wfn.org | [ELD] Episcopal priest gave invocation at Republican National Convention

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

>Episcopal Life Daily
>September 3, 2008

>Episcopal Life Online is available at
>http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - Episcopal priest gave invocation at Republican National
Convention
* EDUCATION - Virginia Seminary welcomes Dalit civil rights crusaders as
visiting faculty
* WEEKS AHEAD - Upcoming special events and services
* SPIRITUAL REFLECTION - Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 18 -
Year A [RCL]
* DAYBOOK - September 4, 2008: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - Beyond Tolerance: Searching for Interfaith Understanding in
America

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

Episcopal priest gave invocation at Republican National Convention

>Like McCain, Certain was POW in Vietnam

>By Pat McCaughan

[Episcopal News Service] The Rev. Robert Certain, an Episcopal priest
who was a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, opened the Republican
National Convention (http://www.gopconvention2008.com/) evening session
on September 2 with prayer.

Certain asked God to "grant wisdom and grace" to President Bush and
other U.S. leaders and that the presidential, vice-presidential and
other political candidates be granted the "courage to face the rigors of
the campaign (and) honesty and integrity to cast a vision of unity,
progress and liberty."

He also asked God to "teach our people to rely on your strength, and to
accept their responsibilities to their fellow citizens, that they may
put country first, elect trustworthy leaders and make wise decisions for
the well-being of our society."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100389_ENG_HTM.htm

More Top Stories: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife

>_____________________

>EDUCATION

Virginia Seminary welcomes Dalit civil rights crusaders as visiting
faculty

[VTS] Virginia Theological Seminary (http://www.vts.edu/) in Alexandia
welcomed visiting faculty members, Paul and Annie Divakar, September 3
as part of a joint effort between VTS and Wesley Seminary
(http://www.wesleyseminary.edu/) to help spread the word about the civil
rights violations within the Indian "untouchable" caste of the Dalits.

The Dalits, which number approximately 170 million in India (260 million
worldwide), fall outside of the traditional four-caste system of Indian
society and are considered unclean because of the menial jobs they have
been forced to carry out. Because of this, Dalits have been abused and
denied simple human rights for centuries. 

"The Dalit identity -- something they are born with -- has kept them
captive for centuries, in a subjugated position" said Annie Divakar.
"Christianity has been one way of getting out of this societal system
... 'in Christ you become one.' So the whole Christian religion and how
it supports and facilitates the Dalits in their struggle is one of the
things that we would like to explore while here."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_100375_ENG_HTM.htm

More Education: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80263_93222_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>WEEKS AHEAD

A round-up of upcoming special events, services, concerts and diocesan
conventions taking place throughout the Episcopal Church is available at
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_1669_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS

Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 18 - Year A [RCL]

Exodus 12:1-14, Psalm 149; or Ezekiel 33:7-11, Psalm 119:33-40; Romans
13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20

>By the Rev. Dr. Susanna Metz

[Sermons That Work] We thought last week's gospel was the tough one,
didn't we? Last Sunday's passage was the turning point in Matthew's
gospel -- the point where Jesus begins to announce his fate. He begins
telling his followers that his end is death and theirs, most likely,
would be death, too.

Remember, Peter said, "God forbid," and got severely reprimanded by
Jesus: "Get behind me Satan, you are a stumbling block to me." 

That whole story was pretty serious. It's the kind of gospel that should
make us sit up and take notice and realize that being a Christian isn't
a lark, it's a serious commitment to a radical new way of life.

Full reflection:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermons_that_work_100167_ENG_HTM.htm

More Spiritual Reflections:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

On September 4, 2008, the Church calendar remembers Paul Jones
(1880-1941).

* Today in Scripture: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_ENG_HTM.htm

* Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer:

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm

* Today in History: On September 4, 1948, the first assembly of the
World Council of Churches concluded in Amsterdam. On September 4, 1835,
Anglican priest and biblical scholar Edwin Hatch was born in Derby,
England. He is best known as the author of the paper "Influence of Greek
Ideas and Usages Upon the Christian Church."

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"Beyond Tolerance: Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America"
from the Penguin Group, by Gustav Niebur, 218 pages, hardcover, c. 2008,
$25.95

[Penguin Group] Gustav Niebuhr -- grandson of renowned religious thinker
Reinhold Niebuhr, grandnephew of renowned ethicist Helmut Reinhold
Niebuhr, and a former New York Times Religion reporter -- takes the
reader on a hopeful journey through America's religious heartland,
shining a light on the multitude of congregations that are reaching
across theological boundaries not with tolerance, but with respect.

"Gustav Niebuhr's remarkable and absorbing Beyond Tolerance comes at a
time when religious fanaticism, with its perversion and violence, has
emerged as a threat to civilization. Anyone involved or at least
interested in dialogue among individuals, communities, and nations will
benefit from its wisdom and humanity." -- Elie Wiesel

To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at
http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, or call 800-903-5544 -- or visit your
local Episcopal bookseller, http://www.episcopalbooksellers.org

More Catalyst: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/83842_ENG_HTM.htm