Jesus, Buddha, & Grammatolatry at St. Mary’s Brisbane

After talking about the Buddhist statue controversy at St. Mary’s South Brisbane, we were reminded of just how many similar teachings and attitudes exist between Jesus and Buddha. One of the most prominent behaviors which these two prophets share is that neither one wrote anything down. By today’s standards (where everyone seems to be writing about every triviality under the sun, and then sharing it with millions of online strangers) the idea of possessing profound wisdom but then not writing it down sounds absurd.

Why in the world did Buddha and Jesus do that? After all, it certainly would have solved a lot of headaches and conflicts had they just put their thoughts down on paper (ok, parchment).

If we return to consider the “Buddha” incident at St. Mary’s, an answer to this conundrum actually emerges. As we mentioned in our earlier post, some Christians (including a few St. Mary’s parishioners) mistakenly confused the placement of Buddhist statue with idol worship. Idol worship is something that greatly concerned Jesus and Buddha.¹

Not so much the worship of golden calves or physical idols, but the far more insidious idolatry of the written word–because when words become canonized, codified, and literalized they quickly lose their transcendent, life-transforming, power. The living Word becomes dead letter scripture, which now petrified can be used to bludgeon all those who disagree.

During the 1870s, the American social reformer Robert Dale Owen eloquently stated that: “The worship of words is more pernicious than the worship of images. Grammatolatry is the worst species of idolatry. We have arrived at an era in which literalism is destroying faith “The letter killeth.”

If we were only arriving at Christianity’s destructive era in Owen’s time, then today we certainly have reached its denouement. The question that remains is whether or not from these ashes a new, brighter, Phoenix of faith will rise for Progressive Christians. If the goings-on at St. Mary’s South Brisbane are any indication, there is some reason for hope.

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1. Do not believe in anything because it is rumored and spoken of by many; do not think it is proof of its truth. Do not believe merely because the written statement of some old sage is produced; do not be sure that the writing has never been revised by the sage, or can be relied on – Buddha – Wheel of the Law [↩]

Buddha At St. Mary’s?

In an earlier posting, we lent our moral support to the progressive ministry of St. Marys Church, South Brisbane in their dispute with the Roman Catholic Church. The issue that seems to be receiving the most debate (and disagreement) among Progressive Christians is Fr. Peter Kennedy’s placing of a Buddhist statue inside the church.

A few have stated that this is the equivalent of promoting idolatry, something which no Christian can tolerate. First, we should set the record straight and recognize that the statue in question was not of Buddha but a Buddhist monk praying. But even if it were of Buddha, this shouldn’t really matter. Gautama Buddha did not profess to be God but a man, and he is not deified by Buddhists.

If having iconography or statues within a place of worship is equivalent to idol worship, then we Christians are (as they say) guiltier than sin. Statues of Jesus, Mary, and the Saints fill thousands of churches, and cross jewelry adorns the bodies of millions. Yet most Christians are no guiltier of idol worship than most Buddhists.

In our meditation on How We Worship, we mentioned how rituals only point towards divine truths. They are not spiritual canisters that contain power in and of themselves. The same goes for religious iconography like statues: be they statues of Jesus Christ or Gautama Buddha. Religious followers are expected to use them as visual reference points to help them turn inward toward a communion with their own inner divinity.

In other words, when the Buddhist monk kneels down in prayer, he (like the Christian) is seeking God’s Kingdom with reverence and humility. And that is something Progressive Christians should not only support but welcome into our churches–recalling Jesus’s words that those who are not against us are with us (Mark 9:40).

Support St. Mary’s Brisbane & Fr. Peter Kennedy

The Living Hour fully supports the parishioners of St. Mary’s Brisbane (Australia) and their priest Fr. Peter Kennedy in their dispute with the Roman Catholic Church. In brief, the Bishop wrote to Fr. Kennedy threatening to close down the church if the priest and congregation did not return to a more orthodox version of the faith. This is the second occasion on which the Bishop had chastised Fr. Kennedy and his “errant” parishioners. You can show your support to these Progressive Christians who, like Jesus, are speaking truth to “power” run amuck by becoming a member of their website at:

http://www.stmaryssouthbrisbane.com/

What follows is recent correspondence between the Bishop and Fr. Kennedy, and between the parish community and the Bishop. The letter from the Bishop is filled with tricky rhetorical flourishes to try to bring Fr. Kennedy and the parish in line. But they ultimately are empty arguments, such as when the Bishop says:

“The separation of Christians is contrary to all that Christ prayed for. Nor does such division promote the Kingdom of God.”

Jesus of course never prayed for the unity of “Christians” but the unity of ALL people. In The Lord’s Prayer he taught his disciples to pray “Thy (Father’s) Kingdom Come, Thy will be done.” That WILL being the recognition and fulfillment of our identities as Sons and Daughters of God: something that the parish of St. Mary’s is working towards by following the Holy Spirit’s call within them–the call that trumps all others, including the dictates of an Archdiocese. The Bishop and the Roman Catholic Church (in not recognizing that their own actions are the ones creating the division of God’s Kingdom) should recall Luke 6:42:

“How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you don’t see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you’ll see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

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Dear Peter,

Thank you for your letter of 12 January with its invitation to further discuss the situation of St Mary’s South Brisbane. I see no reason to do so. I have repeatedly asked for changes but you and the community have not budged an inch. Moreover South Brisbane’s instant disclosure of my letters and comments in the media gives me no reason to enter into discussion. By all means consult the people of St Mary’s as you wish but ultimately you yourself are the shepherd and leader of its decisions. Time and time again I have spelt out a request for changes at St Mary’s Parish if it is to remain in communion with the Archdiocese of Brisbane and the Roman Catholic Church. However time and time again St Mary’s has chosen to go its own way. Therefore reluctantly I make the following decisions.

