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May 27, 2005
Clowns. Jugglers for Jesus. "Low" Mass?
I'm usually pleased to say that Hobart College has a special relationship with Trinity Church, Wall Street; Bishop Hobart was the rector of Trinity Church, and the support of the Trinity Vestry was very helpful many times in the first 40 years (at least) of the College. From my professional point of view I enjoy the connection because it's one of the most significant Gothic revival churches in America (there are almost no photographs of the building on their own site, so I link to Wikipedia), designed by Richard Upjohn. Hobart and Geneva have a long relationship with the Upjohn family, too (at least 5 credited buildings in town, and the firm did work for us as late as World War II).
This week I'm distracted from all that by their clown ministry. There's the Clown Worship on Trinity Sunday Then I go to their own site and see the photo set of Bom Bean, the Parish Clown. A Clown-in-Residence? On Wall Street? How - umm - pastoral. He's the celebrant at the Clown Eucharist.
The saddest thing is the solemnity on the faces of most of the celebrants. I mean, if you're going to wear a pair of horns to the altar you should at least look like you're enjoying it. And if you don't enjoy it, why not stick to the fancy get-up that I can only imagine one of the richest Episcopal parishes in America must own.
Oh, and let's not justify this with the Juggler of Nôtre-Dame -- he did his act at night and (he thought) alone. Someone was watching, but he wasn't performing at the Mass. Not a precedent. Besides the fact that the "Juggler of Nôtre-Dame" is a nineteenth century short story. I'm not aware of a medieval source.
I guess I don't mind a clown ministry per se, though if a pastor dressed as a clown ever comes to my hospital room I'm not asking him to stay. I think this is the worst sort of liturgical experimentation, though. Well, not the worst. It's tied with liturgical dance. And, like liturgical dance, seeing is understanding. It's bad enough that so many of the clergy can't sing, but we know they won't be able to shake it or waka-waka-waka.
Posted by CrankyProfessor at May 27, 2005 8:05 AM