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"My weekend is coming up, so I thought I'd put a cat among the pigeons. In doing so, I dearly hope that it will not result in my hopes of eventual ordination being dashed forever. :>)"
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"We continuing Anglicans, along with our brothers and sisters in Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, make much of our our adherence to the Ecumenical Councils. That the Romans are more generous in their definition of what constitutes such a council is irrelevant for the purpose of this discussion, as it pertains to the SEVENTH COUNCIL, one which is ecumenically acknowledged as being ecumenical."
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"The AFFIRMATION OF ST LOUIS, to which all continuing churches adhere, says in part:"
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"We repudiate all deviation of departure from the Faith, in whole or in part, and bear witness to these essential principles of evangelical Truth and apostolic Order," which include:"
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"The received Tradition of the Church and its teachings as set forth by 'the ancient catholic bishops and doctors,' and especially as defined by the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church, to the exclusion of all errors, ancient and modern."
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"I now draw your attention to Canon II, which I stumbled across late one night many months ago and have been meaning to ask about ever since: Are all our bishops in compliance with it? I dearly wish I could say that I am, but am doubtful I ever will be."
Canon II
That he who is to be ordained a Bishop must be steadfastly resolved to observe the canons, otherwise he shall not be ordained.
When we recite the psalter, we promise God: "I will meditate upon thy statutes, and will not forget thy words." It is a salutary thing for all Christians to observe this, but it is especially incumbent upon those who have received the sacerdotal dignity. THEREFORE WE DECREE, THAT EVERY ONE WHO IS RAISED TO THE RANK OF THE EPISCOPATE SHALL KNOW THE PSALTER BY HEART (MY EMPHASIS), so that from it he may admonish and instruct all the clergy who are subject to him. And diligent examination shall be made by the metropolitan whether he be zealously inclined to read diligently, and not merely now and then, the sacred canons, the holy Gospel, and the book of the divine Apostle, and all other divine Scripture; and whether he lives according to God's commandments, and also teaches the same to his people. For the special treasure of our high priesthood is the oracles which have been divinely delivered to us, that is the true science of the Divine Scriptures, as says Dionysius the Great. And if his mind be not set, and even glad, so to do and teach, let him not be ordained. For says God by the prophet, "Thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me."
"Here follows some commentary:"
ANCIENT EPITOME OF CANON II
Whoever is to be a bishop must know the Psalter by heart: he must thoroughly understand what he reads, and not merely superficially, but with diligent care, that is to say the Sacred Canons, the Holy Gospel, the book of the Apostle, and the whole of the Divine Scripture. And should he not have such knowledge, he is not to be ordained.
ARISTENUS
Whoso is to be elevated to the grade of the episcopate should know... the book of the Apostle Paul, and the whole divine scripture and search out its meaning and understand the things that are written. For the very foundation and essence of the high priesthood is the true knowledge of holy Scripture, according to Dionysius the Great. And if he has this knowledge let him be ordained, but if not, not. For God hath said by the prophet: "Thou hast put away from thee knowledge, therefore I have also put thee away from me, that thou mayest not be my priest."
FLEURY
The persecution of the Iconoclasts had driven all the best Christians into hiding, or into far distant exile; this had made them rustic, and had taken from them their taste for study. The council therefore is forced to be content with a knowledge of only what is absolutely necessary, provided it was united with a willingness to learn. The examination with which the ceremony of the ordination of bishops begins seems to be a remains of this discipline.
VAN ESPEN
The Synod teaches in this canon that "all Christians" will find it most profitable to meditate upon God's justifyings and to keep his words in remembrance, and especially is this the case with bishops. And it should be noted that formerly not only the clergy, but also the lay people, learned the Psalms, that is the whole Psalter, by heart, and made a most sweet sound by chanting them while about their work.
But as time went on, little by little this pious custom of reciting the Psalter and of imposing its recitation and a meditation thereon at certain intervals, slipped away to the clergy only and to monks and nuns, as to those specially consecrated to the service of God and to meditation upon the divine words, as Lupus points out. And from this discipline and practice the appointment of the Ecclesiastical or Canonical Office had its rise, which imposes the necessity of reciting the Psalms at certain intervals of time.
