Wake up! Lent Madness is back for another full week of saintly, halo-busting action. We begin with the third matchup of the Saintly Sixteen, where we continue to encounter saintly Quirks and Quotes, as Methodius faces Albert Schweitzer. To get to this round, Methodius beat his brother Cyril in the Slavic Smackdown® while Schweitzer grilled Lawrence.
The winner of this battle will join Constance and Absalom Jones (who squeaked past Joseph on Friday 52% to 48%) in the Elate Eight.
We do hope everyone successfully made it through another weekend of Lent Madness Withdrawal (LMW). This is not an affliction to joke about as many of the Lent Madness faithful have suffered deep emotional scars from the lack of voting for 48 hours. The Supreme Executive Committee keeps a slew of Lent Madness chaplains on call 24 hours a day over the weekends of Lent. We have the number around here somewhere...
Methodius
Saint Methodius – patron saint of all of Europe, not too shabby – is often best known for being paired with his little brother, Cyril. Together they took the Gospel into the Slavic regions of Europe, helping the people to experience word and sacrament in their native languages.
This would be enough for some, but not for Methodius.
Methodius’ ministry without his brother was also filled with excitement and passion for a church that changes and adapts to new languages and cultures.
Following Cyril’s death, Pope Adrian II appointed Methodius as Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia. Suffice it to say that the German bishops in the area were not fans.
Archbishop Methodius stood as an advocate for inculturation: the idea that “every people must integrate the message revealed into its own culture and express its saving truth in its own language” (Pope Benedict XVI). He continued to invite the people to worship and experience Scripture in their own language and culture. Those who opposed him believed that the Latin language and mindset (“the way we’ve always done it”) was the only way to experience the Gospel.
Methodius was imprisoned for two and a half years following an ecclesial trial in the presence of King Louis of Bavaria. Eventually, a legate from Pope John VIII settled the issue, declaring the legitimacy of Methodius’ appointment as Archbishop.
After Methodius’ death, his successor (who had served as his coadjutor) exiled all Methodius’ disciples – those who advocated the use of the vernacular for Scripture and liturgy. But the work Methodius had done in his life – his continued advocacy for a culturally and linguistically literate church – could not be stopped.
As Metropolitan Kallistos Ware observed, “Few events have been so important in the missionary history of the Church” as the missionary work of Methodius (both with and without his brother). The fruits of Methodius’ ministry can be seen to this day not only in the churches which continue to worship in Slavic, but in all churches who seek ways to speak the Good News in new and changing cultures.
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer was 19-years-old studying theology at Strasbourg when he had an epiphany. He was reading Matthew 10 in Greek. As Jesus sends out and receives the disciples, he tells them, “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.” Schweitzer understood these words to be a call on his life as well.
He would later write, "You must give some time to your neighbors. Even if it's a little thing, do something for those who have need of a another’s help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it." 11 years later, as a medical doctor, he would move with his family to Lambaréné in French Equatorial Africa (modern Gabon) and begin to live out that commission.
While in Africa, and while Albert Einstein was working on a scientific explanation that would explain and link together all physical aspects of the universe, Schweitzer was developing an all-encompassing moral theory that he called “Reverence for Life.” He wrote of this ethic, “It is good to maintain and further life; it is bad to damage and destroy life. And this ethic, profound, universal, has the significance of a religion. It is religion."
In many ways this ethic was way ahead of its time. Schweitzer was not only concerned with human life but with all life. He wrote, "People are ethical only when life, as such, is sacred to them, that of plants and animals as that of their fellow human beings, and when they devote themselves helpfully to all life that is in need of help." Elsewhere he said, “Until people extend their circle of compassion to include all living things, they will not themselves find peace.”
This reverence for life was not just a theory. It was also lived out. His obituary in The New York Times reported, “Lambarene was suffused with Reverence for Life to what some critics thought was an exaggerated degree. Mosquitoes were not swatted, nor pests and insects doused with chemicals; they were left alone, and humans put up with them. Indeed, building was often brought to a halt lest nests of ants be killed or disturbed.”
Later in his life, Schweitzer would devote himself to working against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. He would write numerous letters to presidents and other world leaders imploring them to give up the quest for bigger and more powerful weapons. His Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in part for this work
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129 comments on “Methodius vs. Albert Schweitzer”
Very sketchy bio of Schweitzer. While reverence for all creatures was a cornerstone of his belief, he was first a medical missionary, bringing care to those who would otherwise have suffered. And, has no one heard of mosquito netting? His contributions to music, particularly his renderings of Bach were unforgetable. I agree the choice is difficult, bu t so are many in this round- The next one will be even more so.
