SPECAT

[Phrogge]

Topics written about and/or discussed here might have some sensitivity which just be respected.

[Phrogge]

Right now I’m wondering about why there is so much anger in the church.

Re Peter alleged to be the first ever pope, how about the “apostolic succession” idea? Folks who accept it seem to be unaware that historically it doesn’t make much sense if they were take a serious look at history, which most seem unwilling or unable to do. I see the “founder” of the “church” to be Constantine, not Jesus.

I was at dinner last evening with a girl I taught in the 8th grade many years ago (1980-83) and her husband. They told me the story of his run around to get an annulment, which ultimately was denied. To me his shabby treatment seemed more like the Empire than the way Jesus helped people. He just gave up on the process and they got married civilly. Three years ago on the evening before their civil ceremony, I celebrated Eucharist at their house for their families, and at the ceremony the next day said a prayer, maybe a bit on the humorous side. IMHO Peter the Apostle would have done something like that, His Holiness Pope Peter I probably not.

A friend of mine who teaches at University of Padova sent me this:

” I’m publishing an essay about theology and science, that begins as follows:

“Any fruitful dialogue between theology and science must take into account three fundamental ideas, admittedly more consistent with scientific method than theological. First, the driving force of human history is evolution; there is no credible evidence of another driving force. Second, evolution is not “going” anywhere; evolution is not moving us inexorably toward some final culmination (eschaton). Third, on the evolutionary scale, we humans, having arrived rather late, will almost certainly not survive much longer. Like countless other species, we shall one day become extinct, and the world will go on without us.
“To such a dialogue, theology would bring an extraordinary variety of stories and symbol systems and wisdom literature that cannot easily be reconciled either with one another or with science, but may point to something beyond evolution itself. That is the question both theology and science may debate.”

I wonder how many bishops will ask for copies….
I have a co-author from Belgium who wants to submit the final draft to Louvain (Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses), so French and Dutch. I’ll have to take his word for it for the Dutch version.”

I’m beginning to realize more and more that I have pretty much left the institutional church system. I believe and see happening the church of the folks in the pews or who used to be in the pews, the folks on the streets where the good things happen, the hungry and fed, the homeless and hurting are cared for, etc., but done without the “approved terminology”. I just don’t belong anymore. While I will help any priest who asks, I want nothing to do with the diocese. My funeral plans call for a quick cremation and burial with y parents, to include military honors, and do not include the pomp of a priest’s funeral. I mentioned this sort of thing to someone I was in the seminary with and who left to get married and is very active in a Parish that does not have the “Real Jesus” as the bishop then told them (https://www.communityofstpeter.org). Also, I just don’t like what I see coming out of the seminary. I don’t know if I can encourage anyone to be a priest.

It’s good I am retired, so I don’t have to taker any strong actions. I could not be a pastor because I cannot take an oath that I do not believe in — loyalty, obedience, anti-heresy, etc. I am deeply grateful for my Army and OGA experience, especially during the Cold War.

Hope this helps. Probably more than you had in mind.

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