GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address: waholst@telus.net
This e-mail is sent only to a voluntary subscriber list.
If you no longer wish to receive these weekly columns,
write to me personally waholst@telus.net
*****
Dear Colleagues -
I send you this issue of Colleagues List, still somewhat affected by jet lag from our 19 day trip to South Africa. I did work through the 1,800 emails that had accumulated on my computer, however, and feel good about that because I caught up somewhat on what had happened during the interim. Marlene and I spent the time focused on the tour and the group of 25 great people who traveled together.
In this issue I share some initial reflections on South Africa, and add all the regular parts of this mailing as well.
By next week, I should be returning to normal, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy this issue.
Wayne
*****
SPECIAL ITEM
AN INITIAL SOUTH AFRICAN ASSESSMENT
My First Thoughts After a Recent Visit
I am in no position to wax eloquent or profound after returning home to Calgary less than three days ago. In time, I hope to share more of my many learnings from a most significant visit to this fellow-Commonwealth country
Today, I wish to present two key insights I bring home with me.
First - much of West Africa and Africa south of the Sahara (which includes South Africa) - is evolving into a leading continental centre of global Christianity.
Second - Apartheid was not destroyed in South Africa. In spite of the miraculous changes that have taken place there and the beauty of racial integration that is now so apparent, Apartheid continues to exist - only now the divisions are along economic, not racial lines.
For help with my first point, I refer to the book "A New Map of the Global Church" by colleague Philip Jenkins which I introduced September 24th on Colleagues List.
Please check it out: https://tinyurl.com/y8zj8g73
For help with my second point I include the link to a New York Times article on South Africa, published October 24th while we were in the country. It is entitled:
"End of Apartheid in South Africa? Not in Economic Terms" http://tinyurl.com/y9rq98yv
--
We travelled through many parts of South Africa and Swaziland, and were impressed by how profoundly the Christian faith - brought initially by Europeans and North Americans - has now become deeply embedded into the cultures we encountered. In spite of the fact that Christianity often appeared hand and glove with colonialism, it has now taken on a distinctly African flavour and vitality. This was a wonderful thing to experience.
We visited "the townships" on two separate occasions. The first was one near Cape Town - where we enjoyed African delicacies at the Mazansi Restaurant run by Nomonde Siyaka with help from her husband and neighbours in Langa Township: http://www.mzansi45.co.za
This restaurant is indeed a business success story. There should be many more such stories, but they are slow in coming.
In Soweto (South West Township) near Johannesburg, we visited the Apartheid Museum http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/ and learned much from our local guide Refilwe Mathe ("Reefi") a vivacious and well-informed black woman who helped us reflect on apartheid history, while taking us on a tour past Nelson Mandela's family home, as well as along the streets of the tragic Soweto police massacres of children several decades ago.
Much has been invested in the economic development of Soweto - a kind of ANC government showcase. Yet, today, that government is wracked by scandal and a new day of political renewal in the country is once again demanded.
--
Our visit to South Africa was an amazing encounter with the spiritual values inherent in nature, culture and social justice. Please stay tuned for more of my discoveries in the weeks ahead.
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
Elfrieda Schroeder,
Winnipeg, MB.
In Transit Blog
November, 2017
"Final Preparation"
https://tinyurl.com/ybx9py8h
--
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address: waholst@telus.net
This e-mail is sent only to a voluntary subscriber list.
If you no longer wish to receive these weekly columns,
write to me personally waholst@telus.net
*****
Dear Colleagues -
I send you this issue of Colleagues List, still somewhat affected by jet lag from our 19 day trip to South Africa. I did work through the 1,800 emails that had accumulated on my computer, however, and feel good about that because I caught up somewhat on what had happened during the interim. Marlene and I spent the time focused on the tour and the group of 25 great people who traveled together.
In this issue I share some initial reflections on South Africa, and add all the regular parts of this mailing as well.
By next week, I should be returning to normal, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy this issue.
Wayne
*****
SPECIAL ITEM
AN INITIAL SOUTH AFRICAN ASSESSMENT
My First Thoughts After a Recent Visit
I am in no position to wax eloquent or profound after returning home to Calgary less than three days ago. In time, I hope to share more of my many learnings from a most significant visit to this fellow-Commonwealth country
Today, I wish to present two key insights I bring home with me.
First - much of West Africa and Africa south of the Sahara (which includes South Africa) - is evolving into a leading continental centre of global Christianity.
Second - Apartheid was not destroyed in South Africa. In spite of the miraculous changes that have taken place there and the beauty of racial integration that is now so apparent, Apartheid continues to exist - only now the divisions are along economic, not racial lines.
