felix hominum

Campus Ministry at the University of Alberta

Sue Oliver is host of The Worship Room,

Ignatius the Ultimate Youth Pastor

via Donald

; sometimes satire is just too funny...

Carleton University students: Cystic Fibrosis is white man's disease...

The Shinerama tradition of shining shoes, singing a song and chanting on the corner of Sunnyside and Bank for spare change has ended.

Carleton University Students’ Association’s (CUSA) orientation will no longer raise funds for cystic fibrosis, after a vote 17 to 2 at the Nov. 24 CUSA council meeting.

The proposal to abandon Shinerama was put forward after it was “recently revealed to only affect white people, and primarily men,” according to the motion.

“We have a diverse community,” CUSA vice-president (finance) Kweku Winful said. “We need something that is more representative of the greater student [body] than just one small group . . . we need to appeal to a larger demographic.”

From the Carleton student paper

Jonathan Kay (Nat'l post story here) points out that had the students even bothered to look in wikipedia, they would have found:

“Approximately 1 in 25 people of European descent … is a carrier of a cystic fibrosis mutation. Although CF is less common in these groups, approximately 1 in 46 Hispanics, 1 in 65 Africans and 1 in 90 Asians carry at least one abnormal CFTR gene. Cystic fibrosis is diagnosed in males and females equally.

The motion was introduced by the science rep on council...

One can only wonder.  I mean, will we learn next that CUSA has rejected all fundraising for breast cancer, since it well affects primarily women.  And Alzheimer's, since it affects primarily old people, or anything to do with pediatric leukemia, or sickle cell anemia.  I think it great for the students to consider other causes for fundraising, but the reasons given for discontinuing this project are simply ludicrous.

macleans is saying that they will now "revisit" the decision.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I have a vision of George Grant delivering a lecture at the University of King's College many years ago: "The university is dying".

University of Alberta - welcome back student event

Welcome Back Students: A free barbeque (with beer) will be held at St. George's Anglican Church, 11733-87th Avenue, September 7th at 5 PM. Please join us outside, around the back of the church, for music, food and of course, beer!

In addition, St. George's will host a free breakfast for students every Sunday in September, beginning at 9 AM. You are welcome to attend the 8 AM service and stay for a bite to eat, or have breakfast first and stay for the 10 AM service.

One final note, evening worship, geared to students and young adults, will take place Sunday evenings at St. George's, starting at 7pm.

more info: call the campus ministry office @ 492-4620

Annual Festival of Lessons & Carols

Tickets for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols for Advent and Christmas are now on sale at the Winspear Box Office.  With the musical talent of the U of A Mixed Chorus, Robert de Frece, the Faculty of Education Handbell Ringers, Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger the evening is always enjoyable.  It will take place Monday, Nov. 26th at 7:30pm at the Winspear Center.  Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling the Winspear Center Box Office at 428-1414 or online at http://tickets.winspearcentre.com

This is always a great event.  It is sponsored by the Christian campus ministries at the U of A and is a major fundraiser for the campus food bank.  And it is a traditional festival of lessons & carols:  the theme is the birth of the Christ, in Scripture and song.

ps - you could ask this person for more details, and I hear that she also has some sort of free meal deal for students in town...

...god in the quad...

appears to be the freshly minted blog of someone who likes St Catherine of Sienna.

Drop over and say hi.

new chaplain at the University of Alberta

From the diocesan website:

The Rev. Lisa Wang (Diocese of Toronto), appointed Anglican Chaplain of the University of Alberta, as of February 15th, 2007.

My prayers are with you.

elvis has left the building

the office is now cleaned out

so long, U of A

quaecumque vera

my army of remote control drones

...has enabled this humble blog to reach the podium in the Canadian Blog Awards.  felix hominum has been awarded 2nd place in the best religious blogs category.  Thanks to all who were looking forward to the haggis.  To those who are visiting for the first time, you can find either the ridiculous or the sublime in the best and worst of felix hominum.

As a means of celebrating, we will be giving the children an extra helping of turnips tomorrow.

