It's here, it's here! No, not the final battle of the First Round -- though that's an important milestone in Lent Madness 2015. But the matchup everyone's been talking about (or at least Tim and Scott) since the inception of the bracket: Barbie vs. Ken! The 3rd century saint vs. the 17th century English bishop and hymn writer. The winner will face Egeria and the matchups for the Saintly Sixteen will be complete. View the complete (and updated daily) bracket here.
Yesterday, South African missionary and martyr Bernard Mizecki was able to accomplish something that a dragon could not: vanquish Margaret of Antioch. With a 57% to 43% margin of victory, Bernard advances to the Saintly Sixteeen where he will square off against Jackson Kemper.
Enjoy this last matchup of the Round of 32 and gird your loins for tomorrow's start of the Saintly Sixteen as Brendan the Navigator faces Thecla.
Barbara
Barbara is one of the fourteen Auxiliary Saints. Her story is difficult to reconstruct due to inconsistencies and obvious embellishments. She maintains her place on the Roman Catholic and Anglican lists of saints.
Barbara was born in the third century in either Heliopolis in Syria (or possibly in modern-day Egypt) or Nicomedia in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) to a wealthy pagan family. After the death of Barbara’s mother, her father was worried for her safety so he built a large tower to protect her and her virginity.
A traveling physician introduced Barbara to Christianity during one of her father’s extended absences. She believed the message and was baptized. While her father was away, she hired workmen to construct a third window in her tower to represent the Trinity. She also used her finger to etch a cross upon the wall. Upon her father’s return, Barbara explained the significance of the windows and told him of her newfound faith. Her father (in a rage) intended to give her over to the authorities, but she was miraculously whisked away to a mountain gorge. Her father pursued her and found a shepherd who refused to reveal her whereabouts. He eventually encountered another shepherd who betrayed her hiding place.
Her abuse at the hands of her father and the authorities was marked by many miraculous happenings. She was tortured mercilessly but every night her wounds healed while she was in her cell. The torches that were intended to burn her were miraculously extinguished before they could touch her flesh. At last she was dragged out naked to be paraded around the town with another martyr, Juliana. An angel was sent to cover their nakedness.
She was finally condemned to be beheaded. Her father requested that he be the one to strike the blow. On his way home after committing the dastardly deed, he was struck dead by a bolt of lightning. Because Barbara is associated with lightning, she has become the patron saint of firefighters, soldiers, and gunsmiths.
Collect for Barbara
Almighty God, by whose grace and power your holy martyr Saint Barbara triumphed over suffering and was faithful even to death: Grant us, who now remember her in thanksgiving, to be so faithful in our witness to you in this world, that we may receive with her the crown of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-- David Creech
Thomas Ken
Born in 1637 and ordained in 1661, Thomas Ken was a bishop, hymn writer, author, royal chaplain to Charles II of England, and one of seven bishops who (in 1688) opposed James II’s Declaration of Indulgence, which was designed to promote Roman Catholicism.
In 1663 Ken became rector of Little Easton, Essex, then rector of East Woodhay, Hampshire, and presbyter of Winchester in 1669. He published A Manual of Prayers for use at Winchester College in 1674.
Perhaps no story sums up the moxie of Thomas Ken as Royal Chaplain more than an exchange he had with King Charles II. Ken was asked by the king to cover up an indelicate matter. Charles requested that his consort (Nell Gwyn) be allowed to lodge with the chaplain so as to cover the king’s indiscretions. Rather than assent, Ken replied that it was “not suitable that the Royal Chaplain should double as the Royal Pimp.” King Charles admired Ken’s forthrightness. Later, when the See of Bath and Wells came open, Charles insisted Ken be elevated to the episcopal throne, saying, “None shall have it but that little man who refused lodging to poor Nellie!”
Ken was a famed preacher and even royalty begged for seats when he was preaching. His force of character and faith caused him great difficulty when King James II ascended the throne. He was one of several bishops imprisoned in the Tower of London for refusing to sign the Declaration of Indulgence. He was later acquitted.