For help with my first point, I refer to the book "A New Map of the Global Church" by colleague Philip Jenkins which I introduced September 24th on Colleagues List.
Please check it out: https://tinyurl.com/y8zj8g73
For help with my second point I include the link to a New York Times article on South Africa, published October 24th while we were in the country. It is entitled:
"End of Apartheid in South Africa? Not in Economic Terms" http://tinyurl.com/y9rq98yv
--
We travelled through many parts of South Africa and Swaziland, and were impressed by how profoundly the Christian faith - brought initially by Europeans and North Americans - has now become deeply embedded into the cultures we encountered. In spite of the fact that Christianity often appeared hand and glove with colonialism, it has now taken on a distinctly African flavour and vitality. This was a wonderful thing to experience.
We visited "the townships" on two separate occasions. The first was one near Cape Town - where we enjoyed African delicacies at the Mazansi Restaurant run by Nomonde Siyaka with help from her husband and neighbours in Langa Township: http://www.mzansi45.co.za
This restaurant is indeed a business success story. There should be many more such stories, but they are slow in coming.
In Soweto (South West Township) near Johannesburg, we visited the Apartheid Museum http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/ and learned much from our local guide Refilwe Mathe ("Reefi") a vivacious and well-informed black woman who helped us reflect on apartheid history, while taking us on a tour past Nelson Mandela's family home, as well as along the streets of the tragic Soweto police massacres of children several decades ago.
Much has been invested in the economic development of Soweto - a kind of ANC government showcase. Yet, today, that government is wracked by scandal and a new day of political renewal in the country is once again demanded.
--
Our visit to South Africa was an amazing encounter with the spiritual values inherent in nature, culture and social justice. Please stay tuned for more of my discoveries in the weeks ahead.
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
Elfrieda Schroeder,
Winnipeg, MB.
In Transit Blog
November, 2017
"Final Preparation"
https://tinyurl.com/ybx9py8h
--
John Griffith,
Calgary, AB.
What Was I Thinking? - Blog
November 3rd, 2017
"What has Love Got to do With It?"
--
Martin Marty.
Chicago, IL
Sightings,
November 6th, 2017
"Luther Goes Global"
http://tinyurl.com/y94hnbhm
--
John Stackhouse Jr.
Moncton, MB
Context,
October 27th, 2017
"What to do About Martin Luther?"
https://tinyurl.com/y8m4dz24
--
Ron Rolheiser,
San Antonio,TX
Personal Web Site,
November 6th, 2017
"Paralysis, Exasperation and
Helplessness as Prayer"
--
Mark Whittall,
Ottawa, ON.
Sermons and Blog,
October 21st, 2017
"Whose Image?"
https://tinyurl.com/yayqgoh9
--
Jim Taylor,
Okanagan, BC
Personal Web Log
November 5th, 2017
"Institutional Inertia Changes Slowly"
https://tinyurl.com/ycck4kzh
*****
NET NOTES
REFORMATION 500 - THE NEXT 500 YEARS
Transforming the Tradition
Christian Week,
October 25th, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/yclfnmfr
--
FR. GREGORY BAUM DEAD AT 94 YEARS
Prominent Canadian Ecumenical Theologian
Crux
Oct. 20th, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/ybd6bxjb
--
ASSESSMENT AFTER TRIUMP'S FIRST YEAR
Democracy is Not Dead in Spite of Him
La Croix,
November7thk, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/yayjwv37
--
BEARING WITNESS TO THE GOSPEL IN ASIA
Pope Francis OutlineS the Basic Steps
UCA News (Video)
November 7th, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/y7pr33cq
--
WHY DOES THE USA HAVE SO MANY MASS SHOOTINGS?
An International Comparison
New York Times,
November 7th, 2017
http://tinyurl.com/ya6s3xrt
--
HARRIET TUBMAN'S CANADIAN CHURCH
SEEKS HELP FOR BUILDING REPAIRS.
Canadian Links to American Slavery Story
Religion News Service,
November 3rd, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/ya379cl9
--
TARIQ RAMADAN TAKES LEAVE FROM OXFORD
AFTER RAPE ALLEGATIONS SURFACE
He was a Respected Islamic Scholar There
Religion News Service,
November 7th, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/yc3f9d7c
--
Globe and Mail
November 6th, 2017
Diagnosing Trump: Did America elect a madman?
"When Trump spreads patent untruths – about President Obama's birthplace, or the idea that Arabs in New Jersey celebrated 9/11 – and then accuses the press of making up stories that are unfavourable to him, when he lies with complete disregard for even the idea of empirical truth, it shreds the whole fabric that is supposed to bind the electorate. His disregard for truth validates the conspiracies that unite the hard right, from Pizzagate to 'false flag' operations in Las Vegas to crimes committed by illegal immigrants. It's not that the cloth is fraying, but rather that it is being purposely unwoven, from the top. The idea that
one mentally unwell person is running the most powerful country in the world is bad enough; the idea that he's making the country ill is far worse."
