July 11, 2013

Samaritan!

Posted by johnmangels under Bible, Jesus, Sermons | Tags: , , |
Leave a Comment 

Ok.  Here’s my sermon (draft, at least) for Sunday:

I think it’s hard for us to feel and understand the full impact of what we’ve come to know as Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan today.  Today, because of the role this story has played in our cultural history, the term “samaritan” is synonymous with being a do-gooder.  In Jesus’ day, it would have been more like being a voodoo witch doctor:  someone who might still bear some of the outward trappings of our religion, but who’s rites and practices were clearly perversions of the real meaning of our faith.  In fact, I’m feeling that I’m overstating the case against someone who practices voodoo.  But I’m pretty sure jews in Jesus’ day would have felt I was understating the case against Samaritans.  It was so bad that jews from Galilee had to travel in large groups to pass safely through Samaria.

Jesus, by the way, is in a very adversarial situation when he tells this story.  He’s being questioned by his enemies, who are looking for something they can use against him.  A debate between presidential candidates might be friendlier! (more…)

 

October 13, 2012

Three Small Bits …

Posted by johnmangels under Bible, Poetry | Tags: , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Yesterday we read (in the Episcopal Daily Office Lectionary) in Luke 8 one of those passages I know is there, but can never find:  “The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities:  Mary, Called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.”  Back then, women and children really didn’t count.  They were not considered worth notice.  But it really sounds like there were a lot of people who routinely traveled with Jesus.  Not just the twelve.  Not just a group of men.  But men and women (and probably children).  And they weren’t all poor — though many of them probably were.  Joanna would have been a woman with access to resources.  And these women, whatever their resources were, provided for Jesus and the whole community which followed him, out of their resources. (more…)

 

October 4, 2011

Dealing with Differences

Posted by johnmangels under Communion | Tags: , , |
Leave a Comment 

I saw this quotation from William Temple (a former Archbishop of Canterbury) in the Forward Day By Day for Sunday (October 2):

“In our dealings with one another let us be more eager to understand those who differ from us than either to refute them or to press upon them our own tradition ….  Wherever there are divisions which persist, there is sure to be something of value on both sides.” (more…)

 

March 27, 2011

Sermon for Lent 3 Year A (The Woman at the Well)

Posted by johnmangels under Bible, Sermons | Tags: , , , |
[2] Comments 

This is the sermon I didn’t give this morning in Fort Bragg:

This morning, we hear the story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.  Like many stories of Jesus’ life, this is a story about expanding the boundaries of who counts with God. (more…)

 

September 3, 2010

Prudence Crandall

Posted by johnmangels under Saints | Tags: , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Today we remember Prudence Crandall, who was born into a Quaker family in Rhode Island (and educated at a Friend’s boarding school since Friends believed in educating women).  She started a school for girls in Connecticut attended by the daughters of the wealthy.  Two years later, when she admitted Sarah Harris, a young African American girl, parents demanded that she be expelled. (more…)

 

July 28, 2010

The Truth About Idolatry

Posted by johnmangels under Interfaith, Jesus, Looking for God | Tags: , , , |
Leave a Comment 

In my daily office readings of late, in the Hebrew Scriptures, there has been a lot of talk about worshiping God alone, and keeping apart from the gods of other people.  God gets very angry when Israel worships other gods.  And I find myself thinking about my universalist religious approach (as opposed to exclusivist Christian approach) in this context.

And I’ve got to say at the start, I have real trouble believing that all of this comes from God. (more…)

 

June 28, 2010

Cyril, Irenaeus, Heresies and Saints

Posted by johnmangels under Christian Unity | Tags: , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Well, today we remember Irenaeus of Lyons (c.125-202).  And while I was looking that up in Kathleen Jones’ “The Saints of the Anglican Calendar,” I noticed I’d underlined a lot about Cyril of Alexandria (376-444).  I checked, and Cyril (unlike Irenaeus) is not in the calendar of the Episcopal Church – not even in the expansion (by about 100 names) that came out of our last General Convention.  In my mind, this may well be a good thing.

About the only good thing in the book about Cyril is that he was “a champion of orthodoxy.”  But he also refused to consider any doctrine not found in the early church fathers.  And that denies God’s continuing revelation.  I have a problem with that. (more…)

 

June 21, 2010

Holy Spirit, Silver Lake, and “Boxing God”

Posted by johnmangels under Bible, Looking for God | Tags: , , , , |
1 Comment 

This past week, while at continuing education in Los Angeles (training for transitions ministry) I had the privilege of attending the midweek (Thursday night) service at Holy Spirit in Silver Lake.  This is a small, emergent congregation that started in someone’s home and now meets in a couple of rooms for Eucharist on Thursday nights.  They describe themselves as a meal in three courses, gathered around the altar.  And there is intentionality about being open and welcoming to the GLTBI community.

One of the things they do differently is the sermon. (more…)

 

June 8, 2010

The Gift of the Other (and Culture Wars)

Posted by johnmangels under Interfaith, Religion, World Events | Tags: , , |
1 Comment 

In my car this morning, I ended up behind a truck with a bumper sticker that read (something like) I’m a Christian (in big print) and I’m at war (in smaller print).  It said more than that, but I didn’t have time to read the rest.  And my bet is that this is a conservative Christian who sees themself fighting the culture wars on behalf of Christ.  I’m a Christian too.  And there are certainly parts of our culture that I might like to convert.  But I hope I’m not at war — not even with the guy driving this truck, with whom I’m pretty sure I’d find much with which to disagree. (more…)

 

May 26, 2010

Augustine of Canterbury and the Via Media

Posted by johnmangels under Christian Unity, Episcopal Church | Tags: , , , , , |
1 Comment 

Well, today we commemorate Augustine of Canterbury.  And I have to admit, I don’t normally think of him when I think of the Anglican via media.  But, at Gregory’s direction, rather than adhering strictly to the Roman rite, he made at least some allowance for Celtic practices that were ongoing when he arrived.  And, as our first Archbishop of Canterbury, that had to help set a tone. (more…)

 

Next Page »