Convention Notebook: Christian anti-Judaism, Anglican group leads prayers, slave trade film
Episcopal News Service -- Anaheim, California. July 9, 2009 [070909-10]
Sharon Sheridan, Mary Frances Schjonberg and Solange De Santis
Much happens each day at General Convention. In addition to Episcopal Life Media's other coverage, here's some of what else happened on July 9.
Request to address Christian anti-Judaism
A young deputy from the Diocese of Lexington on July 8 passionately urged the joint Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music Committee to support funding for efforts to address Christian anti-Judaism.
Recalling how she eschewed introductory-level courses as a college freshman in favor of a class in Jewish-Christian relations, Allison Asay said she realized by mid-semester the class should have been subtitled A History of Christian Hatred of the Jews. "We read Carroll's Constantine's Sword, Flannery's The Anguish of the Jews, along with about 1,000 pages of other scholarly publications on the subject. By the end of freshman year, I knew too well the anti-Jewish vitriol of St. John Chrysostom and Martin Luther."
In 2006, she visited the Auschwitz, Treblinka and Majdanek concentration camps in Poland as part of a program called the March of Remembrance and Hope. On the last day, standing in a gas chamber in Majdanek, she said, "I broke into uncontrollable sobbing. I collapsed against the walls of the death chamber, where victims had scraped their fingers bloody trying to escape the lethal gases. I wish that my fellow Episcopalians had been there with me. It was a vital moment in my spiritual formation in which my church had no role."
"It is not possible to encounter the history of the Holocaust, of Christian Europe or of our faith without taking into account the trajectory of anti-Judaism – from its ancient origins to the Holocaust. We are called today to both extirpate anti-Judaism from our liturgies, and be forthright and honest in our discussion of the hateful language contained in our Scriptures."
"The budget allocation for the work of this resolution is appropriate and necessary," she concluded, adding, "I do pray for the consideration of a more generous amount."
Anglican group to lead prayer for convention using modern technology
The Anglican Ecumenical Society announced that from July 8 through July 10, it will be hosting joint prayer sessions in both web chat and Second Life for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church.
"The Anglican Communion needs healing and unity; we call all Anglicans in the United States -- Episcopalians, ACNA [Anglican Church in North America, a rival province], and other Anglican churches -- and in all the rest of the Communion -- to come together to pray for God's will to be done at General Convention, in the Episcopal Church, and in the Communion at large. We also invite other Christians to join us, as the future of the Communion will have a great effect on the body of Christ as a whole.
"We'll also be praying across another divide -- we will be connecting various technologies to make it possible for people within Second Life to pray with those who aren't. At the times that we are praying together, anyone will be able to come to our site, and click on a link to open a chat box which will allow them to pray together with those of us who are inside Second Life.
"Please consider praying with us. More information and flyers / bulletin inserts for Sunday are available here. Consider also joining us on Facebook."
The Anglican Ecumenical Society is an organization engaged in collaborative ecumenical online ministry which promotes the ecumenical principles of the Anglican Communion.
Film screenings will explore church's role in slave trade
Attendees have two chances to consider the involvement of their parishes and dioceses in the slave trade.
"Repairing the Breach: The Episcopal Church and Slavery Atonement" will be shown July 11 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Grand Ballroom-Salon F of the Anaheim Marriott Hotel.
The film provides an overview of the Episcopal Church's complicity in slavery, and shows the church's process of seeking to come to terms with that history at 75th General Convention and its Day of Repentance activities held October 3-4, 2008. An accompanying discussion will be facilitated by the Rev. Canon Ed Rodman, the film's narrator, and documentary filmmaker Katrina Browne.
The event is sponsored by the Diocese of Louisiana and the Commission to End Racism of the Diocese of Ohio.
Browne's film, "Traces of the Trade," will be screened July 12 at 7:00 p.m. in Grand Ballroom-Salon F of the Anaheim Marriott.
The film documents her family's part in the slave trade as she and other family members retrace the trade's triangle from Africa to the Caribbean to Rhode Island. A conversation will be facilitated by Constance and Dain Perry, who were part of the film. The event is sponsored by the dioceses of Massachusetts and North Carolina
Another screening and conversation will take place July 14 at 7 p.m. in the same location, and is sponsored by the dioceses of Atlanta and Rhode Island.
More fashion notes
General Convention Executive Secretary Gregory Straub continued to display his collection of colorful sport coats, wearing a blue plaid jacket for the House of Deputies session on July 8 and a blue and green plaid on July 9. President Bonnie Anderson was attired more soberly July 8 in an academic gown from Episcopal Divinity School, reflecting the fact that she holds an honorary doctorate of canon law degree. It was black with dark red velvet collar and pink piping.