Happy Advent.

update: ooohh here it comes:

and thanks to Robert at my blahg for hosting the awards.

lessons & carols & food bank

Our annual Festival of Lessons & Carols took place yesterday evening, and a big thanks to all the musicians, choristers and organizers.  The final numbers aren't in yet, but we raised over $4000.00 for the Campus Food Bank.  Thanks all.

nature is a broken creation

One of the students from CHRCT 351 stopped me after church yesterday (yes, there are still young people who go to church), and we had a bit of a follow up chat.

The topic under discussion was the ethic of "what is natural".  Before we get into that particular question, you need to back up a bit and get yourself a worldview, or realize that you already have one, and take a look at how it shapes your understanding of particular and specific questions.  If you think that nature as we experience it is, in some way, perfect and complete, then you will have an entirely positive view of doing "what is natural".  If however, you hold to the Christian worldview that nature as we experience it is not exactly the same as creation as God intended it, then you will have some work to do.  You will need to figure out how and where the intention of God is, and is not, reflected in what we call "nature" -  human and otherwise.  That is the result of what we have come to call "the fall" - creation is broken.  It is not beyond redemption, it still reflects somewhat of God, but what is natural is not always what is godly.

We'll be talking more later today.

Carleton University Student Council to Ban Pro-Life Groups?

UPDATE:   Anti-abortion groups on notice after CUSA tables policy amendment

Here's the lead from the Carleton University student paper:

Written by Sarah Bockstael   
Thursday, 23 November 2006

Sparks flew during question period at a Nov. 21 Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) council meeting after a motion that would prevent pro-life groups from assembling on CUSA space was tabled.

The motion — moved by Katy McIntyre, CUSA vice-president (student services), on behalf of the Womyn’s Centre — would amend the campus discrimination policy to state that “no CUSA resources, space, recognition or funding be allocated for anti-choice purposes.”

The motion was met with resistance from Carleton University Lifeline, a pro-life student organization that was denied CUSA club status at an Oct. 26 council meeting.

The easiest way to slice baloney is thinly.  I'll be cutting into this one piece at a time.  But for now I have a memory in the back of my mind of George Grant delivering a lecture at my old alma mater.  The University is failing.

Katy McIntyre, (VP Student Services) the mover of the motion, is also in charge of this:

This committee works to ensure that both events held and services provided by CUSA are accessible to all students. As well, it aims to raise awareness of issues affecting students with disabilities on campus.

Ms McIntyre, let me draw attention to an issue affecting certain students with disabilities.  Let me take just one thin slice.  Here at the U of A I've met several students who live with Down Syndrome and other conditions which we consider to be disabilities.  In order to raise awareness of issues affecting them, let me draw your attention to just one issue: abortion of their kind of person, simply because, well, it's their kind of person.

Thank you for your attention to this detail.

(Original post below)

Buzzing around the academic & blogospheric network for the past little while has been a report that Carleton University Student Council has been considering amending it's constitution so that "pro-life" student groups would be effectively nixed from campus.

In other news, universities are places of thought and open discussion.

I'll see if I can find some first hand info on this...all I've seen is second hand, and not the actual text of a motion.   

UPDATE:  a few people have been wondering about contacting Carleton:

To RESPECTFULLY express concerns to the University:

Dr. Samy Mahmoud
President and Vice-Chancellor Pro Tempore
Office of the President
503 Tory Building
1125 Colonel By Drive,
Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6
Canada

Phone: 613 520-3801
Fax: 613 520-4474

Email: presidents_office@carleton.ca

call for papers - Religion and Place

Fourth Annual Symposium of the Program in Religious Studies

Call for Papers

The annual symposium of the Program in Religious Studies will be held on Monday 16 April 2007, 9:30 to 3:30, in the Papaschase Room of the Faculty Club.  We invite proposals for papers on any aspect of the topic of “Religion and Place.”  We imagine that these could be papers on sacred spaces and architecture, holy lands and pilgrimage, ritual and religious "performance" within communal spaces, contested regions, migrations of religious communities, spiritual practices within one’s own "special" space, artistic representations or musical reflections of the religious dimension of place, or any of a host of other possibilities.

contact:
Stephen Reimer, Ph.D.
Visiting Speakers Co-ordinator, Program in Religious Studies
3-5 Humanities Centre

significance, security, acceptance

Those were three themes we talked about on Saturday morning during our weekend retreat.  Thanks to Don for his insight into these three things.  A few thoughts:

What tend to search for significance, acceptance and security.  At the heart of the matter is recognizing who we are in Christ - "you are my beloved, in whom I am well pleased."  Sometimes we hear competing voices - the voices which tell us that our future is insecure, our personhood is insignificant, and that we are not accepted unless we...   And then the competing voices begin to fill in the blank.  We try to fill the voids of significance, acceptance and security with so much 'stuff'. 

