On Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States passed onto eternal life this evening.
I remember discussing the pardon of Richard Nixon in grade school. I was in the 7th grade then. The Felician sister who taught us stated in effect: an act of forgiveness and healing should never be criticized and should be encouraged.
I was a news junkie as far back as I can remember. I absorbed events and their implications. The pardon seemed incongruous at first, but after I heard sister’s words I thought ‘how wise, how appropriate.’ That act exemplified simple Christian virtue to me. The reaction to the event exemplified the worldly ‘need’ for vengeance.
The NY Times has an excellent retrospective in Gerald R. Ford, 38th U.S. President, Dies.
Mr. Ford was an Episcopalian. I wonder whether the Presiding Bishop will interject herself. Was Mr. Ford High Church?
Eternal rest grant onto him O Lord.
That Mr Ford was an Episcopalian suggests there’ll be a service at the National Cathedral, its version of a Requiem Mass perhaps. I can imagine Dr Jefferts-Schori doing something that big but better IMO would be if Fr (mainstream Episcopal priest, former US senator for Missouri and a Republican like Ford) John Danforth officiates (IIRC he said some prayers, vested nicely in surplice and black tippet/scarf, at Mr Reagan’s funeral in California). I think it all hangs on the late Mr Ford’s (and on Mrs Ford’s?) churchmanship – if the family want traditional, even the 1928 Prayer Book, that should be what they get. I have no idea if he was high-church – much of the upper Mid-West once was (‘the biretta belt’) but Michigan not so much. I see from his BBC obituary he was from Nebraska so maybe not.
Here is the site for his parish church. Looks possibly conservative but frightfully Low. The retiring rector is interesting – he was an Air Force bombardier and navigator aboard B-52s and a POW in Vietnam.
I don’t think it’ll be a 1928 service let alone a Missal and English or Roman Ritual one.
Of course there will be a service at the National Cathedral as well; I still don’t know who will officiate.
Dr J-S didn’t officiate – apparently the presiding bishop is not the default celebrant at National Cathedral functions; it’s not the PB’s cathedral but the Diocese of Washington’s. The PB is unusual in having no see; he’s like an archbishop but isn’t, as this shows. (++Cantuar and ++Ebor, like Roman Catholic archbishops, are territorial bishops.)
Anyway apparently the priest who took the service, which I understand was beautiful and dignified with nice music and Rite I thou language, Mr Ford’s tastes, sliced off the end of one of the readings and this is what he preached.
I’ve got it on the DVR, I’ll watch tonight. I looked at the program book this morning, noticed it was Rite I. Good for Mr. Ford – dignified and worthy for a National Remembrance.
On the gospel and sermon, typical embarrassment based on weak faith + agenda in front of the national cameras. Basically Jesus was a nice guy philosopher. I think Mr. Ford’s faith was deeper than that.
The beatitudes and personal sacrifice were most certainly meaningful to him, but most likely within the context of his faith in Jesus Christ.
Time magazine carries the story of “The Other Born Again President” It probably reflects him better.
My great-grandfather, George Veldman, and Gerald Ford were close friends and political allies. George was a devout Christian and considered Mr. Ford a devout believer as well. When he was a congressman, Ford came and campaigned for George when he ran for mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1954. See more about this on my blog site.