moon-breast, rich and strong,
Pour upon our thirsty souls
The milk of life for which we long.
Behold our Mother, the Waxing Moon:
She who feeds us from her own breast.
[PS] Draw near, Beloved, safely led,
Stay close upon thy Mother’s breast;
From silver bowl you shall be fed,
And suckled there shall you be blessed.
You get the point. Titusonenine reader "Perpetua" asked the
author of the "Women's Eucharist" about it, and here's a quote:
"This is not a liturgy of the Episcopal Church. It is a
pastoral rite, not intended for Sunday worship or parish
liturgy, and as such has neither been submitted to any official
sanctioning body in the Episcopal Church nor to my knowledge
been used outside small groups studying spirituality."
And here's a
link to Bill Melnyk, with a bit about his quest:
On the web as "OakWyse" since 1994, he is the Organizer of
RavenOak Grove. OakWyse is a Druid Grade member of OBOD, and an
Anglican Priest. He is committed to the exploration of the
Common Ground upon which rest ancient Druidry and English
Christian Spirituality.
Finally, (genuine) Anglican priest David Roseberry has spoken to
the head of Women's Ministries. He describes their
less-than-cordial conversation
here.
Athanasius on 10.27.04 @ 05:54 PM EST [link]
Liturgy? What liturgy?
Well, well, well. By a miracle of modern technology, the
neopagan liturgy formerly found on the worship resources page of
the ECUSA Women's Ministries division has been dropped down the
memory hole. Nothing on the site would give you any idea that
the "Women's Eucharist" had ever been there. No explanation for
why it's gone, no acknowledgment that there was anything wrong
with it being there. However, by another miracle of modern
technology,
this link still works. If you haven't seen the latest
testimony to the disintegration of the Episcopal Church's status
as a Christian institution, check it out.
UPDATE: By the way, a
Liturgy for Divorce that had also sparked some
less-than-complimentary responses in the blogosphere is also
gone.
Athanasius on 10.27.04 @ 04:12 PM EST [link]
Thursday, October 28th
Women's Ministries explains it all for you
The ECUSA Office of Women's Ministries has decided that it has
to respond to the firestorm that has surrounded its posting of a
neopagan "Women's Eucharist" on its Web site. Initially found by
Erik Nelson and Faith McDonnel of the
IRD, it was first reported here and at Chris Johnson's
MCJ, then picked up by
Titusonenine,
CaNN, and Christianity Today
Weblog. It would seem that that last was the elephant in the
living room that could no longer be ignored.
Here's the
response:
We have been astounded and grateful for the number of people
who have taken an interest in The Office of Women's Ministries
of the Episcopal Church through Christianity Today's recent
weblog, "Episcopal Church Officially Promotes Idol Worship," as
posted by Ted Olsen on October 26, 2004.
"Grateful"–I'll bet.
The material questioned in Olsen's article, "A Women's
Eucharist: A Celebration of the Divine Feminine" was sent to us
in good faith in response to our recent call for resources. We
regret we did not realize that the material was copyright
protected. Proper notifications were not included by mistake and
so the page has been withdrawn from our website.
In the dictionary under "disingenuous," it says, "see this."
They got the material from the author–what more copyright
permission did they need? And how hard could it have been to get
them? If this was the problem, it would be back up already.
We profoundly regret that Christianity Today did not contact
us before making claims such as, "…leaders of the Episcopal
Church USA are promoting pagan rites to pagan deities." The
resources listed on our website are not approved liturgies of
the Episcopal Church. These liturgies are intended to spark
dialogue, study, conversation and ponderings around women and
our liturgical tradition. There is quite a difference in
presenting resources for people’s interest and enlightenment and
promoting resources as official claims of the Episcopal Church.
Only General Convention has this authority.
She must have consulted a canon lawyer. Technically, of course,
the "Women's Eucharist" isn't an official, approved
liturgy of the ECUSA. But by putting this on the official ECUSA
site, saying nothing about its origins, indicating that it came
from an ECUSA clergwoman, and giving no guidance as to how it
diverged, if at all, from ECUSA teaching and practice, the OWM
certainly gave the impression that they thought it was
hunky-dory material for Episcopal women to use. I mean, the GC
didn't approve it, but didn't OWM director Margaret Rose approve
putting it on the site? Or do low-level OWM grunts just
regularly slap neopagan materials on its site for all the world
to see without telling the head honchos?
The current liturgy project–A Call for Resources: The Women's
Liturgy Project–and the Women's Worship Resources section on our
website is a grassroots, organic, interactive process. It is an
offering to open the awareness of the many voices and needs that
exist among people in the church as we all strive to find
expressions of our life, love and faith in God.
And if we find our "expressions of...life, love and faith" in
the gods and goddesses of Old Europe or ancient Canaan, bully
for us.
So, here's another question for
Margaret Rose: Once you've got the necessary copyright
permission, are you going to put this "worship resource" back up
on the site so that we can all "interact" with it? Better yet,
are you going to try to explain to Frank Griswold what the fuss
is all about?
Athanasius on 10.28.04 @ 11:14 AM EST [link]
Quick! Hide the evidence!
Head for the hills! That seems to be the general tenor of the
burst of Internet activity connected to the "Women's Eucharist."
In the last two days:
*The liturgy itself came down off the Office of Women's
Ministries site, along with a liturgy for divorce. Lame excuse
followed.
*The personal site of the Rev. Druid Bill Melnyk,
www.oakwyse.org, has been taken down.
*Tuatha de Brighid took down the page that their version of the
"Women's Eucharist" appeared on (fortunately, I still have it
here, bwahahahaha). The Wiccan Lunar Ritual by OakWyse and
Glispa is still
up, however.
*Every single post (over 400) ever made at the message board of
Druidry.org by one "Druis" has been removed. Said Druis also
claimed to be an "Anglican" priest. (Meanwhile, questions are
apparently being raised at
MCJ by readers who looked at Druis' posts and discovered
that contributions for Druid-related activities have apparently
been funnelled through the Rector's Discretionary Fund at St.
James Episcopal Church, Downington PA–Rev. Melnyk's church.)
*Just before signing off of Druidry.org, Druis posted
this frantic message (down, of course, but saved by a reader
at Titusonenine, comment 86):
My Dear Friends ~
Raven and I have come under vicious attack from Anglican
fundamentalists re our connection to druidry. Hour by hour the
attacks are spreading on fundamentalist BLOGs across the
country.
For our protection, we must end all internet connection as soon
as possible.
I ask Kernos to leave this one notice up for a day or two, but
then to do a universal delete of all references to Druis. Please
delete my membership. I cannot stress how serious this is. If
you respond, please do not use my name in your response.
I will not be posting again.
You can see a summary of the issue at www.christianitytoday.com
Kernos - the polls will take care of themselves – please note
the winners when they are over.
Peace to all. Pray for us.
Druis
The pathetic thing about all thing deletion activity is that the
principals seem to have forgotten that what Google has once
seen, Google remembers. So hitting all the delete keys in the
world aren't going to get the spooky pair off the hook.
