... you can't fully enjoy yourself without your dog.
From Of Course I Could Be On Vacation ... with my thanks!
Schismatic bishop consecrated in Finland
On March 20, 2010, D.Th., pastor Matti Väisänen
(76) was consecrated bishop by the Swedish Mission Province, that thus expands into Finland. Up till now, it has been the Luther Foundation (Luther-säätiö) that has embodied the opposition to the humane ideas of the ELCF, but now it seems that the schism is acute.
I don't mind that someone ordains pastors or consecrates bishops. What I do mind is that they refuse to realize that this is a formal step outside the church organization they've belonged to before. Eating the cake and having it, too, has always been difficult. And it doesn't matter whose fault it is - the ELCF's for falling away from the Christian faith or the Mission Province's for being so intransigent - the fact remains that the rift is there. And someone will have to draw conclusions from that fact sooner rather than later.
(76) was consecrated bishop by the Swedish Mission Province, that thus expands into Finland. Up till now, it has been the Luther Foundation (Luther-säätiö) that has embodied the opposition to the humane ideas of the ELCF, but now it seems that the schism is acute.I don't mind that someone ordains pastors or consecrates bishops. What I do mind is that they refuse to realize that this is a formal step outside the church organization they've belonged to before. Eating the cake and having it, too, has always been difficult. And it doesn't matter whose fault it is - the ELCF's for falling away from the Christian faith or the Mission Province's for being so intransigent - the fact remains that the rift is there. And someone will have to draw conclusions from that fact sooner rather than later.
Kommande Lutherbiskop redo lämna folkkyrkan (YLE 19.3.10)
Kari Mäkinen: Piispanvihkimys oli Luther-säätiöltä selkeä irtiotto (Helsingin Sanomat 29.3.10)
Matti Väisänen lämnar inte kyrkan (YLE 30.3.10)
Archbishop-Elect: Luther Foundation Breaking With Church (YLE 30.3.10)
Mäkinen archbishop elect
Before taking a vacation, I wrote about the first round of the Finnish archiepiscopal elections, and noted that the two candidates going to the second round were bishop Kari Mäkinen and professor Miikka Ruokanen.
In the second round, held on March 11, Mäkinen beat Ruokanen with 593 votes to 582 - a very tight result, indeed, but a good one! Kari Mäkinen will succeed archbishop Jukka Paarma, who retires in June.
In the second round, held on March 11, Mäkinen beat Ruokanen with 593 votes to 582 - a very tight result, indeed, but a good one! Kari Mäkinen will succeed archbishop Jukka Paarma, who retires in June.
About dogs and people
My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3 a can. That’s almost $21 in dog money.
- Joe Weinstein
as quoted by the Episcopal padre
as quoted by the Episcopal padre
Election of Archbishop of Finland goes to second round
Yesterday, the electors of the new Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (ELCF) cast their votes in the first round of the election. If none of the candidates would get a majority of the votes, the two most successful candidates would go to the second round to be held on March 11, 2010. Of the seven candidates, the two most successful were the Bishop of the Archdiocese of Turku, Kari Mäkinen (55) with 393 votes and professor Miikka Ruokanen (56) with 285. Since there were more than 1.200 electors, they both fell short of the mark, so a second round will be needed. The third candidate, Bishop Seppo Häkkinen, gathered 263 votes and crowded Ruokanen.
This result means that there will be a dichotomy among the electorate, since Mäkinen is fairly liberal, while Ruokanen is a conservative. Om the other hand, Ruokanen is a far more charismatic personality than Mäkinen, who is rather unknown outside the Archdiocese. In the electorate, the Archdiocese is, however, strongly overrepresented, and Mäkinen has a solid following there. Perhaps we can expect him to be elected to succeed the present Archbishop Jukka Paarma, who will retire in June.
This result means that there will be a dichotomy among the electorate, since Mäkinen is fairly liberal, while Ruokanen is a conservative. Om the other hand, Ruokanen is a far more charismatic personality than Mäkinen, who is rather unknown outside the Archdiocese. In the electorate, the Archdiocese is, however, strongly overrepresented, and Mäkinen has a solid following there. Perhaps we can expect him to be elected to succeed the present Archbishop Jukka Paarma, who will retire in June.
