• Sermon – the parable of the sower

     

    The church is completely obsessed with one topic.

    Whenever you go to church meetings there is one thing that dominates everything and has done so for at least the last 15 or 20 years.

    We talk about it endlessly. Whether it is local regional chapters, diocesan synod, General Synod or even the meetings of the Anglican Communion such as the Lambeth Conference which gathers all the bishops of the communion together every 10 years, there is sure to be this one item on the agenda.

    Reports are written.

    Debates are had.

    Motions are passed.

    Decisions are made.

    All in relation to this topic which has seemed to dominate absolutely everything we do.

    People (by which I mean me) are bored to the back teeth of hearing about it and yet still we go over and over it all again at every meeting.

    Bishops and archbishops make statements about it. And our concern is matched by similar conversations in other denominations.

    Who would like to hazard a guess at what that topic is?

    Is it wonga?

    Is it assisted dying that Lord Carey has been highlighting rather unhelpfully this weekend?

    Is it sex in general and homosexuality in particular?

    Well, (more…)

3 responses to “Egypt”

  1. Tony Coxon Avatar

    I, too, find what you say disturbing. Keep up your comments

  2. Hermano David | Brother Dah•veed Avatar
    Hermano David | Brother Dah•veed

    Pope Shenoudah appeared on Egyptian TV early this week asking the protesters to stop. He wanted them to accept the word of Mubarak that he would not run for reelection and all go home.

    One has to think that he is afraid of what could become of the Copts, and the Anglicans and others for that matter, if Mubarak’s henchmen are not in place to hold off the advance of radical Islam.

    Forced to choose the lesser of two evils.

  3. pax58 Avatar
    pax58

    David,
    I have a Coptic friend at work, she reminded me that 10% of the Epyptian population is Coptic and has lived in a delicate balance with the Muslim majority for centuries. When one looks at what happened to the churches in Iraq after the strong hand of a dictator was lifted it does make sense for the Coptic folks to worry about the future. However, Egypt may not be Iraq and we could see a governent which may be a mix of secular/Islamic which does provide protection for religious minorities. Only time will tell.

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