… We need to choose our subjects well. This blog, as its predecessor the English Catholic, had tended to become dissipated. Too specialised, a blog will attract few readers, and it will never have dynamism. If you want to write about academic subjects, it is best to write books and articles for publication using the methodological rigour we were taught at university. If not, we write at a more popular level, and have to diversify a little. As the Sun in its Orb was primarily about a specific liturgical tradition in European Catholicism, but inevitably, it took on the more generalised characteristics of the former English Catholic. Indeed, every time it enters the polemical fray about continuing Anglicanism and the implementation of Anglicanorum coetibus, it runs into trouble with the more hostile of the commenters. With the demise of the Anglo-Catholic, the only two blogs dealing with this matter are Fr Stephen Smuts’ blog and Foolishness to the world by the professional journalist Deborah Gyapong. The former is already battling with “troll contamination”.
It is certainly better to write sparingly but with real expertise in matters…
I often receive encouragement to continue blog writing by those who say that they appreciate my out-of-the-box thinking and my challenging certain soi-disant orthodoxies that in my opinion stifle the meaning of Christianity. Thus I continue as a service to those who seek that kind of expression. I therefore definitively discontinue discussion of the TAC and the Ordinariates, and these subjects are now off-topic. I must be as firm with myself as with commenters, and the temptations are often overwhelming. I therefore refer readers to the two sites I mentioned above or do things like in the 1970’s – go through the printed church magazine and call a priest by telephone or write him a letter. I believe post offices still sell stamps and do mail delivery services in most countries!
Do read the post in full here.
And if you care to comment on the above subject, either here or there, please do be charitable in your contribution.
Are you getting a lot of trolling now Fr.?
So it would seem… though I’m told the best way to get rid of trolls is by using fire.
Speaking as a member of the Troll community, I heartily object to any measures that would tend to minimise or marginalise our contribution to the present discourse or our proud heritage.
You? A Troll??? Never! You know I read Tolkien and according to his legendarium, Trolls are of rather poor intellect… So definitely you are not
.
Just a question, but how does a “Troll community” function, and who do they answer to? One of the definitions of a “troll”, is to roll; revolve..moving around; also to speak fast, to wag: said of the tongue. I won’t mention the idea used in fishing (a lure, bait, etc.) Indeed, not a good metaphor, or simile – mix of metaphors!
And just a point, but Fr. A, as Fr. Stephen, as myself are all Anglican priests/presbyters, I too have a wee blog (though I am not much of a blogger or computer guy, certainly), but we are who we are! I don’t know much of anything about many who blog off this blog?
That’s it Fr: ‘we are who we are!’
Bless me, Father. I too have trolled.
Nice Fr. S, about Tolkien’s “trolls”!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLz9qzvjAB0&w=420&h=315%5D
Another one, as I find Salvatore is not a bad fellow, just mentally handicapped…
However, I would be interested to know whether our esteemed host considers dispensationalism compatible with Anglicanism
And of course “Dispesationalism” is NOT just ONE thing alone, it has itself, as any theological positions, different nuances and variations. And certainly Progressive Dispensationalism (PD) is very different from the older classic Dispensationalism.
Btw, in the mid to late 19th and early 20th century, there were many Premillennial Anglican rectors and theologians, and some were more to less “dispensational”, etc. As men like Henry Alford and W.H. Griffith Thomas, both fine theologians in their own right. The latter was one of the early founders of the American DTS (Dallas Theological Seminary), though he was a certain English Brit. And yes, even the most radical and ultra-dispensationalist E.W. Bullinger, was an Anglican! Note, Bullinger still has some very good books on the Greek Words and Word Studies, (his Lexicon). See, too, his grand book: Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, Walter Kaiser called it: “The best handbook on figures of speech” . . . “This book should be on every exegete’s self alongside the Greek and Hebrew lexicons and grammars.” Of course Kaiser, is a one time dean of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and too was president of Gordon-Conwell. He is now retired.
Btw, the man and ministry of the Anglican, Rev. W.H. Griffith Thomas, D.D., was well known and profound, died 1924. Even today several of his books are still re-printed: Genesis, Romans, Hebrews, and his volumes on The Apostle John, The Apostle Peter, etc. He also wrote one of the best books on the Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles…ever! (547 pages) And yes, I have everyone of these books mentioned!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Griffith_Thomas
Here is a nice piece of nice work and teaching ministry from Griffith Thomas…
http://www.ccel.us/bible.toc.html
Here is a link for you Fr. S, on this great Anglican man of God! Thought you, especially, might like it, since J.I. Packer references him also.
http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/history/griffiththomas/iss_history_griffiththomas_intro.asp
http://www.churchsociety.org/churchman/documents/Cman_092_1_Packer.pdf
My understanding is that the noun “troll” in this context is a back formation from the verb, in its fishing application, and has nothing to do with the little men who lurk under bridges. I would hate to associate myself with anything in any way Tolkien-related.
I wonder if you saw the morning news. Not very far from the site where the ‘Great Isaiah Scroll’ was found (Qumran Cave 1), was discovered what archaeologists are calling: “The Cave of the Dead Sea Trolls”. Permits and such are currently being secured to allow them to investigate further.
Peace to you!