Una selva oscura

"Midway through the journey of this life I found myself lost in a dark wood."

With these words Dante begins his harrowing journey through Inferno and on through Purgatorio until he came at last to the beatific vision offered to those who are seated in the Mystic Rose. I find myself in "una selva oscura" that is the current state of the Episcopal Church. I am most likely more than midway through the journey of my own life, but not too far from the midpoint of my vocation as a presbyter of the church.

The choice of the title for the blog refers in the first sense that as conflict and confusion seems to embroil the church I am experiencing a feeling akin to the feeling that Dante had. I feel disoriented and lost. But I also live in hope that just as the Pilgim of the Divine Comedy was led through the thicket into the love and clarity of the vision of God, so I must begin in hope that I shall not remain forever in the dark wood.

This blog will not be, however, my attempt to set the woes of ECUSA in epic poerty. In fact, I expect that if I keep this up it will be rather less than poetic. Just my thoughts on what is going on around me and my attempt to understand it.