I'm so glad I was able to
watch Ronald Reagan's funeral last Friday. Of course, the former
President's death captured the nation's attention for a whole week—at least,
the media's attention. The day of his funeral was an official "national day
of mourning" and the service itself a national event on the world stage. For
me, the funeral was moving and stirring for many reasons, but early on I
became aware of one feeling in particular that I did not expect: I felt
intensely proud of my Episcopal Church. These days, with our very public
controversies embarrassing some of us, hurting others, and frustrating all
of us, it's good—and important—to get back in touch with that feeling.
I'm proud of the "National
Cathedral" and what the Episcopal Church gives to the nation through it. It
is an incredible edifice of unspeakable beauty and profound grandeur. Many
(most?) people are unaware that this is, in fact, an Episcopal cathedral
(its formal name is the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul). It is
the seat of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington who, in this
case, is also the cathedral's Dean. It is also the official seat of the
Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. But (contrary to the shameless
spirit of this article!) the cathedral staff and "PR" don't make much over
all of that. Indeed, they are very intentional about not doing so. With
major support from many resources outside of the Episcopal Church, it is a
gift of ministry to the nation, and that's what we want it to remain. As the
television coverage noted several times, that cathedral building brought
resources, function, and feeling to the funeral that no other building in
Washington, D.C. could have. Yes, I'm very proud of my Episcopal Church for
that.
I'm proud of the Episcopal
Church's unique tradition of liturgy and music that brought such beauty,
expressiveness, and dignity to the service. The Reagans themselves planned
the service in 1989, and they chose the burial office from the Book of
Common Prayer. Since Nancy Reagan is a lifelong Episcopalian (despite her
current attendance at a nearby Presbyterian church since their retirement to
Beverly Hills), and Reagan himself became a communicant with her when they
married, that seems an obvious choice. But there was more to it than that.
Mrs. Reagan said that although they wanted a simple service, she also felt a
strong responsibility for a broad, national scale in the proceedings. Our BCP provided the perfect balance (something else the media noted several
times). The liturgy allows for the necessary flexibility while preserving a
straightforward order and focus. The words are timeless and universal to
Christian experience. The sacred music represented something of the highest
artistic aspirations and offerings from the human spirit. Our Anglican
tradition easily joins ancient roots to modem needs and sensitivities. Yes,
I'm very proud of my Episcopal Church for that.
I'm proud of The Rev. John
C. Danforth, former U.S. Senator from Missouri and current nominee to be
Ambassador to the United Nations, who officiated at the service at the
Reagans' request Fr. Danforth was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1964 and,
with his ongoing practice of law, he has remained an active priest, serving
as an associate in parishes for all but three of the last forty years
(including all of his sixteen years as a Senator). His homily at the funeral
was magnificent. While acknowledging the special nature of a state occasion,
he didn't do the "politically correct" dance and downplay our Christian
witness in the name of pluralism. Neither did he play it safe and turn the
homily into yet another eulogy. Fr. Danforth preached the Church's faith.
Masterfully using the images of "light vs. darkness" found throughout
Scripture, he placed front-and-center the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and
what that means to Christian people in the face of disease and death. Even
so, this was done always with an open graciousness. The media wasn't much
interested in any of that but it was indicative of the very personality of
the Episcopal Church and illustrative of our witness to the Gospel. Yes, I'm
very proud of what our Episcopal Church has to offer. I dare say that you
won't find it just anywhere... if anyplace else.
Faithfully,
Shannon+
