in but not of the world

few events in the church have spawned so many electronic dances as the just-ended lambeth conference. to me perhaps the most interesting image from the palace is the photograph of ++kalistos on a page from the prayer book society. there is kallistos, grey beard and black cassock, and on his right shoulder is a lad, cropped hair, bike bag, cell 'phone.

now, i'm as big a fan of "the one faith received from the apostles" as anyone. i have a grey beard, and wear black, and don't own a cell phone. but if we continue to reduce the apostolic faith, until it's content is "we don't ordain honest gay men or any women," then there is no compelling reason for the lad with the cell 'phone to consider the church as worthy of consideration as a source for guidance through "this transitory life."

but then, as kallistos admitted in his interview, the last orthodox council was in 787.it was decided that the veneration of icons is not idolatry.