Reprinted as a reminder. Here it is again–Happy Lent! Lent helps us enter the deepest and most important mysteries of what it truly means to be human—spirit and flesh fused together. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent and remind us of our mortality. The ashes which are blessed and traced in the form of… [Read more…]
January 28, 2012
In 1783 the Anglican parishes in the infant United States were in severe disarray. There were no bishops on the continent, and some were even beginning to consider abandoning the very concept of Apostolic Succession. The priests William White and Samuel Seabury, a former Royal Army chaplain, exchanged a series of letters about the future… [Read more…]
January 19, 2012
I have recently had the opportunity to examine one of the liturgies in use by the Western Rite Orthodox and must admit to no little surprise. Let me begin with some simple factual observations. To begin with, the liturgy includes with it a traditional Gregorian chant setting, the Missa de Angelis. In terms of order,… [Read more…]
January 5, 2012
A common question amongst Anglicans these days—indeed, it has been for many years now—is “where ought we to go?” As a matter of fact, I ran an online discussion forum for over a decade where this was the most discussed topic. The landscape has changed quite a bit in the last couple years, however; not… [Read more…]
December 24, 2011
I thought I’d share a final “Advent-ish” type meditation for these last few hours of Advent. It is traditional to preach in Advent on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. This particular meditation is about judgment. The Advent season collect makes it clear that at the last day, Jesus will come in… [Read more…]
December 12, 2011
One of the more unpleasant things one can observe about liturgy is almost exclusively limited to the modern types of Anglicans, such as those found in the new Anglican Church in North America and its constituent bodies—at least those that still actually practice liturgy. Now, I’ve only seen the problem myself in North America, but… [Read more…]
December 10, 2011
As I noted earlier in part one of this series, praying the Office is a daily requirement for Anglican clergy, and a valuable and recommended practice for laity as well. For some Anglicans, it’s a simple matter of just picking up their BCP and Bible. Alas, for most of us, it’s trickier than that. For… [Read more…]
December 6, 2011
A few snippets of info about St Nick: Nicholas was born to a wealthy family in Patara, Lycia. His parents died, and he inherited a considerable sum of money, but he kept none of it, giving it instead to the poor. Nicholas was cast into prison during the persecution of Diocletion, but when Constantine became… [Read more…]
December 1, 2011
Praying the Office is a daily requirement for Anglican clergy, and a valuable and recommended practice for laity as well. For some Anglicans, it’s a simple matter of just picking up their BCP or DOB (the Daily Office Book, pictured here, which contains not only the Office, but all the readings from the lectionary, in… [Read more…]
November 18, 2011
One of my dirty little secrets is that I listen to Christian radio. Sometimes I listen to a local affiliate of the Catholic Radio Network, of course, and sometimes to a local property of the Salem Communications company. Relax, friends, I don’t listen to what is called “Christian contemporary music.” One must maintain some standards!… [Read more…]
February 21, 2012
0