Holy Editing

I don’t know why some of you are so upset with the Glorious National Cathedral for truncating John 14:6 during President Ford’s funeral. You know the offending verse: the very exclusive verse that ends, “No one comes to the Father but through me.” Or at least it ended that way until our Glorious National Cathedral so wisely edited it. For surely Jesus wasn’t so uninclusive. So why needlessly exclude and offend people?

So in the demonic spirit of that wise Bishop Chane*, (And the Spirit is doing all sorts of New Things, don’t ya know.), I’d like to make some humble suggestions for other truncated verses for use during the Liturgy. Because, after all, it’s only scripture.


John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was.


John 3:16

For God so loved the world.


Luke 4:1-4

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone.


John 20:30-31

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written.


Romans 8:1

Therefore there is now no condemnation.


Ten Commandments A suggestion

Thou shalt.



And that’s just a start.

I hope my few and modest suggestions are helpful in avoiding those, well, awkward passages we really don’t believe anyway.

You’re welcome.



*Reportedly, --Chane has left off that uninclusive John 14:6b at the National Cathedral for years.