Colleagues List, June 25th, 2011

Vol. VI. No. 37 ***** Wayne A. Holst, Editor ***** Colleagues List Blog: http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com/ My E-Mail Address: waholst@telusplanet.net ***** In This Issue - Special Items This Week: Book Notice - "Devil's Ink:  Blog from the Basement Office" --- "Soulistry" book notice update ___ Colleague Comment: Ron Rolheiser Reginald Stackhouse ___ Colleague Contributions: Beth Porter Isabel Gibson Martin Marty Robert Ellsberg Ronald Mayan Ron Rolheiser Jim Taylor __ Net Notes: Heard the One About the Pope? Listen to Those Sinned Against Christians Get Cemeteries in Nepal Withdrawal from Afghanistan, Good Move Gay Bishops Must be Celibate: Proposal London Protests Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws Venezuelans Defied Pope and Backed Chavez Online Photo Exhibit - Anticipating WWII ___ Global Faith Potpourri: Nine ENI Geneva stories appear this week. ___ Quotes of the Week: Studs Terkel Walt Whitman Oswald Chambers Chinese Proverb ___ On This Day: June 20, 1967 - Muhammad Ali convicted for refusing to be drafted June 22, 1940 - Adolf Hitler wins stunning victory. France forced to sign an armistice ___ Closing Thought - Provided by Douglas Hales (end) ***** Dear Friends: This is my second to last issue of Colleagues List until it is sent to you every two weeks this summer. Watch for the July 2nd issue next week. Bob Todd, an American colleague and free-lance publicist sent me a copy of a new title produced by Fortress Press. It is entitled: Devil's Ink: Blog from the Basement Office  and I share a notice of this imaginative book with you today. --- After my notice of colleague June Maffin's new book "Soulistry" two weeks ago, I provide an update. ___ Colleague Comment: Ron Rolheiser - thanks me for my notice, last week, of his new book "Our One Great Act of Fidelity" Reginald Stackhouse - rejoins Colleagues List with a new email address, and provides news of his family life and teaching. Thanks to both of you! ___ Colleague Contributions: Beth Porter - director of the L'Arche Canada Foundation is also editor of "A Human Future" - a thought sheet for Canadians. In this issue, she interviews author Margaret Atwood. Isabel Gibson - posts a tribute to her recently deceased father, Sheldon Gibson. Martin Marty - issues a "Sightings" article on the spiritual characteristics of modern American youth. Robert Ellsberg - offers a tribute to his father, Daniel Ellsberg on the 40th anniversary of the publishing of the Pentagon Papers - a landmark event in American history. Ronald Mayan - invites people to meet two bishops of the Mar Thoma Church (India and Canada) sponsored by the Ronning Centre in Edmonton. Ron Rolheiser - reflects on life's complexities. Jim Taylor - reminds us about time in the southern hemisphere - just the reverse - at our summer solstice! __ Net Notes: "Heard the One About the Pope?" - Religious satire today can do with some clean up, says this writer (The Guardian, UK) "Listen to Those Sinned Against" - here is a good editorial calling on church leaders to heed the voice of the abused (The Tablet, UK) "Christians Get Cemeteries in Nepal" - Christians have been granted the right to their own burial grounds in this ancient Hindu kingdom (Ucan News) "Withdrawal from Afghanistan, Good Move" - President Obama's military cut-back is lauded (New York Times) "Gay Bishops Must be Celibate: Proposal" - in an attempt to bring human rights in the church into closer sync with British society, the Church of England proposes a revision of its current policies (Episcopal News Service) "London Protests Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws" - a city of global significance plans to hold organized protests against religious laws in Pakistan (Ucan News) "Venezuelans Defied Pope and Backed Chavez" - in an act of identification with national will, Venezuelan bishops supported American president Bush and ignored John Paul II. (Sacramento Bee) "Online Photo Exhibit - Anticipating WWII" - for history buffs, a marvelous collection of black and white photos from the 1930's demonstrating how the world was heading to war (The Atlantic Online) ___ Global Faith Potpourri: Nine ENI Geneva stories appear this week. ___ Quotes of the Week: Studs Terkel, Walt Whitman, Oswald Chambers and a Chinese Proverb elevate our thoughts. ___ On This Day: Return to two significant events in history, courtesy of the New York Times: Muhammad Ali was convicted for refusing to be drafted in the US army (1967) Adolf Hitler won a stunning victory, and France was forced to sign armistice (1940) ___ Closing Thought - Douglas Hales ventures that men have it better --- I wish you a good first week of summer (in the Northern Hemisphere, of course!) Those readers from the Southern Hemisphere will hopefully bear with me. Wayne ************************ SPECIAL ST. DAVID'S LINKS Contact us at: asdm@sduc.ca (or)admin@sduc.ca St. David's Web Address - http://sduc.ca/ Listen to audio recordings of Sunday services - http://sduc.ca/services.htm ___ ST DAVID'S ACTS WEB PAGE Created and maintained by Colleague Jock McTavish http://stdavidscalgary.net/ NOTE: This page is being reconstructed. ***** STUDY ARCHIVES A collection of twenty-five+ studies conducted since 2000 can quickly be found at: http://bookstudies.stdavidscalgary.net/ This collection of study resources represents a decade of Monday Night Studies at St. David's, plus extra courses too! You are welcome to use our course outlines, class notes and resource pages in your personal and group reflections. ****************************************** In this issue: SPECIAL ITEM Book Notice - DEVIL'S INK Blog from the Basement Office by Jeffrey C. Pugh. Fortress Canada. April, 2011. $12.00 paper. 