Episcopal Bishop of Missouri Prohibits Seder Meals

[47of74]

Bishop Johnson has banned the celebration of Seder Meals this week in Episcopal Communities in the Diocese of Missouri. 

Quote

In our own time, the proliferation of Christian Seders on Maundy Thursday has taken root in parts of Christianity. These recastings of the Jewish Seder seek to connect Jesus’ crucifixion to the fulfilling of the Hebrew Scriptures prophesies surrounding God’s covenanted people. These Christian Seders cast Jesus not only as the messianic paschal lamb but seek to replace or supersede Judaism’s covenant with God. Christians celebrating their own Haggadah outside of Jewish practice is deeply problematic and is supersessionism in its theological view. Christian communities hosting Seders is additionally problematic because it contributes to the objectification of our Jewish neighbors.

As we approach Holy Week, and the retelling and reenacting of the stories of our salvation, rooted in deeply Christian practice and theology, it is incompatible with our faith in Jesus Christ and teachings of the Episcopal Church to host Christian Seders. Therefore, within the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, hosting, holding, or celebrating Christian Seders is expressly forbidden as unauthorized liturgical expressions of our faith.

It's always come off to me as something of cultural appropriation for Christians to celebrate Seder Meals.  Especially fundies who use it to claim they're not anti-Semitic because they have these meals.  I remember seeing some episcopal leaders doing them which was a bit cringe worthy but I always thought their hearts were in the right place and there were larger - namely Republican - fish to fry.

[hoipolloi]

36 minutes ago, 47of74 said:

It's always come off to me as something of cultural appropriation for Christians to celebrate Seder Meals. 

Totally. There are few fundies more deserving of snark than the fake Jews. The Bishopʻs action is good.

[KWLand]

Good for him.  Not that any of them probably hold a legitimate Seder, but at least he’s putting a stop to the charade.

now if the fundies would stop. 

[Cheetah]

3 hours ago, 47of74 said:

Bishop Johnson has banned the celebration of Seder Meals this week in Episcopal Communities in the Diocese of Missouri. 

It's always come off to me as something of cultural appropriation for Christians to celebrate Seder Meals.  Especially fundies who use it to claim they're not anti-Semitic because they have these meals.  I remember seeing some episcopal leaders doing them which was a bit cringe worthy but I always thought their hearts were in the right place and there were larger - namely Republican - fish to fry.

Good!  I'll admit that our church used to do them for a few years but that stopped maybe 10 or 15 years ago and we are all aware of why it's problematic now.  

[47of74]

19 hours ago, Cheetah said:

Good!  I'll admit that our church used to do them for a few years but that stopped maybe 10 or 15 years ago and we are all aware of why it's problematic now.  

Yeah, some communities in the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa used to do them with even the Bishop participating in them.  About 10 years ago or so.  I don't believe he's done any lately and I don't see anyone the Iowa or Minnesota dioceses doing them now - I think both dioceses realized how problematic it is to do them.