Mr Ichabod (the glory has departed, for you non Hebraists out there) is angry with me about my point of view regarding Lent. He’s so mad, in fact, that he’s called me a moron.
He doesn’t bother to say why he disagrees- he simply asserts that I’m the ghost of Jerry Falwell (well now he’s updated it and changed it to Nadab) and a moron.
That, pilgrims, is how NOT to do theology. 1) Don’t give any reasons at all, just call names. And 2) associate your foe with someone widely despised except in the smallest circles.
Zwinglius Redivivus 
Well, when James tried to give you reasons you just made fun of him, so I didn’t figure you really wanted people to do that sort of thing.
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not true at all and completely false. by approving his comment i listened. and i didnt make fun of him.
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Yes, whatever happened to this Text in our theological studies? … “By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness (or the true sense of the religious). 1 Tim. 3:16
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People who read and know Jim, know this, if he does not like something.. he says, Hey I don’t like this! What’s not to understand? And, we are never gonna change each others tastes in theology. Some kind of unity perhaps, but uniformity? Never!
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Dr. West,
Your criticism shows you have no knowledge of the tradition other than some of its abuses. Anyone who inhabits the Church’s calendar can readily see that you haven’t thought through this, and have opted to theologically “critique” something you have no knowledge about. This, to be sure, is not how we should “do theology.” Maybe you should ask someone outside your tradition to explain it to you, someone you respect. Or are there none? Maybe you should explore the Book of Common Prayer.
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you may want to reconsider presuming what other people know or don’t know. it can be a perilous enterprise. again, as i’ve said, my observations are based on my own experience. your experience is clearly guiding your own assessment of the practice. however i can’t grant that yours is the correct assessment simply based on your opinion any more than you can, fairly, demonize mine.
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Grataski,
You and I would perhaps find much agreement on this whole subject. And of course the BCP is my tradition, and I find it very rich (see the Irish Articles 1615). But, I think the difference lies in the approach to the depth of the Incarnation also. Some Christians just see it as a means to an end, others like myself, as perhaps you, see it as a “mystical” reality in the whole Body of Christ. (See, Col. 1:24, etc.)
Perhaps this will help those who don’t sense the incarnational connection, but just see it in Christ Himself? But there is certainly the Mystical Body of Christ. As I stand therein, and with.
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I’m very puzzled when I read this blog. Really, I’m not meaning to be needlessly snarky or disrespectful.
[unfortunately since the commentator is anonymous, not bothering to identify himself, (because ‘matt’ isn’t like ‘madonna’) i am obliged, per my self imposed guidelines, to reject the rather lengthy comment which follows that opening sentence (and which, as might be guessed by the very thinly veiled disclaimer which really shows that what is to follow will in fact be snarky and disrespectful, which it was) as i’ve frequently maintained, if you can’t own your words, you can’t say them here. you’ll just have to comment anonymously on those anonymous and pseudonymous blogs which don’t mind that sort of behavior. j.w.]
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well, I don’t really have a blog or website to link to, but my last name is Elia, if you’d like to accept the previous comment with that added. Why then did you accept comments from “Grataski” and “irishanglican”?
And being candid, I struggle as a Christian to find the best “voice” for writing in such a limiting medium like a blog. I really do believe that one can make sharp criticism without being disrespectful, though whether or not I achieved that with my previous comment, I can – of course – only leave to your discretion.
Either way, peace of our Lord to you, Jim.
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because them i know.
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I was going to give up a thing I hold dear.
Fourty day sober was nothing to fear.
Then I got myself bent,
cause Jim didn’t like Lent,
and decided to go for a beer.
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nice!
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