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ladytetra777The fifth chapter in Plummer’s dissertation is an analysis of the independent movement’s theological underpinnings. He begins by stating that theological commentary is sometimes scant within the independent movement, given that (i) many independent clergy often lack formal theological education and (ii) many independent groups function like orthodox groups with minimal caveats such as rejecting papal infallibility. These reasons are compounded by the age of many independent groups that do not have a history like most mainstream Christian sects as many of them did not have a previous generation to draw on at Plummer’s time of writing. Despite this, theological themes and experiments do rise from many of these groups relating to the interplay of the church’s past and future, the embrace of the church, and the activity of a given congregation.
As discussed in previous chapters, the way an independent group positions itself in relation to history, ie, forgotten elements of worship to be revived vis-a-vis new elements of worship not yet tapped by the mainstream, plays into the present-day context of an independent movement’s theology. This is seen in the previous post with a group like the Ecclesia Gnostica Mysteriorum; to my knowledge, apocryphal gnostic texts are dated as older than practicing orthodox groups, yet the practices the EGM observed by Plummer do not come from a standard liturgical script. Old archetypes such as Mary Magdalene and the Black Madonna are revitalized by present-day practitioners. The same can be said of the Holy Order of Mans discussed in this chapter: Father Paul and his followers not only accept reincarnation, but look to Paul for proof as a reincarnation of the Biblical man. Reincarnation is not a standard tenet in any church I’ve attended, but the HOM uses it to restore the Apostolic College literally.
The space of a church remains a question both in mainstream orthodoxy and in the independent movement. “Who is allowed to belong?” is a question of permission in various spaces, and in Plummer’s field work, that answer may be limited or it may be limitless depending on the group. Origen’s teaching of Universalism, the idea that God saves all, has been a minority opinion in church groups documented here and frankly in ones that I have experienced. Yet, in the early 1910s, the Polish National Catholic Church preached this as doctrine in their sermons, beginning with Francis Hodur. Plummer’s experience with the Radical Faeries has another answer to the question of belonging as the Faeries are a primarily gay congregation, taking the standard liturgy into non-standard territory by incorporating environmentalist and pagan themes into their services.
Finally, Plummer discusses event-oriented theological themes as arising from sacrament. Anointing the sick, officiating a marriage, and consecrating clergy are among but not limited to events for consideration here, with some groups like St. Michael’s Liberal Catholic Church meeting infrequently, typically for the sacramental event, and other groups like the Friends Catholic Community Church expanding the traditional idea of sacrament to include techniques like reiki during the service proper. The work of these groups Plummer surveys feel less like a loose interpretation of standard liturgical proceedings and more like a revision of worship. Within the independent sacramental movement, elements of *who* is allowed to participate, *what* the participants will do, and from *when* the structure of service is organized are cast from time-tested tradition into a graceful freefall; these groups do not seek to destroy what has been previously established, but instead, their flexibility allows practice to grow in directions that may be unconsidered without the freedom of their independence.
Rereading this text for the purpose of this writing assignment has given me a deeper appreciation for Plummer’s writing style. The topics Plummer introduces are chosen in an order allowing them to cumulate, with each new chapter introducing information relevant to its preceding chapter. The text folds in on itself in such a way to reveal new threads, such as the PNCC being introduced as an older independent group in chapter three, now recontextualized as standing-by universalism in this chapter. The same can be said about the EGM discussed in the previous chapter on field work; Plummer’s firsthand account is one of healing and communal intimacy, but in this chapter, the focus on the EGM is seen as a fusion of early, non-canonical texts with practices that would be new to a mainstream church.
The next chapter is on leadership in the independent movement. Where Plummer has already discussed many of these figures by name, the nature of how their leadership differs from orthodoxy will be made center. For this chapter, Plummer sheds light on how the movement’s actions bring about new theological considerations, but he states that nothing sustained can be asserted at the time of writing. My take is that if current groups are legitimizing ideas as old as universalism, then time is the ingredient needed to see a wider recognition of independent theological contributions.
As discussed in previous chapters, the way an independent group positions itself in relation to history, ie, forgotten elements of worship to be revived vis-a-vis new elements of worship not yet tapped by the mainstream, plays into the present-day context of an independent movement’s theology. This is seen in the previous post with a group like the Ecclesia Gnostica Mysteriorum; to my knowledge, apocryphal gnostic texts are dated as older than practicing orthodox groups, yet the practices the EGM observed by Plummer do not come from a standard liturgical script. Old archetypes such as Mary Magdalene and the Black Madonna are revitalized by present-day practitioners. The same can be said of the Holy Order of Mans discussed in this chapter: Father Paul and his followers not only accept reincarnation, but look to Paul for proof as a reincarnation of the Biblical man. Reincarnation is not a standard tenet in any church I’ve attended, but the HOM uses it to restore the Apostolic College literally.
The space of a church remains a question both in mainstream orthodoxy and in the independent movement. “Who is allowed to belong?” is a question of permission in various spaces, and in Plummer’s field work, that answer may be limited or it may be limitless depending on the group. Origen’s teaching of Universalism, the idea that God saves all, has been a minority opinion in church groups documented here and frankly in ones that I have experienced. Yet, in the early 1910s, the Polish National Catholic Church preached this as doctrine in their sermons, beginning with Francis Hodur. Plummer’s experience with the Radical Faeries has another answer to the question of belonging as the Faeries are a primarily gay congregation, taking the standard liturgy into non-standard territory by incorporating environmentalist and pagan themes into their services.
Finally, Plummer discusses event-oriented theological themes as arising from sacrament. Anointing the sick, officiating a marriage, and consecrating clergy are among but not limited to events for consideration here, with some groups like St. Michael’s Liberal Catholic Church meeting infrequently, typically for the sacramental event, and other groups like the Friends Catholic Community Church expanding the traditional idea of sacrament to include techniques like reiki during the service proper. The work of these groups Plummer surveys feel less like a loose interpretation of standard liturgical proceedings and more like a revision of worship. Within the independent sacramental movement, elements of *who* is allowed to participate, *what* the participants will do, and from *when* the structure of service is organized are cast from time-tested tradition into a graceful freefall; these groups do not seek to destroy what has been previously established, but instead, their flexibility allows practice to grow in directions that may be unconsidered without the freedom of their independence.
Rereading this text for the purpose of this writing assignment has given me a deeper appreciation for Plummer’s writing style. The topics Plummer introduces are chosen in an order allowing them to cumulate, with each new chapter introducing information relevant to its preceding chapter. The text folds in on itself in such a way to reveal new threads, such as the PNCC being introduced as an older independent group in chapter three, now recontextualized as standing-by universalism in this chapter. The same can be said about the EGM discussed in the previous chapter on field work; Plummer’s firsthand account is one of healing and communal intimacy, but in this chapter, the focus on the EGM is seen as a fusion of early, non-canonical texts with practices that would be new to a mainstream church.
The next chapter is on leadership in the independent movement. Where Plummer has already discussed many of these figures by name, the nature of how their leadership differs from orthodoxy will be made center. For this chapter, Plummer sheds light on how the movement’s actions bring about new theological considerations, but he states that nothing sustained can be asserted at the time of writing. My take is that if current groups are legitimizing ideas as old as universalism, then time is the ingredient needed to see a wider recognition of independent theological contributions.
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