Mother Church?

Rochester Cathedral Nave

There is the story of a mother nursing her growing baby.  He bit her on the nipple, so she whacked him on the head, so he bit her on the nipple, so she whacked him on the head.  What was missing on both sides was respect born of love.

When you criticize the Church remember the plaint of the Psalmist, “Your servants love her very rubble, and are moved to pity even for her dust” (Psalm 102:14, BCP).

But what is the Church?  The Church is the Body of Christ.  It is the Church within the church.  We make a mistake in not understanding that The Episcopal Church and every other denomination is by nature a “communion” of sinners.  Therein lies a problem.  Unity within the church is not based on kneeling at the altar rail together; we actually invite to that altar rail all who are baptised and believe that Christ is truly present in the sacrament.  But be aware that there is a movement to make baptism unnecessary for membership.

Unity within the Church is not based on kneeling at the altar rail.  It is based on three things:  “Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Saviour? Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love?  Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord?” (BCP).  The answer is very personal, “I do.”  

Unity within the Church is based on what Jefferts Schori has called a Western Heresy.  If she believes what she has said in a mood of irritation, her declaration leaves her outside of the Church even while she remains the titular head a branch of the Church.  That is a tragedy both for the Church and for her, which is one reason why all Episcopal Churches should pray for her at the altar rail every Sunday. Have compassion on her.  For her to surrender to the only true God, she, like all of us, will have to surrender every pretension.  That is a very painful challenge.  Our God is a consuming fire!