The church has long used iconography to teach and proclaim the gospel. And the Icon of the Nativity, laden thick with theological symbolism and biblical references, can help us better understand and appreciate the mystery of the Incarnation. I have here two examples of the icon, with some explanation for the key imagery. The first is by Theophanes the Cretan, an iconographer who worked in the first half of the sixteenth century. The second is from the Russian Novgorod school... Read more
Luke tells us that on the night Jesus was born, shepherds near Bethlehem were watching their sheep. Suddenly, an angel appeared before them — radiant, shockingly luminescent, and bright. Awash in the otherworldly light, the glory of God pooling around them, the shepherds were terrified. “Do not be afraid,” said the angel, “for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of... Read more
Egypt has approved a new, pro-Islamist constitution, and while Christians prepare to celebrate the Nativity of Christ they and other minorities foresee bleak and repressive days ahead. Voter turnout in the two-stage nationwide referendum was reportedly limited, and Christians were particularly underrepresented, “as low as 7% in some areas,” according to one report. Intimidation by Islamists kept many from the polls. In one instance, an estimated 50,000 pro-constitution marchers swept through Christian areas of the city of Assiut before the... Read more
Yesterday the Indian Orthodox Church celebrated the memory of the Apostle Thomas. I wrote about Thomas earlier in the year, but since his name means “two” or “twin,” it seems appropriate to give him a second look, particularly to draw attention to the extraordinary effect of his evangelism and what his life can encourage in us. “The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples,” once said Gregory the Great. “As he... Read more
China is none-too-comfortable with Christians, and a newly released government document reveals a deeply ingrained bunker mentality about outside religious influence, especially in the country’s universities. “Resisting foreign use of religion to infiltrate institutes of higher education and preventing campus evangelism is an important and imperative/urgent/pressing strategic task,” says the document, which was issued by the Communist Party Central Committee’s General Office. Obtained and translated by ChinaAid, the May 2011 document was authenticated by Columbia University Sinologist Andrew Nathan. Its... Read more
It started the the day before with Felicity puking. Then Fionn came down with it. After he threw up more than a dozen times, he woke up several more times with night terrors. And then Jonah joined in. Ah, yes. There’s nothing quite like a stomach bug for the holidays. The next morning, while I was cleaning things up and getting ready for the day, Pandora played carols in the corner. “Silent Night” started. Don’t mock me, I thought. It... Read more
It is sometimes easy to focus on how sinful we are. Our frailty and failings stand in stark contrast to the life we hope and believe we can live in Christ. Focus on these things too long and we can become very discouraged. But there are reasons for encouragement, and one example can be found by looking at a song about Jesus’ mother. Orthodox and Eastern Catholic believers sing a short hymn about Mary called the “Axion Estin,” or “It... Read more
If you’ve cancelled your plans on December 21 because the Mayans said the world would end, you’ll be excited to hear that calendar experts have finally announced that nothing will happen after all — except perhaps long lines at military-surplus return counters. But look on the upside. Now you can use that newfound time to catch up on your reading — maybe thumb through some classics like Harold Camping’s recently overshadowed 1994? Or Hal Lindsey’s forgettable The 1980s: Countdown to... Read more
Everybody knows the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, right? If you’ve stepped anywhere near Sunday school, heard an old-timey gospel song, or glanced sideways while your four-year-old watched VeggieTales, you’ve picked it up. It’s an compelling story of faith and rescue, and today the Orthodox and Lutheran churches celebrate Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah — their Hebrew names — along with Daniel the Prophet. But what many may have missed are two songs, “The Prayer of Azariah” and “The Song... Read more
What are we to make of the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut? Later in the month, both the Western and Eastern church will observe the slaughter of the Holy Innocents, that tragic moment in which King Herod answered the Gospel by trying to murder the Messiah. As Matthew reports, “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in... Read more
Joel J. Miller
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