Piety Hill Musings

The ramblings of the Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church of Detroit. Piety Hill refers to the old name for our neighborhood. The neighborhood has changed a great deal in the over 160 years we have been on this corner (but not our traditional biblical theology) and it is now known for the neighboring theatres, the professional baseball and football stadiums and new hockey/basketball arena.

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Location: Detroit, Michigan, United States

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Observation about the two churches I preached at this week

This past week I was invited to preach at the burial of two people who were not my parishioners.

One was someone alienated by her Rector at a posh suburban parish in my diocese, whom I have been visiting with the sacrament occasionally for the past few years. Her family's ties to that parish were strong, and the service was held there.

Yesterday I was flown to Chicago to preach at the burial of the mother of one of my parishioners, who was a member of a parish in an affluent northern suburb.

I have a list of theological objections at both services BUT on the top of the list is that both had notes in the bulletin inviting ANYONE who desires to come forward to receive Communion (no mention that you need to be baptised).

Did I just happen to hit two rare parishes violating Canon I.17.7 (requiring baptism to receive communion), or is this more common?

This is yet a further deterioration of the theology of the Episcopal Church if it is becoming rampant. I know these parishes are doing it in the name of trying to be 'inclusive', but this is ridiculous!