Below are a list of signatories to the 1975 Manifesto on the Ordination of Women to the Priesthood from Concerned Clergy of the Anglican Church of Canada from the Diocese of Toronto. I found this a fascinating list, with some "no surprise there" names, and a few unexpected ones.
Interesting signatories from other dioceses include the Rev. D.F. Harvey of the Diocese of Newfoundland, the Rev. R.D. Crouse of Nova Scotia.
I also recognised the Rev. A.M.L. Klassen of Montréal (presumably the rector of St Michael's, Winnipeg), the Rev. H.O. Slattery of the same diocese (now, I believe, rector of the Anglican Catholic parish there), the Rev. A. Gallichan, of Ottawa (now a priest with Christ Catholic Church International), and a few other clergy who are now with continuum denominations.
One wonders if any female deacons signed.
Here beginneth the list:
TORONTO:
The Right Reverend Hugh V. Stiff
The Venerable J.M.N. Jackson
The Venerable G.H. Johnson
The Venerable B. Tonks
The Reverends M.H.H. Bedford-Jones
D.C. Brown [OHC?]
R.V. Campkin
D.A. Catton
D.H. Crane
J.P. Deyman
J.W. Eling
E.W.W. Etherden
C.A. Gotts
E.T. Hales
H.B. Haynes
H.E. Hesketh
J.W.B. Hill
M.C.D. Hutt
T. Ipema
W.N. McKeachie
J.D. Merrett
G.E. Moffatt
W.E. Moore
R.F. Palmer [SSJE]
G.L. Pritchard
R.H. Pursel
S.R. Ripper
R.A. Sharp
G.R. Thompson
G.V. Young
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The Prayer Book Society: "Has anyone seen our mandate?"
Do you know what the mandate of the Prayer Book Society of Canada is?
Surprise! According to the Society's website: "The PBSC is a national organization dedicated to promoting the Book of Common Prayer - the official (but often under-appreciated) standard of faith and worship for the Anglican Church of Canada."
I know, eh? Like me, most of you probably were going to say: "Why, Rosie, of course the Prayer Book Society is the leading organization in the effort to prevent the blessing of same-sex unions in the Anglican Church of Canada." And you'd be right. But apparently that's just a moonlighting job that simply happens to have become all-consuming. Sort of like how the "Worshipful Company of Haberdashers" runs schools now, and only historically has anything to do with haberdashery.
I've lost count of the number of people who have told me that they would gladly belong to the Prayer Book Society if it actually expended most of its energy on the Prayer Book. Perhaps the PBSC needs to find itself again in order to grow.
Surprise! According to the Society's website: "The PBSC is a national organization dedicated to promoting the Book of Common Prayer - the official (but often under-appreciated) standard of faith and worship for the Anglican Church of Canada."
I know, eh? Like me, most of you probably were going to say: "Why, Rosie, of course the Prayer Book Society is the leading organization in the effort to prevent the blessing of same-sex unions in the Anglican Church of Canada." And you'd be right. But apparently that's just a moonlighting job that simply happens to have become all-consuming. Sort of like how the "Worshipful Company of Haberdashers" runs schools now, and only historically has anything to do with haberdashery.
I've lost count of the number of people who have told me that they would gladly belong to the Prayer Book Society if it actually expended most of its energy on the Prayer Book. Perhaps the PBSC needs to find itself again in order to grow.
