The Apostolic Constitutions (a collection of Eastern Church ecclesiastical instructions collected into one work in the 4th Century) provides historians with the clearest idea of how deaconesses were involved in the administration of the early church. Briefly, the Constitutions show that a deaconess served the church by caring for the needs of other women in specifically designated ways:
1. She was a doorkeeper at the women's entrance to the church.
2. She showed women to their places in the church, taking care to meet the particular needs of the poor and strangers.
3. She instructed women catechumens and visited their homes where men could not go.
4. She carried out certain duties pertaining to the Baptism of women.
5. She provided for the physical and spiritual needs of women in prison during times of persecution.
6. She cared for the sick and sorrowing.
7. She served as a "mediator" for the resolution of disagreements in families or among friends.
In light of Romans 16:1, it is interesting to see the Constitutions state that both deacons and deaconesses carry out work pertaining to "messages, journeys to foreign parts, ministrations, services."
Friday, November 27, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Example of Deaconesses in Methodist Episcopal Church
On May 10, 1889, Edward G. Andrews wrote (in the Introduction to "Deaconesses in Europe and Their Lessons for America" by Jane Marie Bancroft:
"The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at its session in May, 1888, inserted in the law of the Church a chapter on deaconesses, defining their duties and providing for the appointment and oversight of them through the Annual Conferences."
Now that is what I consider to be prudent action! Yes, we can learn a lesson from those who became organized (way back in the 19th century) about defining the duties of their professional church workers, and making provision for both their "appointment" and their "oversight." With many deaconess candidates waiting for placement in the LCMS, it seems that some of these areas could do with review and revision - not only for the sake of those who desire to serve in the vocation of deaconess, but for the church at large.
Anyone else care to offer a thought or suggestion on this topic?
"The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at its session in May, 1888, inserted in the law of the Church a chapter on deaconesses, defining their duties and providing for the appointment and oversight of them through the Annual Conferences."
Now that is what I consider to be prudent action! Yes, we can learn a lesson from those who became organized (way back in the 19th century) about defining the duties of their professional church workers, and making provision for both their "appointment" and their "oversight." With many deaconess candidates waiting for placement in the LCMS, it seems that some of these areas could do with review and revision - not only for the sake of those who desire to serve in the vocation of deaconess, but for the church at large.
Anyone else care to offer a thought or suggestion on this topic?
Monday, November 16, 2009
Deaconess Character in Opera
The opera King Roger, written by Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) about the Norman King Roger II of Sicily (1095 - 1154), includes a deaconess as one of its six characters. The actress who plays the deaconess sings contralto and fills a key role in the story line in Act One.
A summary of the three-act production of King Roger can be read on a website titled Operawonk, which claims to be “an operating theater for dissecting operas and disseminating operatic knowledge.”
http://operawonk.blogspot.com/
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Old Testament History
When the second quarter of the school year began week, my 7th and 8th grade Biblical Studies class started a new study unit on Old Testament History. We utilize great material from Concordia Publishing House called Voyages: Exploring God's Word, which includes colorful student workbooks.
Such a course might sound a bit dry, or perhaps boring. After all, the Old Testament has a reputation for being law-oriented and irrelevant to today's world. However, my class's experience with the Old Testament doesn't support that stiff view of the Old Testament. Through the study of Scripture itself, we recognize that every story in the Old Testament presents threads of the Gospel and eye-opening relevance to both our personal life and society today.
The first two lessons in the unit were marvelous examples of this fact. In Genesis 1 and 2 we read about how God made and ordered the world that we live in. God didn't create and then just let go. He created in such a manner that our entire existence would have a pattern that was sustained by the design of God Himself: day and night; seven day weeks; a cyclical day of rest; time and seasons; partners fit for every species; marriage; and so forth.
