Last year I posted on the meaning of “Good” in “Good Friday.” Today my thoughts go more to the stunned awe that the Cross of Christ inspires. My love for Jesus always makes a reading of the Passion painful, especially read aloud in worship, and most especially if I am the one doing the reading. […]
Reveling in the Mystery of Christmas
I hope that this finds you reveling in the mystery of Christmas. We are only halfway through the 12 days, so let’s keep at it. Pour yourself a mug of eggnog or mulled wine and think about it: The eternal God has taken human flesh and dwells among us! That is far too big a […]
Singing God’s Praise–The Old Fashioned Way
All my adult life I have been a Presbyterian. As often as possible during that same adult life I have worshipped among the Orthodox. It has not been that often in the sheer number of occasions–some glorious opportunities to hear the Liturgy St. Vladimir’s Seminary when I was in seminary and graduate school; a smaller number of visits […]
Augustinian Soul Music!
Funny things happen in the world of the internet. August 28th was the feast day of St. Augustine, so I sent out last year’s post on the influential theologian via Facebook and Twitter. For whatever reason it got far more attention than when I first posted it. Recycling can be fun. The best thing, though, […]
Want to Improve Your Praise Band? Consider St. Ephrem the Syrian
It seems like every church has a praise band leading worship these days, or wants to have one. But let’s face it: a lot of modern worship music, whether praise songs or hymns, is theologically and spiritually shallow. A lot of it focuses on us and our feelings rather than on the glory of God. When it points beyond […]