We Are Not Worthy: A Response to Kelly Pigott

November 20, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

A troubling (to me) blog post has been going around over the last few weeks regarding the Reformation and the Eucharist. Dr. Kelly Pigott, a blogger on the Patheos Progressive Christian channel, has argued that the meal Jesus instituted in Jerusalem with his disciples some 2,000 years ago has been distorted and misappropriated through centuries of infighting and disagreement. Ultimately, Pigott argues that Communion is more about the transformation of the partaker into Jesus than anything else. He suggests that... Read more

Hope, Purity, and Sacrificial Living

November 9, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

(This is a copy of the sermon I preached yesterday on the 24th Sunday after Pentecost. It does not align fully with what was actually preached–I went off the ranch at times–but it I offer it here nonetheless for your reading and (hopefully) enrichment). O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may... Read more

Why Do We Kneel in Prayer? – Post from “Anglican Pastor”

November 5, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

(Occasionally I contribute to other blogs. I recently wrote a piece for “Anglican Pastor.” Read this opening blurb and then click on the link for the full article.) O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! – Psalm 95:6 There used to be a time—and it wasn’t too long ago!—when pews or sitting furniture of any kind were completely absent from the sanctuary. Let’s be honest, we’re a bit removed from the... Read more

Guest Post – The Grace of Pentecost: the Christian Framework of Regula

October 30, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

This is a post contributed by my friend, Matthew Dallman. Matthew is the Executive Director of Akenside Press and his bio can be found below. Many of us have our favorite moments in Holy Scripture for personal reflection. Among mine are the Annunciation to Blessed Mary, the Parable of the Leaven, the Binding of Isaac, Jesus’ Agony in the Garden, and Eve’s confrontation with the Serpent in Eden. Yet the one I think about the most is the second chapter... Read more

The Real Legacy of the English Reformation

October 29, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

As we approach Reformation Day within the Protestant corners of the one holy catholic and apostolic church there is a tendency to romanticize the true nature of the various reformations to the point that the baby is all but thrown out with the bathwater. As an Anglican, and as one who believes in the branch theory of the church, to misread history in this manner is not only negligent: it is also lazy. My goal is to briefly outline the... Read more

Liturgy and God’s Redeeming Work

October 11, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

This post is part of an ongoing series entitled, “Sunday with Schmemann.” If you have not yet read some of Fr. Alexander Schmemann’s works you can begin with my inaugural post here. Over the last few weeks I have been re-working my way through Schmemann’s classic, Introduction to Liturgical Theology. In chapter 2 of Introduction to Liturgical Theology, Fr. Alexander Schmemann examines the problem of the Ordo in the firs centuries of the early Church. In particular, he writes about the reliance... Read more

“The Problem of the Ordo”

September 27, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

This post is part of an ongoing series entitled, “Sunday with Schmemann.” If you have not yet read some of Fr. Alexander Schmemann’s works you can begin with my inaugural post here. Over the last few weeks I have been re-working my way through Schmemann’s classic, Introduction to Liturgical Theology. The content of today’s post is based on Chapter 1, “The Problem of the Ordo.” The main argument of the chapter is that the Ordo is far more than a set... Read more

The Paradoxical and Inversionary Nature of the Church

September 25, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

This post is a continuation of my weekly series, “Fridays with Fr. Kavanagh.” You can read the first post here, complete with biographical information about Fr. Kavanagh for those who have not yet had the pleasure to read his works. Continuing in my re-journey through On Liturgical Theology, chapters 3 and 4 deal with the church and what it means for the church “to do” the world. In particular, chapter 4 includes some of the most poignant and beautifully probing... Read more

Surprised by Pope

September 24, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

Pope Francis is currently in the United States for his first papal visit since being elected as the 266th Pope by the College of Cardinals two and a half years years ago. I have written about his visit, as have many, many journalists, bloggers, Christians, and others. I was musing this morning about a consistent theme that has been brought to the forefront in recent days: an overwhelming sense of surprise at Pope Francis’ decisions and actions. My question to... Read more

Book Review: The Church in Act

September 21, 2015 By Porter Case Taylor

Earlier this year, Fortress Press released a new book by distinguished liturgiologist, Maxwell Johnson. For those who do not know the author, Maxwell Johnson is Professor of Liturgical Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Entitled, The Church in Act: Lutheran Liturgical Theology in Ecumenical Dialogue, Johnson made an important shift from liturgiology to liturgical theology. Do not let the title of this book fool you: it is not only intended for Lutherans! The Church in Act is a must... Read more