Worship as Holy War

16 Sep 201917 Sep 2019

Flannery O’Connor once quipped, “Violence is a force which can be used for good or evil, and among other things which are taken by it is the kingdom of heaven.” She…

The Protestant Revolution: Worshipers of the World, Unite!

12 Sep 2019

The Protestant Reformation was a liturgical revolution. That is, it was primarily a worship movement. Magisterial Reformers such as John Calvin were chiefly concerned with justifying the practices of the…

Unfettered Desire (A Poem)

9 Sep 20199 Sep 2019

I would do anything for you, my love,  If it was convenient.    I would brave the ancient currents of the Nile,  If it was considerably shorter.  And cleaner.  Oh,…

The Years Have Been Kind (A Poem)

4 Sep 2019

 (For Jessica On the Occasion of Her 40th Year) “The years have been kind,” That’s what people say When they wish to render praise; To pay compliment to beauty, Or acknowledge the…

The Leech Has Two Daughters: Anglican Preaching and the Priority of Metaphor

3 Sep 20193 Sep 2019

In a recent post, I made the outstanding claim that life is liturgical, therefore the Church should have a high view of liturgy. That’s still true. But more words are almost…

The Late-Born Child of Spring (A Poem)

3 Sep 2019

(On the Occasion of My Grandmother's Birthday) Spring wakes early  to find the world filled with promise;  the fertile soil of unfolding tomorrows,  kissed by the dew of heaven,   embraced…

Sui Generis (A Poem)

2 Sep 20192 Sep 2019

The Offering of God

1 Sep 2019

The Eucharistic celebration centers upon an awareness of the Host as Divine, presenting a real offering of Christ. But lest you misunderstand and think that I have fallen end over…

Neither Optimist, Nor Pessimist: A Cruciform Philosophy of Life

29 Aug 2019

An optimism untethered from the changeless Christ sets itself up for constant assault against its own first principles. When the next thing that happens is as bad as the last…

Eucharist, Eschatology, and the Metaphysics of Time

26 Aug 201926 Aug 2019

  When I was a boy, there was a tradition at our church of singing certain songs around Passiontide. Despite the fact that as Fundamental Baptists we would have very…