It all happened on December 21st, 2012, so I’m afraid it’s too late to attend. Still, I’m sure there will be another multifaith sacred celebration of the winter solstice in 2013 – for Anglicans addicted to exploring any faith but their own. It was billed as “a winter solstice sacred celebration”, so expectant revellers – and this author – must be forgiven for anticipating a Saturnalia. As it was, the Roman deity Saturn was one of the few faux-gods not represented in 2012. We can only hope for fuller inclusion in future bacchanalias – come to think of it, Bacchus was also excluded. Shocking.
From here (page 4):
On the evening of Friday, December 21, St George’s Anglican Church Crescentwood was the scene of a sold-out crowd when over 550 people attended a unique multifaith sacred celebration of the winter solstice. [….] Following a welcome by Rev Lyndon Hutchison-Hounsell , the evening opened with the Muslim Call to Prayer by Albert El Tassi and the Hindu Blessing by Pundit Venkat Machiraju. The varied mult-faith program included a harp solo by Lisa Tucker, the singing of a Ukrainian prayer by Larissa Klymkiw, the playing of Crystal Bowls by Keeper Kevin Woods, a Cree prayer by First Nations member Sylvia James, The Story of the Drum by Sister Norma McDonald and Franco-Métis member Janelle de Rocquigny, and The Bear Song by First Nations member Debbie Cielen and the Singing With Spirit Drum Group.
They seem to have forgotten article XVIII of the 39 Articles:
XVIII. Of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ.
They also are to be had accursed that presume to say, That every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law, and the light of Nature. For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.
Thus, I for one, will have nothing to do with so-called “multi-faith” events.
In today’s environment, multi-faith services can be fashionable. Some people think that all roads will eventually lead to the same God. We need to remind ourselves that the triune God of the Christian faith is not the same as other gods. Most Anglicans I know don’t pay much attention to the 39 Articles of Religion. Most churches allow infant baptism. Christians are divided on the issues of divorces and remarriages. Many good and faithful Christians cannot accept female priests. Our differences in belief and practice very often confuse non-believers.
Messed up!
John 14:6 (why the confusion?)
Well, I think they rationalize it by sort of telling themselves that if Jesus was God then John 14:6 means they can come to God through God, that God has manifested Himself in many ways in many places, that God is big enough to encompass all perceptions of His manifestations, and that to be exclusive thereby denies that universal presence of, and others’ reverence for, the Almighty…
or something like that. I am sure it was not what Christ was talking about though.
The closest I can come is the explanation from C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity where he explains that although we know we can only come to the Father through Christ, we do not know if Christ is working through other religions in a manner we cannot comprehend.
Anyway, that’s my stab at it all.
Among the 2.18 billion Christians in today’s world, there are about 41,000 Christian denominations. Different Christian beliefs and practices very often confuse non-believers. We have different opinions on many issues including biblical authority, tradition, infant baptism, easy believism, theories of atonement, theistic evolution, female priests, remarriages after divorce, interracial marriages, manipulative preaching,etc.
“… Anglicans addicted to exploring any faith but their own.”
Ah, you Canadians are so au courant! Here in the USA we have only the Christmas Revels to attend at our local venues.
http://www.revels.org/
Not entirely Christian but fun, and with audience participation! We’ve been going to the performance in Tacoma WA for about 20 years and enjoying it so much.
And never a Muslim call to prayer ever!