Sometimes It Just Takes 1 Song I’m not one to completely understand my love of music. Certain songs remind me of certain places, people, seasons of my life, etc. Sometimes it just takes a song to transport me to another time and place, or to give me insight into people, places, things, and ideas today. Sometimes it’s an older song. Band of Horses Infinite Arms This is relatively older from a tremendous group. However, I found myself listening to it... Read more
Notes & Crowd Favs I’ve been encouraged to make playlists when I’ve been emotional, “for about a minute” {as they say}. Music is one way I have always got in touch with myself. In general, if I can stereotype, I haven’t met too many guys who are constantly in tune with their emotional side. That being said, when I do things like this, it is more of a soul-ish level journal entry with far reaching ramifications. There’s a lot connected... Read more
Communion, pt. 11 | Table of Contents Communion Table of Contents (TOC) 1. Introduction and Key Themes CLICK I discover that the East develops an understanding of the Spirit very early. I also discover that the doctrine of transubstantiation is not fully supported in the earlier liturgies. Rather there is an understanding of communion as a sacrifice made by the laity, a true thanksgiving offering, and a mystery. Early Influences 2. Chaburah and Berakah CLICK Scriptural accounts of the first... Read more
Communion, pt. 10 | Discussion For more on Communion in the Early Church from the Archives CLICK East and West The Eastern rite seems to offer a more adequate place for the work of the Spirit than the West, at least in the early days. As previously noted: “The East anticipated the medieval Western doctrine of the real presence by many hundreds of years. This change is brought about by the Holy Spirit . . . the fully-developed theology of the... Read more
Communion, pt. 9 | Sarapion, St. James, and Cyril For more on Communion in the Early Church from the Archives CLICK Sarapion, Prayer of Oblation of Bishop Sarapion Sarapion writes before 350 A.D. a piece called the Prayer of Oblation of Bishop Sarapion. What follows is Sarapion’s epiklesis: “O God of truth, let Thy holy Word come upon (epidemesato) this bread that the bread may become Body of the Word, and upon this cup that the cup may become Blood of... Read more
Communion, pt. 8 | Emerging Recognition of the Spirit For more on Communion in the Early Church from the Archives CLICK Dom Gregory Dix makes a case that the Syrians (East) may not see the Spirit in a New Testament sense, but in an Old Testament sense, as the presence or power of God. He cites this as evidence for the early origins of The Liturgy of SS. Addai and Mari.[1] However, Thomas probably pioneers Edessa’s congregation, where The Liturgy of... Read more
Communion, pt. 7 | The Liturgy of SS. Addai and Mari For more on Communion in the Early Church from the Archives CLICK So far in this series, we have been exploring Early Influences in communion, various Greek Fathers or the Primitive Church. Many of the Fathers so far are well loved by both the East and the West churches. For instance, Justin Martyr writes in Greek, but he is in the West. Now we turn our attention to Definitive Eastern... Read more
Communion, pt. 6 | Early Influences, Irenaeus and Hippolytus For more on Communion in the Early Church from the Archives CLICK Irenaeus of Lyons Irenaeus of Lyons is discipled by Polycarp, who is discipled by John. He is a Presbyter in Gaul {France} around 177 and eventually Bishop after a persecution claims the life of the presiding Bishop.[1] He writes in Greek and influences both East and West churches, but especially the East. “Some Eastern Orthodox theologians aver that all of... Read more
Communion, pt. 5 | Early Influences, Justin Martyr For more on Communion in the Early Church from the Archives CLICK Justin Martyr, The First Apology Justin enters Rome around A.D. 135, gains a following of students, and addresses the emperor about the Christian faith in The First Apology.[1] Justin writes of the offertory: “Then bread is ‘offered’ (prospheretai, perhaps better translated here ‘presented’) to the president and a cup of water mingled with wine . . . the sacrifices which are... Read more
Communion, pt. 4 | Early Influences, Didache, Clement of Rome, and Ignatius Didache The Didache is considered by some to be a very early church document, and a later one by others (first or second century respectively). However it offers guidelines that appear to be formative for the early church. Robert Webber looks at the form prayer suggested by the Didache and states that it is essentially a call for unity in the church, to gather the church.[1] The Didache’s... Read more
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