Sabbatical Writings

Letters from the Rambling Rector

September 24, 2006

Our Dear St. Mark’s Community,

Our sabbatical continues. This is another in what we plan to be a series of periodic updates with you, our beloved community...

We’ve been in New York City and in residence at the General Theological Seminary since August 25. We depart on Monday, September 25, for London and the next stage of the journey - our being in residence at St. James’s Anglican Church, Piccadilly Square.

Our time in New York has been most rewarding...

I’ve spent many, many hours in the seminary’s world-class library, reading, reflecting, and, yes, doing some writing. I’ve prepared a preliminary paper of reflections on pluralism - a paper that expands at each and every turn and change of thought (and there have been many!). What really has captured my attention and imagination is the great distinction between our post-Christian Western culture and the post-Western Christian culture of what is alternately referred to as the “Two-Thirds World” and the “Southern Hemisphere” (in either case, the reference is to Africa, Asia, and Latin America). I’ve also written a series of principles (call them the "Abernathy rules") for engagement with "the other", e.g., (1) acknowledge that religion is at the heart of many differences and disputes between and among peoples, (2) expect disagreements and disputes to arise, and (3) accept that consensus is not always possible. I decided to discern and draft some guidelines for our engagement BEFORE we engaged, so to be able to test the validity or operability of the hypotheses. So, in a word, we’ll see how this goes!

I’m also auditing a class – “Christianity and the Two-Thirds World.” A fascinating exploration of the explosive growth of Christianity in other parts of the world. Here, a distinction is made between “global Christianity” - denoting the spread of European (Western)-based and bred Christianity, largely via the missionary efforts of established nations/churches - and “world Christianity” - denoting the rise of indigenous Christianity in various countries and cultures. In a short period of time, my orientation and understanding have shifted greatly. Although I do not agree with the conservative, doctrinaire expressions of Christianity that seem to emanate. for example, from the African continent, I have grown in appreciation of and sensitivity to these decidedly non-Western articulations.

I have loved the daily round of chapel services - Morning Prayer, Holy Eucharist, and Evening Prayer. I must confess that it has been so grand, during this period of sabbatical, which is to say, this time of intentional relaxation, to have services “done” for me. I simply show up, without having to lift a finger (or, indeed, attend a meeting!) and the divine liturgy is offered and experienced.

On a deeply personal note of learning... When I graduated from seminary in 1977, I had planned to return to school for an advanced degree within 10 (15 max) years, for I wanted to teach at a seminary or college. Truth to tell, if you had told me in 1977 that I would spend the next 29 years in parochial ministry, I would not have believed it. Yet, here it has been nearly 30 years and I have remained in and enjoyed (largely) parish ministry. And, now, with the benefit of a sabbatical, having returned to seminary, if only briefly, I have learned this about myself... I am assured (or reassured) that I am very capable of doing academic work at this level, BUT I don’t want to do it. Parish ministry is my calling.

Pontheolla and I have connected and reconnected with some old friends in the Episcopal/Anglican Church. In one case, I saw my old ethics professor, who is now the rector of a local -- very St. Mark’s-like parish (radically inclusive and progressive in ethos and theology, although Anglo-Catholic in liturgy). We hadn’t seen each other in nearly 30 years. It’s quite amazing how after a few moments of conversation, it’s as if we were transported back and no time had passed since we last saw one another. We had dinner and riotous conversation with another friend and priest, who is rector of a large uptown parish. Last Sunday, I preached at the Church of St. Andrew & Holy Communion, South Orange, NJ, an ethnically and culturally diverse community, where another friend, Sandye Wilson, is the rector. We met Ford and Geraldine Livengood, who are parishioners there and who are cousins of our own Walt Moody. Small, no, tiny world!

For fun - great fun! - on two occasions, we attended the New York City Opera, where Pontheolla’s brother, Robert Mack, is a tenor. We were present at the season-opening “Opera-For-All” at which selections from each of the season’s operatic offerings were performed. We, then, attended “Carmen” in which Robert plays and sings the part of Remendado. Brilliant production and brilliant performance on his part, although, yes, we are deeply and earnestly biased.

Pontheolla also has spent time with other family members who reside in nearby communities. It’s been a wonderful experience of “old home week.”

It’s impossible to convey all of the experiences and reflections in our brief, but full time in NYC. (Indeed, as we continue to process, nuances and degrees of our senses of this experience make themselves known to us!) Nevertheless, some snippets...

September 11, the fifth anniversary of that momentous and catastrophic moment in our national history, was a powerful and poignant day here in New York. Clearly, there are countless New Yorkers who remain in mourning and, indeed, fear. We were touched by a palpable sense and spirit of loss.

Last night, we were the guests at dinner of a number of senior seminary students, partners, and spouses. Beyond their keen interest in the sabbatical theme, Pontheolla was the center of attention, as many partners and spouses wanted her counsel about life in the parish. She has been invited to a partners and spouses gathering later this week.

I often have described NYC as “too much of everything all at once.” So, it remains. We love the vibrancy of this place. However, the pace is unrelenting. We’ve decided that we could live in NYC only if we had a place to escape, on occasion, from the noise, lights, crowds, etc.

We’ve also gotten in a lot of walking. We bought pedometers and try, each day, to get in our 10,000 (minimum) steps. NYC, as many of you know, is a fabulous walking city, and, on some occasions, we’ve far exceeded the 10k steps.

Finally, we miss you and think of you often. There is no community like St. Mark’s. (However, I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t tell you that I don’t miss the many meetings!)

So, our beloved friends, enough from us for now...

Love and Peace, always and in all ways,
Paul