In Genesis 3 we read of the fall into sin and can only imagine how disappointed God must have been. He took great care in creating the human race and providing an Eden-life for people. All that Adam and Eve needed to do was to fear, love, trust, and obey God the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, above all things. Fortunately, God came back to the garden to speak to Adam and Eve, in spite of the fact that He knew of their disobedience and sin. And while He informed them of the consequence of their sin ("for the wages of sin is death") He also provided the hope of a deliverer, the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15) Who would one day crush Satan's head.
In the meantime God continued to show His love to Adam and Eve. He gave them clothes made from animal skins. Yes, He killed animals to cover the humans. Almost like a foreshadowing of how His Son Jesus would someday die to cover the sins of all humans. [In Holy Baptism we "put on Christ."] And He would chase them out of that beautiful garden so that they could die a physical death and have the opportunity to receive new life in Heaven with Him someday. In other words, that they might live eternally with Him in everlasting bliss. Whatever else was to come along in their long lives, they would turn to God as the bringer of their redemption, and God would forgive and renew them in His grace.
Reading with Christian eyes, we see that Old Testament History is really an account of God's grace to the human race. It's our story. Thanks be to God for such a gift!
Such a course might sound a bit dry, or perhaps boring. After all, the Old Testament has a reputation for being law-oriented and irrelevant to today's world. However, my class's experience with the Old Testament doesn't support that stiff view of the Old Testament. Through the study of Scripture itself, we recognize that every story in the Old Testament presents threads of the Gospel and eye-opening relevance to both our personal life and society today.
The first two lessons in the unit were marvelous examples of this fact. In Genesis 1 and 2 we read about how God made and ordered the world that we live in. God didn't create and then just let go. He created in such a manner that our entire existence would have a pattern that was sustained by the design of God Himself: day and night; seven day weeks; a cyclical day of rest; time and seasons; partners fit for every species; marriage; and so forth.
In Genesis 3 we read of the fall into sin and can only imagine how disappointed God must have been. He took great care in creating the human race and providing an Eden-life for people. All that Adam and Eve needed to do was to fear, love, trust, and obey God the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, above all things. Fortunately, God came back to the garden to speak to Adam and Eve, in spite of the fact that He knew of their disobedience and sin. And while He informed them of the consequence of their sin ("for the wages of sin is death") He also provided the hope of a deliverer, the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15) Who would one day crush Satan's head.
In the meantime God continued to show His love to Adam and Eve. He gave them clothes made from animal skins. Yes, He killed animals to cover the humans. Almost like a foreshadowing of how His Son Jesus would someday die to cover the sins of all humans. [In Holy Baptism we "put on Christ."] And He would chase them out of that beautiful garden so that they could die a physical death and have the opportunity to receive new life in Heaven with Him someday. In other words, that they might live eternally with Him in everlasting bliss. Whatever else was to come along in their long lives, they would turn to God as the bringer of their redemption, and God would forgive and renew them in His grace.
Reading with Christian eyes, we see that Old Testament History is really an account of God's grace to the human race. It's our story. Thanks be to God for such a gift!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Watching History Repeat Itself
My husband and I are back in the United States after a wonderful holiday in the United Kingdom. I say that the time away was wonderful - not for the sake of the rest that it provided to body, soul, and mind - but because we were together with our entire nuclear family. Every one of our six children, daughter-in-laws, and three grandchildren were present.
The experience of such a reunion brings much joy. But on this occasion, the reason for the gathering brought even greater joy. Our son Gordon was ordained into the Holy Ministry.
It's funny what goes through a mother's mind on such an occasion. Looking at him in the chancel, I actually thought about the day he was born. I remembered how he struggled with issues in primary school and in junior high. I remembered how much he loved to play rugby and could see him coming through the door in mud-covered rugby kit. I thought about his never-ending smile and blond hair, and how when he got to high school he had such a passion for sharing Jesus with his school mates.
