Sunday, July 05, 2015

The Dictionary as Holy Writ

Posted by Reverend Ref + at 8:56 PM

Every Sunday between the 8 and 10 services I do an adult ed piece, usually a bible study of some kind.  Last week we finished up our jaunt through Revelation.

I didn't have anything in line to tackle next, so I spent time reviewing the more prominent actions at GC15.  We talked about some of the liturgical changes that have been authorized (beginning a study of revising the BCP), the addressing of alcohol and substance abuse within TEC, and the two marriage resolutions.

We talked about the resolution authorizing liturgies for same-sex weddings and what that would look like.  I told them that the new rites weren't about creating "special rites" for same sex weddings as much as they were about creating liturgies that could be used by all couples seeking to get married.

Then I talked about the resolution about the canon that changed the definition of marriage as between two people and how that will align the canon with the marriage liturgies and the legality of marriage equality in the U.S.

One of my perpetually offended parishioners then said, "Oh . . . so now they are changing the dictionary, too."

Another of my parishioners pointed out that the dictionary is always changing to reflect how society uses words. 

I was very glad that he did that and not me.

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3 comments:

Lady Anne | 9:39 AM, July 06, 2015  

I think each Diocese assigns certain people to Parishes - the silver haired lady who sits in the middle on the left-hand side, couple who will not teach their children proper church behavior (with instructions to sit near the front, if possible), and the perpetually offended person.

We used to have a couple who blithely ignored their two sons, who would beat each other with hymnals during the prayers. In that situation, I was generally cast as the POP.

Lady Anne | 10:49 PM, July 06, 2015  

Dictionary shifts - I teach American history, and we do talk about how the language changes. What I would call a petticoat, my students call a skirt, a robe is a dress, and a banyan - well, that always throws them for a loop. (It's a man's house coat.) If you dad called your mother a belly-bone, would she slug him or hug him? It comes from the French - belle et bonne. Beautiful and good.

If you asked me how I am doing today and I replied that my "rheumatism has me sore let and hindered", how do I feel? One student might get "hindered", but that's it. Once in a GREAT while a farm student will know "let" as an old word for "hobbled", which was done to horses and cattle to keep them from wandering off. We get into "sore"; it's generally used today in a negative sense -
I'm sorely disappointed in you, or "He will be sorely missed", but they do catch the "very" definition.

I manage to throw in a bit of Bible and BCP while nobody's looking!

Reverend Ref + | 11:22 PM, July 06, 2015  

I need you to lead an adult ed session.

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