In addition to all this attempted cover-up activity, the
listserv of the ECUSA House of Bishops has been abuzz. According
to
one observer of said list,
This sorry mess is being blown off as a tempest-in-a-teapot
by many, with some even attempting to defend it as harmless.
Others contend "everybody knows" you can't consider something
official just because it is posted on the official ECUSA
website. Predictably, there are one or two who classify those of
us in "fundamentalist’"weblogs who raise objections as being
prejudiced against the liberation of women from a dominating
patriarchal society. (Comment 122)
Yeah, it's a real pity us up-tight fundies can't see that a
little polytheistic paganism, all in good fun, never hurt
anyone.
I've got further inquiries out to ECUSA leaders. I'll let you
know if any of them respond.
Athanasius on 10.28.04 @ 05:46 PM EST [link]
Hatchetman in the "grove" of the Lord
Chris Johnson has dug up
this tidbit on Our Man Melnyk from the Druidry.org site,
where his posts are now apparently stored under the name of
"Thrum," though he's signing them "Bran." (Those posts haven't
been deleted, just altered.) This one gives us an idea of how he
and his wife view their ministry:
Hi, folks. I'm 57, live in southeastern Pennsylvania, and
have been a member of OBOD since 1998. My spouse and I are both
Druid graduates of the training course. We are also both priests
in the Episcopal (Anglican) Church. Between us, we lead two
groves (some call them "congregations") of Christians learning
about Druidry numbering about 1200. As I write this, I have
just finished a wedding and a funeral back-to-back for some 300
people.
Raven and I are both members of the Pipes and Drums of the
Delaware Valley - she a flourishing tenor drummer, and me a
piper. We love Scotland, and go to Iona every spring for
Beltaine.
I have served as a tutor in the past, but not at present.
My creed? 'There is only one river.'
Whatever that means. I think that at this point, it's crystal
clear that the ball is in Bishop Charles Bennison's court. It's
up to him to decide whether it's ok for pagans to infiltrate his
diocese and set up shop masquerading as Episcopal priests (I'm
not saying their orders aren't valid, just that they've shredded
their ordination vows and defected to the Other Side.)
Athanasius on 10.28.04 @ 09:06 PM EST [">link]
Coming soon to a major newspaper near you
The Episcopagan story is about to get bigger. Word in the
blogosphere is that the Washington Times is going to be
running a story in the next day or two about it. And from
there it's only a matter of time before other media outlets
jump into the fray. If I were Charles Bennison or Margaret
Rose, I'd be practicing my ducking, not to mention getting my
phony-baloney story together. And if I were Oakwyse or Glispa,
I'd be making hasty reservations for Stonehenge, or wherever
it is that pagans go when they want to run from the light of
day.
Athanasius on 10.28.04 @ 11:07 PM EST [link]
Friday, October 29th
Gotta educate the congregation
OakWyse blesses us with
theological insights grand and glorious:
I see "god" in the sense of "Ground of Being," or
"Universal Life Force." (The former is solidly mainline
Christian theology. The latter is from my work as a Reiki
Master.) For the purpose of myth-making, it's okay to
anthropomorphize that, but we must remember when we do that
we are dealing with metaphor.
I don't like the idea or concept of "worship." Rather, I
prefer "celebration": the celebration of life in its glory
and holiness. My Druidry relates to the world itself–sea,
earth, and sky. I venerate all this, and often do visualize
it in terms of Celtic deities. I have a special devotion to
Manannan mc Lir, as many know. But I believe Nature has a
validity and sacredness in itself, not because it was
created, or managed, by some "god."
I am a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, because in him I see a
profound example of the presence of holiness, the "Ground of
Being," in human flesh. But I believe that everything the
Church now says about Jesus, Jesus himself said about people
in general. God's (or the Gods') incarnation is everywhere,
and in everyone. This makes me certainly a panentheist (God
is in everything), and perhaps a pantheist (everything is
God)
I believe that the concepts of resurrection and
reincarnation are non-provable metaphors for exactly the
same thing: life is stronger than death. And people should
not set one of those metaphors over against another. Heaven
is fully integrated life in the presence and awareness of
the Holy. (BTW - "hell" is being in heaven and not liking
it. A position people put themselves in, not God.)
The catholic church is a fallible body trying to be the
incarnate body of God in the world, and doing only as well
as is humanly possible. Every other loving faith group is
the same. I am a follower of Jesus mac Dei, but I am very
unsure about the "one, holy, catholic, apostolic church."
The Bible is the record of the search for God of a specific
tradition through the ages. It contains some truth, some
beauty, some pathos, and a whole lot of garbage. Like
everything else, it makes you dig for what's valuable in it.
Yes–my form of faith makes me a heretic in the eyes of
fundamentalist Christians and fundamentalist Pagans. But
heresy is in the eye of the beholder! And there are many,
many Christians who see life and the Gods as I have
described.
I suspect that John Lenon was the great western theologian
of the twentieth century, though he might well have poured a
beer over my head for saying so!
In the same thread, we're given a bit more of a peak into
what is going on at St. James, Downington:
My congregation strives to learn about and honor its
Pagan roots. On February 2nd we will celebrate Imbolc as
well as Candlemas, and learn about how Brighid (Goddess and
Saint) connects the two.
In a comment on my
original post on this subject, Epsicopal priest John
Wilkins says, "This is a minor event. A small thing made
large by some obsessive people hunting for witches. Easy to
see how McCarthy got so many supporters." A few responses:
1) No one had to go hunting–they put themselves right out
where the whole world could see them. After that it was just
a matter of finding some links. 2) McCarthy was congenitally
dishonest about what he knew about Communists in the
government (which was next to nothing, though they were
there to be found if he'd known what he was doing). All the
bloggers pursuing this story have done is quote the Melnyks
out of their own mouths. 3) The large thing is the presence
of this kind of material on the ECUSA denominational Web
site, recommended for use in Sunday worship for anyone dumb
enough to use it. Father Wilkins may consider the content of
worship, and the object of our worship, trivial enough so
that substance doesn't matter. Scripture would indicate that
such is not the case, though whether that would make any
difference to him, I don't know. I can understand not
enjoying the sight of an institution to which you are
dedicated under attack. The answer is not to demonize the
messengers, but to change the institution, which won't
happen as long as its spitting in the face of its own reason
for being continues.
UPDATE: Karen at
Heretic's Corner has an interesting perspective on the
controversy from a kind of, sort of, more liberal point of
view. Worth a look.
Athanasius on 10.29.04 @ 10:01 AM EST [link]
Checking out the
bookstore
In case you don't like the "Women's Eucharist," you can look
for other help with your goddess needs on the ECUSA Women's
Ministries site. For example:
Theology:
*Goddesses
Who Rule, edited by Elisabeth Benard and Beverly Moon
Description: All but one of these chapters focuses on a
goddess or goddesses from other cultures and faiths that were
goddesses of sovereignty. It gives the reader a fuller
perspective to understand the place of the feminine in other
times and places and permission to dream our dreams as big as
possible.