There is another voice - sometimes it is barely audible to us over the din and crash of the competing voices.  It is the voice of the Father who says to us - "You also are my beloved, in whom I am well pleased".  Because of Jesus, and through Jesus, we become like Jesus.  Not only in our outward actions, but also in the attitudes of our hearts.  One of those attitudes is our view of ourselves.  We find the fulfillment of those three things in our relationship with God.  God intends for us to have a confidence that comes from knowing and trusting that He is able to give us those things.  We are significant in His sight, we are accepted through Jesus, and we have a security which is not threatened by the seeming endless changes and variations of our lives.

Be present O merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world, may repose upon thy eternal changelessness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Order for Compline, Book of Common Prayer

questions on God's guidance

We had an enjoyable and fruitful time over the weekend on our retreat.  The general theme was "Fear, Faith and Fumbling Forward:  trusting God for the road ahead".  Nice alliteration in there, eh? 

We looked at ways of approaching those "big decisions" - of which it appears there are many at this stage of life - from a specifically Christian perspective.  Sometimes we wish there was a set of rules, or a checklist to help us make decisions.  I want to focus on a couple of questions as a way of entering into that process of "making decisions".

My fundamental calling as a Christian involves 3 things:  loving God, loving neighbour, and participating in God's building of His kingdom.  When I am faced with some sort of decision, some sort of choice, I try to ask of myself a few questions related to those things.  How will A or B contribute to building up the love of God and love of neighbour, either in myself or in someone else?  That is, after all, what Jesus says we should be about.  With some decisions - like career path for instance, how can I see Jesus enabling me to follow those two great commandments?  At certain stages of life ("and Abram journeyed by stages") there seem to be impending and important decisions to be made.  How do I know what that elusive thing called "God's will" is for me?

I think a good part of the answer has to do with recognizing what it is Jesus intends for us.  He intends to transform us into a certain kind of people.  He wants us to become Christ-like.  And that means trying to see how our choices and decisions either enable or hinder the building up of love of God and neighbour in our lives.

Then there is that whole business of the kingdom.  I strongly suggested that there are two ways of asking the "guidance" question.  Either I can ask "what is God's will for me?" or I can ask "what is God's will for us?".  Though related, these are two different questions.  When we looked at the OT stories, we saw God calling a person and forming a people.  Though God starts with an individual, He ends with a nation.  And so too in the NT - Jesus calls individuals to be his followers, but he ends with the forming of a people - the Church.  And so my choices, my decisions, my "guidance", has something to do with my place in this larger thing called the Kingdom of God.  How does my path enable me to participate in God's action in his kingdom?

Of course, we can insert things which Christians through the centuries have reminded us of:  attention to prayer, reading of Scripture, listening for the Spirit, listening to the counsel of other Christians, and of course using the brains that God has given us.

I also want to talk about joy.  I strongly believe that God also gives us guidance through our joy.  The particular gifts that He has given, and the particular person he has created us to be, should find in some fashion a joyfulness in our vocation, whatever that may be.  That does not mean that there will not be difficulty, hardship or the call to sacrifice, but somewhere in there will be joy if we are listening and responding to that thing we call "God's will for me."

