The Faustian Bargain of Being the State Church

The upside of that status was very much in evidence at the royal wedding yesterday, but every silver lining has a cloud.  We've discussed this issue before. One normally expects the chief objectors to be Evangelicals, but this comes from the Anglo-Catholic Herbert Luckock's The Divine Liturgy: Every thoughtful ecclesiastical ruler recognises the absence of …

Thinking about Mission the Anglican Way

I’m glad to share a new article just published at the blog of The Living Church. I am basically asking why Anglicans have a concrete approach to music, theology, and architecture, but don’t seem to have anything like this when it comes to global mission. Here is the lead: Like most Christians, we Anglicans tend …

Scourged and Crucified: A Good Friday Reflection

In all of their glorification of the "giants of the faith," evangelicals either overlook or ignore the fact that same giants were usually far better versed in the classics of antiquity than is common today.   To some extent this is understandable: study of these works has taken a beating the last fifty years, and we …

Just Because Your Alma Mater is “Christian” Doesn’t Mean You’ll Be

Higher education is a competitive business.  One of the things that educational institutions that are affiliated with a church or profess or call themselves Christian use to attract students is "your faith will be enhanced by coming here."  Christian parents and students find that attractive, which is why many pay the premium to go to …

The Real Problem with Prosperity Teaching Isn’t Theological (Well, not entirely…)

There's a well-known Anglican "divine" (to use the old term) in this country who's engaged in a Facebook campaign/rant (take your pick) about African faith declarations and the popularity of prosperity teaching.  It's gone on for some time, and the fact that he's Reformed only adds to the persistence.  (Maybe he's also trying to prove …

The Sheep Thief: An Episcopal Story

It's another year and another opportunity to start it with a "monumental post."  Unfortunately, as the Anglican Curmudgeon points out, there aren't many good things to report these days.  Our political system has gone dangerously stupid, completely in thrall to those who judge the merits of any proposal on who proposed it.  The Anglican Communion …

Steeleye Span: Gaudete

It's just a tad late in the Advent calendar, but just in time for Christmas: "Gaudete," sung a capella by the British folk/rock group Steeleye Span. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoQ3kbxegHY Getting British rockers (even folk types like Steeleye Span) to sing in Latin was no mean trick, but they did it, and this video furnishes the lyrics. Guaranteed …

The Wesleyan Advent Hymn the Wesleyan Pentecostals Don't Sing

It's the classic hymn for the Second Sunday in Advent: "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending," done in good Anglo-Catholic style here: https://youtu.be/RPmO75cXXcM?list=PL203B2568FF4CD221 The lyrics were written by Charles Wesley in 1758; more than one tune has been affixed to them, this is my favourite.  It's about the Second Coming, which is really what Advent …

Does Anyone Really Believe This Current System is Permanent?

One of side "benefits" of being in the Anglican/Episcopal blogosphere is to get to know "Anglicans Unscripted," the video interview series hosted by Kevin Kallsen, with frequent contribution by fellow Palm Beacher George Conger.  In a recent episode with Kallsen and the Queen's former chaplain Gavin Ashenden, they discussed a float in Justin Welby's parade …

Not Much on Taking Advice: Pentecostals and Anglicanism

Growing up--especially when we lived on Lookout Mountain, something of a fantasy land in itself--I always enjoyed the Disney movies and records I could take in or had.  One of those that's stuck with me is the song "Very Good Advice" from Alice in Wonderland. The clip from the movie is below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srn0xkXTSgs Today is …

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