It was laugh rather than cry earlier this week as I tried to avoid "news" which was about the royal wedding today. I surfed from channel to channel to no avail --all wedding, all the time.You might think that I would be drawn to William and Kate's nuptials since Diana was in hospital in Britain giving birth to her first-born son while my wife Ruth was in a Newfoundland hospital giving birth to our son. Nope.I have been thinking about the infatuation with royalty we have witnessed, comparing it to the earnest efforts of the United Church in recent decades. We have done our best to expunge royal language from our liturgies, feeling that terms such as king in reference to God and Jesus would be incomprehensible and even offensive. What do we care about royalty in this modern age, and who understands it anyway? I am careful about the language I use and avoid hierarchical terms. Well, so much for that line of reasoning. Billions, so we are told, took time to tune in this morning.Confession: I was up early to go to the gym and ended up watching the wedding with Ruth before I left. The music was sublime, the homily was excellent, Kate's brother read splendidly, and the prayers --well, patriarchal and exclusive. Hey, you can't have everything.
Did you roll out of bed to watch the wedding today? Are you comfortable with kings and queens, princesses and princes? What about when you come to church? Would you prefer that God not be addressed as a monarch, or are you okay with that language?
4 comments:
All the guys at the gym were making fun of the thing all week, and then there we were, glued to it on the treadmills today.
Hey, at least I could say, no: I was watching baseball highlights! (Thanks for the cover, TSN.)
My daughters had alarms set, although they only caught the fever this week. I must admit, as a young teen when Diana's so-called "fairy-tale" unfolded, I was "taken" in too.
I watched this morning and can't describe the feeling other than "hopeful". There is just something hopeful about young love.
I appreciated the wedding message by Rev Chartres. The thought that we are all here to bring out the best in each other was the gem I took away.
I hadn't thought much about the language. Thinking of God as King, or male for that matter, has never bothered me. I have realized though, that depending on one's life experience, such references could send the wrong message.
What do you know...12 hours since her morning viewing, my 14 year old is absorbed in it again....there is "something" about a charming Prince.
I was barely aware of the wedding happening. I heard about it here and there, but have not had much interest. Jeff says its because I'm American. I have never had much interest in the current royalty in England and it baffles my mind that so many woke up so early to watch a wedding that really has no effect on their lives.
Yes, hierarchal language does bother me. I mostly cringe when I hear it. I wish I could listen openly to the message, not the details of the hymn or the prayer, but I feel strongly about inclusive language and language that brings God out of the throne.
That male focussed language in the ceremony made me uncomfortable as well.
My wife, Ruth, commented that with so much sadness and even sordidness in her work, the wedding and all the fooferah was a pleasant diversion. I'll concede that we may need this from time to time!
Post a Comment