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…
We Believe: Of All That Is, Visible and Invisible
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…
We Believe: Maker of Heaven and Earth
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…
Today in the Spirit: Easter 5C
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…
We Believe: The Father, The Almighty
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…
We Believe: In One 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….
Does the Pope Matter for Anglicans?
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…
We Believe: Reflections on the Nicene Creed
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…
Today in the Spirit: Easter 4C (Good Shepherd)
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…
500 Years of the Holy Communion Lectionary
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…
