October 31st is Reformation Day (and also All Saints Day Eve, which these days is affectionately known as Halloween). This blog started as a reflection on the 500th anniversary of the birth of the Protestant Reformation in 2017, and I’d like to think the reformation spirit is still at the root of these writings, even […]
Tag: Prayer
On the Triune God
Wedged between the festival season of the liturgical calendar and Ordinary Time is a Sunday devoted to the concept of the Holy Trinity. This day acts as a theological seam between the two halves of the Church Year. The Holy Trinity is the concept that God has been revealed to us in three distinct ways, […]
On Ancient Rituals
When we follow the Church Calendar, not only do we have the opportunity to practice longstanding traditions of the Church, which connect us to past followers of Jesus; we also have occasions where we get to take part in rituals that go back even further to our ancient ancestors of faith. Ash Wednesday is one […]
On Darkness
This time of year is sometimes called “the season of light” as we light candles and other festive decorations. It is equally though the season of darkness. While this is particularly true in the Northern Hemisphere, it is also true from the lens of Advent. This season of the Church Calendar is about both light […]
On Maundy Thursday
I’ve come to view Maundy Thursday as one of the most meaningful dates on the Christian calendar for me. It is a day steeped in lessons that seem to become more and more needed in our modern times, where we have become so desensitized to the dehumanization around us and partake in such acts so […]
On Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day
Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day were the same day this year. It’s a fairly rare occasion and apparently happening only one more time this century (2029). And this almanac synergy is occurring at a time in human history where division is great and conflicts between peoples are growing more abundant every day. For those who […]
On The Saints
The work of the Reformation does not end with the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation by any means. Today is All Saints’ Day, and on this day we remember all those who have gone before us, glorifying God through their lives on earth, for the sake of Jesus Christ and the Eternal Kingdom. We are […]
On Culture
We are called to live in our present time and yet, at the same time, we are called to be workers of Christ’s Eternal Kingdom as well. We have reflected on how this applies to our attitude towards history, modernity, and nationalism. Now, consider how this applies to our posture toward our culture. In contemporary […]
On Conscience
One of Martin Luther’s most well-known quotes comes from when he was asked to retract his statements (which, at the time, were considered heretical and wrong). Standing before the authorities of his day, Luther said “…my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant, since it is neither safe nor […]
On Temptation and Evil
Earliest manuscripts of the Lord’s Prayer end with “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (In fact, Luke ends with just “and lead us not into temptation”.) When I recite this portion of the prayer, my mind often goes straight towards thinking about temptations and evil, often forgetting to meditate on the underlying inquiry. That […]
Relevant Reformation 