wfn.org | [ELD] General Convention renounces Doctrine of Discovery / Norwegian Lutheran Olav Fykse Tveit elect

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

>Episcopal Life Daily
>August 27, 2009

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

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - General Convention renounces Doctrine of Discovery
* WORLD REPORT - ENGLAND: Archbishop encourages 'response to God's hope  for
us' in environment videocast
* PEOPLE - Norwegian Lutheran Olav Fykse Tveit elected to lead World  Council
of Churches
* OPINION - Salvation's goal: returning all to right relationship
* DAYBOOK - August 28: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - God's Tapestry - Understanding and Celebrating Differences

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

General Convention renounces Doctrine of Discovery

Repudiation of centuries-old theory has modern implications, advocates  say

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] Among the 419 resolutions that bishops and  deputies
considered during the July 8-17 meeting of General Convention in  Anaheim,
California were some that seemed obscure and received little attention,  but
that in reality carried significant meaning for many.

Resolution D035, titled "Repudiation of Doctrine of Discovery," is one  such
measure.

The doctrine began in 1455 when Pope Nicholas V, by way of his order
"Romanus Pontifex," gave Portugal's King Alfonso V permission to  "invade,
search out, capture, vanquish, and subdue all Saracens and pagans
whatsoever, and other enemies of Christ wheresoever placed, and the
kingdoms, dukedoms, principalities, dominions, possessions, and all  movable
and immovable goods whatsoever held and possessed by them and to reduce
their persons to perpetual slavery."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_114001_ENG_HTM.htm

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

>_____________________

>WORLD REPORT

ENGLAND: Archbishop encourages 'response to God's hope for us' in
environment videocast

[Church of England] Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams shares  concerns
for the planet in a new videocast encouraging viewers to sign up in  advance,
via the internet, to the Church of England's environmentally themed  online
Advent calendar for 2009, with its daily green challenges and thoughts.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_113958_ENG_HTM.htm

More World news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>PEOPLE

Norwegian Lutheran Olav Fykse Tveit elected to lead World Council of
Churches

[Ecumenical News International, Geneva] The Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, a
Lutheran pastor in the Church of Norway, has been elected as general
secretary of the World Council of Churches.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_113974_ENG_HTM.htm

More People: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>OPINION

Salvation's goal: returning all to right relationship

>By Katharine Jefferts Schori

[Episcopal Life] I always am delighted when people listen to what I say  in a
sermon or address. Sometimes I am surprised by what they hear.

In my opening address at General Convention, I spoke about the "great
Western heresy" of individualism (see the full text here). There have  been
varied reactions from people who weren't there, who heard or read an
isolated comment without the context. Apparently I wasn't clear!

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_113959_ENG_HTM.htm

More Opinion: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

On August 28, 2009, the church remembers Augustine, bishop of Hippo
(354-430).

* 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 August 28, 1796, William H. Bathurst, Anglican  priest
and hymnist, was born near Bristol, England.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"God's Tapestry - Understanding and Celebrating Differences" from The  Alban
Institute, by William M. Kondrath, foreword by Mpho A. Tutu, 285 pages,
paperback, c. 2008, $20

[The Alban Institute] Our differences are our greatest blessings and our
greatest challenges, maintains William Kondrath, Episcopal priest and
seminary professor. Theologically and ecologically, differences foster  life
and growth, but discord within denominations and congregations  frequently
have to do with the inability of individuals and groups to deeply  understand
and value differences.

In God's Tapestry, Kondrath shows us how to embrace our multiculturalism  --
our differences of race, culture, gender, age, theology, language,  sexual
identity, and so forth. He does this by exploring differences on four  levels
-- personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural. He also
demonstrates a threefold process for becoming multicultural: recognizing  our
differences, understanding those differences and their significance and
consequences, and valuing or celebrating those differences.

While ministry is the work of the faith community, not only ordained or
professional staff, it is critical that leaders learn the art and skill  of
recognizing, understanding, and valuing differences. Then the  congregations
and agencies they serve, having learned and practiced the art and skill  of
celebrating differences, can be the yeast that brings this awareness of
God's diverse blessings to the wider world.

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