Women in the Episcopate of the Anglican Communion
Episcopal Church USA
*Laura Ahrens (2007)
Suffragan, Connecticut
*Jane Dixon (1992)
Retired Suffragan, Washington
*Carol Gallagher (2002)
Resigned Suffragan, Southern Virginia, then Assistant in Newark
*Mary Gray-Reeves (2007)
Bishop of El Camino Real
*Barbara Harris (1988)
Assisting Bishop of Washington (previously Suffragan, Massachusetts)
*Gayle Elizabeth Harris (2003)
Suffragan, Massachusetts
*Dena Harrison (2006)
Suffragan, Texas
*Carolyn Irish (1996) (doubtful validity)
Bishop of Utah
*Chilton Knudsen (1997)
Bishop of Maine
*Mary Adelia McLeod (1993)
Retired Bishop of Vermont
*Bavi "Nedi" Rivera (2005)
Suffragan, Olympia
*Catherine Roskam (1995)
Suffragan, New York
*Katharine Jefferts Schori (2000)
Primate, formerly of Nevada
*Catherine Waynick (1997)
Bishop of Indianapolis
*Geralyn Wolf (1995)
Bishop of Rhode Island
Anglican Church of Canada
*Jane Alexander (2008)
Bishop-elect of Edmonton
*Susan Moxley (2004)
Bishop of Nova Scotia (previously suffragan)
*Linda Nicholls (2008)
Suffragan (Trent-Durham), Toronto
*Ann Tottenham (1997)
Retired Suffragan (York-Credit Valley), Toronto
Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia
*Penny Jamieson (1990)
Retired Bishop of Dunedin
*Victoria Matthews (1994)
Bishop-elect of Christchurch; previously Bishop of Edmonton (Canada); originally Suffragan (York-Credit Valley), Toronto
Anglican Church of Australia
*Barbara Darling (2008)
Bishop for Diocesan Ministries, Melbourne
*Kay Goldsworthy (2008) (first)
Assistant Bishop, Perth
Episcopal Church of Cuba
*Nerva Cot Aguilera (2007)
Suffragan
Women bishops permitted, none selected
*Church of Bangladesh [United]
*Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil
*Anglican Church of Central America
*Church of Ireland
*Japan Holy Catholic Church
*Anglican Church of Mexico
*Church of North India [United]
*Philippine Episcopal Church
*Scottish Episcopal Church
*Anglican Church of Southern Africa
*Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Women ordained to the priesthood, but not the episcopate
*Church of the Province of Burundi
*Church of England
*Hong Kong Anglican Church (Episcopal)
*Anglican Church of Kenya
*Anglican Church of Korea
*Church of the Province of Rwanda
*Church of South India [United]
*Church of Uganda
*Church in Wales
*Church of the Province of the West Indies
*Church of the Province of West Africa
Women ordained to the diaconate only
*Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean
*Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of America
*Anglican Church of the Province of the Congo
*Church of Pakistan [United]
No ordination of women
*Church of the Province of Central Africa
*Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
*Church of the Province of Melanesia
*Church of Nigeria
*Church of the Province of Papua New Guinea
*Church of the Province of South East Asia
*Anglican Church of Tanzania
*Laura Ahrens (2007)
Suffragan, Connecticut
*Jane Dixon (1992)
Retired Suffragan, Washington
*Carol Gallagher (2002)
Resigned Suffragan, Southern Virginia, then Assistant in Newark
*Mary Gray-Reeves (2007)
Bishop of El Camino Real
*Barbara Harris (1988)
Assisting Bishop of Washington (previously Suffragan, Massachusetts)
*Gayle Elizabeth Harris (2003)
Suffragan, Massachusetts
*Dena Harrison (2006)
Suffragan, Texas
*Carolyn Irish (1996) (doubtful validity)
Bishop of Utah
*Chilton Knudsen (1997)
Bishop of Maine
*Mary Adelia McLeod (1993)
Retired Bishop of Vermont
*Bavi "Nedi" Rivera (2005)
Suffragan, Olympia
*Catherine Roskam (1995)
Suffragan, New York
*Katharine Jefferts Schori (2000)
Primate, formerly of Nevada
*Catherine Waynick (1997)
Bishop of Indianapolis
*Geralyn Wolf (1995)
Bishop of Rhode Island
Anglican Church of Canada
*Jane Alexander (2008)
Bishop-elect of Edmonton
*Susan Moxley (2004)
Bishop of Nova Scotia (previously suffragan)
*Linda Nicholls (2008)
Suffragan (Trent-Durham), Toronto
*Ann Tottenham (1997)
Retired Suffragan (York-Credit Valley), Toronto
Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia
*Penny Jamieson (1990)
Retired Bishop of Dunedin
*Victoria Matthews (1994)
Bishop-elect of Christchurch; previously Bishop of Edmonton (Canada); originally Suffragan (York-Credit Valley), Toronto
Anglican Church of Australia
*Barbara Darling (2008)
Bishop for Diocesan Ministries, Melbourne
*Kay Goldsworthy (2008) (first)
Assistant Bishop, Perth
Episcopal Church of Cuba
*Nerva Cot Aguilera (2007)
Suffragan
Women bishops permitted, none selected
*Church of Bangladesh [United]
*Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil
*Anglican Church of Central America
*Church of Ireland
*Japan Holy Catholic Church
*Anglican Church of Mexico
*Church of North India [United]
*Philippine Episcopal Church
*Scottish Episcopal Church
*Anglican Church of Southern Africa
*Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Women ordained to the priesthood, but not the episcopate
*Church of the Province of Burundi
*Church of England
*Hong Kong Anglican Church (Episcopal)
*Anglican Church of Kenya
*Anglican Church of Korea
*Church of the Province of Rwanda
*Church of South India [United]
*Church of Uganda
*Church in Wales
*Church of the Province of the West Indies
*Church of the Province of West Africa
Women ordained to the diaconate only
*Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean
*Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of America
*Anglican Church of the Province of the Congo
*Church of Pakistan [United]
No ordination of women
*Church of the Province of Central Africa
*Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
*Church of the Province of Melanesia
*Church of Nigeria
*Church of the Province of Papua New Guinea
*Church of the Province of South East Asia
*Anglican Church of Tanzania
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Marriage on TV
I watch television. I have friends who don't, and I applaud them for it. But I myself find that TV can be just as much as worth my time as good cinema can. At the same time, it's not hard to spot some of the more glaring trends that vex TV. Indeed, some of the more austere sects either prohibit or strongly discourage the viewing of TV. Chasidic Jews, Amish and Old Order Mennonites, and Lefebvrist Tertiaries don't.