*The
Book of the Goddess Past and Present by Carl Olson
Description: The figure of the goddess in a variety of
world religions is examined here by different scholars.
Included are the Canaanite-Hebrew Goddess, the Virgin Mary,
Sophia, the Contemporary Rediscovery of the Goddess and
Symbols of Goddesses and God in Feminine Theology. This is not
easy reading but the book provides much information.
*Introducing
Feminist Christologies by Lisa Isherwood
Description: The author explores who Jesus is for feminist
Christian women. She discusses savior, lover, friend, ground
of being, shaman, etc.
History:
*The
Alphabet Versus the Goddess: The Conflict Between Word and
Image by Leonard Shlain
Description: The author, a brain surgeon, proposes that
alphabet literacy altered the human brain in very significant
ways and was a catalyst for some of the most incredible
changes in history, religion, and male and female
relationships. It is a difficult read for women, but truth
will eventually set you free. There is a hopeful conclusion as
the author looks to the future. This is a must read for women
and men.
*The
Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future by
Riane Eisler
Description: If you are going to read one book on the
entire list, read this one. It "tells a new story of our
cultural origins. It shows that war and the 'war of the sexes'
are neither divinely nor biologically ordained. And it
provides verification that a better future is possible–and
is in fact firmly rooted in the haunting drama of what
actually happened in our past."
This is the Amazon.com description:
The phenomenal bestseller, with more than 500,000 copies
sold worldwide, now with a new epilogue from the author–The
Chalice and the Blade has inspired a generation of women and
men to envision a truly egalitarian society by exploring the
legacy of the peaceful, goddess-worshipping cultures from our
prehistoric past.
*The
Once and Future Goddess: A Symbol for Our Time by
Elinor W. Gadon
Description: This is a thought provoking and challenging
book about the divine feminine and its importance for healing
both human beings and the natural environment.
*When
God Was A Woman by Merlin Stone
Description: This is an important book for women in the
Judeo-Christian tradition. It chronicles what we have lost–our
equal status with men and our relationship with a mother god
who was the wise creator and source of universal order. Stone
shows how patriarchy re-imaged God and systematically set out
to subordinate women.
Psychology:
*Descent
to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women by
Sylvia Brinto Perera
Description: Every woman should know the story of Inanna.
It lives somewhere inside us all. The story is "about woman's
freedom and the need for an inner, female authority in a
masculine society."
*Queen
Maeve and Her Lovers: A Celtic Archetype of Ecstasy,
Addiction, and Healing by Sylvia Brinton Perera
Description: This work by a Jungian scholar and therapist
integrates depth psychology and the healing of addictive
behaviors with the ancient Celtic myth of Queen Maeve. It has
implications and raises interesting possibilities for those
not addicted but looking for ecstasy and meaningful rituals.
*Goddesses
in Older Women: Archetypes for Women Over Fifty: Becoming a
Juicy Crone by Jean Shinoda Bolen
Description: The author names the exciting new potential
and energies that awaken in a woman’s consciousness on the
other side of fifty. Once recognized, they can help a woman
feel empowered and wise.
Yessir, the OWM is a regular treasure trove of resources for
exploring the inner and outer goddess. I haven't read any of
them, and make no claims about their theological content,
psychological insights, or historical accuracy. I just thought
my readers would be interested in knowing what the OWM lays
before (not "officially endorses," though the comment on
The Chalice and the Blade certainly suggests such)
Episcopalians for study material.
(Hat tip: Erik Nelson)
Athanasius on 10.29.04 @ 01:20 PM EST [link]
Druids' bishop weighs in
Bishop Charles Bennison of Pennsylvania has finally responded
in a press release to the controversy swirling around two of
his priests. I found this on Kendall Harmon's
Titusonenine:
Accusations against two local priests that they are
practicing druids and in violation of their ordination vows
are extremely serious and merit further inquiries to establish
the facts, the Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison, Jr., Bishop of
the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, said Friday.
At the same time, it's imperative to ensure that the Revs.
Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk and William Melnyk are treated fairly and
not victims of a "where there's smoke, there's fire"
mentality, he said.
"I am extremely concerned by the charges made against the
Melnyks, yet I am also concerned about the reputations and
pastoral needs of two priests who have contributed very
positively to their parishes and this diocese for four years,"
Bennison said. "I will not allow this situation to turn into a
witch-hunt of any sort." [Do you suppose he has any sense
of irony at all?-A.]
Bennison indicated that he is looking forward to
communication with the lay leaders of
St.-Francis-in-the-Fields, Sugartown, where Rev. Ruppe-Melnyk
is rector and St. James', Downingtown, where her husband
serves.
The Bishop said he thought it crucial during this process to
hear the voices of those now served by the Melnyks.
"The liturgy at the center of this unfortunate controversy was
written years ago for study purposes for a small support group
of women in a diocese where the priests previously served.
"Yet to be determined is the extent to which it represents the
priests’ present views," Bennison said. "The Melnyks assure
me that it has never been used in liturgy or in their prayer
life."
Undoubtedly the bishop is correct in saying that it wouldn't
be right or fair to the Melnyks to act in haste without a
proper investigation. I do hope he'll look at all of the
evidence that's been gathered on the Net over the last few
days, and not simply accept their word for things (that last
reference to their prayer life makes me wonder, however). I
agree with the
Pontificator when he writes that "If charges were ever
made against me as a priest, I hope my bishop would respond in
kind." He is also right that the major focus of this issue
needs to be the ECUSA Office of Women's Ministries. As
abominable as the thought of two pagans serving as priests of
Christian congregations is, the denominational problem is much
the larger. At the same time, if the charges against the
Melnyks are substantiated (and I have no doubt that they will
be, at least against Bill, who seems the more active, or at
least prolific, of the two), there can be no question of their
remaining in any form of Episcopal ministry. We'll see where
this goes, but if Bishop Bennison has any thought of dropping
this matter down the memory hole, he'd better remember that
the blogosphere never forgets.
Athanasius on 10.29.04 @ 09:36 PM EST [link]
The other side
By way of showing that there is another side to the
whole pagan thing, here are a few links to those who think
that I and my fellow bloggers are inquisitors, witch-hunters,
or just plain not nice people:
Wildhunt.org (Jason Pitzl-Waters, pagan non-Episcopalian)
Salty Vicar (John Wilkins, Episcopal priest)
Gay Spirituality from Joe Perez
Read the comments that go with the posts. They're worth the
trip.
UPDATE: A couple more from the other side:
Father Jake Stops the World from a "sometimes heretical"
Episcopal priest
Letter from Hardscrabble CreeK: A Pagan Writer's Blog by
Chas. Clifton
Pilgrim's Progress from Demi the Jersey Devil
And further stuff from the aforementioned John Wilkins.
UPDATE: And a few more:
Blog That Goes Ping
Blogopotamus!
The Cat's Cradle
Athanasius on 10.29.04 @ 10:06 PM EST [link]
Sunday, October 31st
The Druid speaks
Rev. Bill Melnyk has decided to come out in the open, in a
most unusual place: David Virtue's
Virtuosity Anglican news site. Unusual, because Mr.
