The Continuing Saga of K. Thew Forrester

The episcopal battle royale re zen and the Nicene creed apparently rages on. It is said that Bishop Forrester is likely to be the first episcopal bishop vetoed by the church since the 1930s.

"I don't really see what there is left to say - the unique incarnation, saving death, bodily resurrection and universal lordship of Jesus are basic to Christian faith and to question that means you are disqualified from being an upholder of that faith in any official capacity in the church. That such a man should be considered even a possibility for a bishop is quite simply extraordinary." - The right Rev. N.T. Wright, lord bishop of Durham, England

"I think [Thew Forrester is] solidly a Christian believer, a disciple of Jesus Christ and will be a faithful bishop. ... I don't think he's outside the tent of acceptable theological thinking and understanding." - The right Rev. Tom Ely, bishop of Vermont

"This gentleman, apparently, doesn't believe the creeds. ... The doctrine of redemption through the incarnation and atoning work and resurrection and heavenly reign at present and future return of the second person of the Godhead: That is Christianity. Take that away and you have destroyed the Christian religion. Period. That's what Christianity is about." - Regent College Professor of Theology J.I. Packer

"The creed is a statement of faith and of love of God. ... The question is 'Is Kevin's interpretation of it within the ballpark?' For me it is. I think it stretches us but not to the point of breaking." - The right Rev. Bruce Caldwell, bishop of Wyoming

"The facts of the Christian faith are that Jesus is God's Son, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is coming again. A Christian will agree with these facts. If a denomination or church is Christian, it will agree with these facts. If a so-called bishop does not agree with the central elements of the Christian faith, then he should not call himself a Christian, let alone a bishop - nor should a church ordain him. He is an apostate from the Faith; and a church that ordains such a one is also apostate." - The Rev. George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God

Oh, George O. Wood, why are you speaking out on an Episcopal bishop election? When was the last time the Episcopals took the Assemblies of God to task? I'm guessing...not.

Furthermore, are there not as many gradations of the "central elements of the Christian faith" as there are variations on the Christian faith from Catholic Rome to Luther to LDS to the Branch Davidians and everyone in between and to the right and left. Bishop elect Thew Forrester does not deny the creeds in any way shape or form - point me to his "heresy" because I can't find it. And I'm pretty sure I've looked harder than you...

He may not be eligible to be an episcopal bishop - that's far outside my expertise - but where to you get off deciding if he is a good enough Christian? Calling him an apostate? Have you met the man? Have you discussed his beliefs with him? Have you talked to those who elected him in the first place. I'm guessing... not.

"We cannot emphasize enough how this exceptional man has quietly and consistently expanded our spiritual lives as a Christian community," said a letter posted on the church's Web site. "So it is especially painful for us to watch while others malign him during this consent process. He is one of us, and every unfair personal attack on our beloved bishop-elect inflicts a deep wound on each of us, who we are, what we have worked to achieve, and how we wish to fulfill God's promise and love in our diocese."

Bishop Thew Forrester may challenge his parishioners to THINK but that is not apostasy.

Or is it?

Namaste.

Pointing At The Moon

J. Workingman left a comment on my post of a few days ago with questions interspersed with Bishop-elect Kevin Thew-Forrester’s (hereafter “KTF” or “Fr. KTF”) explanations regarding his involvement in Zen whilst being an Episcopalian priest. In reality I suppose that J. Workingman is wondering if Fr. KTF is guilty of syncretism and thus unfit for the office of Bishop for the Episcopalian Diocese of Northern Michigan. I do not believe this to be the case, and I try in my answers to JW’s questions to explain why.

So the structure here is KTF's quote, JW's question, and my answer.

KTF: The ceremony I participated in was quite simple. I provide below the one vow I took and the precepts I affirmed. I believe you will find they have nothing whatsoever to do with me joining Buddhism.

Question: Elsewhere KTF writes that he received Lay Ordination. Is Lay Ordination a lesser thing than "being a Buddhist"? Can one have Lay Ordination and not be Buddhist?

Answer: We should not confuse the Christian concept of ordination and the Zen Buddhist concept of lay ordination. While I do not know the exact ceremony that Fr. KTF used for lay ordination, it is normally about a commitment to practice zazen (meditation) and to strive to heal the suffering in the world. Lay ordination does not create a priest, minister or other leader. You are simply formally recognized as a student, and you are declaring your intent to be a student. Merely learning Hebrew and then trying to learn, understand and utilize Judaism does not make me a Jew; i.e., using Zen traditions and practices to deepen my understanding of the Triune God just makes me more Christian; not less. Zen as a word is simply Japanese for “meditation.”