A vote for Albert in honor of my soft-hearted husband who bought a contraption to "catch and release" flies! Fortunately, we live in the Rocky Mountains and only have flies in the summer.
I vote for Methodius. He and Cyril carried on the tradition of Paul, to reach out to the other, to preach God's word to people who were different. I also commend his respect of other cultures. Sometimes, it is thru culture that one makes the connection to another.
I also voted for Methodius. As Anchorage ABC points out, he and his brother carried on the Pauline tradition of reaching out to people who did not know God's word. In serving as a missionary to the Slavs, Methodius and Cyril brought the gospel to much of Europe. Their respect for other cultures is an example for the Church today. As several people have pointed out, the issue of how people of many cultures join together as one Church is one that many denominations, including the Anglican Communion, are struggling with today. As valuable as Schweitzer's contributions to medicine are, my vote had to go to the missionary to the Slavs.
As my Vestry prepares for our retreat to discuss mission, Schweitzer's quote, “You must give some time to your neighbors. Even if it’s a little thing, do something for those who have need of a another’s help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.” spoke to me even though he got a little carried away with mosquito and ant salvation.
Schweitzer was a very good man, but for saintly spreading the word of God, Saintly patience in confronting the evil of ignorance, whose influence continues to inspire, Methodius deserves the halo.
Methodius today. I do so enjoy the privilege of liturgy in my native language. I was with Schweitzer up until the part about countenancing icky bugs indoors. I'm happy to leave them be out in nature, but when they cross my threshold the rules change. It may be a moral failing in me and I own that... but no icky bugs. Full stop.
After much wrestling I voted for Methodius. He was ahead of his time in recognising the importance of worshiping in one's native tongue. i was also swayed by his patronage of Europe which seems in great need of prayer at the moment, and as an acknowledgment that we are better together with all our differences.
By a fairly wide margin, the Lower School students of St Mark's Cathedral School voted for Schweitzer, so in fulfillment of the promise made during today's homily, I cast my vote accordingly!
I really admired Methodius and his work on getting the Gospel to people in their own language was and is critical but Albert was so much ahead of his time with his reverence for ALL life that I just had to go with him. These decisions are getting tougher and tougher.
I have to go with Methodius today, too. As a word person, I am often frustrated by the way we repeat creeds without considering new ways of saying them that might crack open our understanding -- or someone else's. (And I do understand the link to the past, but ... )
Hooray for someone who understood the power of language way before the Internet!
The expression of the creeds was updated in the '70s. Otherwise we'd still be reciting about "the quick and the dead!" 😉
"Quick" is a lovely word. If you look it up in the Oxford English Dictionary, you find it goes back to Old English, thence straight into German. ("Thence" is great too!) The translation of Boethius (into what was going to become English) uses it. One of Ezra Pound's most beautiful lines, from Hugh Selwyn Mauberley, is a lament for the WWI dead: "Quick eyes gone under earth's lid." I like the idea, drawn from these discussions here in LM recently, with respect to Helena's building campaigns in the Near East, of cultural syncretism: building adaptive structures on top of older sites. The meaning of the sites builds in layers. Same with language: some of these "vintage"/"ancestral" words are too beautiful to lose. Just as Sarai became Sarah, perhaps we could adapt older language to newer uses and "crack open our understanding" by way of creative repurposing of traditional words, rhythms, and expressions. Thank you for reminding me of that lovely phrase.
A tough choice. In the end, I voted for Methodius, because his theology of inculturation paved the way for Schweitzer's ethic of life. Having faith in the gospel to root itself in a human culture and blossom according to the needs of that culture is the very essence of ethical missionary outreach.
I won my bracket (filled out some days ago) but I still voted for Methodius. Inclusion may be a cliche to some, but it matters so very much.
Years ago... on a mission trip to Haiti, I was told our organization had run afoul of the authorities for handing out Bibles written in Kreyol. The official language of Haiti is French. But the poor, the marginalized, the uneducated masses we were serving spoke Kreyol not French. At the time, I thought it was ridiculous ... it seems basic commonsense to speak to people in a language they can understand. I still have one of those Kreyol Bibles ... it's as useless to me as one written in Latin would be since I don't speak either language. Thankfully,a lot of people fought and died for my right to worship in English. We forget what a big thing it once was to even suggest doing something differently. Thanks Methodius.
I voted for Methodius as I just can't get with Albert's Jainistic beliefs. Mosquitoes bring malaria. They should be swatted. Also, I love Methodius's commitment to inculturation.