Virtue is not known as a friend of liberal Anglicanism, much
less Episcopaganism.
In the comment thread that follows David's article, Melnyk
posted the following (I assume this is copiable, since it
was posted in a public forum) to correct a couple of details
he contended David had gotten wrong (see the whole article
first if any of this is unclear):
David, My Friend,
Actually, there are a couple of factual errors in your
article, probably picked up from one of the other blogs. I
knew you'd want to correct them, in the interest of fairness
and accuracy.
Anyone can visit St. Francis or St. James Church and see for
themselves the Women's Eucharist from the EWM website is not
now, nor has it ever been, used at either church. At St.
Francis the schedule is Rite 1 at the early service and Rite
2 at the later service. At St. James we use Rite 1 (Prayer1,
with Prayer of Humble Access) at 7:45, and Rite 2 at 11:00.
At our 9:00 am children-oriented family service we had been
using an Evangelical Eucharist from the Iona Community–a
Christian Eucharist. Because of this current flap, however,
we have changed that to the Prayer Book Rite 2 service.
Nothing other than orthodox Christian rites have ever been
used at either church. Please visit us on a Sunday and see.
Because of the spurious charge of misuse of my discretionary
fund cooked up by one of the weblogs, I have submitted my
records to my Senior Warden for audit. He was able to report
to the Bishop there has never been any improper use of my
discretionary fund, and no donations were ever sent to any
groups outside the Episcopal Church.
Glyn and I both invite any readers of this blog to visit
either of our churches at any time, and talk with any
members of our congregation about the orthodoxy of our
preaching, teaching, or liturgical leadership.
This also goes for the Rector of Good Samaritan, Mr. Greg
Brewer, who has expressed concern without seeking any
knowledge whatsoever regarding what he is concerned about.
Mr. Brwer, you have a multi-clergy staff. Please do visit
St. Francis and St. James on a Sunday and learn the truth
for yourself.
I can understand the issues many people have with the
leadership of ECUSA. But the wanton disregard for the well
being of the good people of St. Francis Parish and St. James
Parish is inexcusable.
And yes, I would welcome anyone else who wishes not only to
write me at OakWyse@att.net, but to come to St. James on
Sunday and see for yourself. Truth has no fear of contending
with lies.
David, please do make these corrections. But not just on my
word. Please come to Church at St. Francis and at St. James
and see.
By the way, the "shell" I wear sometimes when not wearing a
cross is the ancient Christian symbol of Baptism, and is
quite well-known as the Symbol of St. James, for whom our
parish is named.
Peace to All,
The Rev. Bill Melnyk
I applaud the spirit in which Rev. Melnyk writes, which
sounds non-combative and open to discussion. However, there
are a couple of points that need to be made: 1) With regard
to finances, we have no idea whether the Senior Warden at
St. James can be relied upon to make an objective
accounting. Certainly there is nothing here that clears up
the question raised by the druidry.org posting that sounds
like it's running funds for the purchase of land in the UK
through the "Rector's Discretionary Fund" at St. James. 2)
More importantly, neither this post nor the other two very
short ones that Rev. Melnyk has thus far put up in the same
thread answer any questions about his or his wife's
Druidical activities. Any "wanton disregard" for the people
of their congregations is, to this point, to be credited to
their accounts, not those of the bloggers who have ferreted
out their activities.
In response to a question ("Are you two disciples of Christ
in all things, in every aspect of your lives–or of something
(or someone) else?"), Rev. Melnyk wrote, "You will certainly
say it is good to hear that we are indeed disciples of Jesus
Christ in all things." He also wrote, "yes, I choose God.
And yes, I am a follower of Jesus Christ, who is my Lord and
Savior. And Scripture tells us no one can say "Jesus is
Lord" except by the power of the Holy Spirit." Which is
lovely, except that it begs the question of what other
deities he and his wife may also be giving their allegiance
to. Scripture makes plain that mixing-and-matching isn't an
option, so just because you claim Jesus as your "Lord and
Savior" doesn't mean you're being exclusive. I hope Rev.
Melnyk is, but if so he's got a lot of stuff to explain.
UPDATE: Further comment from Rev. Melnyk indicates that he's
going to take the coy approach, and misuse Scripture in the
process:
"3. Have you disclosed all relevant facts about your life
to your vestry and bishop?"
Yes, I have. Though I readily admit that some might debate
what the relevent facts are.
If (and it's a big if) he's saying that Bishop Bennison
knows all about his druidic activities, and has no problem
with them, while at the same time claiming he needs to
investigate them...well, you draw you're own conclusions.
You know, I remember the trouble Paul got into with both
his Christian and Jewish colleagues when he conducted his
ministry in ways they found unacceptable. His reply was
simple: "I become all things to all people" in order to
reach as many as possible. In my ministry, the many people
who have said to me, "Thank you for showing me that Jesus is
more loving than I ever imagined from my experience of the
church" outweighs all the recent attacks.
I do hope he didn't learn to use Scripture this way in
seminary. He's actually suggesting that Paul–who said eating
meat sacrificed to idols was ok under certain circumstances,
but would rather have been crucified himself than worship
any deity other than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob–would approve of his conducting worship rituals for
Astarte in the name of...what? Paul was seeking to save the
lost. Is that a concept that Rev. Melnyk can even wrap his
mind around?
Athanasius on 10.31.04 @ 05:04 PM EST [link]
[11
Comments]
Monday, November 1st
Druid story goes into print
Julia Duin of the
Washington Times has brought the Episcopal Druid
story into the mainstream press. Most of what she wrote is
already well known to those who have been following the story
via the Internet over the last week, but she did get this
quote from Margaret Rose of the ECUSA Office of Women's
Ministries:
The "women's eucharist," she said in an interview was
written by Mrs. Melnyk for a parish study group of women.
"It was written in response to their alienation," she said.
"It was not claiming to be a Christian eucharist, but it was a
way to look at their own religious traditions and explore
them. We don't desire to replace the Sunday liturgy in any
way. They wrote it to see what it would feel like to have
specifically feminine images."
No one is saying that the OWM is trying to "replace the Sunday
liturgy" (as if they could). The original posting of the
"Women's Eucharist" did, however, say that it was recommended
for use on Sunday mornings. Presumably at sunrise.
Thanks to Ms. Duin and the Times for bringing this
story to the attention of an even wider public.
Athanasius on 11.01.04 @ 08:47 AM EST [link]
[3
Comments]
Nailing it
The
Pontificator has a terrific response to one of the
defenders of the pagan "Women's Eucharist":
The issue at hand is not the relationship of the gospel to
non-Christian religions. The issue is the distortion of the
gospel within the Church. The issue is apostasy. Christians
should be intolerant of apostasy. Christians should be
intolerant of the syncretistic corruption and distortion of
the gospel. Christians should be intolerant of counterfeit
revelations that cloak themselves in the vocabulary of
Christian faith. We must be intolerant because we have been
made stewards of a great truth, a truth that stands against
the irreligion and godlessness of the world. It is this truth
that is the salvation of mankind. It is this truth that is
your salvation and mine.