KTF: Within the ceremony I took one vow: “We vow to save all beings.”

Question: Is this not the Bodhisattva Vow to help save all sentient beings, before going into full Nirvana or enlightenment. Does this not require the prayer, "May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings"?

Answer: The Christian concept of prayer is non-existent without God. The Buddha is not God nor is he “a” god. He was teacher. Zen practioners do not pray to Buddha or anyone else. This is not to say that there are not Buddhist sects that pray to Buddha as a deity. There are. But Zen is not one of them and views these other sects as having a mistaken understanding of the Buddha’s teachings. The statement of “May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all beings” is a vow, a goal or expression of intent. “I vow to lose ten pounds” is not a prayer. Neither is seeking to “attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.” Zen rejects “book-learning”, religious rites, good works to earn merit, or devotional practices in favor of meditation as a path to greater insight and awareness. In Fr. KTF case he has said that he uses Zen techniques to further deepen his experience of God. It is a mystical practice for Fr. KTF – this is how it appears to me at least.

KTF: For me, as a Christian, this meant a recommitment of my baptismal covenant: to proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ; to seek and serve Christ in all persons [creatures],

Question: “Creatures” seems a curious insertion here. Don't Buddhists believe that all living things have the Buddha spirit in them?

Answer: I cannot answer why Fr. KTF has inserted the word “creatures” at this point. But as to Buddha-nature, a Buddhist will talk your ear off about Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is not a soul or spirit in any sense of the word. Zen Buddhism focuses on attaining enlightenment through meditation as Siddhartha Gautama (the historical Buddha) did. It teaches that all human beings have the Buddha-nature, or the potential to attain enlightenment, within them. As to all living creatures having Buddha-nature or the capacity to achieve enlightenment, I can only quote a rather famous Zen koan:

"Does a dog possess Buddha-nature or not?" Chao-chou replied with the one-word answer “Wu” (pronounced "mu" in Japanese) meaning literally "no" but in this context can be understood to indicate that the very question itself was in error.

KTF: There were also “The Three Collective Pure Precepts,” which I affirmed:

Striving to avoid the unwholesome, striving to do the wholesome, striving to benefit all living beings.

Finally, there was an affirmation of “The Ten Grave Prohibitory Precepts”:

Not taking life, not stealing, not indulging in sexual greed, not speaking falsehood, not indulging in intoxicants, not discussing the faults of others, not praising self or slandering others, not begrudging the bestowal of dharma [wisdom] on anyone

Question: The Dharma is not just generic wisdom; is it not the sacred doctrine of the Buddha and of Buddhism? Isn't Dharma transmission one function of a Roshi?

Answer: Dharma is not a “sacred” doctrine. The word Dharma has several meanings “truth” or “wisdom” and the teachings of the Buddha. The teachings of the Buddha are not sacred. He told his followers to be “a lamp unto themselves.” In other words to find their own way with their own lamps; i.e., minds! To test his words for themselves and not accept anything he said simply because he said it.

“Dharma transmission” is not some spiritual or mystical event it is simply the recognition by a teacher (“Roshi”) that his student has reached the point that he is considered to understand the teachings and is now authorized to teach the Dharma as that particular Roshi taught that student.

Having a lay ordination is as far from being a Roshi as attending Sunday school as an 8 year old is from being the Pope – no offense intended to Fr. KTF.

KTF cont.:

Not indulging in anger, not disparaging the Triple Treasure [the Buddha as a teacher, the wisdom, the community]

Question: Is this not a vow to refrain from critique of the way of the Buddha?

Answer: “Critique” and “disparage” are quite different terms. Disparage would be to “regard or represent as being of little worth.” If you are planning on committing to study and understand something to further your understanding of self and God, “disparaging” that which you plan to study won’t get you far. But “critique” is almost required to explore and understand Zen.

As I mentioned above, the Buddha encouraged his followers to not take anything as true just because he said it. And it is quite something in Buddhist monasteries all over the world to witness a “dharma combat” in which two people will argue, critique and debate the micro and macro points of Buddhist philosophy. So, Fr. KTF has simply stated that he will not disparage Zen, not that he won’t bring his critical powers of analysis to bear on it.

In Conclusion

Do not mistake the finger pointing at the moon, for the moon itself. –Zen Saying

Namaste.