193 pages. ISBN #978-0-8006-9814-0. Publisher's Weekly Book Summary - Comprising a series of blog posts by the devil, this book imagines Satan's take on modern life, from social networking and politicians' sexual dalliances to terrorism. Pugh, professor and chair of religious studies at Elon University and author (Religionless Christianity: Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Troubled Times), is so winsome a voice for evil that readers will have to remind themselves not to adopt his point of view. The device lends itself to discrete meditations on individual topics, so readers will be hard-pressed to discern a narrative or particular order to the posts. "Tags" lead readers to investigate connections, such as why the devil likes human striving for perfection and what Thomas More might have to do with that. Many will disagree with some of the more sly satanic observations (e.g., that the devil loves Disney World or that terrorism is excusable). However, the author plans to set up a Web site for readers to continue the conversation. This writing- yet-to-come may be as valuable as the thought-provoking and humorous posts that compose the book. (April, 2011) --- Author's Words: "Of course, evil is elusive — difficult to discern and more difficult to define. Still, since ancient writers first put the Satan figure into the story of Job, or the serpent into the story of creation, evil has been the subject of much of our greatest literature, from fiction to philosophy. This vast output is testimony to the fact that the mystery of evil perplexes and puzzles us, creates daily struggles for us, and continually scars our existence. If we can imagine intentionality behind all the evil in the world not hard to do — then the image of Satan blogging to his minions and to all interested parties about the contemporary ways and means of evil is not much of a stretch at all." --- The man most known for giving devils a literary voice in recent times is, of course, C. S. Lewis, in "The Screwtape Letters." I have been concerned to do something different than Lewis' accomplishment. For this generation, not only has the medium changed - from letters to a blog - but the whole character and locale of evil has changed. "Devil's Ink" explores how evil arises in stealthy ways in popular culture. Questions abound. How does evil mask itself so that we accept it as a matter of course...? How does evil colonize our attitudes, habits and thoughts...? How do people of faith relate to their cultural contexts when those contexts seem so indifferent, or even hostile to faith? - These are some of the struggles I try to represent in this small book. This is not a book about our personal relationship with sin, which can be defined in so many ways, as much as it is an exploration of the ways that evil embeds itself structurally in human life. Until we think clearly about how the choices we make construct architectures of imprisonment for us, we simply repeat patterns that have wounded our souls. --- Sixty years ago, Bonhoeffer wrote: The huge masquerade of evil has thrown all ethical concepts into confusion. That evil should appear in the form of light, good deeds, historical necessity, social justice is absolutely bewildering for one coming into the world of ethical concepts that we have received. For the Christian who lives by the Bible, it is the very confirmation of the abysmal wickedness of evil (Letters and Papers from Prison). It is my hope that framing our reflections on evil in (a) creative way provokes in readers some questions and reflections about the great "masquerade of evil" all around us. — from the Preface --- The author reads from his book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXblTmxiix4 --- My Thoughts: I frequently remind my students about how easy it is for us to be unaware of the existence of evil, even in the best of our intentions. We can become the blinded agents of evil against our will. St. Paul was not speaking lightly when he wrote (Romans 9:17): "For the good that I would I do not: but the  evil which I would not, that I do." (KJV) "I don't do the good I want to do, instead  I do the evil that I do not want to do."  (TEV) Ask any Canadian today to describe the greatest wrong we have perpetrated against the First Nations people of our land. Chances are, they will reply automatically - "the residential schools." I have involved myself extensively in this issue of euro-Canadian history. It is quite clear to me that the visionaries, advocates and functionaries in the residential school system that sought to "educate" the Native children of Canada a century and more ago were operating with the best of intentions. They employed some of the most advanced educational theory available to them at the time. Now, however, the judgement of thoughtful historians is that profound cultural violence was done to a hapless population. I then suggest to my students they consider some of the modern educational practices which we have adopted in our society. I say to them, "Don't be surprized if our grandchildren condemn us for at least some of what we now consider honourable theory and nobly-based practice." --- Reading "Devil's Ink" I am provocatively reminded that evil is real in my life and I can be easily misled by what the classic Christian tradition has called the Evil One. --- A second discovery I make as I reflect on this book is that I should guard myself against the dangers lurking in a belief in my own rightness and the self-righteousness that so readily accompanies that belief. One of the entries of the author's excellent glossary at the end is the following: Ted Haggard (1956- ) An American evangelist who became enormously important in the evangelical world, serving as the leader of the National Association of Evangelicals from 2003-2006. In 2006, a male prostitute claimed that Haggard had paid him for three years to have sex and that Haggard had taken crystal methamphetamine in these sessions. Haggard resigned his positions shortly thereafter. --- "Let the one without sin cast the first stone" said Jesus on one occasion (John 8:7) --- Jeffrey C. Pugh does us all a service by opening our eyes to the evil that lies within our current best intentions and judgments. He uses the medium of the blog and employs the literary conceit of allowing the devil to speak in the first person. Yet, the reality of evil remains, and we do well to recognize it is as real in our own time and circumstance. --- Buy the Book from Amazon.ca: http://tinyurl.com/62x3h7u Google Blog on "Devil's Ink" What people are saying - http://tinyurl.com/68ehko8 ***** "Soulistry" book notice update After posting my notice of this book two weeks ago, I have made a few adjustments. See the changes: http://tinyurl.com/656hcvk ***** COLLEAGUE COMMENT RON ROLHEISER Saqn Antonio, TX Re: "Our One Great Act of Fidelity" Book Notice, Colleagues List - June 11th, 2011 San Antonio, TX June 23rd, 2011 Dear Wayne Thanks so much for this. I much appreciate the review, especially since I worried that I would be too blind re the ecumenical dimensions of the Eucharist. Much appreciated. Peace, Ron Rolheiser --- REGINALD STACKHOUSE Toronto, ON June 13th, 2011 Good Morning, Wayne: ... and what a happy surprise to receive your e-mail enquiry via Wycliffe. Yes, my e-mail address changed some time back and now is: mrstackhouse@sympatico.ca. Be sure I will look forward to hearing from you any time. You kindly ask about my wife, and the news is not what I could wish. Margaret suffered a massive stroke three years ago, and is still in a chronic care hospital where she is likely to remain for the foreseeable future. She has improved since entering this impressive community (Baycrest), but we have no reason to think she will come home. On the plus side, I can spend a large part of each day with her, and they are mostly good days - reading, sharing in recreation programs, attending services (it is a Jewish community), watching old black and white movies. Two weeks ago we celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary with a family luncheon attended by 30. My evenings are occupied with preparing two courses I will give in the Fall, one for the Toronto School of Theology, the other for the university's School of Continuing Studies. The TST one is Christianity and Politics: a biblical and historical examination of such issues as church and state, war and peace, religious toleration, economic justice, human rights. The other is eschatology, a subject made timely again by prophecies of the end, such as Nostradamus' prediction the world will end in 2012! PEACE!  Reg ***** COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS BETH PORTER Richmond Hill, ON A Human Future (Summer, 2011) "Sobering Thoughts -  An Interview with Margaret Atwood" http://tinyurl.com/5udq5uk ***** ISABEL GIBSON Ottawa, ON Traditional Iconoclast Blog June 19th, 2011 "The Old Man's Friend" - Dedicated to Her Father Sheldon http://tinyurl.com/3w9dle2 --- MARTIN MARTY Chicago, IL Sightings  6/20/2011 "Generation Wandering" http://tinyurl.com/6jddln2 --- ROBERT ELLSBERG Maryknoll, NY "Peacemaker, Hero, Father" - Remembering Ellsberg After Forty Years Huffington Post June 19th, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/3glq97c --- RONALD MAYAN Edmonton, AB Forwarded from Augustana University Camrose, Alberta June 22nd, 2011 From: "Rebecca Warren" Mar Thoma Bishops - Ronning Centre Consultation Greetings, We would like to invite you to attend a Ronning Centre consultation in Edmonton   on July 5 with two bishops of the Mar Thoma Church: The Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius, Diocesan Bishop, North America, and Rt. Rev. Joseph Mar Barnabas, Diocesan Bishop, Kerala, India. We also ask that you kindly send the announcement below and poster attached around to your faith communities and your networks so that we