Wednesday 29 October 2008

Runaround

My latest posting for Episcopal Cafe has appeared. It takes some of the themes I was developing here about the Baha'i Faith and has applied possible parallels to Christianity. The Universal House of Justice took upon itself powers of sole interpretation of the Baha'i Scriptures with other key writings and the exclusion of individuals from membership as Covenant Breakers. There is a potential for the same regarding the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, with narrow interpretations and a Primates' Council that would issue on high instructions of recognition and otherwise. However, should that be the way it goes, just as now there are a number of Baha'is outside the UHJ otherwise linking up and proving to be broad in their interpretation of faith, so it would be the case with Anglicans.

Now, Mrs Trellis of Colwyn Bay has emailed me to ask if, in my last entry, I am seriously suggesting that Professor Marcus du Sautoy can be mathematically morphed into Bishop Wallace Benn. I have to admit absolutely not because, whereas I am prepared to listen to or read what Marcus du Sautoy has to say for long periods at a time (based on his study and work) I can barely bother with anything that Wallace Benn has to say (based on superstition and all round general stupidity). What does puzzle me is Marcus du Sautoy's absolutist statement, given the relativity of several mathematical findings. This may prove to be a hole in Marcus du Sautoy's statements, but fear not as Wallace Benn is full of holes and this prevents morphing one to the other. Nevertheless I may have occasion to revisit my new character, Bishop Tony du Benn, for example when he next meets Archbishop Akky Nolo.

1 comment:

Susan Maneck said...

You're wrong about the Universal House of Justice taking upon itself the sole interpretation of the Baha'i Scriptures. The House of Justice has never claimed the right to interpret, a function which only Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi can fill. But as the supreme administrative body, they certainly have the right to determine who meets the qualifications of membership in the Baha'i Community.