I'm still looking through the notes from the weekend, including the nuggets of wisdom that we all brought to the retreat.  You would be amazed at how much I learn from you all!  I'll get around to adding a few of those thoughts in a day or two.

to everything there is a season

and it appears that a new season will be starting on Jan 1, when I officially retire from campus ministry and begin my incumbency at a local parish.

details to follow after meeting the lads at cafe leva...

retreat weekend...

is happening for a couple of days.  blogging may be light (or extra heavy if so moved & high speed connections are found)

mercy, suicide & university life

It seems that every year I have been on this campus, there has been at least one person who succumbed to suicide.  I am certain that others attempt, and some contemplate it.  The Student Distress Center has some information, and some very helpful people if you or someone you know, might be showing signs that things are not well.  You should have a look.

Various things can trigger those suicidal thoughts and actions.  Sometimes there is just a sense of pressure or depression, or maybe a traumatic event.  Sometimes there are physiological factors that can be addressed.  There are any number of things in your life which might lead you to thinking about suicide.  People are different, stories are different;  this is only one story - (nothing more, nothing less).

Sometimes the factors are spiritual.

He was in most ways a typical student:  enjoying life in the residence, new found freedom, and having the luxury of a good set of sholarships.  He was also a Christian - baptized, confirmed, and yes, he had a real faith and real relationship with Jesus.  But somewhere along the line he decided to leave his Father's house.  Was it intentional?  Maybe not overtly at the beginning, but certainly as things progressed, and he distanced himself from God, he knew what was happening.

There is such a thing as evil, and it has a personality.  The old catechisms tell us that "Satan" desires to "corrupt and destroy the creatures of God."  The battle for hope in a person's life is essentially a spiritual thing.  Despair, compounded by guilt, and hemmed in by choices that cannot be undone, is a spiritual thing.  At its heart is a turning away - from God, from life, from hope.  Sometimes there is a "challenge" to God - a putting him to the test.  How long is his reach?  How great is his mercy?  Will he rescue even here?

What does Jesus want to do with the one who turns away from life?  The one who has lost hope in the future?  The one who thinks that God's arm is too short to save?  The one who,  by his own hand, tries to cast the gift of life back to its giver?  Jesus wants to show mercy. 

Who can tell why it appears to us as if mercy is shown to one person and not to another?  I do not have an answer.  We've held memorial services for young people on campus who took their own lives.  And we've seen people come through a difficult time in their lives into a hope-filled future.  Again, I do not have an answer.

I do know that Jesus is stronger than despair.  That His power to save is greater.  That he suffered, and was buried, and rose again.  That he is able to transform any life and any set of circumstances - even those on the edge of suicide and despair.  I know because I have seen it.  He can and does tranform - beyond what we can ask or imagine.

Jesus can even take the despairing and wandering soul of a student who attempted suicide and send him back to the campus, give him an office and maybe even a title (like "Anglican Chaplain"), and a heart to seek out the bruised and the broken.

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

how does God guide us?

The kids asked if I would speak at some sort of retreat kind of thing about how God guides us.  Just to show that I don't leave everything til the last minute, here are a few thoughts around which I might gather a talk or two, and raise some questions.

• how did God guide in the OT?  It is said of both individual (Abraham) and nation (the Israelites) that they "journey by stages".  I find that an interesting phrase.  What was the role of the Law?  The Prophets? Wisdom?
• are there hindrances to responding to God's guidance?  fear, sin, etc  (this is where my own personal expertise comes in handy)
• how does God guide in the NT? What is the role of other christians?  the Spirit? prayer?
• responding to that angst-laden "what is God's will for my life"  (short answer:  to believe)

I expect several insightful comments filling in and expanding all of the above, which I can then cut and paste into a few 20 minute presentations...

notes on abortion & undergrad bioethics

In anticipation of tomorrow's session with an undergrad bioethics class, here are a few preliminary notes on a Christian approach to some issues surrounding abortion.

Since it's there, this is what currently constitutes the "official position" of the Anglican Church of Canada:

Resolution adopted in 1980 by the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada:

"That this General Synod, in proclaiming a Gospel of Life and Hope and Compassion for all of God's people, rejects the principle of 'abortion on demand' or for the reasons of convenience or economic or social hardship, and commits itself to strong support of:

a) such educational programs in the Church and comparable secular agencies which exist or may exist in the future for family life, birth control and social responsibility;
b) effective action to provide skilled counselling for families and individuals facing unwanted pregnancy;
c) community responsibility to ensure adequate practical help in the care and nurture of children."

