Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Saints

Most Influential Christian Nominee: Constantine

May 20, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 3 Comments

On May 21 the Eastern Church celebrates the memory of my nominee for “Most Influential Christian”: Emperor Constantine the Great (272-337) Why, you may ask, is the Roman Emperor venerated as a saint? This guy who had the audacity to move the capital away from Rome, humbly renaming the city after himself? This guy who set […]

Filed Under: Saints, Theology Tagged With: Constantine the Great, Council of Nicaea, Post-Constantinian Era, St. Constantine

Sex Addict Finds Recovery in Christ: St. Mary of Egypt

April 21, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 2 Comments

Little Girl Lost Sometimes being a bit rebellious tips over into deeper trouble. A 12-year-old girl, Mary, just on the cusp of young womanhood, ran away. This was not the tantrum that leads a kid to hide in the woods through dinner to punish her parents. Mary found her way to the big city. She fell […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Saints Tagged With: Addiction and Recovery, Sex Addict Finds Recovery, St Mary of Egypt

Sources of the Faith We Love: St Athanasius and St Cyril

January 18, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 4 Comments

We American Christians have a funny way of acting like we invented the faith. Or maybe it fell out, like an old letter, from between the pages our Bibles. We don’t know what we owe to people like St Athanasius and St Cyril. If we are aware that Christianity has a past, we often see it […]

Filed Under: Saints, Theology

St Basil the Great

January 1, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

It is New Year’s Day. Most of us are celebrating with a quiet day off. But there are two holy days today that I’m guessing most of my readers are not giving too much attention to. The first is “The Circumcision of Jesus.” It is the eighth day of Christmas, and the eighth day is […]

Filed Under: Church Year, Saints, Theology Tagged With: Circumcision of the Lord, Eighth Day of Christmas, St. Basil of Caesarea, St. Basil the Great, The Holy Spirit

Director’s Journal: Character Notes

December 9, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

As I said yesterday, at the fourth rehearsal of my church’s production of my new Christmas Play, I decided to be more directive in my directing. In this or any church play there are people who do not aspire to be actors. They just got drafted. Their whole aim might be to stand in the right place and […]

Filed Under: Bible, Church Year, Prayer, Saints Tagged With: Character Notes, Christmas Play, Director's journal, Prayer of the Senses, St Ignatius of Loyola

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Theology. It’s good for you.

I'm a Church historian by trade. My writing, speaking, and teaching explores the Christian past to equip today's disciples. Join me here for regular posts on the best of theology, spirituality, community, and ministry. read more…

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