This canon is found in the "Corpus Juris Canonici, Gratian's Decretum, Pars I., Dist. xxxviij".," C. vj.", in Anastasius's translation.
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"Thus as in music there is a plectrum, so the man becoming himself a stringed instrument and devoting himself completely to the Spirit may obey in all his members and emotions, and serve the will of God. The harmonious reading of the Psalms is a figure and type of such undisturbed and calm equanimity of our thoughts.
For just as we discover the ideas of the soul and communicate them through the words we put forth, so also the Lord, wishing the melody of the words to be a symbol of the spiritual harmony in a soul, has ordered that the odes be chanted tunefully, and the Psalms recited with song. The desire of the soul is this-to be beautifully disposed, as it is written, Is anyone among you cheerful?
Let him sing praise. In this way that which is disturbing and rough and disorderly in it is smoothed away, and that which causes grief is healed when we sing psalms. Why are you sad, O my soul, and why do you trouble me? That which causes stumbling will be discovered, as it says, But my feet were almost overthrown.
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"When they chant in this way, so the melody of the phrases is brought forth from the soul's good order and from the concord with the Spirit, such people sing with the tongue, but singing also with the mind they greatly benefit not only themselves but even those who are willing to hear them. Blessed David, then, making music in this way for Saul, was himself well pleasing to God, and he drove away from Saul the troubled and frenzied disposition, making his soul calm.
The priests who sang thus summoned the souls of the people into tranquility, and called them into unanimity with those who form the heavenly chorus. Therefore the Psalms are not recited with melodies because of a desire for pleasant sounds. Rather, this is a sure sign of the harmony of the soul's reflections.
Indeed the melodic reading is a symbol of the mind's well-ordered and undisturbed condition. Moreover, the praising of God in well-tuned cymbals and harp and ten-stringed instruments was again a figure and sign of the parts of the body coming into natural concord like harp strings, and of the thoughts of the soul becoming like cymbals, and then all of these being moved and living through the grand sound and through the command of the Spirit so that, as it is written, the man lives in the Spirit and transforms the deeds of the body.
For thus beautifully singing praises, he brings rhythm to his soul and leads it, so to speak, from disproportion to proportion, with the result that, due to its steadfast nature, it is not frightened by something, but rather imagines positive things, even possessing a full desire for the future goods.
And gaining composure by the singing of the phrases, it becomes forgetful of the passions and, while rejoicing, sees in accordance with the mind of Christ, conceiving the most excellent thoughts."
(A Letter of Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, to Marcellinus on the Interpretation of the Psalms, in "ATHANASIUS", tr.
Robert C. Gregg, Paulist Press, 1980.)
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"For unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this" (Is. 9:6-7).
As the National Day of Prayer Honorary Chair for 2014, I heard the familiar promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14 frequently invoked: "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Yet I wondered how many of us, including myself, have earnestly followed through in focused prayer? Are we just mouthing the words or are we truly humbling ourselves and praying and seeking God's face and repenting of our sin? I have felt deeply convicted that it's time for you and me to stop talking. It's time to pray. And repent.
Yet the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14, that is often quoted as applying to American believers, was originally given to King Solomon to claim on behalf of Jerusalem... Israel. So 3,000 years after that promise was first given, as the Islamic extremists tighten their noose around His Land, as terrorists bombard Israel with rockets, as enemies threaten God's people with annihilation, once again it's time to stop talking and to start praying. Not just for our people and our land, but for Jerusalem and all that she symbolizes: His Land, His people.
Actually, in Psalm 122:6-7, we are commanded, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels." Yet as I have attempted to obey, I have sensed my faith to believe God for the answer has been small. Because peace treaties are continually broken. Negotiations beween enemies keep unraveling. No sooner is a cessation in hostilities declared than it is shattered by another missile strike.
And then it has dawned on me. There will be no permanent peace and safety for Jerusalem until the Prince of Peace Himself comes to establish His reign on earth. So in effect, when I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, what I am really praying for is not the terms of a treaty. I'm not praying for an independent Palestinian state or the Muslims' recognition of Israel's right to exist. What I'm really praying for is the return of Jesus. Yeshua. Israel's Messiah. The Prince of Peace.
So I'm on my knees, praying for the peace of Jerusalem. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ" is the founder of AnGeL Ministries. She is also the author of several books."
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