– Elizabeth Renzetti
--
Globe and Mail,
November 8th, 2017
How guns turned the American dream into a nightmare
“... just as the U.S. seeks to export the American dream, it exports its nightmares too. Arms races all too often end in terrible bloodshed. Lax guns laws lead to more massacres. Politicians bought by corporations end up being revealed as the people they truly are: bought. There is no easy answer to America's love affair with weapons. Democracy and freedom have become synonymous with capitalism and production – and the gun lies at the very heart of that. To break that bond would require massive economic and cultural shifts in the U.S. body politic - and – this will not happen under Donald Trump. But the international community does not have to buy into this – we can say no to violence and the means of producing it. To some that may seem naive. To others it's the only way toward peace.”
– Iain Overton, executive director of Action on Armed Violence
--
Globe and Mail,
November 10th, 2017
American mass shootings: We don't have to watch
"To be honest, my capacity for shock has become numbed, just one reason I've come believe that Canadian media should not cover American mass shootings as major news events. The other is that I've realized that they're not major news events, really. When the trophy for the largest mass shooting in the country's history is being passed around so rapidly, it's time to accept that these occurrences aren't particularly special. They're sadly just another drop in the global bucket of violence."
– Denise Balkissoon
*****
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
The final word is love.
- Dorothy Day
--
We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
--
Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. Thati s not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy if anything can.
- Thomas Merton
--
As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has ― or ever will have -- something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression.
- Fred Rogers
--
This is what you shall do: Love the earth and the sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and laborbto others, hate tyranny, and argue not concerning God.
- Walt Whitman
--
The guarantee of one’s prayer is not in saying a lot of words. The guarantee of one’s petition is very easy to know: how do I treat the poor? The degree to which you approach them, and the love with which you approach them, or the scorn with which you approach them - that is how you approach your God. What you do to them, you do to God.
The way you look at them is the way you look at God.
- Oscar Romero
--
If only we try to live sincerely, it will go well with us, even though we are certain to experience real sorrow, and great disappointments, and will also probably commit great faults and do wrong things. But it certainly is true that it is better to be high-spirited – even though one makes more mistakes – than to be narrow-minded and all too prudent. It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength; and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much; and what is done in love, is well done.
- Vincent van Gogh
*****
CLOSING THOUGHT - Coretta Scott King
Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.
(end)
*****
--
FR. GREGORY BAUM DEAD AT 94 YEARS
Prominent Canadian Ecumenical Theologian
Crux
Oct. 20th, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/ybd6bxjb
--
ASSESSMENT AFTER TRIUMP'S FIRST YEAR
Democracy is Not Dead in Spite of Him
La Croix,
November7thk, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/yayjwv37
--
BEARING WITNESS TO THE GOSPEL IN ASIA
Pope Francis OutlineS the Basic Steps
UCA News (Video)
November 7th, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/y7pr33cq
--
WHY DOES THE USA HAVE SO MANY MASS SHOOTINGS?
An International Comparison
New York Times,
November 7th, 2017
http://tinyurl.com/ya6s3xrt
--
HARRIET TUBMAN'S CANADIAN CHURCH
SEEKS HELP FOR BUILDING REPAIRS.
Canadian Links to American Slavery Story
Religion News Service,
November 3rd, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/ya379cl9
--
TARIQ RAMADAN TAKES LEAVE FROM OXFORD
AFTER RAPE ALLEGATIONS SURFACE
He was a Respected Islamic Scholar There
Religion News Service,
November 7th, 2017
https://tinyurl.com/yc3f9d7c
--
Globe and Mail
November 6th, 2017
Diagnosing Trump: Did America elect a madman?
"When Trump spreads patent untruths – about President Obama's birthplace, or the idea that Arabs in New Jersey celebrated 9/11 – and then accuses the press of making up stories that are unfavourable to him, when he lies with complete disregard for even the idea of empirical truth, it shreds the whole fabric that is supposed to bind the electorate. His disregard for truth validates the conspiracies that unite the hard right, from Pizzagate to 'false flag' operations in Las Vegas to crimes committed by illegal immigrants. It's not that the cloth is fraying, but rather that it is being purposely unwoven, from the top. The idea that
one mentally unwell person is running the most powerful country in the world is bad enough; the idea that he's making the country ill is far worse."
