Reflections of a Canadian Churchman

Thankfulness and gratitude can, at times, be hard things to aspire to.   We may wish to be thankful in all things, we may long to show gratitude for the blessings we have received, but thankfulness and gratitude may be beyond our reach or slip from our grasp. Sometimes we think that if only we change our mindset and think more positively we will be able to stir ourselves out of disappointment and pain and into thankfulness and gratitude. There is no shortage of positive-thought peddlers who would tell us that positive thinking will change the way we feel and think, and that it will even our health.   Perhaps there is kernel of truth in what they sell, but why is it that in spite of our best efforts we cannot be thankful? Why is it that in spite of all our positive thinking we find the rug pulled out beneath us and realize that we are less than thankful for the trials into which we tumble? Trials are inevitable.   There is not a single one amongst us who will not know...

One of the things I treasure greatly about ministry here in Bradford is our ecumenical ministerial.   For those who are unacquainted with lingo, an ecumenical ministerial is typically a gathering or association of clergy from the various denominations in a given community.   We typically gather once a month for lunch, discussion, planning and prayer.   We uphold each other in the challenges we each face in our respective ministries and encourage each other in the various initiatives we undertake.   We work together as much as possible in the community on projects in which we can find common ground.   Over the years, I have heard horror stories concerning various ministerial associations.   In many cases, one group of similarly-minded clergy (the evangelicals, the catholics, or the liberals) try to take over the group, and others are left feeling marginalized.   Sometimes it seems that the tragic history of a fragmented world-wide Church is lived out...

Every once in a while, the Canadian Churchman like to offer a “round up” of some of the interesting Anglican blogs and posts that out there in the blogosphere. I am not really interested in blogs that simply post snippets of news items or in blogs that are vehemently idealistically driven (from either the conservative or liberal perspectives).   What the Churchman enjoys reading are blogs that put some effort into theological reflection and seek to edify their readers.   It seems like these thoughtful Anglican blogs are often neglected, or buried under the weight of the sheer multitude of polemical religious bloggers.   Recent months have seen some very thoughtful posts indeed.   Here are a few of the Churchman’s recent favourites: Faithful readers of this blog will know that the Churchman’s good friend, the Vicar of Wakefield , always writes in a thoughtful, reasoned and irenic way, which would make their shared hero Richard Hooker proud.   When...