can publicize the event as widely as possible. Note in the details below the event includes a free light lunch to follow, and we only ask that those who wish to attend sendan RSVP to rebecca.warren@ualberta.ca by July 1. Thanks for helping us to get the word out about this important event. Rebecca --- RON ROLHEISER San Antonio, TX Personal Blog June 19th, 2011 "Struggling With Complexity" http://tinyurl.com/5vmasna --- JIM TAYLOR Okanagan, BC Personal Blog June 20th, 2011 "Down Under" http://tinyurl.com/477vect ***** NET NOTES HEARD THE ONE ABOUT THE POPE? The Low State of Religious Satire The Guardian, June 23rd, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/6hudd7b ***** LISTEN TO THOSE SINNED AGAINST We Must be Open to the Victims The Tablet UK June 25th, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/6f73x6s ***** CHRISTIANS GET CEMETERIES IN NEPAL Breakthrough in Mountain Kingdom Ucan News June 20th, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/5tybsh3 ***** AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL A GOOD MOVE War has Become Unpopular in America New York Times June 24th, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/6gpdbz8 ***** GAY BISHOPS IN UK MUST BE CELIBATE Anglicans Propose Gay Bishops Episcopal News Service June 21st, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/68h4y8l ***** LONDON MARCH TO PROTEST PAKISTAN'S BLASPHEMY LAWS Ucan News June 20th, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/62zs4bp ***** BISHOPS DEFIED POPE ON TOPLING CHAVEZ Venezuelan Church Followed Bush Sacramento Bee June 22nd, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/62yq7cb ***** GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS BEFORE WWII 1930 Photos Leading up to War The Atlantic June 22nd, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/3dut5om ***** GLOBAL FAITH POTPOURRI Ecumenical News International News Highlights 17 June 2011 Methodists and Church of England renewing efforts at unity Canterbury, England (ENI news) - Leaders of the Church of England and the Methodist Church have been urged to work more closely in the future in order to strengthen Christian unity. A statement issued by the Church of England's communications office on 16 June said the Joint Implementation Commission (JIC) set up under the Anglican-Methodist Covenant of 2003 to enhance unity is recommending the two churches share their mission and their ministry more widely. _____ Lutheran World Federation agrees to dialogue with Roman Catholics and Mennonites Geneva (ENI news) - At a meeting in Geneva that concluded on 14 June, The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Council approved plans for three-way talks that will include Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and Mennonites. Recommendations were made for the founding of a Trilateral Dialogue Commission comprised of four representatives each from the LWF, the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and the Mennonite World Conference. According to a news release, the Council asked general secretary Rev. Martin Junge, in consultation with member churches, to identify and propose names of Lutheran members to the Commission, taking into consideration gender and regional representation as well as familiarity with the ecumenical partners and the issues to be discussed. Junge was also asked to continue the process of preparing for a Lutheran-Pentecostal International Commission and report his progress at the next Council meeting. _____ Latvian churches reiterate condemnation of homosexuality Warsaw (ENI news) - Christian churches in Latvia have criticized a new social science school textbook that describes gay and lesbian life as a "normal aspect of sexuality." "The church isn't alone in its traditional view of the family in Latvia," said Ivars Kubcis, spokesman for the country's Evangelical Lutheran church. ***** 20 June 2011 In Australia, World Refugee Day marked by protest Sydney (ENI news) - Thousands of Australians marked World Refugee Day (20 June) on 19 June by rallying to demand an end to mandatory detention of asylum seekers. The turnout was sparked by a backlash against a federal government plan to deport 800 boat arrivals to Malaysia as early as next week as a "swap" for the resettlement of 4,000 refugees from Malaysian detention centres. Australia's National Council of Churches, Catholic aid agency Caritas, the Uniting Church and 15 human rights groups released a joint statement criticising the policy. "We call on the Australian Government and Opposition to abandon policies aimed at punishing groups of asylum seekers as an example to others and to work cooperatively on the challenging task of developing a regional framework to protect people fleeing persecution," they said. _____ Church of England says gay bishops must be celibate London (ENI news) - The Church of England has issued a set of "legal guidelines" that pave the way for openly gay clergy to become bishops -- so long as they are and promise to remain celibate. Details of the internal report, entitled "Choosing Bishops," were carried by Christian Today, an independent London-based publication, on its website on 20 June. The new guidelines aim to bring