– Elizabeth Renzetti
--
Globe and Mail,
November 8th, 2017
How guns turned the American dream into a nightmare
“... just as the U.S. seeks to export the American dream, it exports its nightmares too. Arms races all too often end in terrible bloodshed. Lax guns laws lead to more massacres. Politicians bought by corporations end up being revealed as the people they truly are: bought. There is no easy answer to America's love affair with weapons. Democracy and freedom have become synonymous with capitalism and production – and the gun lies at the very heart of that. To break that bond would require massive economic and cultural shifts in the U.S. body politic - and – this will not happen under Donald Trump. But the international community does not have to buy into this – we can say no to violence and the means of producing it. To some that may seem naive. To others it's the only way toward peace.”
– Iain Overton, executive director of Action on Armed Violence
--
Globe and Mail,
November 10th, 2017
American mass shootings: We don't have to watch
"To be honest, my capacity for shock has become numbed, just one reason I've come believe that Canadian media should not cover American mass shootings as major news events. The other is that I've realized that they're not major news events, really. When the trophy for the largest mass shooting in the country's history is being passed around so rapidly, it's time to accept that these occurrences aren't particularly special. They're sadly just another drop in the global bucket of violence."
– Denise Balkissoon
*****
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
The final word is love.
- Dorothy Day
--
We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
--
Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. Thati s not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy if anything can.
- Thomas Merton
--
As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has ― or ever will have -- something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression.
- Fred Rogers
--
This is what you shall do: Love the earth and the sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and laborbto others, hate tyranny, and argue not concerning God.
- Walt Whitman
--
The guarantee of one’s prayer is not in saying a lot of words. The guarantee of one’s petition is very easy to know: how do I treat the poor? The degree to which you approach them, and the love with which you approach them, or the scorn with which you approach them - that is how you approach your God. What you do to them, you do to God.
The way you look at them is the way you look at God.
- Oscar Romero
--
If only we try to live sincerely, it will go well with us, even though we are certain to experience real sorrow, and great disappointments, and will also probably commit great faults and do wrong things. But it certainly is true that it is better to be high-spirited – even though one makes more mistakes – than to be narrow-minded and all too prudent. It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength; and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much; and what is done in love, is well done.
- Vincent van Gogh
*****
CLOSING THOUGHT - Coretta Scott King
Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.
(end)
*****
For Those Interested -
ST. DAVID'S ACTS MONDAY NIGHT FALL STUDY
A Ten Week Series September 18th - November 27th, 2017
Monday Evenings, TM Room 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
"CONVICTIONS - How I Learned What Matters Most"
http://tinyurl.com/ybyu3msx
Author: Marcus Borg
Registration/Hospitality and Book: $60.00.
Book only: $20.00
40 copies of the book have been sold.
35 persons have registered for the course.
Classes well underway with strong attendances.
Read my background information on the study book:
http://cep.anglican.ca/convictions/
Check our entire archives for all 49 books studied since 2000:
http://tinyurl.com/q3bw6dh
--
During the 2016-2017 two session-term -
Total class registrations: 70
Total books sold: 75
Our best year ever, since 1998!
***
ST. DAVID'S ACTS THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
Ten Sessions September 21st - November 30th, 2017
Biblical book(s) to be studied this autumn were determined by
the class at the first session of the term, Thursday, Sept. 21st.
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN - THE LETTERS OF JOHN
A Study of Similarities and Differences
Ten sessions 10-11 AM
Gathering at 9:30 AM in the St. David's TM Room.
No charge
Ten sessions 10-11 AM
Gathering at 9:30 AM in the St. David's TM Room.
No charge
Study resource -
"The DK Complete Bible Handbook"
Edited by John Bowker
http://tinyurl.com/odxlv7q
***
ST. DAVID'S SPIRITUAL TRAVELERS EVENT, 2017
South Africa was our destination! We planned a nineteen-
day tour that combined a focus on spirituality, social
justice, culture, and nature, and it ran October 21st
thru November 8th.
A beautiful brochure with trip cost, itinerary, and
many helpful travel hints was published.
http://tinyurl.com/hucsaf7
Twenty-five persons registered and paid in full to
take the trip. This was our tour group.
All together, thirty-two persons made deposits
but some had to withdraw for health or other
reasons.
but some had to withdraw for health or other
reasons.
We have activated a South Africa Spiritual Travelers
discussion list group to and used it to build community
amongst the participants, and to share news and
resources.
We will report our experiences to St. David's congregation
as part of the worship service Sunday, January 14th, 2018.
For information click Rostad Tours: http://tinyurl.com/hucsaf7
as part of the worship service Sunday, January 14th, 2018.
For information click Rostad Tours: http://tinyurl.com/hucsaf7
Follow these notices for weekly updates.
*****
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