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Show ie The Salt Lake Tribune RELIGION Saturday, January 22, 2000 PPocortsor Orthodox Christians Celebrate Baptism of Jesus With a Dip in the Jordan = Compiled by Bob Mims however, prefer to take the dip at the ardenit” pilgrim site revered by many as the actual place of SSBve Bier has resigned as exec‘tive director of the Jewish Com- lacercesofepinion’ withthe organization's rs board over nine _ administrative organization. , who ends 20 with JCC, ieave atmonth's end. river of the Bible and sample its waters first hand. “T had imagined a big river. I was sur- ticipation, singing hymns and uttering prayers with a group of seven other women fri ends. “Still, this is the water of Jesus Christ,” So it can’t be really dirty, said the woman, Every year, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate the baptism of Jesus on Jan. 18. In some parts of Russia, Christians cut through theice of frozen streams and Cohne said a national search rivers, to makea ritual dip in commemofor a successorwill begin soon. ~ ration of the date, said Slava Molitvin, a Qa Russian-Israeli tour guide, here with a Richard Wilkins, founder of night's i groupof18 pilgrims. “For us, this wateris notso cold,”hesaid. Still, a dip in the Jordan Riversite, when Palestinian Christians, Orthodox clergy and foreign tourists all converge at West Bank side of the Jordan River. The multimillion dollar improvements will include a better access road to the river, as well as modern amenities such as toilets, who saved her earnings for two years in order to make the month-long pilgrimage to once. One such visitor is a Russian Orthodox ee nesone. threwa city of Tula, about 200 miles south of Moscow.This is his seventh visit to the site, he cials who controlthe area. said, adding thaton his last trip in the fall his finger was healed of rheumatism when he dipped in the water. the old monastery will be removed or the the Holy Land. Finally, the signal came. An Orthodox while, crowded the water’s edge to receive a blessing and a splash of droplets from an Orthodox x priest or scoop up a sample of the holy waterin a plastic bottle to carry back steps leads down to the water, creating huge luman traffic jams on holidays like this one, priest, Father Germanos, from the Russian ~<lecorated cross into the water while cabaoent releasing a dove into the air. Maniuk and her friends took the say Israeli military administration offiStill, given the proximity to the border, it’s unlikely the minefields military jeeps that circulate here endlessly will give way to easy tourism access. Nor is it likely the water quality of the Jordan Riveritself will be improved. “ take the water in bottles back to Rus- plunge. They held hands and sang in the water. They embraced each other. “Tt was wonderful,” Maniuk said after emerging barefoot and dripping wet a few minutes later. As far as appearances go,this baptismal sia,” he said, “And this way I bring the ho- liness of Jesus and the river back to the people there. People use the waterto clean their apartments of evil iay and they Forthe moment, however,pilgrims = Father Germanos, remain undisturbed by evendrink it if they are sick. As far as Father Germanos is concerned, site on theIsraeli-occupied West Bank side of the Jordan River, has probably known the water’s brown tinge. where Jesus was: baptized by John the “I myself have drunk the water on three different occasions,”he said. “In the Bible Baptist is right here at this very site. Many European and American pilgrims, you believe, nothing will happen. there is no doubt in his mindthatthe place better days. Approaching the river from ancientJericho,the remains ofa enormous monastery courtyard lies in ruins. Here, it says that even if you drink poison and fe” din- ner, 7 p.m. at oaUtah State Capi- tol cafeteria. ily Si ‘will perf Fam. ° ercise aiy = Salvation Utah Pro-Life Coalition. Q The Rev. Debora Jei pastor of St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Cedar City, will share her, knowledge of the ancient ‘spiritual discipline of walking the Aabyrinth during a workshop Jan. 29, at Salt Lake City’s Jubilee Center, 309 E. 100 South. The10 a.m. to 3 p.m.session is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah’s Affirmation program. For further information, call 801-322-3131. Q Linda Blonsley has been elected president and Lawrence Udoff vice president of Park City’s Temple Har Shalom. Both terms are for two years. The Reform Judaism congregation also elected Joanne Bloom assecretary ofits trustees, while Ron Field will serve as treasurer. Q Army Counts LDSasAlly @ Continued from C-1 memberof Sts. Peter and Paul Parish of West Valley City, has been named a Knightofthe Century by the Knights of Columbus. Trujillo's history with the Knights of Columbusstretches back to 1960 and Salt Lake City’s St. Ann Parish. He andhis wife, Isabel, moved to Sts. Peter and Paul in 1975, and Trujillo was a charter member of the Knights’ Council 8350, formed in 1983. BULLETIN BOARD Compiled by Bryer Wharton ATHEISTS The Rocky Mountain Regional Atheists meeting will be held Jan. 30 at the Holiday Inn Airport, 1659 W.North Temple,Salt LakeCity. The meeting beginsat 9 a.m. Reg- istration, $25 for members of AmericanAtheists; $25 for others. Q First Congregational Church will sponsor an adult education series, “A Mark-acological Expejon: Digging into the Book of lark-Together”, Sundays