Perhaps I shall make some heretical claim and start some huge discussion upon your blog. That way, you’ll get more traffic and discussion when you post for us to get off the computer, than when you actually make posts. Oh the irony.

Sadly though, this is one of my days when I haven’t anything to do. I was planning on just posting and blogging the majority of it. SO! on the day you, as an elder, advise (command) me to get off the computer, it is the day I must respectfully disobey.

Disobedience duly noted and I look forward to reading the fruits of your day’s labor.

Today on The Diane Rehm Show the presiding Bishop-elect of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori’s, was asked why we have denominations, to which she responded (to the effect…I’m going off memory) that Christians do a poor job at stomaching diversity. What do you think?

I actually heard part of that interview on my way to our “Bible in the Park” program. I see her point, but the other side of that is that denominations actually help to foster diversity (as well as squash it).

If we were all one happy “denomination,” sooner or later we’d all start to look the same. Denominations help to keep some of those vital differences alive and well, yet they also lead towards inclusivism.

Thoughts?

I have been thinking about it all day. You make a great point about denominations fostering diversity. Actually, if Jefferts-Schori’s point is that we should appreciate diversity, then denominations are a good thing rather than a necessary evil, as she seems to imply. That being the case, the Episcopal Church in America is doing an evil thing by promoting homosexuality, among other things that go against the world-wide anglican fellowship. If they really valued diversity, and if denominations foster diversity, they should realize they are a different denomination than the Anglican fellowship and break away. I think the Anglican community world-wide would breath a sigh of relief, as well as many here in FW.

The movie “Nacho Libre”, based on the true story of a wrestler named “Santo”, brings up the issue of diversity and denomination. Nacho is half-Lutheran and half-Roman Catholic. His brethren frown upon Lucha Libre wrestling, and all are forced to deal with his wrestling activities. Though Nacho is disobedient with regard to wrestling,(he is striving to earn money for better “ingredients” for meals for his orphan charges), he attempts to guide his fellow Luchador “Esqueletor” to believe in a Creator, in the Lord. Esqueletor, early in the film states that he only believes in science.