News and links here, here, here (with the usual disgusting debate) and here. And surely elsewhere, as well...
On success
He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.
- Bessie A. Stanley
as quoted on Bailey's Buddy
as quoted on Bailey's Buddy
That's bad!
I have kleptomania, but when it gets bad, I take something for it.
Thanks to Wounded Bird!
You know that your dog has trained you well when ...
... you have your dog talk to your friends on the phone.
From Of Course I Could Be On Vacation ... with my thanks!
Archbishop Elvis
This is actually rather funny:
The report came from The Star (Canada), that published it on January 18.
Elvis may have long ago shuffled off this mortal coil, but his spirit still has a home at a Newmarket veterans' hall that stands in as a church.It's perhaps not my cup of tea, to quote MadPriest, but at least it's not boring...
That's where Archbishop Dorian Baxterhas channelled the King of Rock `n' Roll each Sunday for seven years. An eclectic mix of more than 300 people gathered Sunday to mark the breakaway Anglican church's anniversary and celebrate what would have been Elvis's 75th birthday on Jan. 8.
But as Baxter, who also performs as impersonator Elvis Priestley, is quick to point out, the main reason they assemble in the Spartan surroundings of the Royal Canadian Legion hall is to praise God.
"We honour Elvis's commitment to the Lord," said Baxter, 59, who explained he first heard Elvis when he was 5 and has been "trying to sing like him for 54 years.
"Like Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, we worship Jesus, the King of Kings."
The report came from The Star (Canada), that published it on January 18.
Humanity or tyranny?
We can move in the direction of justice, but if our personal relationships don’t become more human, we haven’t moved in the direction of the reign of God and, in the long run, we will discover that our point of arrival is just another form of tyranny.
- Arturo Paoli
as quoted on God's Politics
as quoted on God's Politics
Likeness or notions?
It is time that Christians were judged more by their likeness to Christ than their notions of Christ.
- Lucretia Mott,
Quaker abolitionist and women's rights advocate (1793-1880)
as quoted on God's Politics
Quaker abolitionist and women's rights advocate (1793-1880)
as quoted on God's Politics
Schoolboy Howlers 22
If you cross XY and XX chromosomes, you get XX (female), YY (male) and XY (undecided).
Missionskyrkan has a change of heart
On November 30, I wrote that the
Dagen reported on this new development 12.12.09.
central board [of the Svenska Missionskyrkan ("Swedish Mission Church")] decided 21.11.09 to allow, but not to force, pastors to perform same-sex marriages, starting March 2010, by which time an Order of Service will have been developed.After taking a lot of flak, the central board rescinds their decision, debates it again in February and takes it to the Church Conference in May 2010. Hopefully, this means that the decision will have a broader base - but it might, of course, also be voted down. We'll have to wait and see.
Dagen reported on this new development 12.12.09.
A new secessionary bishop in Sweden
Arne Olsson, the bishop of the so-called Mission Province whom bishop Walter Obare from Kenya consecrated in 2005, turns 80 in 2010 and steps down from his episcopate. In his place, the ever meddlesome Obare will consecrate Roland Gustafsson, 57, who up till now has worked as a missionary in Kenya, mainly teaching at the seminary of the ELCK.
Gustafsson is not an ordained pastor as yet, so he will be ordained on January 16, 2010, awaiting his consecration on March 20. God bless him and the Mission Province. It is good that there is an alternative for those conservative members of the CofS and the ELCF that feel as if their space is shrinking.
As well they might feel, since it no longer are the misogynistic and homophobic fundamentalists who call the shots in the large Lutheran churches in Sweden or Finland. I don't bear them ill will. I just don't really want them around.
Gustafsson is not an ordained pastor as yet, so he will be ordained on January 16, 2010, awaiting his consecration on March 20. God bless him and the Mission Province. It is good that there is an alternative for those conservative members of the CofS and the ELCF that feel as if their space is shrinking.
As well they might feel, since it no longer are the misogynistic and homophobic fundamentalists who call the shots in the large Lutheran churches in Sweden or Finland. I don't bear them ill will. I just don't really want them around.
