June 26

Today in 1409, an ongoing schism in the Roman Catholic Church (the “Western Schism”) resulted in there being three popes when Alexander V was elected pope at the Council of Pisa. This power struggle between Rome, Avignon, and Pisa would be settled in 1417 when all three popes would be rejected and a new one elected. 

Today marks the death, in 822, of Saicho, Japanese Buddhist monk who established the Tendai school of Buddhist teaching. Saicho taught that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature, and that it was possible to achieve enlightenment in this lifetime. 

Today is a feast day in the Episcopal Church for Isabel Florence Hapgood, who died on this day in 1928. She was an author and translator who bridged Russian Orthodox and Episcopal churches. 

Today is the birthday of Renita Weems, in 1954, a pioneering womanist theologian, Hebrew Bible scholar, and preacher who taught at Vanderbilt University when I was a student, and is currently the dean of Gammon Theological Seminary.

Reflection:

There is a good description of Isabel Hapgood’s ecumenical and cross-cultural work here.

Renita Weems wrote:

Prayer: God of all people, our rituals connect us across culture and language with you. Help us to transcend what divides us. Amen.