start- Sing. Jan. 23 and ending Feb. 27 skipping Feb. 20), from 9 a.m. to 0:15 a.m., in the Fireside Room. Q Ae Salt Lake LDS Granite {Stiike is celebrating its 100th anSniversary jan. 29. The celebration will be heldin the historic Granite rnacleat 2005 S, 900 East, Salt sLake City, and will include a pag‘wait that will relive some of the highlights from the stake’s history from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. It is free. For more information,call Briant -Carter at 467-4802. es Qa LUTHERAN Church Women United will “host its annual meeting,Friday, at Zion Lutheran Church, 1070 S, ;served at noon. Baby sitter avail‘able on request. For reservations, ‘eall Jane Erdhal 272-7758 or Bar‘bara Stone 272-0665 by Jan.25. sf a Froderberg recalled spoke to me: ‘I want you to be a Salvation Army officer. I went es : a : ies : Diane Winston author of Red-Hot and Righteous:The Urban Religion of The Salvation Army children are active in the Salvation Army in other provide.” Armyin Utah? Bright, “as long as immediately identifiable. Most crucial for Hollywood’s purposes, she couldalso have a romantic life (unlike the similarly recognizable While Cozens may have de- Je stayfaithful to our core values spaired over Utahns’ charity in ‘and learn to network and partner 1887, today’s Salvation Army with the community. counts the LDS Churchandits “We're Bart of a body ofpeople strongest allies in serving the needs of the homeless, hungry and poo! Tn19 1983, afterfire destroyed the group’s Salt Lake chapel, the church donated one of its old ward houses. When it comes to helpingthe less fortunate, Christians of all persuasions have found common cause in Utah, Salvation Armyofficials say. said Maj. Wayne Froderberg, current commanding officer. “There’s a sense of shared ministry with our Mormonfriends, and I find as I work with them and other pastors, there is a real passion to cometogether in the love of God andhelp people. “We have much more to celebrate than to disagree on.” LDS Church spokesman Michael Purdy said thestate’s majority faith has donated tons of food and clothing to Salvation Army causes ovethe years. In war movies like “Salvation Nell” (1919) and “Hell's Oasis” (1920), the Army women became almost a doing to do aboutit?” To answers the question, stock figure, representing the triumphof virtueoversin. framed photograph hanging on of Broadway” (1927) and “Laughing Sinners” (1931), the lassies ‘were more ambiguous figures — at best religious do-gooders, at brother’s keeper; what are you his office wall. It showsa solitary lighthouse, nearly awash in an ocean storm but standing tall, a During its 1998-99 fiscal year, r the 1955 movie version, cities’ buildings, public squares andstreets to “establish the KingFor manyChristians in the last part of the 19th century, religion was a private matter to be ob- served at church and home.It was intoit. school student. “I call it ‘The handshake of introduction’; theology calls it salvation. It’s when you connect to the ‘God side’ of yourselfandjust plug in,” he said. Then one day in 1968, he walked into a Salvation Army Sunday service to satisfy his curiosity about “all these gu: uniforms with fmusicall instruments, hice a ey with white trim on collar, who kind oflooked like eee bandmaster] John Philip Sousa, stoodup and “Although the Army competed minimum. movement. Salvationists used a lay minis- try and advocated a simplelifestyle, free from alcohol, tobacco, fancy clothes, personal adorn- ments, rich foods and worldly entertainments. In 1883, Booth “singularly successful at occupy- vationist Commissioner George Scott Railton and seven Army “lassies” sang hymns set to popular melodies, tacked up posters resembling P.T. Barnum’s advertisements and chose a saloon for the church’sfirst service. At one endof the saloon was a stage. At the other, Railtonled the group in hymn-singing and ex- hortations, his torso swaying, arms Malling,amid frequentcries of “Amen” and Hallelujah!” Fifteen years later, the faith had garnered 40,000 American converts, Winston wrote, and was completely entrenched in the country’s religious imagination. British Beginnings: The Salvation Army was launched by Catherine and William Booth in 1878, while working with Lonaon's disenfranchised masses. Mother.” Officers’ ranks were given to ministers. The churci’s beixess and prac- tices on Methodism, Wesleyan reviv: alism, the Society of Friends, and the Holiness | was one of the purely religious endeavors that welcomed them as the equals of men,” Winston wrote. “Several Protestant denominations were ordaining Theatrical Entertainment: women by the 1880s, but few fePart ofthe church’s charm was its males entered the ministry beuse of drama and pageant . Ball- cause it was nearly impossible to ington and Maud Booth, the. finda congregation willingtohire founders’ son and ay one. For the right kind of ey whohelped establish the chi on American soil, offered ively the Army was qonnne aa lectures and sermons and hand- venturesome,” Butlike ahied of that era, bills that imitated the penny press. Their successors, Bramwell and Army women were sometimes ambivalentabouttheir roles. Emma Booth-Tucker, presented Maud Booth, for example, “emreligious vaudeville, Their sucbodied independence even as cessor, Evangeline Booth, de[Salvationists] heartily designed spectac pageants and nounced the ‘New Woman,’ “ theatricals, appearing several ‘inston wrote. times