Wish they all could be California bishops?
Readers of this blog will remember that the Anglican world was on pins and needles a few months back, wondering if the diocese of California (i.e., San Francisco and its hinterland) would elect as their new bishop any of the gay or lesbian candidates who made their ballot. In the end a straight, if extremely liberal, male candidate won election, the Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus. Now he has been installed, and pictures of the installation have been posted on their web site. I thought I would pass along a few highlights.
My favorite is the big puppet and dancer parade that entered the nave in advance of the clergy procession. These big puppets are now ubiquitous at left-wing political and "social justice" rallies. Its good to see that they have taken up performing at Episcopal liturgies as well. (That was said in jest, of course, my friends. I must admit, however, I rather liked the Chinese dragon. At least the dragon has a long and noble history in Chinese culture behind it, unlike these monstrous puppets!)
Then, of course, there had to be liturgical dance, since this is a left-wing diocese. I believe this scene before the altar represents St. Mary Magdalene on Easter morning (I'm not sure who the folks in white are--the angels? some of the other women who accompanied St. Mary to the tomb? SS Peter and John?).
The role of Jesus was danced by David MacCauley. 'Nuf said.
posted by Texanglican (R.W. Foster+) | 1:09 PM
3 Comments:
btw, the puppet has a history in chinese history too!!!! its a clown, well it represents 'evil' spirits... and i could go on for a while about this...
We at Grace & St. Peter's have a long and noble history of Chinese-Americans as a substantial majority of the parish. Each year we have a dragon parade in celebration of the Chinese lunar new year, but it is not during the Sunday High Mass; it is afterward in the street or in the school auditorium.
Liturgical dance is a uniquely enjoyable sort of comedy. I'm talking about white people in leotards capering and lunging at the altar. It's hard for me to imagine black churches of my quite limited experience without some degree of liturgical dance, though. And people I've read or spoken with who've been to mass in Africa say dance is often indispensable. Oh, and I highly recommend Langston Hughes' "Black Nativity." If that doesn't move you then you're just dead. No, what warms my heart is a pale young man, snug in green tights, cavorting the Creed or the Agnus Dei. There's nothing quite like it.
Jay
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