Yes, another peculiar way of keeping Lent, this time from the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.<\/p>\n
Smudging \u2013 the burning of various herbs and immersing oneself in the resulting smoke (doesn\u2019t sound very green<\/i> does it?) \u2013 is supposed to drive out evil spirits, negative energy and balance energies. <\/i>As such, the kindest thing one can say about it is that it is harmless nonsense, the unkindest, but perhaps more accurate, is that it is linked to the occult.<\/p>\n
Still, at least it proves that the Anglican New-Age Church of Canada still believes in something other than inclusion and diversity.<\/p>\n
From here<\/a> (page 5)<\/i>:<\/p>\n In recent years I have come to deeply appreciate the rites of smudging conducted by indigenous peoples.<\/p>\n [\u2026..]<\/p>\n This entire act is a rite of purification of body, mind and spirit in the service of the Creator.<\/p>\n As I think about this rite, I ask: isn\u2019t that what Lent is all about\u2014a clearing of our eyes, an opening of our ears, a renewing of our minds, a cleansing of our souls and a reorienting of our lives as stewards of God\u2019s creation, followers of Jesus and ambassadors of the compassion and peace he wills for all people?<\/p>\n While I appreciate the significance of imposing ashes at the outset of Lent, I have come to wonder if smudging might not be an equally powerful reminder of the true character of these 40 days. I wonder what the impact might be if there was a ceremony of smudging on each Sunday in Lent….<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yes, another peculiar way of keeping Lent, this time from the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. Smudging \u2013 the burning of various herbs and immersing oneself in the resulting smoke (doesn\u2019t sound very green does it?) \u2013 is … Continue reading