Epistemology of Enlightenment Science

Epistemology of Enlightenment Science

Enlightenment or modern science rests

On faith-commitments

Which cannot themselves pass the tests,

The very methods of science being insufficient.

Two beliefs are foundational

On the development of science, the infringement?

That the universe is rational,

That the universe is contingent.

Rationality itself cannot be proven

By the methods endeared by science.

But it must be an assumed conclusion

That a faith-commitment is starting point compliant.

If contingency were not creation’s groan

But an emanation from an absolute spirit,

Then all would be totally known

Thus to science, not sincere it.

Pure contemplation, if thus so,

And not of scientific explanation,

Ultimate reality directly accessed, though,

No need then for laborious, scientific experimentation.

But if the Spirit of creation

Were a personal God, an alliance

Gifting a degree of autonomy through incarnation,

Then contingency is foundational to science.

Therefore, let it be known in our memories

That Enlightenment science motifs,

In a culture of centuries

Were born and shaped by these two beliefs.

A versed interpretation and re-presentation by Worth Earlwood Norman, Jr. of

Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI 1989, page 20.

Beeson Divinity School Installs Anglican Chair Professor

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA August 30, 2016

The Fall Semester 2016 of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University began today at its morning Convocation. Two significant events occurred at the gathering in Hodges Chapel.

First, forty-two incoming first year students were welcomed by Dr. Timothy George. The new seminarians and their families come to Beeson from many states and from several nations around the world.

Secondly, the Reverend Dr. Gerald R. McDermott was installed as Anglican Chair of Divinity, one of five academic chairs at the school. Assisting Dr. George in the order of installation was the Most Reverend Doctor Foley Beach, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America.

Although the service today was noticeably Anglican, Dr. George reminded everyone that the school is interdenominational.

Participants leading the service in addition to Dr. George were Dr.  Andrew Westmoreland, President of Samford University; Archbishop Beach; Bishop Alphonza Gadsden, Bishop of the Diocese of the Southeast (REC-ACNA); the Rev. Katherine Jacobs, Cathedral Church of the Advent-Birminghan (TEC); and Dr. Mark Quay, Rector, Saint Peter's Anglican Church-Mountain Brook, Alabama (ADOTS-ACNA).

Also attending the service were members of the Board of the Anglican Institute.

Prior to the installation portion of the service, Dr. Beach delivered his sermon on "Prayer." He told incoming students, and all present, that Christian leaders must always be "praying leaders." The Archbishop said that "prayer is work, not preparation for work."

Following the service a luncheon was given to honor Dr. McDermott and Archbishop Beach. In the late afternoon the Archbishop met with a gathering of Beeson Divinity School students for a question-and-answer session.

L-R: Dr. Timothy George, Dean, Beeson Divinity School;

Dr. Gerald R. McDermott, Anglican Chair of Divinity;

The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach, Archbishop and Primate

Anglican Church in North America

The 42 Incoming Divinity Students

Fall Semester, 2016

Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

Birmingham, Alabama

ODE TO A COOL AGE

ODE TO A COOL AGE

It was a wonderful epoch of oversight hardly noticed,

Without scandal nor coerced compliance of the masses.

A Cool Age free from elite restraints and shackles,

A bountiful normalcy.

But it was followed by a chain of progressive rules

Led by those who claim to know all the better,

Forcing their active thoughts into mandatory adherence

Through the son of Abinoam.

In the interim was the City on a Hill,

Giving rise to promising normalcy again.

But its life once bright grew steadily dim.

Where went the Cool Age?

WENjr 8-27-2013

Meetings between the OCA and ACNA

The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) have held meetings for the past 12 to 18 months. I suspect that in the not-too-distant future the two Christian jurisdictions will jointly announce some level of inter-communion.

ACNA Archbishop Foley Beach has nurtured this potential union/inter-communion perhaps since before he was elected archbishop. Whatever happens will be historic.

