A Few thoughts at the Termination of Term

The Michaelmas season has come to an end, and a new church year has begun. Here at Resurrection Lutheran Church, we are enjoying our fellowship as we light the Advent candles in expectation of the coming Christmas. Last week, following an excellent Compline prayer service, we decorated the sanctuary and then partook in a pot-luck. The food was second to none.

I would like to thank everyone that participated in the Westfield community this fall, the students, the faculty, the staff, friends, visitors, and passers by. I appreciate your tacit commitment to dealing with our absurdities. It would be remiss to neglect to extend my gratitude to all those who have supported us from abroad: especially those from my home congregation (St. John's, Ladysmith) and all those at the seminary at Fort Wayne. You know who you are.

One noteworthy highlight from this fall was a forum at which Archbishop Rowan Williams spoke on the topic of New Atheism.

While no conclusions were reached (predictable), I do think that the Archbishop's adroit theological skill had its chance to shine. No, I am not asserting that Willams is by any means 'orthodox.' But I do believe, that he presented the faith in a cogent and well constructed manner. While he as willing to accept the statement of the hard Post-Modernist, " Every intellectual position we hold is a coping mechanism for getting through a complex world," he was critical to respond "This says nothing of a religion's truth-value...what makes religious language so unique is that it invites darkness and is willing to risk all things on search for the truth." Willams aptly exposed the folly of the new-atheists' desire for a religion-less world. "As far as I see it, people have always been religious and don't particularly seem as if they are going to change" [Paraphrase]. Well put Rev'd Father.

Feeling dejected from not enjoying the lecture? I have included it here for your pleasure and enrichment.
http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/3048