Tuesday 7 February 2012

The Hermit of Continuity

Skipping through the duller stuff from yesterday's Synod on the Comment is Free live-blog. There's no point getting excited about women bishops, as it turns out that the vote on that is in July. The Church of England now seems to have been "opening the door to women bishops" since the Flood.

But I discover the stunning information that the Church of England has 12 "enclosed hermits". Who knew that these godly people still existed, taking their religion so seriously? The world seems a better place for knowing this, somehow. There's no indication as to how or where they are enclosed, however. The details are sketchy. Are they enclosed in the manner of Mother Julian, or our own nearby and blessed Christina of Markyate? Are there twelve of them  because that's the "right" number, and whenever one wanders off to do other things or receives her/his eternal reward they have to elect another one? Presumably they don't all live together, although if they did that would be an "observance" of hermits, I discover. As opposed to a "mutual contradiction" of hermits, which would make more sense.

By contrast, here in the Beaker Folk, we used to have a small group of Hermits of Suspicion. A fairly unpleasant bunch, they had a habit of looking at you like you'd been doing something wrong and generally making you feel pretty sinful. They all had to take the name "Herman" on their inclusion in their order. But after Drayton set up his Funambulist Baptist Chapel they discovered that his was a stricter and more world-denying form of religion and joined him. All except the one remaining Hermit, Herman, who refused to deny his vows. Since he's keeping the order going all on his own now we call him the Hermit of Continuity.

6 comments :

  1. Herman of Continuity, eh? Rather like those Herman sourdough recipes that are forever doing the rounds? Maybe if you gave him a stir every three days before dividing him into three parts at the end of ten you might see a revival of the eremitical tradition in Husborne Crawley.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Astounding.
    I have passed on this solution to the 'brother' who refuses to worship with others because their women are not completely silent in church.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1st Century Apostolic Traditionalist2:19 pm, February 07, 2012

    Good for that man, for he is only conscientiously endorsing the Lord and Masters given command through St. Paul for women to remain silent in the Church assemblies.

    It's a telling shame on those who are supposed to love their Lord and Master that they openly defy him and condescend to the sinful feministic wiles of the 21st Centaury.

    1 Corinthians 14:33-38
    Amplified Bible (AMP)

    33For He [Who is the source of their prophesying] is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order. As [is the practice] in all the churches of the saints (God's people),
    34The women should keep quiet in the churches, for they are not authorized to speak, but should take a secondary and subordinate place, just as the Law also says.

    35But if there is anything they want to learn, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to talk in church [[a]for her to usurp and exercise authority over men in the church].

    36What! Did the word of the Lord originate with you [Corinthians], or has it reached only you?

    37If anyone thinks and claims that he is a prophet [filled with and governed by the Holy Spirit of God and inspired to interpret the divine will and purpose in preaching or teaching] or has any other spiritual endowment, let him understand (recognize and acknowledge) that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord.

    38But if anyone disregards or does not recognize [[b]that it is a command of the Lord], he is disregarded and not recognized [he is [c]one whom God knows not].

    The punishment is just for such "Silly women"
    as God refuses to recognise or even know them.

    Jeff...
    The correct God approved behaviour for faithful women is as follows.
    1 Timothy 2:11-15
    Amplified Bible (AMP)
    "Let a woman learn in quietness, in entire submissiveness.
    12 I allow no woman to teach or to have authority over men; she is to remain in quietness and keep silence [in religious assemblies].

    13For Adam was first formed, then Eve;

    14And it was not Adam who was deceived, but [the] woman who was deceived and deluded and fell into transgression."
    Amen!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Apologies.

    An explanation can be found here.
    http://groups.google.com/group/uk.religion.christian/browse_thread/thread/717cd36e77faff9d/f27db4a9f3945248?hl=en-GB#f27db4a9f3945248

    Do you think Drayton might give him a spiritual home?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Herman says not to worry, he does not allow any women to preach in his cell - a vote he passed 1-0 in the House of Hermits.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 'Hermit of Continuity' - ROFLMAO

    ReplyDelete

Drop a thoughtful pebble in the comments bowl