Articles
Approaching the East: For the Life of the Church
Introduction When I say “Romania” what comes to your mind? Chances are your immediate reaction would be a vision of Count Dracula terrorizing unsuspecting peasants, or a cheap vacation on the Black Sea. What should come immediately to mind, in my own opinion, is Romania’s deep and ancient Christian roots as an Orthodox country. I…
The Differences between Roman and Anglican Private Confession [Commentary on Browne: Article XXV (2)]
As seen previously, Browne readily grants that “four out of the five [minor sacraments] the Church of England admits, at least in a modified form.” However, it is important to note the qualification that they are admitted in a “modified form,” particularly with regard to private confession. Browne writes that “the Council of Trent anathematizes…
On the Ordering of the Sacraments of Initiation
Introduction In the history of the sacramental practice of the Church, the order of receiving the Eucharist and Confirmation has been a subject of theological reflection and liturgical variation. Traditionally, the sacrament of Confirmation has been administered before one’s first reception of the Eucharist, serving as a completion of Baptismal grace and a preparation for…
Lectio Divina as True Biblical Exegesis
The other day, I read a lovely book by Stephen Meawad, who teaches theology at Caldwell University. Titled Beyond Virtue Ethics (2023), this book argues that all too often, we treat ethics in isolation, as if it were either just a bunch of rules imposed on us, or else a matter of developing patterns of…
“In the Midst of Life,” A Reflection
A minister holds a strange position in society. He wears black from head to toe. He is neither blue-collar nor white-collar, but is vocationally connected to both and called to minister to both. In fact, his collar is black all the way to his neck, until a hint of white wraps around the neck to…
Numbering the Sacraments [Commentary on Browne: Article XXV (1)]
It is widely recognized that the term “sacrament” has historically been a flexible one, even after the early church adopted it from the broader milieu of Roman culture into a specifically Christian context: “The commoner use of the word is either for a sacred rite in general, an outward sign of some more hidden reality—or…
Forgotten Fenceposts: The Two Books of Homilies
Anglicanism has theological landmarks and boundaries guiding the flock and fencing in the faithful clergy less they lead their flocks in error. Unfortunately, these fences have been routinely ignored, circumvented, broken, and left in disrepair thereby leading flocks astray, ministers confused, and Christians in general questioning whether Anglicans have any standards of belief. The saying…
Book Review: “The Triumph of the Slippers”
The Triumph of the Slippers: On the Withdrawal from the World. By Pascal Bruckner. Translated by Cory Stockwell. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2024. 118 pp. $19.95 (hardback). The thesis of this book is presented on the second page: “This generation is in no way ready to face adversity.” The author contends that some of the…
The Convergence on Vernacular Liturgy [Commentary on Browne: Article XXIV]
It is a matter of historical fact—invoked by the Article and observed by Browne—that the early church conducted its public prayers in tongues “understanded of the people”: Greek, Latin, and Syriac were languages spoken by the great bulk of the nations first converted to Christianity; and therefore the earliest liturgies and translations of the Scriptures…
Book Review: “Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds”
Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds. By James Matthew Wilson. Grove Village, IL: Word on Fire, 2024. 128 pp. $24.99 (hardcover). The current state of poetry in our day is marked by its unanchored and erratic character. As an art form, poetry stands isolated like an unfamiliar relative at the family reunion. We do not…
'Articles' has no comments
Be the first to comment this post!