Aside from that starting point, what are some of the 'Gospel principles' involved in these issues?  There are myriad articles which talk about theological anthropology - what is a human being?  When does human life  begin?  (when I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy).  Why do women have abortions? - a difficult thing to state factually since Stats Can ceased keeping that record a few years ago?  All the studies for and against any number of feelings of relief or guilt, freedom or regret, let alone the debates about the medical and physical implications.  A war of bilbiographies is for others to wage.

For now I want to focus on three things:  redemption, determinism and mercy.

It seems to me that the starting point of the discussion from a Christian perspective has to be God.  It may seem self evident to some, but I think it is necessary to remind ourselves of a few basic points.   We trust that there is a God, and we trust that this God is active, and we trust that God's one of his actions toward us is redemption.

Redemption means God, through Jesus, which takes the trajectory of our lives in a new direction, a direction which we by ourselves are not able to turn to, nor even really imagine.  At heart it is a Christ-ward direction.  If we want to talk about abortion from a Christian perspective, we need to realize the power of God to transform, to redeem, any and every situation.  It finds its way into our hearts by means of that thing which we have come to call “hope”.

Against this stands a kind of social determinism in which we predict the “necessary” outcome of our current situations and conditions and difficulties.  When we leave our redemptive God out of the picture, then by necessity we feel we can with reasonable certainty predict what the future will hold.  We sense the trajectory - the direction - of our lives and we predict what will happen.  We forget the God who acts.

We become Christ-like as we show mercy.  “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”.  And perhaps at no other time and in no other situation is one life so completely at the mercy of another.  Mercy is not a character trait which is much espoused in our culture.   But it is a cornerstone trait of the Kingdom.

That's enough for now, and doesn't nearly begin to address everything, but I think the starting point is crucial.

Festival of Lessons & Carols

Tickets for this year's Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols for Advent & Christmas will be on sale at the Winspear Centre Box Office beginning Wed., Oct. 4.

Mon., Nov. 27, 2006, 7:30 PM
Sponsored by: U of A Christian Chaplains, Mixed Chorus, &  University of Alberta Dept. of Music

This event is always sold out early - last year 1600 tickets went in the first few days.

As always, proceeds go to the campus food bank.

David Gunn visiting lectureship

Distinguished Visitor in Religious Studies:
Professor David Gunn, the A. A. Bradford Professor of Religion at Texas Christian University, and a world-renowned scholar in Old Testament studies

Professor Gunn is an internationally renowned scholar whose main field of study is the cultural history and reception of the Hebrew Bible. He has written on narrative in the Hebrew Bible, drawing on literary criticism and feminist criticism; on the representation of biblical characters and stories in art, literature, and movies; and on the use of the Bible in colonial settings. Among his numerous publications are The Story of King David: Genre and Interpretation (1978), The Fate of King Saul: An Interpretation of a Biblical Story (1980), and a commentary on Judges (2005).

Events open to the public (no charge)

*Bible, Violence and Colonialism: A Tale from the Frontier.  Wednesday, 20 September 3:00 pm, CAB 239

*(Town and Gown Lecture) Covering David: Michelangelo's David from the Piazza della Signoria to my Refrigerator Door.  Thursday, 21 September 7:30 pm, Edmonton Art Gallery 

*Biblical Women and Subjectivity: From Peter Abelard to Harriet Beecher Stowe.  Tuesday, 26 September 3:30 pm, CAB 243  

*Bathsheba Bathing: An Illustrated History of a Biblical Woman.  Thursday, 28 September 3:30 pm, CAB 265

*Public Reception Wednesday, 27 September 5:00 - 7:00 pm, Faculty Club (Saskatchewan Room)

 

major resolution in Canada/Denmark arctic land dispute

Move over, Henry Kissinger.  Diplomacy has a new kid on the block, and he's solved the ongoing dispute over the sovereignty of that frozen island up north where Denmark and Canada have been sparring with GPS units.

His friends and family know him as Cavan van Ulft, but you can call him His Serene Highness, Prince of Tartupaluk.  If they know it at all, Canadians know this new principality as Hans Island.