I thought too about how history was repeating itself. When I looked at Gordon and his wife and two children, it took me back to the day in 1982 when my husband was ordained, in the same country (England), in the same customary manner at a closing worship service of the ELCE Synod, also with a wife and two children. My husband was then placed as Pastor in the only Lutheran congregation in the country of Scotland. Last week Gordon was placed as Pastor in the only Lutheran congregation in the country of Wales.
Knowing the love and mercies of God, we thank and praise God for the life of service ahead of Gordon and His family. God is faithful, and that is a proven history that will continue to repeat itself over and over again in our lives - and in the lives of our children.
The experience of such a reunion brings much joy. But on this occasion, the reason for the gathering brought even greater joy. Our son Gordon was ordained into the Holy Ministry.
It's funny what goes through a mother's mind on such an occasion. Looking at him in the chancel, I actually thought about the day he was born. I remembered how he struggled with issues in primary school and in junior high. I remembered how much he loved to play rugby and could see him coming through the door in mud-covered rugby kit. I thought about his never-ending smile and blond hair, and how when he got to high school he had such a passion for sharing Jesus with his school mates.
I thought too about how history was repeating itself. When I looked at Gordon and his wife and two children, it took me back to the day in 1982 when my husband was ordained, in the same country (England), in the same customary manner at a closing worship service of the ELCE Synod, also with a wife and two children. My husband was then placed as Pastor in the only Lutheran congregation in the country of Scotland. Last week Gordon was placed as Pastor in the only Lutheran congregation in the country of Wales.
Knowing the love and mercies of God, we thank and praise God for the life of service ahead of Gordon and His family. God is faithful, and that is a proven history that will continue to repeat itself over and over again in our lives - and in the lives of our children.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
History in Cardiff, WALES
Today was one of those very special days; a day with silhouetted mind photos that will live in the memory more vividly than any synthetic photograph. First of all, my husband and I were walking, each holding one of the hands of our two-year-old granddaughter, and from time to time taking turns holding her 7-month-old sister. That was pure joy in itself.
However, the memory gets even better. We were in Cardiff, Wales, at the Museum of Welsh Life in St. Fagin's, within walking distance of where our son will be installed as a pastor on October 18. [That in itself is kind of an amazing story. A young man born in Scotland of American/British parents, raised in England, studied in England and Canada, married to a lovely American gal in the state of Montana, and now poised to live and serve the Lord in Cardiff, Wales. But I digress!]
As we walked through the outdoor exhibits I was struck by the wonder of History and the archeology that had contributed to this particular History. We walked through the replica of a 2000-year-old Celtic village; toured authentic ancient homes, chapels, and schoolhouses that had been moved to the museum from various parts of Wales, and almost best of all, walked through a series of row houses, starting with one built in 1800, each house having been built 40-50 years after the last one in the row. The progression of interior design in this row of houses was fascinating, from the change in window and stair designs to the cooking facilities, bedding and wall hangings. What a commentary on Life in the country of Wales.
Interestingly, in the row houses of the early and mid-20th century, there were articles that could be found in the homes of my own grandparents and parents, even during the time that I was growing up. What a strange sensation to view part of one's own life in a 'still life' documentation of History! That's something for all of us to muse upon from time to time.
However, the memory gets even better. We were in Cardiff, Wales, at the Museum of Welsh Life in St. Fagin's, within walking distance of where our son will be installed as a pastor on October 18. [That in itself is kind of an amazing story. A young man born in Scotland of American/British parents, raised in England, studied in England and Canada, married to a lovely American gal in the state of Montana, and now poised to live and serve the Lord in Cardiff, Wales. But I digress!]
As we walked through the outdoor exhibits I was struck by the wonder of History and the archeology that had contributed to this particular History. We walked through the replica of a 2000-year-old Celtic village; toured authentic ancient homes, chapels, and schoolhouses that had been moved to the museum from various parts of Wales, and almost best of all, walked through a series of row houses, starting with one built in 1800, each house having been built 40-50 years after the last one in the row. The progression of interior design in this row of houses was fascinating, from the change in window and stair designs to the cooking facilities, bedding and wall hangings. What a commentary on Life in the country of Wales.
