Magic Statistics

Global South Anglican primates, representing over 50 million of the world's 77 million Anglicans, met last week in Egypt to discuss what it means to be a faithful church today. In the communiqué issued at the meeting's conclusion, the Global South leaders committed to upholding the supreme authority of the Word of God and the doctrinal formularies that have undergirded the Anglican Communion for over four and a half centuries.

The Global South leaders also specifically committed to providing "recognition, energy, prayers and experience" to the Anglican Network In Canada. This endorsement was echoed by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

The endorsement of the Anglican Network in Canada by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Global South is in direct contrast to the attitude toward the Network in many parts of Canada. In particular, the Diocese of New Westminster recently passed a motion expressing "its opposition to the establishment and operation of the Essentials Network" and threatened to take "necessary action" against any clergy or parish in the diocese that affiliates with the Network. Also, Bishop Cowan of the Diocese of British Columbia (Vancouver Island) and Bishop Njegovan of the Diocese of Brandon, Manitoba, have made it clear to their clergy that affiliation with the Network will be grounds for disciplinary action.

So, who is more tolerant here? The Global South leaders, or the oh-so-fine liberals who pride themselves on missing no opportunity to encourage dialogue and mutual understanding.

Previous related post: Banned in Brandon.

One year ago today, Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was slaughtered in broad daylight in the streets of Amsterdam by a Muslim born in the Netherlands. He was killed for producing Submission, a film exposing the abuse of Muslim women.

This anniversary garnered some press coverage–but almost all of it overseas. In Amsterdam, the Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and several others spoke at a commemoration ceremony near the spot where van Gogh was killed. While visiting The Hague, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences to van Gogh's family.

For some reason, few North American media think it worth mentioning. It was noticed, however, by Terry Mattingly at Get Religion and Francis Fukuyama at Opinion Journal.

Tonight is the seventh consecutive night of rioting in Paris. The violence has spread to nine Paris-region suburbs and towns. The French government has gone into "crisis mode". Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin postponed a trip to Canada and President Jacques Chirac has appealed for calm.

The violence seems to be centred in neighbourhoods already notorious for lawlessness:

"No matter what the politicians say, some neighborhoods are all but lost," said Patrice Ribeiro, national secretary of the Synergie police officers' union. "Police patrols pass through but without stopping and with their windows rolled up."

Police said 180 vehicles were torched overnight Tuesday, most in the Seine-Saint-Denis region that includes Clichy, Aulnay and other violence-hit neighborhoods. Police made 35 arrests in Seine-Saint-Denis. Youths lobbed Molotov cocktails near Aulnay's town hall and threw stones at the firehouse. In nearby Bondy, a blaze engulfed a store.

Officials said police were harassed by "small, very mobile gangs."
. . .
Chirac told a weekly Cabinet meeting that "the law must be applied firmly" but "in a spirit of dialogue and respect" to prevent a dangerous situation from developing.

That comment from Chirac sounds foolish. Who does he think he's dealing with here? "Dialogue and respect"? "Prevent a dangerous situation from developing"? It sounds like he's thinking of appeasing the criminals.

via CUANAS (Christians United Against The New Anti-Semitism).

Latest in an occasional series of prayers by Christians of ages past. Previous entry here; complete list of entries here.

I worship you, Lord; I bless you, God the Good; I beg you, Most Holy; I fall down before you, Lover of mankind.

I give you glory, O Christ, because you, the Only-begotten, the Lord of all things, who alone are without sin, gave yourself to die for me, a sinner unworthy of such a blessing; you died the death of the Cross to free my sinful soul from the bonds of sin.

What shall I give to you, O Lord, in return for all this kindness?

Glory to you for your love.
Glory to you for your mercy.
Glory to you for your patience.
Glory to you for forgiving us all our sins.
Glory to you for coming to save our souls.
Glory to you for your incarnation in the Virgin's womb.
Glory to you for your bonds.
Glory to you for receiving the cut of the lash.
Glory to you for accepting mockery.
Glory to you for your crucifixion.
Glory to you for your burial.
Glory to you for your resurrection.
Glory to you that were preached to men.
Glory to you in whom they believed.
Glory to you for being taken up heaven.
Glory to you who sit in great glory at the Father's right hand.
Glory to you whose will it is that the sinner should be saved through your great mercy and compassion. Amen.

St Ephrem of Syria (c. 306-373)
Deacon, Poet, Doctor of the Church

St Ephrem (or Ephraim) of Syria is one of the greatest poets and hymn-writers of the Eastern Church. During his own lifetime, his reputation as a holy man, teacher, hymn-writer, and theologian was widely known far beyond his Syrian homeland. In the opinion of some experts, Ephrem ranks with Dante as a theologian-poet. He was certainly the church’s first great poet.

St Ephrem was born in Nisibis, Mesopotamia, converted under the influence of St James, first Bishop of Nisibis, and baptized at the age of 18. Nisibis (the present-day town Nusaybin, Turkey, on the border with Syria) had been transferred to Roman rule in 298. Christians were subject to fierce persecution and frequent martyrdom under Emperor Diocletian. Ephrem later wrote that his ancestors "confessed Christ before the judge; I am related to martyrs."

After baptising him, St James recognised the gifts God had bestowed on Ephrem and appointed him a teacher and preacher in the church. Ephrem was later ordained a deacon, but accounts differ at to when and where this took place. After the death of Emperor Constantine I, the Persians began attacking Roman North Mesopotamia. Nisibis was besieged repeatedly and finally fell to Persia in 363. To escape persecution, most of the Christians fled the city. St Ephrem led a large group that ultimately settled in Edessa, about 100 miles west of Nisibis. There he adopted an ascetic way of life. Although he lived in a cave near Edessa, he served the church with his teaching, poetry, and music. He also became a prolific writer. Many of his compositions were anti-heretical in nature. He also wrote exegetical works and hymns which were later incorporated into church liturgy and translated in several languages. In 372 he organised charity for victims of famine and died of exhaustion soon afterwards in his cave. In recognition of his hymns and poems, the people of Edessa called him "the harp of the Holy Spirit".

St Ephrem’s great written work earned him the title Doctor of the Church. The historian Sozomen tells us that Ephrem composed over 1,000 texts, totaling over three million lines. Apart from his hymns and poetic sermons, Ephrem wrote Bible commentary on the books of Genesis and Exodus and annotated the Diatessaron, the Syriac-Greek harmony of the New Testament. Over 400 of his hymns still exist.

A portal to St Ephrem's writings is here.

I found the prayer in a book of my own, but a slightly different version can be found online.

More information about him can be found here and here.