A few weeks ago, van Ulft launched an elaborate website for the fledgling state he says has wrested sovereign control over the island from Denmark and Canada, which both claim the bitterly cold, 1.3-square-kilometre Arctic rock.

"Tartupaluk becomes the world's 203rd sovereign State and the first country to declare independence since Montenegro on 3 June," van Ulft, 27, announced on Aug. 13, the date he claims to have travelled to Hans Island to take the land for himself.  Since then, the Carleton University biology student claims to have semt more than 200 letters to foreign governments, declaring his new country.  He swears it's not a stunt. "I'm serious about it," he said. "I really believe in this project and I hope to see it grow."

Adds van Ulft's father, Theo: "Some kids go off to Europe after university. This is his project."

the rest is here

Why not drop by the official goverment website of this new country and congratulate His Highness on establishing his reign in such a civilized and peaceful manner.

Perhpas it would not be unsuitable for a delegation to visit the new principality...

UPDATE: It appears that there is a revolutionary movement  threatening the Prince's claim: 
we are not certain at this time as to the extent of the revolutionary force, based out of Greenland; but will keep you posted as the situation develops

In the meantime, I suggest we all  use the most helpful tool of diplomacy:

Alexander Keith was proclaimed mayor of Halifax in 1834, based on his ability to brew a fine beer.  I suggest that the Prince and the Revolutionary movement have a brewing contest;  the winners will become the true sovereigns...

university of alberta Alpha courses

There will be two Alpha courses offered on campus at the University of Alberta this fall.  One will be held on Wednesdays at 5 pm in the Student Groups Lounge, and the second on Thursdays at 6 pm, in SUB 011.  Both locations are on the lower level of SUB.

Alpha is a sort of introduction to the Christian faith, with presentations, discussions, opportunities to ask questions, and of course, stuff to eat. 

Email me if you want more info, or check out Alpha online. 

a few local anglican churches

Be all that as it may, I thought I would not subject my colleagues to the Mystery Worshipper experience and give ratings.  There are many flavours of worship in the Anglican Church, and so I thought I would toss out a  few links for some local parishes.  There are several congregations  within range of the University of Alberta.  Today I'm just mentioning a few Anglican churches (not to be partisan - just that I know their addresses already...)

Just half a block west of Lister Hall (across from the Windsor, which has decent wings) is St George's, which recently welcomed their new rector, the Revd. Emma Vickery.  It's where the Felix Clan goes.

In Old Strathcona there is Holy Trinity.  Dr. Conway has had a connection with the University of Alberta for some time, having lectured in the English Dept.

To the south there is St John the Evangelist, which just finished up a great outreach program for the Lendrum neighbourhood.

And in the west end is St Paul's, on the northwest side of the river.

I would be amiss not to mention St Margaret's, where fellow blogger Tim is pastor.

There is also a brief list of campus ministries here at the U of A over on the sidebar.

there's someone I'd like you to meet

There is a pleasant quiet over the campus of the University of Alberta.  In a few days about 35,000 students will arrive, and the place will be buzzing.

Later this week we are having a few hundred international students over for lunch.  It often strikes me in the many conversations I've had over the years that many students come from places where the proclamation of the Gospel is at best hindered, and at worse, results in persecution.  The freedom to explore, to read the Scriptures, to gather as Christians, is often taken for granted by folks like me.

Perhaps we come to think that those in our culture who are not followers of Jesus have made an informed and free choice in that regard.  That may be true.  I would also have to say that the opposite is often true of those who do not come from places where such freedoms are afforded.  For a number of students, this will be the first time they can freely explore the possibility which we have come to call the Gospel.  Some will have a bit of knowledge about  "Christianity", whether technically accurate or in caricature.

We have many students from around the world coming here.  In short, we have a geographically reversed mission field. 

There's someone I'd like you to meet.  You'll find He's more than what you may have heard about Him.

hacking your prof

A couple of enterprising undergrads from California State University at Northridge have found a way to really get on their prof's good side

The students altered their own grades, along with the marks of their classmates, according to Mr. Mateljan. Both Ms. Chen and Ms. Ngan felt that the professor — whose name has not been disclosed — was an unnecessarily harsh grader, Mr. Mateljan said.