We rightly expect the Episcopal Church and her ministers to be
faithful to the faith once delivered to the saints. If one
wants to practice Wiccan liturgy and spirituality, leave the
Church. If one wants to believe in an Arian Christ, leave the
Church. If one wants to deny the resurrection of Jesus from
the dead, leave the Church. If one wants to write books
describing Christianity as a terrible blight on humanity,
leave the Church. If one wants to preach sermons on how
everyone will be saved regardless of their religious
convictions and practices, leave the Church. The Church is
constituted by divine revelation. Those who cannot subscribe
to this revelation, as understood and taught by the Church,
have no business pretending they are Christians. To remain in
the Church as a fifth column of dissent is morally
reprehensible. To remain in the Church in order to evacuate
the catholic faith of its content amd spiritual power is
blasphemy.
Read the whole thing, including the comments. In more ways
than one, this whole controversy, and at least some of the
reactions to it, have made clear yet again that within the
body of the mainline churches, there are at least two
manifestly different religions, in many instances using the
same terminology and understanding it in completely different
ways, so that we are no longer really worshipping the same
God. Each sees itself as the genuine article, and the other as
the purveyor of a man-made religion centered on an idol. There
are lots of people who don't fall into either camp, and who
may not even understand the issues, but more and more I think
they are going to have to choose sides as the inevitable
separation comes about, not just in the ECUSA, but throughout
the mainline Protestant world.
Athanasius on 11.01.04 @ 03:11 PM EST [link]
[29
Comments]
It's all about ME!
Shirley Ragsdale, religion editor of the
Des Moines Register, demonstrated in her column
Saturday a good part of what is wrong with the whole "women's
liturgy" thing:
Women make up more than half of churchgoers, but so much of
their lives is ignored in terms of religious rites, rituals
and ceremonies.
There are ceremonies to baptize their babies, but no rituals
to mark the passage from girl to woman or to celebrate
conception or pregnancy. There are few rituals to mark losses
such as miscarriages or passages such as menopause.
And your point is what, exactly? Last time I checked, every
rite in all the mainline churches was gender-neutral. Baptism
isn't for women's children, it's for God's children. If
we're conducting bar mitzvah-like rites of passage for
boys and not girls, it's escaped me. And what are the life
passages or losses we observe in the lives of men, but not
women? Most of the lives of all churchgoers is
"ignored," and there's a reason for that: the rites of the
church are mostly about God, rather than us.
Then, of course, the Rev. Margaret Rose chimes in:
"For women to move from representation to true inclusion in
the church and beyond, the church must embrace pastorally,
ritually and liturgically the many passages and experiences of
a woman's life," said the Rev. Margaret Rose, director of the
Office of Women's Ministries. "These are liminal moments, and
they call out for a response within the contexts of our
family, friends and neighbors of our life of faith."
And the reason for this, other than feminist ideology, is
what? The ritual and liturgy of the Christian Church is
typically not about our experience, but about the good news of
Jesus Christ. Of course, it may well be that for folks like
Rose, the Church really is first and foremost about us–our
petty complaints and childish wants, our victimization
politics and social agendas–rather than glorifying and serving
our Creator and Redeemer.
Sounds very much like what Ms. Ragsdale and Rev. Rose want is
to start a new church: the Church of Me. Then they can stuff
its liturgy full of their every passage and experience, and no
longer have to bother with ol' What's-His-Name.
Athanasius on 11.01.04 @ 08:45 PM EST [link]
[6
Comments]
Tuesday, November 2nd
More from Melnyk
Count on the Web Elves at
CaNN to go straight to the heart of the matter. They
wrote to the Rev. Bill Melnyk and asked some fair and
pointed question:
(1) Why were all the many personal websites connected
with you and your wife removed post-haste after it was
discovered that you both were rather interested in druidism?
This move raises more questions than it prevents.
(2) If there is nothing to hide on these websites, and all
is a matter of misperception, when will these websites
(including the 500+ re-named or half-dozen removed postings
on the message-board at http://www.druidry.org/) be restored
so people can draw their own conclusions? Did you request
these measures be taken on Druidry.org? Why the use of "OakWyse/
Druis/ Thrum/ Bran"?
(3) What is White Spring, in Glastonbury? Were funds in fact
channelled through St. James' Parish discretionary funds to
purchase this property?
(4) You describe yourself as a Druid and a Christian-- can
you elaborate? If some forms of druidry include actual
devotion to powers/ principles/ spirits/ gods other than the
God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, how do you
reconcile this with the absolute claims of Christianity, and
your ordination vows?
(5) How widespread is the new-age/ neo-pagan interest
amongst ECUSA parishes and clergy in your experience? Do you
know of other 'clergy-druids'?
(6) Do you understand why this issue could be offensive to
traditionally-minded Anglicans, including those in Africa,
where authentic forms of paganism are a present and
problematic reality?
Father Melnyk's response is interesting, if largely
uninformative:
Many, many thanks for asking. You are the only person
with enough journalistic integrity to do so!
You asked: "(3) What is White Spring, in Glastonbury? Were
funds in fact channeled through St. James' Parish
discretionary funds to purchase this property?"
The White Spring in Glastonbury is across the street from
the Chalice Well Gardens, run by a Christian charitable
trust called the Chalice Well Trust. They were hoping to
acquire the White Spring to add to the Gardens, joining the
spring that rises at Chalice Well, the traditional site
where Joseph of Arimathea is said to have hidden the Holy
Grail, the Chalice from the Last Supper, when he came to
Glastonbury. Glastonbury (specifically, Glastonbury Abbey)
is the traditional site of the first Christian Church in
Britain. Because it is also the center of the Arthurian
tales, it appeals to a broad cross section of Britons. There
are several websites regarding "White Spring" that are in no
way connected with me, or the Chalice Well Trust.
So the site in question is indeed a Christian site, though
open to interfaith use. Use of a discretionary fund to
contribute to a charitable trust would have been completely
proper.
However, the purchase was not made, no funds were ever
received, nor were any disbursed. This has been confirmed by
independent audit.
If you say so, Father. But a check at the Web site of
Chalice Well, Glastonbury reveals a lot more that's
Druid than Christian. Check the bookstore, for instance,
whose stock is mostly of the "sacred circles" and "energy
patterning" and "Celtic shamanism" variety.
The blogs that have printed allegations otherwise now
know those allegations are false, and are actionable for
libel. This is, of course, one of the problems with printing
things before checking them out.
I am sure you will understand that the blogs have, by their
tone and intent, made the rest of your questions so fraught
with controversy that I am loathe to answer them on the web
for fear of those answers being used unfairly. Simply put,
you are not trustworthy in my eyes because you do not have a
record or reputation for fairness, objectivity, and
impartiality. However, if you are near Downingtown, PA, and
would like to visit and have a cup of coffee, I’d be glad to
have an expansive and friendly conversation for the record.