Despite this, Ken remained loyal to James through the so-called Glorious Revolution of William of Orange and his consort Mary. William and Mary demanded oaths of allegiance from all bishops. Thomas Ken and others (known as the Non-Jurors — the older meaning of “juror” is “one who takes an oath,” hence “perjurer” as “one who swears falsely”) refused to take the oath. This loyalty cost Ken his episcopacy. He was deprived of his See in 1691 and spent the subsequent twenty years of his life in retirement. Ken’s legacy remains strong and is given voice throughout churches all over the world when they sing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow,” which Ken wrote as a setting for the Doxology.
Collect for Thomas Ken
Almighty God, you gave your servant Thomas Ken grace and courage to bear witness to the truth before rulers and kings: Give us strength also that, following his example, we may constantly defend what is right, boldly reprove what is evil, and patiently suffer for the truth’s sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Vote!
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238 comments on “Barbara vs. Thomas Ken”
I must vote for Barbara as the patron saint of artillerymen. As a supporter of the Henry Knox Museum, I have come to hold The Order of Saint Barbara in high esteem. Early canons were unreliable, and it is believed that she protected many men from the lightning flash that took her evil father. For Marines and Army artillerymen, she is the one "from whom all blessings flow"...albeit indirectly, of course.
I've known some modern canons (to the ordinary) who were unreliable, too.
It's hard to vote against a man who refused to the "Royal Pimp," but on behalf of daughters with lousy fathers in every generation, I have cast my vote for Barbara. Besides, "dastardly deed" is just so evocative!
The Doxology has been a main stay for me lo these many years. This, again, was a tough choice. My heart goes out to Barbara for the abuse she suffered from father and the devil. But Ken's speaking truth to power is impressive and lacking so often in today's church.
I just had to choose Barbara. She is the Saint from whom I chose my Confirmation Name many, many, many years ago!
Whoa, no! William & Mary won't do . . .
Well I did not think that girl could be so cruel!
Barbie's my girl. What a story! I cast my vote for her in loving memory of my own dear, sweet father who never in a million, trillion years would have laid an angry hand on me. He was a courtly, Southern gentleman and always did the right thing for his family. I am truly blessed. Poor Barbara on the other hand. That wretched, backstabbing father of hers certainly got what he deserved.
While in Israel a few years ago, we met a Christian Palestinian who told us that if his daughter married a non-Christian, he would kill her - we could not believe what we had heard and he repeated that he would kill her as she had no future outside of Christianity - this occured in the 21st century! Barbara's courage and strength of purpose are impressive in holding firm against an irate father, who also had his committed pagan mind. There are Christians in parts of the world holding out today against turning and are being threatened, tortured, assaulted, imprisoned and beheaded. May Barbara's spirit inspire them! My prayers and thoughts are with these brave beleagered Christians - that they be allowed to live in peace with their religious beliefs - my vote is with Barbara!
Even though I had a deprived childhood (no Barbie or Ken), I was moved to vote for Barbara as I recalled this simple video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG62zay3kck&feature=youtube_gdata_player.
Besides we are heading into Laetare Sunday - gotta lighten up a bit!
I don't speaken the Deutsch, but I got the gist of it! Too funny!! (I did look up "prost," and now I have a new word to use in traffic!)
Agreed brilliant.... Laughed and laughed!
Thomas Ken contributes concretely to worship every Sunday. Couldn't really pass on voting for him this round.
The words in the collect," we may constantly defend what is right, boldly reprove what is evil," sold me on Ken!
I throw my support behind Barbie. I love her Rapunzel like story, and her father seems incredibly cruel. Ken was obviously a stalwart and true individual, but I want a little magic in my life, so this time I vote for that!
Well, it looks like I once again go with the winner, despite my sympathy for underdogs. Ken recommends himself on two counts. (1) Anybody who can tell monarchs--first Charles II and then Bill & Mary--where to get off, has my support. (2) Again, my vote as a musician goes to a hymnodist, whose famous Doxology is tacked on as a last verse to three of his hymns in Hymnal 1982.