The OCA has its origin in the Russian Orthodox Church. As the ROC in America evolved it was given semi-autonomy in the 1970s as The Metropolia. Eventually OCA was established. I believe the ROC gave the OCA autocephaly, or self-headed government; other Orthodox jurisdictions recognize OCA as autonomous, meaning not fully self-governing. Either way there is no dispute within Orthodoxy of OCA's system of belief or doctrine.

The ACNA is a new structure/jurisdiction within the faith system known as Anglicanism. Few Anglican Provinces recognize ACNA as a legitimate province, however, the majority of established Anglican Provinces worldwide recognize the ACNA as a true Anglican entity. Indeed, the majority of Anglican Provinces formed the ACNA.

There were meetings last year in Washington, D.C. among the OCA, ACNA, and the Metropolitan of Moscow. OCA and ACNA leaders later traveled to Moscow to meet with the Moscow Metropolitan and the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Only time will tell whether these meetings will produce results, as in ecclesiastical inter-communion, or remain simply in "talk" mode until the Second Coming.

Somethin's happ'nin!

See the OCA website news here.

OCA announcement

Remembering Askew Marable

Remembering Askew Marable

Our dear friend died just the other day.

It was August Fourteen

On a Sunday when we did pray

For him, not knowing what later we would glean.

I remember our first meeting

At Saint Peter’s on a Thursday morn

When Askew came to me with his welcoming greeting,

A new friendship quickly born.

To know me he asked a few questions

And introduced me to other men.

First to Rector John, then others at the session,

We listened to British Pastor Graham Tomlin.

Betty, his bride of 64 years,

Was introduced to Askew

By a friend mutually dear.

George “Goober” Lindsey it was, who provided that glue.

Betty and Askew stalwarts at Church,

He ushered and she greeted,

For they the friendly faces strangers on Sunday searched.

Each welcomed newcomers and helped them to be seated.

Askew and I had our kind of joking.

Our first names at times misleading.

My name of “value” provoking,

His of “nobility” and fine breeding.

But one might view him obliquely

At an angle so askew,

 Failing to recognize discreetly

An honorable man, not one to casually eschew.

One Sunday morning while di-vesting,

With young Deacon Andrew at my side,

I asked usher Askew something interesting,

A question I knew Askew would abide.

Making sure Andrew’s attention grew,

I turned and asked Mr. Marable,

“There’s something I want to ask you, Askew.”

Andrew’s laughter became unbearable.

An honor to know Askew Marable,

A faithful servant of Our Lord,

Lay he today in casket coronal

He and his Savior now in one accord.

© Worth Earlwood Norman Jr

Birmingham, Alabama

August 19, 2016

Askew Marable obituary

June Norman Black

June Norman Black

Cousin Cathy called just the other day,

To tell me Aunt June had passed away.

I could have received her news in stride,

After all, she was ninety-five.

But no, I had a different reaction

Because June was quite an attraction

Not only to me

But a positive person for all to see.

In her youth she was physically beautiful,

With her family and work she so dutiful

In taking care of her own

With never a groan.

During my boyhood she changed my comfort zone

By placing me in a Sears fashion show.

Wearing white bucks and gray herringbone

She made me a male model. I know!

June, a local Norfolk television star,

Started lawn mowers by hand in commercial breaks.

In years later I challenged whether the mowers were

Warmed up for the ratings stakes.

“No,” June insisted,” the mowers were cold.”

So I am to believe that a 100-pound young lady,

When asked decades later to me so bold

Would not admit to something perhaps a little shady.

I remember June as our family so dear,

On Mother’s Day and Thanksgiving

In her home we gathered every year.

Those were good times for living.

June’s siblings were large in number,

Hazel, Bonnie, Pat, and Jean;

‘Doc’ [Worth], my dad, and Harry, and ‘Toots’ him I don’t remember,

Perhaps ‘Doc’ the family’s dean.

It is difficult to lose a person so dear,

Even when meeting eye-to-eye infrequent.

On hearing this news I shed more than one tear,

Through her life, I know what love meant.

June Norman Black obituary

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