The other day, I found myself watching an hour of According to Jim. It's a fairly standard domcom featuring Jim Belushi as the husband and father in a family. I found myself enjoying the fictional family's antics, and I suddenly realized why that was.
The characters of Jim and Cheryl don't hate each other. They often have the same petty conflicts that drive sitcoms, but it's always done in good humour. In this respect it's antithetical to Everybody Loves Raymond, which I hate, precisely because, well, everyone hates each other. The husband is a stock character of the thoughtless, self-centred, boorish husband. The wife is the nagging, hard-done-by crank. The mother-in-law is obnoxious, condescending, and domineering. To me, this is not a recipe for comedy. I can't laugh when all of the characters are so unsympathetic and angry. (Note that I don't say they aren't "nice" or "good people". That's not necessary - witness Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm).
Watching According to Jim, I'm not left wondering why the couple ever married in the first place, as I so often am with other television comedies. It this respect, it's like Family Guy, in which the heads of the family clearly love each other - even though Peter Griffin is in many ways a meta-joke about sitcom husbands.
How we portray people and institutions in popular media says something about our values. I remember watching comedies on TV while on holiday in Florida as a child, American programmes that we didn't get at home. My mother, I recall, glanced mournfully at the TV set and asked: "Why are all the Black characters stupid?"
It seems to me that it's worth asking the question of whether we value marriage as a society, and if so, why we seem to treat it with such scorn in our media. Judging from TV sitcoms and the monologues of stand-up comedians (who are even worse in this respect), it's a wonder to me that anyone chooses to be married at all. It's true that we only camp the things we love, but most such comedy isn't camp, and isn't loving in its treatment of marriage. Perhaps it's not surprising that the frequency of divorce is so high in a culture that views marriage as ours appears to.
The other day, I found myself watching an hour of According to Jim. It's a fairly standard domcom featuring Jim Belushi as the husband and father in a family. I found myself enjoying the fictional family's antics, and I suddenly realized why that was.
The characters of Jim and Cheryl don't hate each other. They often have the same petty conflicts that drive sitcoms, but it's always done in good humour. In this respect it's antithetical to Everybody Loves Raymond, which I hate, precisely because, well, everyone hates each other. The husband is a stock character of the thoughtless, self-centred, boorish husband. The wife is the nagging, hard-done-by crank. The mother-in-law is obnoxious, condescending, and domineering. To me, this is not a recipe for comedy. I can't laugh when all of the characters are so unsympathetic and angry. (Note that I don't say they aren't "nice" or "good people". That's not necessary - witness Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm).
Watching According to Jim, I'm not left wondering why the couple ever married in the first place, as I so often am with other television comedies. It this respect, it's like Family Guy, in which the heads of the family clearly love each other - even though Peter Griffin is in many ways a meta-joke about sitcom husbands.
How we portray people and institutions in popular media says something about our values. I remember watching comedies on TV while on holiday in Florida as a child, American programmes that we didn't get at home. My mother, I recall, glanced mournfully at the TV set and asked: "Why are all the Black characters stupid?"
It seems to me that it's worth asking the question of whether we value marriage as a society, and if so, why we seem to treat it with such scorn in our media. Judging from TV sitcoms and the monologues of stand-up comedians (who are even worse in this respect), it's a wonder to me that anyone chooses to be married at all. It's true that we only camp the things we love, but most such comedy isn't camp, and isn't loving in its treatment of marriage. Perhaps it's not surprising that the frequency of divorce is so high in a culture that views marriage as ours appears to.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
May liturgies
1 (Ascension): High Mass at St Thomas's, Huron Street
3 (May Festival I): Sung Mass, Rosary, and Benediction at St Matthias, Bellwoods
4 (Sunday after the Ascension): Sung Eucharist and Ordination of Deacons at the Cathedral Church of St James
6 (St John the Evangelist): Sung Eucharist at St John's Convent
10 (May Festival II): High Mass at St Thomas's
18 (Trinity): Choral Mattins with the Monarchist League in attendance at Christ Church Deer Park; Solemn Evensong and Benediction at the Church of St Mary Magdalene
22 (Corpus Christi): High Mass, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, and Benediction with Propitiation in attendance at St Bartholomew's, Regent Park
24 (May Festival III): Back at St Bart's for the May Festival. Details TBA.