You'd think he'd rather have his words unfiltered, and offer
as much detail as he'd like. Instead, he makes a phony offer
of an interview, knowing Binky is in no position to take him
up on it.
One question regarding #6: What is the position of
conservative Anglicans in the US regarding polygamy and
female circumcision tolerated and practiced within some of
the Anglican provinces in Africa?
And when in doubt, change the subject to something
irrelevant. Polygamy is a matter of morals, not theology,
and has been allowed only when in place before conversion.
Divorce of "extra" wives has not been mandated out of
concern for the fate of the women involved. Female
circumcision has been condemned by African Anglican
leadership, and is more commonly practiced by Muslims in any
event.
But of course the most interesting thing about this reply is
the complete refusal–either to CaNN or to inquiries on
Virtuosity–of Rev. Melnyk to say anything at all about
what he believes, and whether it's compatible with his vows
as an Episcopal priest. But then again, given the rather
overwhelming number of writings of his already on the Net,
maybe he thinks he's already made what he believes clear.
Athanasius on 11.02.04 @ 05:36 PM EST [link]
[4
Comments]
Thursday, November 4th
A letter from Father Melnyk
This was posted as a comment on my last entry. I put it in
the main column for everyone to see:
I have today sent this letter to my Bishop. My wife has
sent a similar letter:
Dear Bishop,
Recently it has been brought to light by several agencies
and individuals that I have been involved in work with
Druid organizations in the United States and England,
exploring the relationships between Christian and
pre-Christian Druid spirituality and theology. These
individuals and agencies have presented you with pages of
documentation of my activities from the internet. You and
I have discussed this material, and you have pointed out
to me that it is the opinion of the church that my
involvement, writings, and activities go beyond the bounds
expected of a Christian and a Christian priest.
I affirm to you with all my heart it was never my
intention to engage in such error, but only to help others
who had lost connection to the Church to find a way to
reconnect. I also thought that there was much in our early
British heritage that could help those of us in the Church
to broaden our understanding of Anglican tradition.
I was wrong. I repent of and recant without qualification
anything and everything I may have said or done which is
found to be in conflict with the Baptismal Covenant, and
the historical Creeds of the Church. With God as my
witness, I reaffirm my belief in the historical creeds of
the Church, and the Baptismal Covenant, and reaffirm to
you my faith, as expressed in that covenant. I am
resigning my membership in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and
Druids, as a sign of my repentence.
I have been a follower of Jesus Christ since my Baptism in
1947, and a faithful Deacon and Priest of the Church, with
the exception of the error admitted above, since 1981. It
is my desire to continue as such, and I ask for the mercy
of the Church, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sincerely,
The Rev. W. William Melnyk
I now take pains to publicly affirm this statement, and to
thank the contributors to the various Anglican weblogs for
bringing this to my attention and helping me to see the
truth.
The Rev. W. William Melnyk
I appreciate Father Melnyk's statement, and especially his
repudiation of actions and writings that run counter to
the historic creeds and baptismal covenant of the Church.
I am also glad that he posted this letter to EI, and know
that readers of this blog will rejoice in his words. I am
happy to have been of service to the brother in helping
him see the error of his ways. I will be praying for him
and his wife as they continue to seek the Lord's face.
UPDATE: The
IRD has the same letter, and prefaces it with this
comment:
We are grateful for his humble and direct letter. We
hope that the leaders of the Episcopal Church’s Office of
Women’s Ministries will likewise repent of that office’s
promotion of neo-paganism. We also hope that this direct
act of recantation of wrong and reaffirmation of the
historic faith of the Church will serve as a model for
other Episcopal leaders who have been called to express
regret for their actions in the context of “the
repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation enjoined on us
by Christ” (Windsor Report, paragraph 134).
UPDATE: Just thought I'd mention that since this story
first surfaced on October 25, the
Episcopal News Service has not seen fit to say a
single word about it. I checked there this morning, and
nope, still nothing. There was, however, a story from the
Anglican Church in Canada entitled "Churches urged to take
proactive role in Israeli-Palestinian crisis" that has
been removed, and the link to its archived location
broken. Anyone care to guess what that's about?
Athanasius on 11.04.04 @ 11:28 AM EST [link]
[10
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Friday, November 5th
A discussion worth looking at
Father Bill Melnyk has posted his letter to BIshop
Bennison on the
Druidry.org forum, which I appreciate very much. It
took courage to do so, as you can see by looking at the
posts on the resultant thread. I link to it because I
found the discussion that followed very interesting. Most
folks were understanding, a few mad. At least one was an
Episcopal friend of Father Melnyk's who registered
specifically so he could comment on his situation. It's
worth a look.
Athanasius on 11.05.04 @ 09:36 AM EST [link]
[5
Comments]
Druid controversy goes international
Now that Father Bill and Mother Glyn Melnyk have done
the right thing, it's time for the ECUSA's Office of
Women's Ministries to do so as well. The fiction that
the only problem with posting a Druid liturgy on the OWM
Web site was a possible copyright violation isn't
exactly passing muster with at least one
Anglican archbishop:
A fresh crisis has broken out in the Anglican
Communion after the American Church published a liturgy
for blessing divorce and a "women’s eucharist" promoting
the worship of pagan deities.
One of the Communion's leading figures, the West Indian
Primate, Archbishop Drexel Gomez, said that America’s
action showed a "total disregard" for the Windsor
Report's call for greater respect for the bonds of
Communion.
The rites, Liturgy for Divorce and A Women's Eucharist:
A Celebration of the Divine Feminine, were posted on the
Episcopal Church’s official website, under its Office
for Women’s Ministries, for use by parishes.
Archbishop Gomez expressed horror at the development.
"It is a pure mockery of the rite of blessing. It’s
acting with total disregard for the rest of the
Communion and for the historic teaching of the Church.
They are bent on going their own way."
He said that ECUSA's action breaches the bonds of
Communion and that the issue would be raised at the next
meeting of the Primates. "They will have to decide
whether they wish to remain with us or not but we will
not countenance that kind of behaviour and we will say
so very strongly. They are on a path of
self-destruction"
He said that the most that can be done at this stage is
to express outrage as strongly as possible. The Ven Paul
Gardner, The Chair of the Church of England Evangelical
Council, called on the House of Bishops to make a strong
statement, declaring how far the American Church has
departed from historic teaching.
"The idea of the celebration of divorce is anathema, it
shows us that the debate with ECUSA's leadership is
about far more than just sexual ethics," he said.
Of course, these comments, coming as they do from a
Third World primitive and a British caveman, will be
brushed off as ignorant, exclusivistic, and judgmental.
And the
Episcopal News Service still thinks there's
nothing worth paying the slightest bit of attention to
in this now international story.
Athanasius on 11.05.04 @ 11:46 PM EST [link]
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Bishop talk
Bishop Bennison on Pennsylvania lets us in on his
current thinking re: the pastors Melnyk (thanks to
Kendall Harmon for the text):
Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Clergy:
Today’s edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer carries a
story by David O’Reilly reporting accusations of druidic
practices by the Rev. W. William Melnyk, rector, St.