As the daughter of a World War II artilleryman and mother of a former firefighter, Barbie gets my vote!
The story line about virgin daughters locked in towers, secret catechism sessions, turning to Christianity, and being tourtured to death must be prerequisite for women to be elevated to sainthood. I was going to ask where you found them all, then remembered you are working from the list of saints. I already voted for that group of saints so will vote for the little man who would not pimp....and refrain from making any comments about possible motives for his refusal. Was that a passive, snide remark?
This one was really difficult. I love Ken's moxie, and certainly love the Doxology, but Barbara, oh, Barbara, it does not get much better than abusive dad getting smote by lightening. Barbara is also the Catholic equivalent to the male Chango (Yoruba diety) in Cuban Santeria. After much consideration, my vote goes to the underdog today, for an uppity woman who has had an even more interesting afterlife than she could have possibly imagined.
I would vote for Theclabara
Can't help but wonder how hard ya'll had to work to come up with Barbie vs Ken. Love it!
If someone is going to get sacked for the sake of the Gospel, the circumstances need to be a little more "normal." I voted for Thomas Ken. And anyone who writes hymns only strengthens the vote.
How can I not vote for Ken when my eldest son and Grandfather are (were) named Ken?
Maybe in future Lent Madnesses (and may there be many more -- this is the first year I have been aware of it!) there can be match-ups head-to-head of some of the less historical saints. We could have had Margaret of Antioch vs Barbara, for example. Then the folks who don't like those early stories would have to pick one or the other, rather than just voting for somebody more recent. Just a suggestion. I'm looking forward to the Saintly Sixteen round.
I agree, KLF!
I'm not voting for someone who's more recent, I'm voting for someone who's more real/probable/believable that I might emulate which is what I thought the idea of Saints was supposed to be. I love fairy tales and tall tales and folklore but ye gods and little fishes! Theclabara for me all the way!
Would Forward like to collect all the Collects in a collection? I am always moved by the strength of their prayerful conviction and the beauty of their language.
Ken probably didn't want to be tempted by Nell. Also, Susanna Wesley (the mother of John and Charles, last year's golden halo winner), was a non-juror.
No, Susanna W. was never a non-juror. Her father was a Puritan preacher, but as a teenager she left his church for the C of E, and remained a member for life. The non-jurors were dissenters, but quite different in both their beliefs and their raison d'etre from the Puritans.
I agree that today's, again, was not quite an even match-up. A woman of faith tortured by a man long enough ago that proofs of her life are lacking vs. a man in more current times who has documented accomplishments. This has happened a few times during this season. I would have liked to have seen more even match-ups at least for the first round -- really like when the voting brings up a 59 vs. 41 instead of a 70 vs. 30.
in honor of women everywhere who stand firm in their faiths, no matter in situations of great oppression and danger, I cast my vote today for Barbara.
I surprised myself when voting for Ken, but Barbie is just too much a 'fairy-tale princess' saint for me.
Although I picked Ken in my bracket, I had to vote for Barbara, having served on the USS Santa Barbara for two years during my Navy enlistment.
Why am I not surprised Ken leads? The second sentence of Barbara's biography used the words inconsistencies and obvious embellishments. Please let me form my own opinion.
Yeah, when I read that I thought, well just throw her under the bus then!
Agreed!! We keep throwing out the women mystics in favor of the latter day church administrators. Not fair!
Margaret. Barbara. Fourteen Auxiliary Saints. Oh, what I missed growing up in the 1950s and 60s Congregational Church.
The "Royal Pimp" almost got me, but I graduated from Santa Barbara High, so Barbie gets my vote.
I have to vote for Barbara for several reasons. We were at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma where they train the artillery. she was their patron saint and St. Barbara's day was celebrated by officers and enlisted men with great festivities. Our daughter was baptized that day and it was really a special occasion. Of course the RC church dumped her in 1959 for lack of evidence but no matter, we celebrated anyway. Also, she is held in high regard by sailors because of her connection with lightening. You don't really want to be at sea when there is a lot of lightening. Hence, call on Barbara.