Posts Tagged ‘faith’

Sundays in the Park

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

The listserve for priests in the Episcopal Diocese of New York recently discussed all the Sunday morning events that now compete with church services for peoples’ attention. The AIDS Walk this Sunday will attract thousands of participants, including some 900 Episcopalians. The MS Bike Tour May 5 involved many others, besides tying up traffic all over New York City. Add other sporting events and birthday parties, brunches, and other social occasions–not to mention weekend getaways and overtime at the office–and church often finds itself second-best.

If I knew what to do about this, I would do it. Sunday evening worship helps a bit, as do church events during the week. But, as far as I know, the church still needs to find new ways to win the attention of modern people distracted by contemporary alternatives to the formal worship of God. –J. Douglas Ousley


Things that Abide

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

At the end of Holy Week, on Good Friday, in anticipation of Easter, it may be useful for us Episcopalians to remind ourselves of the important things. The important things are the ultimate things: truth and beauty and goodness, life now and life in eternity. As the philosophers used to say, “God, freedom and immortality”–the questions that never can be fully answered.

As the events we commemorate at this time of year force us to consider all these issues, they also remind us that church organization and politics, in comparison, hardly matter. Ecclesiastical matters are among the things that are passing away; now is the time for us to hold fast to those things that abide. Jesus lives. –J. Douglas Ousley


War of the Hitchens’

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

It is remarkable to read Peter Hitchens’ memoir, The Rage Against God:How Atheism Led Me to Faith, just after his brother, Christopher’s autobiographical reflections, Hitch-22. The latter is famous for his atheistic tract, God is Not Great. Peter details his own return to faith in conscious sibling rivalry. Ironically, both brothers, who have been known as foreign journalists and political analysts look likely to be remembered for their opposing views of religion.

My own views of the books: While Peter’s memoir meanders is a bit critical of trendiness in the Church of England, he offers many good reasons for embracing the consolations of faith. While Christopher’s tract is filled with weak atheistic arguments, his memoir is brilliant and often riveting. Both brothers deserve the gratitude of believers for bringing religious questions back onto the best-seller list. -J. Douglas Ousley