Episcopal Life Online Newslink September 4, 2007
Episcopal Life Online is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.
Today's ELO Newslink includes:
* TOP STORY - September 9 bulletin insert focuses on Episcopal Schools * DIOCESAN DIGEST - LOUISIANA: Bishop blogs to Bush * DIOCESAN DIGEST - NEW YORK: St. Thomas Church resumes worship webcasts * DIOCESAN DIGEST - NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA: Consecration of youngest bishop set for September 8 * WORLD REPORT - ENGLAND: Green issues challenge international security, briefing paper warns * WORLD REPORT - EUROPE: Christian leaders look to European assembly to boost church unity * WORLD REPORT - UGANDA: Archbishop consecrates former Episcopal priest as bishop * OPINION - Should the Episcopal Church be practicing 'open Communion?'
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TOP STORIES
September 9 bulletin insert focuses on Episcopal Schools
The bulletin insert for September 9 looks at the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), which is kicking off this school year with great expectations and a new leader at the helm.
Bulletin inserts are available at
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_8852_ENG_HTM.htm
More Top Stories: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife
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DIOCESAN DIGEST
LOUISIANA: Bishop blogs to Bush
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_89684_ENG_HTM.htm
NEW YORK: St. Thomas Church resumes worship webcasts http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_89683_ENG_HTM.htm
NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA: Consecration of youngest bishop set for September 8 http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_89681_ENG_HTM.htm
More Diocesan news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_ENG_HTM.htm
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WORLD REPORT
ENGLAND: Green issues challenge international security, briefing paper warns http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_89657_ENG_HTM.htm
EUROPE: Christian leaders look to European assembly to boost church unity http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_89686_ENG_HTM.htm
UGANDA: Archbishop consecrates former Episcopal priest as bishop http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_89665_ENG_HTM.htm
More World news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_ENG_HTM.htm
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OPINION
Should the Episcopal Church be practicing 'open Communion?'
By Laura Peckham, September 04, 2007
[Episcopal News Service] There is a movement afoot in the Episcopal Church to invite everyone present at the Eucharist, baptized or unbaptized, to receive Communion. This invitation, issued usually by the presider stating something like, "This is Christ's table, and all are welcome," defies the Constitution and Canons of the church and the ordination vows of the one presiding. The rationale given is that since Jesus welcomed all, we should not put up restrictions, that this is an important means of showing the radical hospitality of Jesus.
I disagree. In the Gospel accounts, it is only the disciples, Jesus' intentional followers, who are with Jesus at the institution of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:20; Mark 14:17-18; Luke 22:14; John 13:22). The early church clearly saw participation in the Eucharist as only for those who are intentional followers of Jesus -- baptized members of the body of Christ. Paul addresses the church at Corinth, all of whom are baptized, and chastises them for treating the Lord's Supper as any other meal, "For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself." All records indicate that for hundreds of years the early church did not allow the unbaptized catechumens to be present at the Eucharist proper but dismissed them after the reading of the lessons.
Participation in the Eucharist was not a form of entrance into the life of Christ but was one of the characteristics of living a Christian life.
Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_89696_ENG_HTM.htm
More Opinion: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_ENG_HTM.htm