Reflections on Good Friday

From: Commentary Magazine

Peter’s reflections on this day, which is holy to Christians, are deeply moving. They are, in fact, a Mere Christianity in fewer than four hundred words.

But of course the Christian meaning of this day cannot be the Jews’. What provokes reflection—at least for this Jew—is the overlapping of the Christian Holy Week with the Jewish Passover. Although it is a welcome relief to know that the “proximity” of the holidays no longer “routinely spark[s] violent anti-Jewish riots and pogroms,” as Diane Cole observed in the Wall Street Journal last week, there is more to the overlap than that. And not even the Christianizing Passover seders held in some churches, rightly characterized by a Methodist pastor quoted by Cole as “replac[ing] the Jewish celebration with a Christian one,” are reason enough to feel apprehensive about the overlap.

Old supersessionist habits die hard. And yet the truth is that much of Christendom has explicitly renounced and condemned its ancient yearning to replace Judaism. Inspired and guided by two monumentally great popes—John Paul II and Benedict XVI—the Church of Rome has officially repudiated anti-Judaism and sought to fashion a new relationship with the Jewish people founded (in John Paul’s words) upon “the great spiritual heritage common to Christians and Jews.”

Easter or Pagan Earth Day?

From: The Daily Caller

Some Catholics are concerned with what they see as an attempt by environmentalists to hijack Easter for their own Earth Day purposes.

In a letter dated April 1 to churches across the country, the environmentalist group Earth Day Network encourages priests to remember Earth Day Sunday, even though Easter is that same Sunday.

“This year we again invite you to celebrate Earth Day Sunday and share with your parishioners a story of creation care that will impart to them the importance of protecting a nurturing the planet that was provided to us,” the letter reads. “Earth Day Sunday is a great way to bring your parish together through community building and sharing the faith with those in the community while improving the world around us.”

The letter does add that if priests want to celebrate Easter instead, they could consider delivering a climate change sermon on the following Sunday. Michael Voris of REAL Catholic TV, however, is not buying it, calling the campaign a push for a “pagan takeover of Easter”

“Earth Day 2011 falls on Friday, April 22, which is Good Friday so on the following Sunday, which is two days later, the Earth Day Network wants Catholic priests all over the country to devote their homily to Earth Day. Slight problem, the next Sunday, the one after Good Friday, is Easter,” Voris said. “Imagine going to mass to hear about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead only to be told to go clean up a park.”

Episcopal Church: This Good Friday, let's celebrate Earth Day

Well, I guess we can ignore that Jesus fella that died on the cross. After all, the Earth has done so much more for us

From: The Daily Caller

While Christians worldwide meditate upon the crucifixion of their savior this Good Friday, the Episcopal Church has suggested that the faithful also reflect upon whether they’re doing their part to reduce C02 emissions.

Two of the world’s holiest religious holidays are set to fall on April 22 this year — Good Friday for Christians and Earth Day for environmentalists — and some religious leaders are preparing their flocks to celebrate both.

The Episcopal Church’s office of Economic and Environmental Affairs released a statement urging followers to stay mindful of global warming, recycling and reducing carbon dioxide emissions while celebrating the ancient Christian holiday in 2011.

“This year Earth Day falls within Holy Week, specifically on Good Friday, a profound coincidence,” said Mike Schut, a church spokesman. “To fully honor Earth Day, we need to reclaim the theology that knows Earth is ‘very good,’ is holy. When we fully recognize that, our actions just may begin to create a more sustainable, compassionate economy and way of life.”

Christians observe Good Friday, the day reserved to remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, on the Friday before Easter, which is not celebrated on a fixed date. First observed on April 22, 1970, Earth Day is celebrated to raise awareness about efforts to protect the environment.

Schut continued: “On Good Friday, the day we mark the crucifixion of Christ, God in the flesh, might we suggest that when Earth is degraded, when species go extinct, that another part of God’s body experiences yet another sort of crucifixion — that another way of seeing and experiencing God is diminished?”

The church set up a website for the celebration of Earth Day, complete with links to resources on how to best get involved on the extra special day.