Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Teresa of Avila

Making Friends in Seminary (Letters to a Young Pastor)

May 12, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 2 Comments

Making friends in seminary

Dear ______: Thanks for sharing your thoughts on my recent letter about making friends with John Calvin. I think you drew some conclusions that I wasn’t intending. Let me take a step back. As a person in ministry, you need a lot of different kinds of friends — and seminary is a great place to […]

Filed Under: Ministry Tagged With: Augustine, Barbara Brown Taylor, Barth, Calvin, John Chrysostom, Letters to a Young Pastor, Making friends in seminary, Teresa of Avila

Pray Without Ceasing: Can You Be Serious?

January 29, 2016 by Gary Neal Hansen 6 Comments

Sometimes as the Apostle Paul reached the end of a letter he would sort of pile it on. It’s a little like Steve Jobs — “Just one more thing!” And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil […]

Filed Under: Prayer Tagged With: Brother Lawrence, Divine Office, Jesus Prayer, Recollection, Teresa of Avila

Guest Post on ChristianMomThoughts.com: “Training Wheels for Your Child’s Prayer Life”

October 16, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen Leave a Comment

I am thrilled that Natasha Crain invited me to write a post on her great Christian parenting blog, “Christian Mom Thoughts.“ Natasha writes on apologetics for parents, equipping them to help their kids grow in a strong and well-informed faith, and she now has a book under contract with Harvest House. Check out her work — but […]

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Prayer Tagged With: Daily office for kids, Prayer, St. Benedict, Teaching kids to pray, Teresa of Avila

The Saints; or “What’s a Nice Reformed Boy Like Me Doing on a Topic Like This?” (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 30)

January 7, 2014 by Gary Neal Hansen 5 Comments

I wonder sometimes whether readers think it is odd that I blog on a classic Reformed text like the Heidelberg Catechism one day and on saints of the Catholic and Orthodox world the next. From Calvin’s time onward, a good deal of Reformed ink has been spilled ridiculing Catholic devotion to the saints. Take my […]

Filed Under: Heidelberg Catechism, Saints, Theology Tagged With: Benedict of Nursia, heidelberg catechism, St Dominic, Teresa of Avila

Why I Love St. Teresa of Avila

October 17, 2013 by Gary Neal Hansen 4 Comments

It is my Breviary that most often reminds me of various saints being commemorated by the Church around the world. So when I have a day or two when something bumps my attention away from praying the Divine Office, someone I love as dearly as St. Teresa of Avila can sneak by completely unnoticed. Her […]

Filed Under: Prayer, Saints Tagged With: Jesus, Prayer, Saints, Teresa of Avila

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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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