Q. On a recent Sunday in L.A.’s Boyle Heights, which in decades past was a large Jewish enclave that has more recently become home to Latinos, the Mexican-American-Jewish family marked the 61st anniversary of Israeli statehood at “Fiesta Shalom.” How important is it for people to know not only their heritage but the roots of their religion and how does your church or temple encourage its faithful to do so?
THE REV. AMY PRINGLE: The Episcopal Church, descended from the Church of England, isn’t connected with a specific cultural or ethnic heritage — and would get into all sorts of PR difficulty touting “Anglo Pride Month” or whatever. So for us, it’s a question of religious roots; and that question, these days, is divided between our Anglican roots and our Christian roots.
In this “post-Christian era,” it’s clear to me and my colleagues that we will be teaching Christianity 101 for the rest of our lives. People have grown so far away from the church that even the most fundamental tenets of faith are no longer common knowledge. Many newcomers know virtually nothing; and clergy swap depressing stories about even longtime members of our churches, who say things like, “Gee, I never realized that Jesus was so important to Christianity.” Sigh.
