Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: kilroy@mimsy.umd.edu (Nancy's Sweetie) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Triune Immersion and Footwashing Message-ID: Date: 6 Mar 90 08:42:50 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742 Lines: 32 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Gene Gross asks: > >Also, in the Brethren in Christ, we practice footwashing and the Agape >meal as part of our worship. Do any of you out there also do this? This is probably going to strike some of you as pretty bizarre, but... Way Back When, people wore sandals and their feet got dusty, and it makes sense that one would like to have one's feet washed, because the dust could easily be an irritant (like lots of little rocks in your shoes, but the dust would stick to sweaty feet and not fall out). Since people don't wear sandals much anymore, but instead shoes, there is much less need to have one's feet cleaned; indeed, I would find it more of an annoyance taking off my shoes & socks, because my feet would probably get cold. On the other hand, the shoes get scuffed; so it seems to me that if the point of foot-washing is service to the washee, then the proper analogue would be shining the other person's shoes. At first, this idea struck me as too menial -- but then, the entire point of the exercise is to perform a humbling service for our brothers & sisters, n'est-ce pas? kilroy@cs.umd.edu Darren F. Provine ...uunet!mimsy!kilroy "There is nothing so absurd but some philosopher has said it." -- Cicero [I don't think they wash each other's feet because they need washing, but as part of a reenactment of the original Last Supper. Most congregations don't serve enough wine or bread to satisfy your hunger either. The importance is symbolic. 1 Cor 11:34 seems to endorse this. --clh]