Gustafsson vald till ny biskop i Missionsprovinsen (Kyrkans Tidning 30.11.09)
Missionsprovinsen fick biskop efter tufft förhör (Dagen 1.12.09)
About dogs and people
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
- Robert A. Heinlein
as quoted by the Episcopal padre
as quoted by the Episcopal padre
Hammarskjöld on leadership
Your position never gives you the right to command. It only imposes on you the duty of so living your life that others may receive your orders without being humiliated.
— Dag Hammarskjöld
as quoted on the blog Child of Illusion
as quoted on the blog Child of Illusion
Another Swedish church introduces same-sex marriages
On October 22, the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden, the country's ex-State Church, decided to start implementing a gender neutral view on marriage as quickly as November 1st. I blogged about it at the time.
Now, one of the largest Free Churches in Sweden, the Svenska Missionskyrkan ("Swedish Mission Church") has taken a similar decision. Their central board decided 21.11.09 to allow, but not to force, pastors to perform same-sex marriages, starting March 2010, by which time an Order of Service will have been developed. The central board was not unanimous; the decision was taken by 11 votes to 5. The Svenska Missionskyrkan is in the process of uniting with two other Free Churches, the Baptists and the Methodists, in about two years' time. The Baptists, too, are discussing same-sex marriage, and at the moment the trend seems to be that the local congregations will be given the right to do as they please.
Now, one of the largest Free Churches in Sweden, the Svenska Missionskyrkan ("Swedish Mission Church") has taken a similar decision. Their central board decided 21.11.09 to allow, but not to force, pastors to perform same-sex marriages, starting March 2010, by which time an Order of Service will have been developed. The central board was not unanimous; the decision was taken by 11 votes to 5. The Svenska Missionskyrkan is in the process of uniting with two other Free Churches, the Baptists and the Methodists, in about two years' time. The Baptists, too, are discussing same-sex marriage, and at the moment the trend seems to be that the local congregations will be given the right to do as they please.
Samkönade vigslar möjligt i Missionskyrkan från 1 mars (Sändaren 21.11.09)
Missionskyrkan öppnar för homovigslar (Dagen 21.11.09)
Missionskyrkan avgör samkönat lokalt (Norrländska Socialdemokraten 21.11.09)
Missionsförsamling får avgöra vigselfråga (Sveriges Radio 21.11.09)
Samkönade vigslar lokal fråga (Sveriges Radio 22.11.09)
Gävlepastor tvekar om samkönade äktenskap (Arbetarbladet 22.11.09)
Gandhi on Christ and Christians
I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.
- Mahatma Gandhi
as quoted on Child of Illusion
as quoted on Child of Illusion
That's bad!
FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!
Except that one where you're naked in church.
Except that one where you're naked in church.
Thanks to Wounded Bird!
Kenyan Lutheran bishop rebukes Swedish church on lesbian bishop
Nairobi (ENI 16.11.09). The executive committee of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya has expressed shock, dismay and disappointment at the consecration of the Rev. Eva Brunne, a lesbian who lives with her partner, as a bishop in the Church of Sweden.
"We condemn in the strongest terms possible this unfortunate and anti-scriptural development in a church body that bears the name of the great reformer, Dr Martin Luther," said Archbishop Walter Obare, the leader of the ELCK in a statement on 13 November, after the church's executive committee meeting in Nairobi.
Geneva (ENI 17.11.09). Church of Sweden Archbishop Anders Wejryd triggered outrage from a Lutheran church in Africa when he ordained an openly lesbian woman as bishop of Stockholm on 8 November. The archbishop asserts, however, that neither his church nor his country supports promiscuity, but that Sweden is a "surprisingly moral society". He said the Swedish church encourages faithful and stable relationships between people whatever their sexual orientation may be.Comment: Bishop Obare is, once again, meddling in the affairs of the Church of Sweden. I wonder who put him up to it this time.
By the way, Wejryd is an Archbishop, but Obare's title is "Presiding Bishop". If you want to be exact. And why wouldn't you? On a different note, there was another bishop consecrated on the same day (8.11.09) as bishop Brunne of Stockholm. Bishop Tuulikki Koivunen Bylund of Härnösand (northern Sweden) was born in Finland but moved to Sweden in order to be able to be ordained, as the ELCF didn't ordain women at the time. The ELCF still hasn't any female bishops, so bishop Koivunen Bylund is the first Finnish woman to become a bishop. Which is quite as historical as bishop Brunne's being the first lesbian to reach that august position.
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