Povey Prattle

Just suppose for a moment that there is a God, who roughly approximates to the God of the Jewish and Christian scriptures. ( My bottom line on this is that I am “an agnostic in the Christian tradition” ) But suppose that there is a God such as we know of in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Just suppose also that this God is (as is claimed) the only God, and that she/he is the God of the entire Universe. Imagine that Universe for a moment. And ask, “is it more likely that we are the only planet with beings (humans) which can respond to that God, or that there are other beings in other “parts of the Universe” which also “relate” to the one God?” I would suppose the latter. But it is just a supposition. Now, go to your imagination again and imagine a God who “says” this to earthlings: “I am so sick and tired of you, so weary with you, so bored with you, that I am paying you no attention. I am enjoying other beings in these Universes who seem to “get it” more than you. But, with you,...

Jane Fonda is in trouble again. In trouble with the right wing media, and the liberal pundits. Despite all the bogus claims that “America is a Christian country”, or “we are rooted in the Judaeo-Christian tradition” (whatever that means!) we are an unforgetting and unforgiving people. (Our present fascistic administration is closer to Mussolini and General Franco than it ever was to Moses or Jesus). So what Jane said in Vietnam can never be forgotten or forgiven. If she appeared on national television and said “I love Jesus, America, and George Bush” - she would be criticised. They are out to get you Jane! This morning Jane Fonda was a guest on the NBC “Today Show”. (This show used to be a half-decent news programme. Now it is filled with show-biz puff pieces and facile political analysis). Ms. Fonda was talking about a play in which she is acting in New York City “The Vagina Monologues”. The “sometimes prude” in me has never liked that title, but be that as it may. During the in...

My day can be summed up in parts of two biblical verses (I use the New Revised Standard translation, but you’ll get the gist from other translations). John 19:14 (first seven words) Acts 1:18 (last four words) Guess what’s happening to me tomorrow!

Our local Public Radio Station WUSF in Tampa, Fl plays a lot of classical music. But it has a very limited vision and repertoire. We hear tons and tons of baroque music; a whole lot of Mozart; a bit of Beethoven here and there: but not much else. Except for a fixation on Vaughan Williams, and on two of his pieces. We hear his variations on a theme by Tallis (a lovely piece), over and over again. And we hear Vaughan Williams’ “A lark ascending” at least three times each month. It’s a great piece, and I like it. But not so often please! So, WUSF played it again today. Which reminded me of something I intended to add to yesterday’s blog on “sound”. When I was 16, or 20, or 22 (darned if I can remember when) the young people of my Peeb (Plymouth Brethren) circle too a trip to Minchinhampton Common in the Gloucestershire (UK) Cotswolds. It’s a gorgeous space. It was probably on “August Bank Holiday Monday” in England. The sun shone in all her glory. Then we heard it. A Skylark...

Ruth Gledhill’s article February 11, 2008 The intellectual arrogance that pervades the heart of Lambeth Palace wisdom Ruth Gledhill: Analysis The Archbishop of Canterbury rarely lets anyone amend his speeches. Unlike his predecessor, George Carey, Rowan Williams is confident enough of his intellectual gifts to consider that he does not need the wisdom of others in guiding the public expression of his thoughts. This illustrates the divergent backgrounds of the two men — one is working-class, self-taught, rooted in the simplicity of an evangelical faith, the other is Oxbridge to the depths of his complicated soul, espousing a Christianity at once liberal, catholic and ascetic. Lord Carey reads the News of the World, and likes to write for the paper. Dr Williams prefers Dostoevsky, and is writing a book about him. Dr Williams was advised before his speech on Thursday evening that the content could prove controversial. He heeded the warnings but went ahead anyway. He was “taken aback” by ...

Memories can be triggered by each of our senses - sight, smell, sound, touch and taste. We catch the smell of roasting beef and we are back in childhood. We see a person, who immediately reminds us of a friend about whom we have not thought for months. We taste a drop of gravy, and memory takes us back to a family Sunday dinner, 30 or 40 years ago. We touch a hand, and remember the many hands we’ve held with tenderness, or the hands which have been raised against us. Every morning, soon after 6:00 a.m. I hear a ‘plane overhead. It’s the first flight of the day, Delta Airlines from SRQ to Atlanta. That makes me remember being in our back kitchen, aged 10 or so, when a train would chug up the line from Bristol to Bath (UK), and Dad or my sister Maureen would say “there’s the 7:45, it’s on time today” Last Thursday I was at a Diocesan Clergy day conference with our Bishop. We sat in the Church, listening to an organ prelude, and waiting for the beginning of the Eucharist. A Pr...

Sermon for February 10th 2008. The Revd. J. Michael Povey at St. David’s Episcopal Church, Englewood, FL Genesis 2:15 - 3:21; Romans 5:12-21; Matthew 4:1 - 11 So we sang the Great Litany. What we prayed is a direct descendant of the first bit of the first book of Common Prayer. Henry VIIIth allowed Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to issue a Litany in English in 1544, five years before the issuing of the first Book of Common Prayer. It’s a wonderfully rich bit of praying. When else would we pray for our enemies and slanderers? When else have we prayed for woman in childbirth. How often would we pray for those who are in danger because of their labour? The Great Litany reminds us to pray for matters which we often forget. A rich Litany, and three super-rich bible readings. Almost too much good Scripture for one Sunday. I love the realism of the Genesis passage. The man and the woman hiding themselves from the presence of God - as if they or we could! And the passing of the buck...