1. I will terminate your appointment as Administrator of St Mary’s Parish effective Saturday, 21 February 2009 unless you were to resign beforehand.

I would like to add, without trying to exert pressure, that if you wish to retire from active service as a priest, the Archdiocese will assist you as it does with other Archdiocesan priests who retire.

2. From the 21st February 2009 I will appoint Dean Ken Howell, of St Stephen’s Cathedral, as Administrator of St Mary’s, until a new Administrator is appointed.

From Sunday, 22 February 2009 regular Masses at 7am and 9am will be celebrated at St Mary’s Church until the matter is reviewed. Other sacraments of the Church will be available and can be arranged with Dean Ken Howell. Church goers attached to St Mary’s are most welcome to continue, as well as those who wish to return to the parish or those who wish to become new parishioners.

3. I sincerely hope that St Mary�s emphasis on social justice will remain. However such matters should be discussed with the new Administrator.

4. Because of its name, chosen originally in 1864, I also hope that sound Marian devotion will be promoted at St Mary’s as was normal in the past. I will do whatever I can to facilitate and encourage this devotion.

5. Because there is doubt about the validity of the many baptisms performed at St Mary’s, I will nominate a special day in the near future when baptisms can be performed at St Stephen’s Cathedral and certificates issued to parents concerned about validity, or those who are adult converts. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made it clear in March 2008 that invalid baptisms cannot be dismissed and forgotten. They must be corrected.

6. Peter you have already claimed in the media that you may lead people who desire to follow you into a breakaway Christian community elsewhere in South Brisbane. I cannot stop you from doing so. However those who follow you should realise that they will not be in communion with the Roman Catholic Church or the Archdiocese of Brisbane.

Peter, making these decisions gives me no satisfaction whatsoever. The separation of Christians is contrary to all that Christ prayed for. Nor does such division promote the Kingdom of God. You have had ample time to make a considered decision. Please God the division that exists at the present time will be healed in the future, probably not in my time. I ask the priests, deacons, religious and people of the Archdiocese of Brisbane to pray for me and for all who belong to the Archdiocese, especially the community of St Mary’s in its present situation. In this matter I pray also that Mary the mother of Jesus will be our inspiration and guide as we seek her prayerful support for the healing of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, and St Mary�s Parish.

The response from the Parish Council to Archbishop Bathersby:

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Your Grace,

The members of St Mary�s Community remain in shock regarding your decision to terminate Peter Kennedy as Administrator of our faith community.

As a community we have sought to engage respectfully with you over the past six months and we continue to feel ignored by your refusal to meet with us. At no time in our communication have you acknowledged the input and the role of the laity of St Mary�s Community.

As Catholics we fully understand your position and authority within the Roman Catholic Church. It is with much dismay that we have witnessed the Canonical process unfold in a manner in which we feel there to be a grave misuse of power. You have acted on the belief that St Mary�s Community is out of communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

We as a community testify that:

1. Peter Kennedy is a man of faith who leads this community with integrity and honesty. We reject the claim that Peter�s ministry has caused harm to ecclesiastical communion as stated in your decree to remove him. St Mary�s Community is testament to just how many people have found their rightful place within the church through Peter�s actions and faith. Our claim, in fact, is that Peter�s ministry has delivered immense benefit to ecclesiastical communion at St Mary�s;

2. Peter Kennedy has not been given fair or due process according to natural justice or Canon law. Any openness to receiving evidence in relation to the allegations made by Richard Stokes in a formal manner involving the community would, we feel, have provided you with an enormous amount of testament to just how ill-founded the allegations concerning the community and Peter Kennedy are. We strongly believe that Peter has not been given procedural fairness in accordance with Canon Law.

3. St Mary�s laity have been considered insignificant and ignored, as not being capable of entering into dialogue with you or having any constructive role to play in this conflict. This community has been denied it�s baptismal rights and it�s right to be treated with dignity and respect as part of a Catholic faith community by your refusal to see us as equal stakeholders alongside yourself and Peter Kennedy.

4. Tuesday�s events of publically presenting, via the media, an invitation to Peter Kennedy for mediation appears to be a process which has absolutely nothing to do with actual mediation and further dismays us. The invitation appears to be an attempt to intimidate and position Peter publically as being non-cooperative. There has been no attempt to enter into genuine discussion through a mutually agreed upon process. It would appear that both in the choice of the mediator (appointed without any negotiation) and the refusal for mutually agreed terms of reference for mediation that the imbalance of power underpins all actions in relation to the resolution of the issues.

Your Grace, whatever the outcome, we consider that you may have missed the opportunity to engage with us the community, a community of people who aspire to the equality and dignity of each of us and not simply a community of followers of a priest named Peter Kennedy.

We are people of faith and community, built on the solid ground of our Catholic traditions and the lived realities of our lives, a faith grounded in the world in which we live. We are proud of who we are despite your apparent misconceptions. We are glad to have experienced a Vatican II vision of church that allows spirituality and justice to exist hand in hand in all that we do as a community and as individuals.

We urge you to revoke the decree of Peter�s termination as Administrator and enter into formal and authentic mediation with representatives from the community and Peter Kennedy.

Your Grace, together we could demonstrate true reconciliation and faith as testament to that which we believe in as a Catholic community.

We implore you to accept this invitation.

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