The Assumption of Mary Meets the Progressive Emerging Church
SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION – AUGUST 19, 2012 St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Phoenix , Arizona Sermon preached by David Justin Lynch, Esquire Magnificat in place of the Gloria. Collect: 1979 BCP, Page 34. OT: Wisdom 7:21-30; Psalm: 9:9-14; NT: Acts 1:6-12; Gospel: John 19:25-27 + In the name of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, AMEN. The traditional doctrine of the Assumption for Western Christians has Mary, the Mother of Jesus, rising up into the sky instead of dying. ^ Eastern Christians have Her falling asleep – they call it Her Dormition. They leave what happened to Mary next as a mystery. Scripture doesn’t say anything about what finally happened to Mary, except to say Jesus told the beloved disciple John to take care of her. I look at that scene in today’s Gospel as Jesus giving Mary to us as His parting gift to the Church, as he said, “behold, your Mother.” The Feast of the Assumption makes us look at two important questions: “Where is Heaven?” and “What