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| Some Historical Notes on the Bishop Elliott Society |
| A Letter from the Founding President, the Rev. W.L. Prehn III January 14, 2004 |
Dear Friends in West Texas and Elsewhere:
I am delighted to know that Frank Fuller and others have put a new battery
in the B.E.S.! I had fully intended to keep the thing going when I went out to
TMI in 1996, but boy did I overestimate the amount of extra time I would
have as a school chaplain and administrator! I never found a successor as
Convenor; hence, Frank and I declared the BES "dormant until."
The Society was created back in the early '90s for one reason only -- to
function as a formal "theological fellowship" in South Texas. We hoped,
simply, to get folks together for a good time and some serious discussion of
God, humankind, and the universe. In our first several years, we enjoyed
some wonderful worship and meals together and sponsored some guest
speakers who had a lasting influence on the Diocese of West Texas. (If I
remember accurately, Donald Allchin's series of talks on Celtic Christianity
drew over 400 participants.)
I am delighted to know that Frank Fuller and others have put a new battery
in the B.E.S.! I had fully intended to keep the thing going when I went out to
TMI in 1996, but boy did I overestimate the amount of extra time I would
have as a school chaplain and administrator! I never found a successor as
Convenor; hence, Frank and I declared the BES "dormant until."
The Society was created back in the early '90s for one reason only -- to
function as a formal "theological fellowship" in South Texas. We hoped,
simply, to get folks together for a good time and some serious discussion of
God, humankind, and the universe. In our first several years, we enjoyed
some wonderful worship and meals together and sponsored some guest
speakers who had a lasting influence on the Diocese of West Texas. (If I
remember accurately, Donald Allchin's series of talks on Celtic Christianity
drew over 400 participants.)
The Society was decidedly apolitical and we had no intention whatsoever of
becoming a party within the diocese or larger Church. We were mostly
interested in exploring our Anglican identity as followers of Jesus Christ,
hoping to become enriched and better servants of the Gospel in the places
where we served as laypersons and clergy.Besides Frank and myself, [Mary
Earle,] Paul Fortney and Tom McCarty were the early organizers. But we
must never forget the support we got -- both in terms of advice and initial
funding -- from Mark Cannaday and Bishops MacNaughton and McAllister.
(Be mindful that Gerry and Helen are "Life Fellows," having pretty much
endowed us in the beginning!) We had categories of fellows -- Life,
Sustaining, and Supporting, depending on the level of giving for the mission.
Theological fellowships like the B.E.S. are especially necessary today, as the
Episcopal Church enters -- hopefully (and I am still hoping for this) -- a
new, more intense period of discussion about critical issues before us.
Moreover, I have always believed -- and I have discovered it again and
again in my ministry over 19 years -- that Episcopal laypersons love to be
challenged with hardcore teaching and learning: Indeed, honoring
laypersons with top-quality programs, opportunities to learn the Faith in
depth, etc., ANIMATES them for ministry! (We also discovered this to be
true with the 80 some-odd graduates of the Bishop's School for Ministry:
I've never seen such enthusiasm generated, and these brothers and sisters
were alive for Gospel work in West Texas.) That is exciting! It is not the
soul only that is saved, sanctified, and prepared for the Fuller Life; it is the
mind and body also. So often, we find that serious study has the effect of
removing logs from the eye and clots from the heart.
becoming a party within the diocese or larger Church. We were mostly
interested in exploring our Anglican identity as followers of Jesus Christ,
hoping to become enriched and better servants of the Gospel in the places
where we served as laypersons and clergy.Besides Frank and myself, [Mary
Earle,] Paul Fortney and Tom McCarty were the early organizers. But we
must never forget the support we got -- both in terms of advice and initial
funding -- from Mark Cannaday and Bishops MacNaughton and McAllister.
(Be mindful that Gerry and Helen are "Life Fellows," having pretty much
endowed us in the beginning!) We had categories of fellows -- Life,
Sustaining, and Supporting, depending on the level of giving for the mission.
Theological fellowships like the B.E.S. are especially necessary today, as the
Episcopal Church enters -- hopefully (and I am still hoping for this) -- a
new, more intense period of discussion about critical issues before us.