"To life, to life, l'chaim!" Voted for Albert, a genuine pro-life advocate!
Methodius all the way. To be able to understand the words brings the gospel "home."
Not even a mention of "Quest for the historical Jesus" in the bio? Albert is a hero to be because he was a clear eyed critic of received wisdom, who asked hard questions with a keen skeptical eye. Then gave his life to Jesus in service to others. Beautiful example of how one seeks truth in faith.
Just because Schweitzer let skeeters and ants live doesn't mean I must do likewise especially since I spray and/or squash every one of them as soon as I see or hear them swarming anywhere near me. He gave up a lot of $$$ and prestige among his peers and the world of scientific experiments to go and live and treat/heal people who had little, if anything, to combat life-threatening diseases. He was also a brilliant musician along with other talents, all freely given for the Glory of God and for the people of God.
I noticed there was no mention of Albert's musical abilities. Sometimes musicians are viewed as being so focused on their art that they neglect others. He was a man who used his many talents for the greater good. Enough of this talk about mosquitoes!
St. Methodius all the way. Patron Saint of Europe who helped people experience the Word and Sacrament in their native languages. He was a trail-blazer who I bet squashed some skeeters!
Thanks be to God for all we owe both of these saints! For the theology, the musicology, the performance on the organ (one of the most difficult instruments to master, and the only one involving hands, feet, most of the body!), the medicine, the response to God's call to bring modern medical care to those who did not have it, even the foresight and willingness to make for himself the cross that marks his grave, I vote for Albert Schweitzer.
Give some time to your neighbors. Wins by vote today. What need is going unmet in your neighborhood?
If only all the leaders would have honored Schweitzer's pleas for nonproliferation we might be living in a safer world.
Having been to the Czech Republic last autumn, learning about the Moravian & Bohemian commitment to culturally-expressed faith & freedom, I've got to vote for the old guy this time around, Methodius.
We would be reading this in Latin if it wasn't for Methodius. They are both worthy men though.
I had a REALLY hard time deciding, but as a language teacher, I felt pulled to Methodius and his translation work. Also, sorry Albert, but I kill bugs all the time (how else can am I supposed to get good tomatoes from my garden?). FUN FACT, the image for Albert today is from a stained glass window in my school's chapel!!
Go through your tomatoes and pick out each bug by hand and feed it to your frog.
I'm a long-time fan of Methodius and his brother, but had to vote for Al, who devoted so much of his life and energy to helping people.
Methodius--making it possible for people to read Scripture and worship in their own language and making way for including one's own culture and cultural references in worship.
Albert--giving his life to healing the poor, re-introducing the grand music of J.S. Bach, and looking at Jesus as a human being in a historical setting.
I'm gonna have to think some more on this one. And having both CBs with the same name as one of my sons doesn't help at all!
"It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God and the custom of the primitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church, or to minister the sacraments in a tongue not understanded of the people." Thus Article XXIV of the Anglican Thirty-nine Articles. (My search for a copiable-pastable text led me to Scott Gunn's 2011 Lenten series on the Articles, to which I intend to return.)
Methodius's battle fur the vernacular has been alternately lost and won in most of the Christian communions, it seems. Our Episcopal history and ongoing struggle over Rites I and II are one of its several manifestations in our own communion. For many of us, especially those whose training and education allow us to understand Tudor English with relative immediacy, the loss of the old words and phrases is painful.
But the Gospel and our duty to proclaim it are directed first at those least able to understand archaic language, much less to feel it in their hearts. And even those of us who pride ourselves on our grasp and appreciation of the archaic must, I think, confess that the language we ourselves speak and write reaches us with the greatest force.
Honor to Methodius, and to all who followed him including the writers of Article XXIV, for recognizing that central fact of human cognition, and for persisting to uphold it.
Mmmmm.....Kindly replace the last sentence with,
"Honor to Methodius, and to all who followed him including the writers of the Articles and the 1979 Prayer Book in all their imperfection, for recognizing that central cognitive fact, and for their persistent obedience to the call to preach the Gospel to every creature."
Or, if you don't find it an improvement, don't. What I have written I have written.
Your writing is nurture for both the quick and the dead. 🙂
Very well said, Davis.
Right On, Donna!!
While I have much appreciation for Schweitzers contributions
I voted for Methodius❤️
I think his contribution was more 'Saintly'
i loved Methodius' concept that religion in your own language feeds faith in His language. Altho Albert is no light-weight!