Dave asks,
I went to an Episcopal church (someone said it was a “high church”) and watched as the priest kept kissing things: the altar, the Bible before and after he read it, and vestments when he was changing them. Then he started swinging an incense pot (my eyes didn’t like the smoke) and genuflected quite a bit. Bells rang, and there was lots of bowing. I found it confusing, and since you are an Episcopal priest, I thought I’d ask you what it’s all about?
Thanks, Dave, for your question. I was raised in a “low church,” which means we had none of those kinds of antics. Holy Communion was only on the first Sunday of the month. The clergy wore black cassocks with a white surplice and a stole (like a scarf) around his neck (women couldn’t be clergy yet), indicating the color of the season of the church year. There was no kissing, bowing, genuflecting, incense pots, or “smells and bells.”
When I went to seminary, it was a “low church” seminary. However, they taught about all the Eucharist vestments, elaborate liturgies, and the smells and bells. I was never comfortable wearing Eucharist vestments, kissing stuff, bowing, genuflecting, and continually making signs of the cross during the service. That wasn’t me.
I also wasn’t comfortable when people would call me Rev. Bil or Father Bil. Just Bil worked for me, especially with the last name of Aulenbach, which is difficult to spell and say. I hardly ever wore clergy clothes because I felt they were a barrier. People would figuratively put me on a pedestal—again, another barrier. My image of Jesus was as a down-to-earth fellow human being. Unfortunately, the church keeps putting him on a pedestal, which detracts from his humanity.
Admittedly, high churchmanship makes me uncomfortable. All the pomp and circumstance seems to say, “Look at me and how churchy and religious I am.” I am always suspicious of such folks because my criteria is not how you look or what you say but how you interact with all sorts and conditions of humanity. Secretly, when I see clergies kissing altars, books, and crosses or doing other similar motions, I always wonder when was the last time they “kissed” or touched a homeless person, a person on his or her deathbed, or a person with disabilities? Altars, books, and crosses are easy to kiss, whereas such persons as mentioned above are not always so easy.
Over and over again, I see the church and its clergy using diversionary tactics to prove that it is religious. Only its actions are relevant to me. That is why I want the church to get rid of so much of its useless theology, symbolism, and present clericalism and instead get back to the basics of unconditional love with lots of forgiveness and a lifetime full of caring for the “least of these” (Matthew 25:45).
To be fair, Dave, a well-done liturgy can be beautiful, spiritual, and inspirational. However, so many clergy do it by rote and in a monotone voice, not like an actor reenacting a drama but like a saw buzzing through the Eucharist.
My bottom line is that being a Follower of Jesus is not about liturgies or smells and bells. Jesus is about loving people unconditionally.
PeaceLoveJoyHopeKindness
Bil
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P.S. People often ask me provocative questions about current events, both religious and secular. I have found that some of these questions are being asked universally. I’ll be periodically alternating regular articles with one of those questions and my answer. I invite you to send me your question to bilaulenbach@yahoo.com.
Well said..