James’, Downingtown, and the Rev. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk,
rector, St. Francis-in-the-Fields, Sugartown, and my
receipt of letters from them assuring me of their
recantation of druidic teaching and their repudiation of
any future connection with druidic organizations. Let me
begin by outlining the background.
In response to an appeal from the Women’s Ministries at
the Episcopal Church Center in New York for resources
supportive of women, Glyn submitted a liturgy she had
written in 1997 for study purposes only in a women’s
small group in her congregation in Florida. It is a rite
for the healing of women who have been the victims of
assault or emotional abuse. Glyn tells me she submitted
it in good faith and assumed that it would be treated as
a resource for study and conversation among clergy and
teachers engaged in healing and counseling. It has not
now, and never has been, used as a liturgy at St.
Francis-in-the-Fields or any parish she has served. She
assures me that in the rare contexts of the study of
feminist spirituality in which it was shared it has
always been with the full explanation that it is not a
Christian liturgy, and is not intended to be used as
such.
Two weeks ago, the Christianity Today website carried a
story about the liturgy accusing Glyn and Bill of
paganism.
October 27, Glyn contacted me to inform me of the
article’s publication and apologize for any harm she had
caused the church and the diocese. On October 28, she
and I spoke again. On October 29, I told Glyn and Bill
that participation in druid activities is incompatible
with their ministries as priests of the Episcopal
Church, constitutes a violation of the national church
canon law prohibiting the “holding and teaching publicly
or privately, and advisably, doctrine contrary to that
held by this Church” (Canon IV.1.1), and is extremely
serious. At the same time I sought to ensure that both
of them be treated fairly and not become victims of a
“where there’s smoke, there’s fire” mentality. I have
been concerned to protect the reputations and meet the
pastoral needs of two who have contributed very
positively to their parishes and our diocese.
On Saturday, October 30, I had separate conference calls
with both clergy and the wardens of their congregations
and learned that their ministries have been gratefully
received by the people they serve. Later that day Glyn
met with her vestry, which expressed its overwhelming
support for Glyn as their rector and its conviction that
she has always kept St. Francis-in-the-Fields true to
the Christian faith.
On Wednesday, November 3, the Very Rev. N. Dean Evans,
Dean of the Brandywine Deanery, and I met with Bill and
his vestry to consider evidence supporting the
accusations. Widespread in the meeting were expressions
of gratitude for Bill’s ministry to individuals of his
parish and the parish as a community, concern for his
ministry, the parish, and the wider church, and a sense
that in his efforts to bridge the divide between
Christianity and a pagan religion he had gone too far.
On November 4, I received from Bill and Glyn letters of
apology and repentance for any damage that the exercise
of their ministries has caused and assurances without
reservation that they affirm the teaching of the Church
as set forth in Holy Scripture, the Creeds, and the
Baptismal Covenant. They promised me they are doing
everything possible to repair any damage that has been
caused to their own congregations or to the wider
church.
While I am continuing to ascertain and establish the
facts of the two separate cases, at the present time I
am issuing both priests a Pastoral Direction and Solemn
Warning pertaining to their future conduct in regard to
what has occurred.
The past two weeks have been very difficult ones for
Glyn and Bill, their wardens, and their vestries, as
their ministries have been challenged by voices from
outside of the diocese and, indeed, outside the
Episcopal Church. I ask you, their sisters and brothers
in our diocesan clericus, to pray for them, for their
physical and emotional health, for their strength to
persevere graciously amidst the pressures they are
under, for the people they serve, for our diocese, and
for me.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev Charles E. Bennison, Jr.
Bishop of Pennsylvania
I certainly second his call for prayer for Father and
Mother Melnyk, and for the difficult decisions that he
as bishop has to make regarding the situation. Now, if
we can just get someone at Episcopal headquarters to
take the whole pagan-endorsement-thing seriously....
Athanasius on 11.06.04 @ 08:42 PM EST [link]
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Monday, November 8th
Sad end to a sad episode
From today's Philadelphia
Inquirer:
An Episcopal priest who, with his wife, faced
discipline from the church after the couple's leadership
of local Druids became public has resigned from his
Downingtown church.
A letter distributed to parishioners yesterday said the
lay leadership at St. James' Episcopal Church had
determined on Friday that recent events would make it
difficult for the Rev. William Melnyk "to continue
effectively as the Rector of the church."
"We're disappointed that it had to come to this," said
Jeff Brodeur, spokesman for the Episcopal Diocese of
Pennsylvania. "It's been an emotional situation for
everyone."
Melnyk's wife, the Rev. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk, led services
yesterday at her church in Malvern, St.
Francis-in-the-Fields, Brodeur said, but still faces
possible discipline. Telephone messages left at St.
Francis were not returned.
The couple's participation in modern Druidism–a New Age
religion whose adherents worship the sun, nature and
trees–became public after national Christian groups and
Internet bloggers accused the Episcopal Church USA of
promoting paganism through the priests' activities. The
national church denied the accusation.
Some churchgoers at St. James' wept at the news of
William Melnyk's resignation, while others said they
wanted an explanation. Melnyk was not at the Downingtown
church yesterday. A home telephone number for the couple
could not be located.
"It's like a death," said Barbara Monaghan, a 19-year
parishioner who was among many who were visibly upset by
the resignation. "This is a parish that's been
flourishing, and we owe a lot of that to Bill Melnyk."
The Melnyks, who have directed their respective parishes
for nearly four years, wrote letters to Bishop Charles
E. Bennison of the Diocese of Pennsylvania on Thursday,
saying they "recanted and repudiated" their connection
with Druidism.
In their apologies, the couple said they had been active
as Druid leaders to reach out to marginal Christians,
and that they believed in the historic creeds of
Christianity. They also asked for "the mercy of the
Church and of our Lord Jesus Christ."
According to the letter that parishioners received
yesterday, the vestry–the church's lay leadership–talked
to Melnyk on Friday, then decided that his actions had
"so compromised his continued effectiveness that it
would be best were he to resign."
Their decision was communicated to Melnyk on Saturday by
a church leader. Melnyk said then that he would resign,
according to the letter.
The Melnyks' involvement in New Age nature worship came
to light last month after the Episcopal Church's women's
ministry listed two of the Melnyks' Druidic liturgies on
its Web site for possible use in developing feminist
liturgies. The church quickly removed the liturgies, one
of which was a eucharistic service including praise to
"God the Mother." But the controversy continued.
The letter informing parishioners of Melnyk's
resignation was read aloud at the beginning of services.
The congregation then proceeded to sing and pray, and
there was no more mention of Melnyk.
The silence angered one overwrought parishioner, who
stood up to speak her mind.
"I'm sorry, but our priest and this congregation are in
severe crisis," she said, adding that she was angry that
no other explanation was given about Melnyk's
resignation.
The woman wept as she left the church and said, "I'll
pray for all of you."
Another woman said after service that she was angry the
priest had resigned.
