Musings of a Country Parson

About the Book

This book is a candid look into the thoughts of a small town Anglican Mission Priest concerning the Church, the society in which he lives as an American and a Kansan, his sense of justice, and what he considers the corruption of the Anglican Church in America and the American justice system. He is disarmingly candid and disregards political correctness. The essays cover several years of thoughts on current events and on-going areas of conflict. If he is angry, he is also forgiving and deeply committed to he Christian faith, explaining why he is so committed and encourages the readers to pursue a faith commitment. This is a book that can be picked up and read in short spurts when on the run or seriously studied. It is written in a conversational style as though he and the reader were in his study before a warm cozy fire.

About the Author

Fr. James Graner is the author of a recent Satire, Dr. Lucifer's Lectures. (The Art of Leadership and Control 101) This present book is the second of his writings to be published in book form and is, a candid, free-wheeling look inside the peculiar mind of an isolated small town Anglican priest as he muses about his Christian faith, the Anglican Church, and a variety of issues affecting people over the past few years. This series of short essays is intended to provide quick reads, a look into someone else's mind, and perhaps to comfort you for having had many of the same thoughts yourself.

Fr. Graner was born at Kansas City, MO and married Anne LoBianco in 1956 at Oyster Bay, NY They have one son, David. He attended Seminary at Sewanee, TN and was ordained to the priesthood in 1967 at Birmingham, AL. He retired in 1994 after serving 24 years as Vicar of The Church of the Holy Nativity, Kinsley, KS and SS Mary & Martha of Bethany, Larned, KS. He actively supplies vacancies and tries to keep abreast of the affairs of The Episcopal Church at large. He regards himself as catholic and orthodox in theology. He has been an occasional contributor to THE LIVING CHURCH.

Readers Comments

It has taken me a while to finish this book. I'd pick it up, read for a while then put it down and repeat the whole process until this afternoon. Fortunately your book lends itself to this type reading.

Father, this is a beautiful book; I enjoyed reading all of it. I especially liked the way you would state your opinion but left it open enough for further reflection by the reader. It happened to me a lot as I read it.

As you would expect, there were some opinions I found interesting but not in total agreement with, but you stated them clearly and they were well understood.

I also found your sense of humor and personal candor very refreshing.

I particularly enjoyed your writing regarding the concept of pure spirit, where you wrote that you didn't have to "crash the gates of Heaven" to touch God because Holy Communion was an opportunity to allow God to "reach through the veil of the unknowing and touch me." What beautiful prose that was. A joy to read.