For many, my dear brother, the face in which the Word will be seen most clearly is yours, a feeble priest whom the Father soon will give a share in His Son’s Priesthood. Today, God the Father calls you to mediate “the Word within / The world and for the world.” You may the one who plants, or you may be the one who waters. But it is God of Jesus Christ who will give the growth.
This sermon was preached on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at St. David Wales, Denton, Texas, for the priesting of the Rev'd Jacob Bottom to the priesthood, the first ordination administered by the Rt. Rev'd George Sumner of Dallas. It was published first on the website of the Diocese of Dallas.
For many, my dear brother, the face in which the Word will be seen most clearly is yours, a feeble priest whom the Father soon will give a share in His Son’s Priesthood. Today, God the Father calls you to mediate “the Word within / The world and for the world.” You may the one who plants, or you may be the one who waters. But it is God of Jesus Christ who will give the growth.
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This piece was first published at the Catholic liturgy blog, PrayTell. Chronological snobbery, C.S. Lewis’s felicitous phrase, is a perennial temptation. He used the term to describe the modern presumption that our contemporary philosophical perspectives are superior to those that preceded them. But there is a more pessimistic version of the error. In this schema, one assumes that things are worse than they have ever been (whether that “thing” is national politics, geo-politics, cultural morality, etc.). Conservatives are more likely to be chronological pessimists, which provides at least a sliver of insight into the ubiquitous presidential slogan, the one embroidered in white letters upon thousands of red baseball hats: “Make American Great Again.” Interestingly, commentators across the political spectrum have begun slowly to suggest that maybe American politics has entered a new sort of low. The two most disliked presidential candidates in American history is, well, noteworthy.
This piece first appeared over at Covenant and is a response to an article by Bishop Dan Martins, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield. The debate is not about whether celebrating the Eucharist facing the people (often called ad orientem because one is facing toward the east, i.e. the direction of the rising sun) or all gathered around the altar (often called versus populum, because the priest is facing [ostensibly] toward the people). The debate is instead about what takes priority in the Eucharist: its nature as a sacrifice or a meal. I published a follow-up piece to this one at Covenant, "Orientation and eucharistic sacrifice: Continuing a Discussion." It can also be read on this site by clicking here.
It’s not surprising that, in the wake of the Tractarians and a new sort of embrace of Anglicanism’s catholic identity, Anglicans would adopt much of the language and theology of Latin sacramental teaching. And in all this, something gets lost. What’s lost is the answer to the question, “Why is the Eucharist worship?" This piece was first published on the website of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas as part of their series, "Theology Matters." Here, I look at concerns that have been raised about the doctrine of the Trinity as well as some thoughts about how Christians came to articulate this central teaching.
Charles Shultz was entirely correct. Here in America, where the commercial is king, a little child named Linus will lead us to a hill, the mountain of encounter. This was published first over at Covenant. |
AboutLaudate Dominum is the blog devoted to liturgy and theology, hosted by Fr Matthew Olver, Assistant Professor of Liturgics and Pastoral Theology at Nashotah House Theological Seminary. Archives
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