Swapping Mitres

Acts 11:1-18

There’s nothing new under the sun, to quote Solomon, so here in Acts we see an early episode of the church arguing. And a mere 18 verses later, it’s cleared up. Tea and biccies all round, everyone friends, and if it’s anything like a football match, they’re swapping jerseys.

Just like we resolve ecclesiastical arguments today, right?

I mean, it’s not like it took 19 years for the CofE to decide women could be priests, and 30+ years on from that, we still have clergy who disagree. Half a century and it’s not yet resolved! And there aren’t any current quarrels that look like dragging on into the next millennium, are there? Heck, no!

Sigh.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could make decisions like Peter in Acts 11? Or like Peter’s successor in Rome?

Earlier this week I was chimney-watching. It took just over 24 hours from “Extra omnes!” to white smoke. That’s less time than it takes to watch all the Harry Potter films.

Can you imagine if we used the same method for selecting the new ABofC? Lock all the bishops in St Paul’s and not let them out until they pick someone. Chuck in some Greggs every now and then. Turn the heating off after two days. Send in an organ-tuner if they go over three days.

Job would be done in a trice. Tea and biccies all round, swapping mitres in the garden. Wouldn’t that be nice?

But back to Acts. The top brass get a bit sniffy ‘cos Peter has accepted some ‘unacceptable’ people into the church. Peter explains his vision and all is tickety-boo. Perhaps it was cleared up so quickly because it wasn’t a big deal. The issues that today’s church has to deal with are much more tricky.

But not so, fair reader. Peter was going against 2000 years of Abrahamic history when he welcomed uncircumcised believers into the fold. It was a seismic shift compared to the teacup-storms of women priests or who should be the next ABofC.

Interesting to note that Peter’s vision is mentioned three times: as it happens in ch 10, a brief recap to Cornelius and then a full retelling in Jerusalem. That’s more times than we have the Sermon on the Mount, or the Good Samaritan. And in the vision, God tells Peter three times not to call his good creation unclean. Could there be some reason for this repetition? Do we think, perchance, that God really meant it and wants us to listen?

Bottom line, when it comes to the Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord, I’d rather get in trouble for welcoming too many people in, than for excluding those whom God has called.

What about you?

Liturgy Resources for Fifth Sunday of Easter

Revelation 21:1-6

Confession and Absolution

Lord Eternal, seated upon the throne,
you have set your home among us
that you might be to us our God
and that we might be your people.
Lord, have mercy.

But we confess our unworthiness
to be counted as such.
We have fallen short of your glory
and marred your image created in us.
Christ, have mercy.

Forgive us, we pray,
renew us by your Holy Spirit
and restore us to the likeness of your son,
now enthroned in glory.
Lord, have mercy.

May the God of all the Ages
who makes everything new,
renew you for his service
strengthen you in this life
and fit you to dwell with him in eternity.
Amen.

Blessing and Dismissal

May God be to you your Alpha and Omega.
May God be to you your Beginning and End.
May God give to you drink from the spring of the water of life,
and the blessing …

Go now with your eyes on heaven
even as your feet walk upon earth.
Amen, we go.