25 (Corpus Christi [trans]): High Mass, (Outdoor?) Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, and Benediction at St Mary Mag
26 (St Philip Neri): Sung Mass at Holy Family, Toronto Oratory
31 (Visitation): High Mass and Outdoor Procession at St Mary Mag
3 (May Festival I): Sung Mass, Rosary, and Benediction at St Matthias, Bellwoods
4 (Sunday after the Ascension): Sung Eucharist and Ordination of Deacons at the Cathedral Church of St James
6 (St John the Evangelist): Sung Eucharist at St John's Convent
10 (May Festival II): High Mass at St Thomas's
18 (Trinity): Choral Mattins with the Monarchist League in attendance at Christ Church Deer Park; Solemn Evensong and Benediction at the Church of St Mary Magdalene
22 (Corpus Christi): High Mass, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, and Benediction with Propitiation in attendance at St Bartholomew's, Regent Park
24 (May Festival III): Back at St Bart's for the May Festival. Details TBA.
25 (Corpus Christi [trans]): High Mass, (Outdoor?) Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, and Benediction at St Mary Mag
26 (St Philip Neri): Sung Mass at Holy Family, Toronto Oratory
31 (Visitation): High Mass and Outdoor Procession at St Mary Mag
Friday, April 11, 2008
Gender, sex, and the soul
A little while ago, I registered with "Yahoo! Answers," which allows individuals to post questions about a variety of subjects and see other people's answers (or vice versa). Since anyone can join, there's a very real element of caveat lector. I spend most of my time in the Religion and Spirituality section, trying to cut throught the venom, rhetoric, and misinformation that so many people seem to have about these topics.
Here is a post I recently made in response to someone who asked about the appropriateness of sex reassignment surgery.
As a Christian, I have problems with the idea that undergoing sex reassignment somehow thwarts God's will. Presumably, if one is a Christian, one believes that the body is not the be-all and end-all of our existence? Of course, problems arise, historically, when we undervalue the body. But there's more to us than that: we have souls. And it doesn't seem at all implausible to me that a person might be born in a body that doesn't match his or her soul. After all, many children are born with all sorts of congenital problems that we have no qualms about correcting - we don't, for instance, see operating on a cleft lip as frustrating God's purpose for that individual.
Sex and gender are related concepts, but don't necessarily correspond exactly to one another. Ultimately, I trust an individual's intuition about who they are better than the judgment of a third party. And I think it's just patronizing when people say things like: "You can have all the surgery you want, but you'll just be a mutilated man/woman." Since when do Christians put such stock in biological determinism? Why are we bound to say that a person is condemned to "be" whatever gender normally corresponds to their chromosomal sex? Why is it so incredible that someone's soul or psyche might not line up with his or her body? I simply cannot fathom the arrogance required to tell another person what gender they are.
Here is a post I recently made in response to someone who asked about the appropriateness of sex reassignment surgery.
As a Christian, I have problems with the idea that undergoing sex reassignment somehow thwarts God's will. Presumably, if one is a Christian, one believes that the body is not the be-all and end-all of our existence? Of course, problems arise, historically, when we undervalue the body. But there's more to us than that: we have souls. And it doesn't seem at all implausible to me that a person might be born in a body that doesn't match his or her soul. After all, many children are born with all sorts of congenital problems that we have no qualms about correcting - we don't, for instance, see operating on a cleft lip as frustrating God's purpose for that individual.
Sex and gender are related concepts, but don't necessarily correspond exactly to one another. Ultimately, I trust an individual's intuition about who they are better than the judgment of a third party. And I think it's just patronizing when people say things like: "You can have all the surgery you want, but you'll just be a mutilated man/woman." Since when do Christians put such stock in biological determinism? Why are we bound to say that a person is condemned to "be" whatever gender normally corresponds to their chromosomal sex? Why is it so incredible that someone's soul or psyche might not line up with his or her body? I simply cannot fathom the arrogance required to tell another person what gender they are.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Holy Week at Christminster
Christ the Saviour Monastery in Hamilton has released the Holy Week schedule for the Oratory of Our Lady of Glastonbury.
April 20
Palm Sunday
9am Blessing of Palms and Procession; Sung Mass with the Passion of St Matthew
April 23
Wednesday in Holy Week
7pm Stations of the Cross; Anointing Service
April 24
Maundy Thursday
8am Tenebrae (Matins and Lauds)
6pm Sung Mass and Stripping of the Altar
April 25
Good Friday
8am Tenebrae
12 noon Stations of the Cross
6pm Solemn Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified
April 26
Holy Saturday
8am Tenebrae
7.30pm Great Vigil and First Mass of Easter
April 27
Easter Sunday
9am Morrow Mass of Easter
6pm Vespers and Benediction
Saturday, April 5, 2008
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