A friend posted that she did not have much hope but somehow had to get through the night next Tuesday which is the date of the Presidential election in the United States of America. It has to be seen what will happen and this is not about politics but about hope. It seems to me… Continue reading Hope
Category: theology
The forgotten triad of Effectual Calling or why Justification ain’t complete on its own
I mean how many sermons have you heard on Justification by Faith? I am not really seeking an answer; after all on 500th anniversary of the Reformation this is what the communique released by the Lutherans and the Roman Catholics talked about. It is not just them but Methodist, Reformed and Anglicans. However I want… Continue reading The forgotten triad of Effectual Calling or why Justification ain’t complete on its own
Trinitarian meditation
I compiled the prayer during my morning devotions as I felt the need to focus my mind on the Trinity and the interaction within it. It is closer to poetry than prose, this is deliberate it wants to have a sense of dance behind it. It references various Bible references, theological ideas and other Christian… Continue reading Trinitarian meditation
Ethnographic Reflection on Praying the Rosary
Background I have been attending St Matthews Carver Street at the evening (6 pm) Mass. I suspect it is done partly as it gives a time the priest can be quite contemplative while praying the Mass and partly so members of St Matthew’s Carver Street who cannot make the morning Mass have another opportunity. Whatever… Continue reading Ethnographic Reflection on Praying the Rosary
and ends with a city of Gold
That title comes from a hymn whose first verse goes God has given us a book full of stories, Which was made for His people of old, It begins with the tale of a garden, And ends with the city of gold. The verse captures rather succinctly the breadth of the Bible from creation to… Continue reading and ends with a city of Gold
God will protect
I am struggling with something and I am well aware that if I were to post my response by the posts that are there people will think it uncaring. However today a second source got me thinking more widely and I think I need to put this down before I forget. I follow the devotions… Continue reading God will protect
Standards, we have got to have Standards
All right the title is jokey, the thing is the Reformed tradition has subordinate standards. Now don’t go looking in the Westminster Confession, or Belgic or the Statement of Nature, Faith and Order of the United Reformed Church for statements about Subordinate Standards, you won’t find any. The simple reason is this is self referential… Continue reading Standards, we have got to have Standards
After Virtue and the Elephant in the Room
I am reading Alisdair McIntyre’s After Virtue for my PhD. I have no idea what its connection is with Congregational Studies but as quite a few papers cite it, I am reading it to find out. I am not at all sure that I will agree with the conclusion and if I do I will… Continue reading After Virtue and the Elephant in the Room