Interestingly, in the row houses of the early and mid-20th century, there were articles that could be found in the homes of my own grandparents and parents, even during the time that I was growing up. What a strange sensation to view part of one's own life in a 'still life' documentation of History! That's something for all of us to muse upon from time to time.
Friday, October 2, 2009
LUTHER on HISTORY
We all know that Martin Luther wrote and lectured so much that researchers can find something authored by him (or said by him and jotted down by one of his students) on just about any subject.
I was recently thumbing through a notebook one of my sons brought home from a Classical Education conference which included several pages of interesting Luther quotations focused on various aspects of education. Of course the one on History really caught my attention:
"Hence, too, historians are the most useful of men, and the best teachers. Nor can we ever accord too much praise, honor, or gratitude to them; and it should be the work of the great ones of the eart, as emperors, kings, and the like, to cause a faithful record to be made of the history of their own times, and to have such records sacredly preserved and set in order in libraries. And, to this end, they should spare no expense, which may be needful, to educate and maintain those persons whose talents mark them out for this task.
But he who would write history, must be a superior man, lion-hearted and fearless in writing truth. For most manage to pass by in silence, or at least to gloss over the vices of the mischances of their times, to please great lords or their own friends; or they give too high a place to minor, or it may be, insignificant actions; or else, from an overweening love of country, and a hatred toward foreign nations, they bedizen or befoul histories, according to their own likes or dislikes. Hence it is that a suspicious air invests histories and God's providence is shamefully obscured; so the Greeks did in their perverseness, so the Pope's flatterers have done heretofore, and are now doing, till it has come to this, at last, that we do not know what to admit or what to reject. Thus the noble, the precious, and highest use of history is overlooked, and we have only a vain babble and gossip. And this is because the worthy task of writing annals and records is open to everyone without discrimination; and they write or slur over, praise or condemn, at their will.
How important, then, is it, that this office should be filled by men of eminence, or at least by those who are worthy. For, inasmuch as histories are records of God's work, that is, of His grace and His displeasure, which men should believe with as much reason as if the same stood written in the Bible, surely they ought to be penned with all diligence, truth and fidelity."
I was recently thumbing through a notebook one of my sons brought home from a Classical Education conference which included several pages of interesting Luther quotations focused on various aspects of education. Of course the one on History really caught my attention:
"Hence, too, historians are the most useful of men, and the best teachers. Nor can we ever accord too much praise, honor, or gratitude to them; and it should be the work of the great ones of the eart, as emperors, kings, and the like, to cause a faithful record to be made of the history of their own times, and to have such records sacredly preserved and set in order in libraries. And, to this end, they should spare no expense, which may be needful, to educate and maintain those persons whose talents mark them out for this task.
But he who would write history, must be a superior man, lion-hearted and fearless in writing truth. For most manage to pass by in silence, or at least to gloss over the vices of the mischances of their times, to please great lords or their own friends; or they give too high a place to minor, or it may be, insignificant actions; or else, from an overweening love of country, and a hatred toward foreign nations, they bedizen or befoul histories, according to their own likes or dislikes. Hence it is that a suspicious air invests histories and God's providence is shamefully obscured; so the Greeks did in their perverseness, so the Pope's flatterers have done heretofore, and are now doing, till it has come to this, at last, that we do not know what to admit or what to reject. Thus the noble, the precious, and highest use of history is overlooked, and we have only a vain babble and gossip. And this is because the worthy task of writing annals and records is open to everyone without discrimination; and they write or slur over, praise or condemn, at their will.
How important, then, is it, that this office should be filled by men of eminence, or at least by those who are worthy. For, inasmuch as histories are records of God's work, that is, of His grace and His displeasure, which men should believe with as much reason as if the same stood written in the Bible, surely they ought to be penned with all diligence, truth and fidelity."
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