"He's a saint," said Jessica Kenworthey, who belongs to
another church but attends services at St. James' with
her husband, Mark, who is a member. "This is what
happens to saints."
I certainly hope that parishioners get more information
than this article seems to indicate they got.
Someone–Bishop Bennison, if he's up to the job–should
sit down with the congregation, explain the nature of
Father Melnyk's activities, and why they compromise his
effectiveness in his current congregation (as well as
why they are a problem for an Episcopal priest, which
ought to be understood, but very likely would not be by
many members).
(Thanks to
Kendall Harmon for the link.)
Athanasius on 11.08.04 @ 07:39 PM EST [link]
[2
Comments]
Wednesday, November 10th
Bennison speaks, shoots messenger
And there I was, complimenting Bishop Charles Bennison
of the ECUSA's Pennsylvania Diocese for being all
statesmanlike and everything, and he goes and says
stuff like
this:
Episcopal Bishop Charles E. Bennison said yesterday
that he would not suspend the local clergy couple
found to be involved in Druid activity–and he blamed
the scandal on "right-wing" groups out to destabilize
the Episcopal Church USA.
That's right, blame the messenger for pointing out
that the Office of Women's Ministries and two priests
were shooting themselves in the feet.
In his first interview since the scandal erupted
last month, Bennison, leader of the Diocese of
Pennsylvania, said the Rev. William Melnyk and the
Rev. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk had taken part, as students of
pre-Christian Celtic spirituality, in "exploratory
thinking" with Druid circles.
But his discussions with the couple, he said,
convinced him that they had not led any Druid groups
or joined nature-worshiping Druid rites.
Well, I guess we don't know for a fact that they ever
participated in the celebration of the stuff they
wrote–but what does it say about the level of priestly
responsibility of the Melnyks that they put it out
there for others to use? And what's it say about the
extraordinarily bad judgment of OWM that they'd
recommend it for use in Sunday morning services?
"They made a small error of judgment that has been
very costly to their ministry and their church, and
the church at large," Bennison said.
"A small error of judgment." Offering to Episcopalians
the means to worship other gods is a "small error in
judgment." That's in contrast to a large error in
judgment, such as standing up for orthodox teaching in
the face of an "outspoken liberal."
An outspoken church liberal, Bennison balanced his
criticism of the couple with a determination that the
diocese be "a safe place" for theological
experimentation.
What does this mean, anyway? A safe place to
experiment with paganism? A safe place to trample on
the teaching of Scripture and the historic creeds and
the baptismal covenant that Bill Melnyk just got
through reaffirming? Bennison is the bishop who
claimed that Jesus was a sinner just like the rest of
us, remember. Is that the kind of "theological
experimentation" for which he wants his diocese to be
a safe haven?
Bennison said Melnyk "will be directed to be much
more aware of what he says and does,...that, as a
priest, he is responsible not simply for his own
reality but for others' perceptions of his reality."
He's obviously been taking English lessons from Frank
Griswold.
Also, the bishop said, Ruppe-Melnyk's "God the
Mother" service "is not a Christian rite as most
people would understand Christianity." But the church
has many alternative rites, he said, "and Glyn has
never used it as Christian worship or even in private
prayer."
She's never used it as Christian worship because it
isn't Christian worship (at least as "most people"
would define it–how's that for a weaselly
expression?). And if she's never even used it in
"private prayer," why did she give it to the OWM to
post for use in public worship?
Bennison said the Institute on Religion and
Democracy, a conservative Christian group in
Washington, fomented the scandal by alerting Christian
media to Ruppe-Melnyk's online rite.
The institute, Bennison said, aims "to intimidate
people in our church who would exercise theological
imaginations, who would think out of the box....We
want a church where people can fail and be forgiven
rather than a church where no one takes risks."
If the IRD hadn't acted, the "Women's Eucharist" would
probably still be on the OWM site, and Bennison
wouldn't have been distracted from his persecution of
orthodox pastors and parishes, so I can understand why
he's upset.
Erik Nelson, research associate for the institute's
Episcopal Action Project, said he was surprised
Bennison "would continue to defend [the two priests]
when they repented and admitted it was wrong."
"There are ways of getting women to be more involved,
within the bounds of Christian orthodoxy," Nelson
said. "But they had a rite encouraging worship of a
goddess, and it was wrong and should have been
repudiated not only by the priests but the women's
office."
That should read, "a rite encouraging theological
experimentation," Erik. Gotta get with the program, my
friend.
Ruppe-Melnyk, reached at her church yesterday,
said, "We are just trying to keep from escalating an
unfortunate and misrepresented situation."
And the nature of that "misrepresentation" is what,
exactly?
(Thanks to
MCJ for the link.)
Athanasius on 11.10.04 @ 09:27 PM EST [link]
[4
Comments]
Thursday, November 11th
IRD calls for Margaret Rose's resignation
The
Institute on Religion and Democracy has issued a
call for responsibility in the ECUSA hierarchy that
will no doubt be devoutly ignored:
The President of the Institute on Religion and
Democracy today called for the resignation of the Rev.
Margaret Rose, director of the Episcopal Church’s
Office of Women's Ministries, after that office posted
a pagan rite on their website.
The rite, entitled A Women’s Eucharist: A Celebration
of the Divine Feminine, was available on the Episcopal
Church's website as a resource "to be used by women,
men, parishes, dioceses, small groups, within the
context of a Sunday morning service, or any other
appropriate setting." A news story from the Episcopal
News Service (ENS) on October 25 first drew attention
to the rites offered on the website of the Office of
Women’s Ministries.
"The posting of this rite on the Episcopal Church's
official website calls into question the judgment of
Margaret Rose and her leadership of the office of
Women's Ministries," said IRD President Diane Knippers.
"It is demeaning to Christian women to suggest that
our worship needs can be met by pagan rituals."
"There needs to be a more full accounting for why this
druid rite was posted on the official website of the
Episcopal Church," said Knippers. "Also, an account
needs to be made for other links and resources offered
on the website which use 'goddess' language."
The Women's Ministry page also advertises and
recommends books both on the Women's Ministries web
page, and through the Episcopal Church’s official
bookstore, that celebrate goddess worship. Such titles
include: Descent to the Goddess: A Way of
Initiation for Women, The Book of the Goddess Past and
Present, Goddesses Who Rule, and Beginner's
Guide to Wicca.
“It is bizarre to have to remind the Office of Women’s
Ministry that the Episcopal Church is a Christian
church," said Knippers. "Margaret Rose's judgment
cannot be trusted to find authentically Christian
resources for women. She should resign her position as
director of this office."
I agree wholeheartedly with Dr. Knippers, and the
statement needed to be made, but it's utterly futile.
There is no accountability whatsoever in the
bureaucracy of the ECUSA or any of the other large
mainline churches. When bishops of the church blow off
the issue as a "tempest in a teapot," and blame
conservatives for bringing it to public attention, you
know that no one is going to be held responsible.
Athanasius on 11.11.04 @ 10:55 AM EST [link]
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