Daybook -- Today is Friday, September 1, 2006. The Church calendar remembers David Pendleton Oakerhater, deacon and missionary (c.1850-1931).
* Today in Scripture: Daily Office meditation http://eds.libsyn.com * Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm * Today in History: On this day in 1988, the Rev. Virginia Nagel, the first deaf woman priest in the Episcopal Church, became vicar at Ephphatha Parish. http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-bin/ENS/ENSpress_release.pl?pr_numbe r=88166
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Jefferts Schori's Convention address following her election as 26th presiding bishop
[ENS] The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori addressed the 75th General Convention following her June 18 election as 26th presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.
A video stream of the address is available at: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_77284_ENG_HTM.htm _ _ _
Catalyst: Catalyst: "Peter, Paul, & Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend" from Oxford University Press, by Bart D. Ehrman, 285 pages, hardcover, $25
[Source: Oxford University Press] Bart Ehrman, author of the highly popular Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code and Lost Christianities, here takes readers on another engaging tour of the early Christian church, illuminating the lives of three of Jesus' most intriguing followers: Simon Peter, Paul of Tarsus, and Mary Magdalene. What do the writings of the New Testament tell us about each of these key followers of Christ? What legends have sprung up about them in the centuries after their deaths? Was Paul bow-legged and bald? Was Peter crucified upside down? Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute? In this lively work, Ehrman separates fact from fiction, presenting complicated historical issues in a clear and informative way and relating vivid anecdotes culled from the traditions of these three followers. He notes, for instance, that historians are able to say with virtual certainty that Mary, the follower of Jesus, was from the fishing village of Magdala on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (this is confirmed by her name, Mary Magdalene, reported in numerous independent sources); but there is no evidence to suggest that she was a prostitute (this legend can be traced to a sermon preached by Gregory the Great five centuries after her death), and little reason to think that she was married to Jesus. Similarly, there is no historical evidence for the well-known tale that Peter was crucified upside down. Ehrman also argues that the stories of Paul's miracle working powers as an apostle are legendary accounts that celebrate his importance. A serious book but vibrantly written and leavened with many colorful stories, Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene will appeal to anyone curious about the early Christian church and the lives of these important figures.
To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, or call 800.903.5544.
**All General Convention "Come and Grow" merchandise is now available with 40 percent discount. Quantities are limited on these quality items. Bulk rates are available on magnets and bumper stickers. Visit http://www.episcopalbookstore.org and click on EBaR Merchandise**
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