in theatricales at New. York Her successor, City’s Carnegie Hall. Tucker, “built oneneet perf Maud 's ideas “Commander in Rags,” used massed solosongsters ists with lighting effects and props that included live lambs, sheep, and, on at least one occasion, a The back cover of War Crys Christmas issue of 1943 emphasizes Salvation Army camaraderie while keepingthe religious message to a Bycontrast, Salvationists were Within minutes of disembarking in New YorkCity in 1880, Sal- faith began as a Chicago high seas missions. with a growing number of occupations newly opened to women, it ing city spaces and capturing the popular imagination,” Winston wrote. tute East Endin 1865. Froderberg’s own odyssey of preachers and performers. They were often assigned to start over- From its beginnings among 1998, also serves as pastor to a congregation of 80-90 who meet - out of London’s notoriouslydesti- men. They were uniformed soldiers and officers, crusaders, London’s 1870s slum-dwellers, the Salvation Army wanted to hallow Froderberg, who spent two years in the Ukraineestablishing Salvation Armyprograms before taking the reins in Utah in July The message has not changed Women as Equals: From the denomination’s founding, women shared most leadership roles with ers ofsocial service.” a refuge from the world, not a way since Salvation Army founder William Booth took his evangelical Methodism to the down and “few beautiful, bright, and capable lassies lit up the ” Winston wrote. “The image had reached a dead end.” From Souls To Thrift Stores rolled nearly 200 in an alcohol- Sundaysat 438 S. 900 West in Salt LakeCity. It is behind the pulpit where the major become an evangelist, keeping alive whathe saysis still the heart of his organization: Preaching the good news of salvation. service to the city.” The Army: dom ofGod,” Winston wrote. 61 percentsuccessrate. sionaries ultimately triumph, and the play’s resolution weds the secular to the spiritual in joint beaconof light, a place of refuge andhope to people whom society throws away.” the Salt Lake City Corps ieperied serving more than 150,000 meals to the homeless; provided emergency food, clothing and other aid drug treatment program boasting The 1950s play, “Guys and Dolls,” would gently mock the Army. “Yet inthe alte of wise fools,” Winston wrote, “the mis- ness,” the majorsaid. “I actually feel that one of the privileges of ministering here is providing a reputation as dependable provid- ingin the future,” Purdy said. worsta little naive, even exploit- _.. able, she wrote. peeing marker to: passing ships. “To me, that says that in the stormsoflife, there is a calm- @ Continued from C-1 working relationship for many In later movies like “The Froderberg looks to a favorite Church thatreplaced them. “We have enjoyed a good years with the Salvation Army nun.)” From D.W.Griffith’s “The Salvation Army Lass” (1908) to post- whoget up in the morning and God says to them, ‘You are your 1994, when a Salvation Army band’s instruments werestolen in South Africa, it was the LDS andlook forward to this continu- : Trish, have raised a daughter and son. members — along with numerous other denominations — amongits x The very simplicity ofthe Army’s religion combined with the potency ofits symbols made it an ideal vehiclefor Hollywood.” homefor two weeks and thought aboutit, and then I came back.” Fast-forward to 2000, and Froderberg, now 52, andhis wife, states. The future of the Salvation to 118,343 individuals; and enCONGREGATIONAL ” “But as I sat there, the Lord will not give us money,” Cozens wrote. “But God does and will “It is wonderful to work here,” Eloy Mercedino Trujillo, a myseat,” with a chuckle. decided to forgo the sacraments as external manifestations of an inner reality in favor of using the metaphor “inner light” to describe their spiritual experiences. The church’s theology is laid outin a statementcalled, “Eleven Doctrines,” which affirms the divine inspiration of scripture, the dual nature ofJesus,andthe reality ofhell, Winston wrote. Butit was Booth’s embrace of worldly tactics that made Salvationists most distinctive. Early on herealized that “a gloomy, theoretical religion would save no one,” Winston wrote. “The unchurched needed a In World War I, the church’s ‘happy’ religion whose spark and “doughnut girls” provide freshbaked goods, concerts and religious services to American sol- prized ‘red- 1917 when Lt. Col. Helen Purviance cooked 150 doughnuts for the soldiers one day; , the Salvationist assembly line created up to 9,000 doughtnuts daily. Such efforts made Army women subjects for drama, sizzle were more akin to commercial entertainment than a staid Srjunday service. Thus the Army over er- udite theologians.” Booth sprinkled his sermons with funny stories and encouraged his officers to do the same, “Why should the devil haveall the dancing?” Booth asked i ae discomfort arose from the vationists’ “seeming for gentility, the catnet at, spectable Protestant Christiani- ty,” Winston wrote. “While the any supported middle-class val including work, family, and sotrioty, its ene undercut bourgeoisnotions of gender and diers on the frontlines. It began in film and the popular press. “The very simplicity of the Arah religion combined with the my’s potency of its symbols made it an ideal vehicle for ee Inston wrote: “The Ings!e; re nowned for her war service, made a ee ek and ilghly marketable She was courageous, virtuous, and | |