But then they couldn't resist pulling pranks: They also used the professor's credit card to place pizza-delivery orders and to purchase subscriptions, in the professor's name, to magazines including Newsweek and Ebony.

the rest here

notes from a conversation

We had an interesting time with David Fitch last Thursday evening.  As you can tell from his blog, David comes from an evangelical background, and has been involved in a church in the Chicago area.  I'm not going to cover everything, but highlight just a few things we touched on, and from my own sleep-deprived perspective.

There are two areas that I'd like to consider first

• liturgy
• the communion of the saints

One of the things David mentioned was the use of the pep rally (his term) in evangelical circles.  What is this all about?   Well, in one sense it is an attempt to satisfy the contemporary (and generally human) search for an engaging experience in which the emotions and (sometimes) the senses are called forth and stirred up.   We are called to engage God with all that we are.  Remember the heart, soul, mind and strength? 

One of the questions talked about was the shaping or formation of ourselves during that event/ time frame/ hour on Sunday which we place into the folder labeled "worship".  How are we shaped during that time, both as individuals and as a community?   It was in this context of "being shaped" that liturgy comes in to play.

There is at least one concept which bears further reflection in the context of liturgy:  confession.   The word itself has different meanings.  Broadly speaking, it can refer in a liturgical context both to the confession of sin, and also to the confession of, say,  a creed - the forth-telling of Who this community is about.   In the first sense, it involves speaking about ourselves as creatures and as a community in need of forgiveness and reconciliation.  It is speech about ourselves.  In the second sense, it involves speaking about the Gospel - it is our speech about God.

Second, what is the range of our fellowship?  What is the communion of the saints?  Often our communities are limited, our desire for individualism so unconscious and "natural", that we can barely maintain communion in any depth of the word with those in our own church community.

One aspect of the communion of the saints which is often, I submit, forgotten or ignored, is our fellowship through time with those who have gone before us (and by extension, with those who will follow after us).  Now I must confess (in either sense of the word) that for myself, the communion of the saints - the fellowship I have through Christ with those who have gone before me, has been a great source of guidance and blessing in my journey as a Christian.   Reading their books, praying their prayers (is this not what we do with the New Testament), sifting their wisdom and learning also from their limitations.

That's all for now.

the curious petitions of Dr. Margaret Somerville

The matter of granting honorary degrees is a piece of academic hoop-jumping which has eluded me for some time now.  It is with interest that I am following the current case of Dr. Margaret Somerville,  a professor at McGill and founding director of the McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law. 

It seems that Ryerson has her slated for an honorary degree, but there is a bit of opposition to that proposal.  The opposition was organized into an online petition, asking Ryerson not to grant the honorary degree.   Four reasons are listed in support of the petition:

-Margaret Somerville is a McGill University ethicist who is renown (sic) for her controversial views on same-sex rights.
-her views on reproductive rights are anti-feminist.
-she holds anti-gay sentiments and is an outspoken critic of same-sex marriage and families.
-she seeks to restrict access to insemination and methods of "assisted fertility".

There is also a counter petition on the go as well.  (Side note:  it's great to have a free online petition service whenever you need one.)   There are a number of issues bubbling around this one.   It is also quite interesting to read the various comments which accompany the signatures on the two opposing petitions.

Anglican Chicken Dinners

Thanks to all who joined us at the Faculty Club yesterday evening for our annual Chaplain's Dinner, and to those who sent in contributions.

I must report that this fundraising activity in support of Anglican Campus Ministry was in fact, a chicken dinner.

Breast of Chicken Chauseur, to be precise, with red wine & mushroom sauce.

Updates as we speak:  7:45 pm

It appears that there was in fact an Anglican bishop at this so called "dinner".  We are trying to confirm whether or not chicken was actually consumed, or whether the bishop was content with the vegetable medley.  We will keep the anglican world posted as the story develops. 

Update:  9:45 pm:  forensic tests of the cutlery do indicate that a mixture of chicken and episcopal DNA was found on a fork.

Google has more on the saga of the great anglican chicken dinner scandal.