Moreover, I have always believed -- and I have discovered it again and
again in my ministry over 19 years -- that Episcopal laypersons love to be
challenged with hardcore teaching and learning: Indeed, honoring
laypersons with top-quality programs, opportunities to learn the Faith in
depth, etc., ANIMATES them for ministry! (We also discovered this to be
true with the 80 some-odd graduates of the Bishop's School for Ministry:
I've never seen such enthusiasm generated, and these brothers and sisters
were alive for Gospel work in West Texas.) That is exciting! It is not the
soul only that is saved, sanctified, and prepared for the Fuller Life; it is the
mind and body also. So often, we find that serious study has the effect of
removing logs from the eye and clots from the heart.
So, more power to you fellows! Being on-line is a brilliant move by Frank. I
hope that, as you-- as we--move forward in terms of dialogue and
prospective programs or conferences, we can always bear in mind the
degree to which we are all in "this thing" together.
My intense historical studies over the last 2.5 years have only convinced me
that we Americans -- whether liberal or conservative, traditionalist or
innovative -- are all part of a massive cultural phenomenon that is proving
to be problematic in a great many ways. The ECUSA has been a bellwether
of this culture, not for 30 or 40 years, but for 300. Our self-examination at
this time needs to be radical and our critique, inclusive. Of course, we need
to look for the good news about this larger culture (there is more than is
sometimes assumed); yet, we must be sober and more self-critical than
ever before.
hope that, as you-- as we--move forward in terms of dialogue and
prospective programs or conferences, we can always bear in mind the
degree to which we are all in "this thing" together.
My intense historical studies over the last 2.5 years have only convinced me
that we Americans -- whether liberal or conservative, traditionalist or
innovative -- are all part of a massive cultural phenomenon that is proving
to be problematic in a great many ways. The ECUSA has been a bellwether
of this culture, not for 30 or 40 years, but for 300. Our self-examination at
this time needs to be radical and our critique, inclusive. Of course, we need
to look for the good news about this larger culture (there is more than is
sometimes assumed); yet, we must be sober and more self-critical than
ever before.
And we must have more Charity than ever before. "Liberals" tend (if I may
say so as a Liberal) to prize love over truth. "Conservatives" (if I may speak
as a Conservative) tend to exalt truth over charity. But we must have both
if we are to remain loyal daughters and sons of Jesus Christ. It is human
nature to take the easy way out of difficulties. Many on both sides of the
current issue are wont to make things too easy. One thing we can be sure
about is that the Way of Jesus is the Way of the Cross: The Way to the
Father is by way of the Cross.
Of course, there are many things we can in fact be sure about, beginning
with the facts that God raised Jesus of Nazareth from the dead (Christianity
did NOT originate in reason or myth, but in history); that Jesus reigns in
this world as He is hidden sacramentally in the Church Catholic; and that
through the Holy Spirit Christ has ALWAYS guided and will always guide
His faithful servants into the future that belongs always to the Lord of lords,
the King of kings -- and not to those who maintain the Primeval Rebellion of
"the world, the flesh, or the devil."
God bless us. Way to go, Frank! It's great to be in touch! I hope we can form
a community via light-wire, exchange ideas, and suggest ways to follow
Jesus more effectively as Episcopalians and lovers of the Anglican tradition.
W.L. (Chip) Prehn
Charlottesville
say so as a Liberal) to prize love over truth. "Conservatives" (if I may speak
as a Conservative) tend to exalt truth over charity. But we must have both
if we are to remain loyal daughters and sons of Jesus Christ. It is human
nature to take the easy way out of difficulties. Many on both sides of the
current issue are wont to make things too easy. One thing we can be sure
about is that the Way of Jesus is the Way of the Cross: The Way to the
Father is by way of the Cross.
Of course, there are many things we can in fact be sure about, beginning
with the facts that God raised Jesus of Nazareth from the dead (Christianity
did NOT originate in reason or myth, but in history); that Jesus reigns in
this world as He is hidden sacramentally in the Church Catholic; and that
through the Holy Spirit Christ has ALWAYS guided and will always guide
His faithful servants into the future that belongs always to the Lord of lords,
the King of kings -- and not to those who maintain the Primeval Rebellion of
"the world, the flesh, or the devil."
God bless us. Way to go, Frank! It's great to be in touch! I hope we can form
a community via light-wire, exchange ideas, and suggest ways to follow
Jesus more effectively as Episcopalians and lovers of the Anglican tradition.
W.L. (Chip) Prehn
Charlottesville