WP: Episcopalians Weigh Sainthood for Thurgood Marshall

[DeepModem Mom]

Episcopalians Weigh Sainthood for Marshall
Delegates at Diocese's Convention to Vote on Initiating Process to Honor Former Justice
By Caryle Murphy
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2006; Page B09


When Thurgood Marshall died 13 years ago this week, he left behind a life of historic accomplishments: Intrepid warrior against Jim Crow. Architect of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education desegregation case. First black Supreme Court justice.

Now, some of Marshall's fellow Episcopalians are saying that the spiritual hallmark of his life -- his Christian commitment to racial justice -- qualifies him for special recognition. They think the Episcopal Church should name him a saint.

Delegates to the annual convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington will vote today on the proposal, the first step in a long process. If Marshall is added to the church's roster of saints, May 17 -- the date of the 1954 Supreme Court ruling that segregated schools are unconstitutional -- would be observed as Marshall Feast Day.

Church officials say they expect the 300 or so delegates to approve the resolution, which was drawn up by members of St. Augustine's Church in Southwest Washington, where Marshall worshiped....

***

When it comes to sainthood, Episcopalians follow a looser procedure than the Roman Catholic Church, which conducts a rigorous investigation into the life of any saint-to-be and requires proof that he or she performed at least two miracles. Candidates for Episcopal sainthood should be figures who displayed traits such as "heroic faith," "joyousness" and "service to others for Christ's sake," according to church guidelines....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/26/AR2006012602084.html

[AngryAmish]

1. ...and I heard two of them were card tricks.

[flordehinojos]

2. i agree, he deserves it ,and while they are at it .maybe thurgood marshall

from his sainted place in heaven can send us a few good people, like himself, to sit on the scotu.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Amen! nt

[1932]

4. Heroic faith -- yes, indeed.

Marshall was a great judge. He was also a great lawyer. I love the footage of him representing clients for the NAACP that, I believe, is is in Eyes on the Prize.

[Vidar]

5. Has my vote, think I'm still a member.

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. What is sainthood in the Anglican/Episcopal church

The Catholic and the many Orthodox churches hold that a saint is someone who, by virtue of a holy life, has become an intercessor (meaning you can pray to the saint, who will then plead your case before God) and an intermediary of God's grace and power (meaning that the saint can perform miracles.) Because a saint is effectively part of the Church's pantheon, a very rigorous investigation is conducted in to the saint's "cause", which can take centuries.

In the Episcopal Church, and in the Anglican communion as a whole, a saint is someone who has lived an "exemplary life" and who is considered worthy of emulation. Among the saints of the Episcopal Church are:
- Absalom Jones (first black person ordained to the Episcopal priesthood, Feb. 13)
- Martin Luther (Feb. 18)
- John and Charles Wesley (founders of the Methodist Church, March 3)
- Martin Luther King, Jr. (April 4)
- Evelyn Underhill (writer and theologian, June 15)
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Amelia Bloomer, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Ross Tubman (July 20)
- Florence Nightingale (Aug. 12)
- Thomas Gaulladet (founder of the first deaf university, Aug. 27)
- C. S. Lewis (Nov. 22; "trial" listing on calendar, meaning he is unofficially on the calendar)
- King Kamehameha and Queen Emma of the Kingdom of Hawaii (Nov. 28)

A full listing can be found at http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Calendar.htm

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Thanks, TBS!

[patcox2]

8. Technically, all who go to heaven are saints

It is, after all, the communion of the saints.
Those who are declared "saints" by us on earth are just the ones where its so obvious we assume we know god's judgment. kinda presumptuous, I think.

[TechBear_Seattle]

9. Again, in the Anglican communion...

A saint is someone who has lived a life that exemplifies Christian values and virtues. The idea behind the commemorations is to provide role models, not celebrate their (presumed) presence in Heaven.

[patcox2]

15. This is from the catechism

Q. What is the communion of saints?
A. The communion of saints is the whole family of God, the living and the dead, those whom we love and those whom we hurt, bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer, and praise.

[TechBear_Seattle]

17. There are saints, and there are saints

:wtf:

All true believers are saints. But the men and women that are put on the Calendar are those who have moved to the head of the class, so to speak. Or as a co-worker put it when we talked about it today: they are the trustees of the asylum.

[On the Road]

10. That is Fascinating -- I Had No Idea

all these people were saints.

"Saint Martin" could be either Luther or Luther King.

And would it be "Saint Lewis" or "Saint C"?

:smoke:

[JVS]

12. I'm sure that C stood for some kind of name in Lewis' case

In which case he would be Saint C_______

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. Lol!

Technically, the title "saint" is reserved for biblical figures found in the New Testament. Generally, it is also used to conform with tradition, thus Saint Aelred, or when the title is used by other communions, as with Saint Louis. It is generally omitted when referring to saints that are uniquely Anglican, thus Hugh Latimer (a protestant bishop martyred by Queen Mary) rather than Saint Hugh. Thus, prayers refering to Martin rather than Saint Martin :)

As for C. S. Lewis, the link on the Calendar of Saints I linked above shows that his full name was Clive Staples Lewis. Saint Clive... I think not.

[xchrom]

11. i love it -- very cool.

sometimes my church really rocks.

then there's other times.

[nmliberal]

14. I love it!

I alternate between the AME (African Methodist Episcopal) church, UU, Society of Friends (Quakers) and the Episcopal church I grew up in.

[On the Road]

16. Thurgood Marshall is Joining Benedict Arnold

on the list of Anglican saints. (Just remembered that.)

[TechBear_Seattle]

18. Benedict Arnold is not on the PECUSA calendar

Every national church in the Anglican Communion has their own calendar of commemorations. I know for certain he isn't on the American one, and I remember that he was removed from the British one some years ago; I know he isn't on the official list.