Can you spot the difference between these two Greek words: homoousion and homoiousion? The first word, homoousion, means “of one being.” The second word, homoiousion, means “of like being.” These words may be distinguished by only a single letter, but their meanings are far apart. If Jesus is homoousion with the Father, then they are…

In 1994, my sister died from heresy. That’s not hyperbole. It’s not a metaphor. It’s the plain truth. Leslie had contracted HIV from a botched artificial insemination procedure in the late 1980s. She kept it hidden from most everyone, and in the secrecy of her illness, she searched desperately for healing. Leslie tried everything—strict diets,…

A friend of mine grew up in a church that did not recognize the Nicene Creed’s definition of the Trinity. For them, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were three labels that could be interchangeably applied to the one God. She and her family had since moved on to a church that confessed the Trinity, but…

Easter 6 in the BCP 2019 carries the specific title “Rogation Sunday.” The term “Rogation” generally refers to a solemn Sunday. In the context of our liturgical celebration, it is connected with devotions associated with our Lord’s final days on earth (before his ascension). Because of its proximity to Pentecost, originally a harvest festival, Rogation…

As a youth minister, summer camp is a regular part of my life. Every year, we load up the church van and head into the middle of nowhere for a week of sleepless nights, camp food, sunburn, and ruthless competition. While I love all the craziness that comes with camp, there is one experience I…

The word “Lord” often has bad connotations. In our culture, the three most famous Lords are Lord Vader, Lord Voldemort, and Lord Sauron. When the messianic heroes in those stories defeat their respective Lords, they do not become Lord Skywalker, Lord Potter, or Lord Baggins. The Christian gospel, on the other hand, is this: the…

The first article of the Nicene Creed—“We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth”—can easily slip by without our stopping to wonder at it. This is particularly true of the brief addendum, not found in the Apostles’ Creed, “of all that is, visible and invisible.” But this little phrase…

After the Nicene Creed asserts that we believe in “One God, the Father, the Almighty,” we begin to explore his characteristics. The first and most fundamental of these reflects the opening statement of the Bible itself: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). From that sentence onward, Scripture leaves no…

At Easter 5, the church begins to highlight some of the teachings of Jesus in the upper room discourse in John. The assigned Gospel reading out of John 13:31-35 in Year C begins that discourse after Judas departs the scene. Directing his attention to the eleven, our Lord says, “Now is the Son of Man…

The Nicene Creed is, or should be, a familiar friend to us. The Creed is our regular and constant companion as the normative creed professed during Holy Communion. We begin by professing that we “believe in one God,” as do many other religions and spiritualities. In the words of St. James, “You believe that God…

To Christians today, it seems hardly remarkable that the Nicene Creed should begin with a declaration of monotheism: “We believe in one God.” We tend to gloss over this line, often saying it without thinking. When we do discuss it, we can treat it as boring and basic, as monotheistic milk before the trinitarian meat….

Jesus once asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” It was Peter—bold, impetuous Peter—who stepped forward with the answer:  “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  In response, Jesus made a staggering promise:  “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.” (Matthew 16:18). It was…

In May and June 325, the new Roman Emperor Constantine gathered hundreds of bishops to his summer palace in Nicaea. The immediate cause of their Council was a theological debate, emerging out of Alexandria, concerning the eternity and divinity of Jesus. By the end of their time together, the bishops affirmed the divinity of Christ…

Though the Fourth Sunday of Easter contains the same readings in most contemporary three-year lectionaries, only in the BCP 2019 do we find the title “Good Shepherd” for the week. The Gospel readings across the three-year schedule cover all of John 10 where we find the explicit references to Jesus as the “good shepherd”. In…

In this article and its predecessor, “500 Years of the Daily Office Lectionary,” Fr. Matthew Brench surveys the development of the lectionaries of the Anglican Prayer Book tradition, especially those of the England, the U.S., and Canada, culminating in the present 2019 Prayer Book of the Anglican Church in North America. Like the Daily Office…

The Gloria Patri (Latin for “glory to the Father”) is that small but mighty doxology in Anglican worship where we proclaim: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. The Gloria Patri is used most…

Derived from the Greek words doxa (glory) and logia (saying), a doxology is an ascription of worship, praise, and/or adoration to God. It either praises him for his attributes or for his mighty acts in history (or both). An example of a scriptural acclamation is found in Revelation 5:9-10, 12-13.

Canticle comes from the Latin and means “little song.” A canticle is a sacred song or prayer drawn directly from the Bible. An example of a canticle is the Magnificat, also known as Mary’s song, which is drawn from Luke 1:46-55.