church policy in line with Britain's Equality Act, passed in 2010, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, Religion News Service reports. The guidance says "openly gay clergy can become bishops so long as they are celibate," according to the Christian Today report. _____ 23 June 2011 In Northern Ireland, reconciliation arises from flames Belfast, Northern Ireland (ENI). Peace in Northern Ireland can sometimes be a fragile concept, as seen by this week's riots in East Belfast, but across the city, the people of Whitehouse Presbyterian Church have found durable ways to conquer the hatred that destroyed their building nine years ago. In the early hours of August 2, 2002, police woke the Rev. Liz Hughes, to tell her the Victorian-era church had been set ablaze by a petrol bomb tossed onto the roof. By morning, only the walls and baptismal font were left standing. No one was charged, but police blamed the arson on youth from a nearby Catholic housing estate. _____ Fresh role likely for charities as Nepal's refugees find new home Tokyo (ENI). After two decades in a refugee project in Nepal that became the United Nations' largest resettlement program, the faith-based agencies and philanthropic organizations involved are expecting a wider role by 2015. As nearly 95,000 Bhutanese refugees out of over 108,000 begin to leave their camps in eastern Nepal and start life afresh in eight western countries, the Lutheran World Federation Nepal (LWF Nepal), a country program of the Lutheran World Federation's Department for World  Service; Caritas Nepal, the social arm of the Roman Catholic Church in Nepal; and five other non-profit bodies are likely to be involved in the assimilation of the remaining refugees in Nepal. _____ Archbishop of Canterbury urges greater church involvement in environment and social media Nairobi, Kenya (ENI). The church must be clear about the need to care for the environment, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, said in Nairobi today while addressing a symposium discussing the mission of the church in the 21st century. "Caring for the environment is caring for our children, our grandchildren, and caring for the generosity God has given us," he said. Williams outlined several challenges churches will encounter this century and urged them to use new means of communication and social media to more effectively spread the gospel. _____ Anglican development group gives cautious welcome to G20 food pledges Warsaw (ENI). An Anglican expert has welcomed an action plan by agriculture ministers from the Group of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (G20) to combat growing volatility in international food prices. However, Sally Keeble, director of the London- based Anglican Alliance for Development, Relief and Advocacy, warned that recent church demands were "just a warm-up" to what could be expected in the run-up to the G20 summit in November. "Although there's still a long way to go, it's very important that food security is now high on the political agenda," she said. ***** QUOTES OF THE WEEK Provided courtesy of Sojourners.online June 21st, 2011 "Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better. Interweave all these communities and you really have an America that is back on its feet again. I really think we are gonna have to reassess what constitutes a 'hero'." - Studs Terkel --- June 22nd, 2011 "Whoever degrades another degrades me, And whatever is done or said returns at last to me." -  Walt Whitman, "Leaves of Grass" --- June 23rd, 2011 "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading." - Oswald Chambers --- June 24th, 2011 "Do not fear going forward slowly; fear only to stand still." - Chinese Proverb ***** ON THIS DAY June 20, 1967 - boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted for refusing to be drafted. The conviction was later overturned by the Supreme Court. http://tinyurl.com/3hbv6wq _____ June 22, 1940 - during World War II, Adolf Hitler gained a stunning victory as France was forced to sign an armistice eight days after German forces overran Paris. http://tinyurl.com/5uy55h2 ***** CLOSING THOUGHT Provided by Douglas Hales, Digby NS: WHY MEN ARE SELDOM DEPRESSED: Men Are Just Happier People -- What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station  restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which  way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. People never stare at your chest  when you're talking to them. New shoes don't cut, blister, mangle your feet. One mood all the  time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own  jars. You get extra credit for the  slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, He or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is  $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck. You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes --  one color for all seasons. You wear shorts no matter how your legs look.. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice  concerning growing a mustache. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives On December 24 in 25 minutes. No wonder men are happier. Men Are Just Happier People... Well, Is it so? (end)