Hello, my name is Ethan, and I am a recovering expressive individualist. You are familiar with “expressive individualism,” even if the term isn’t familiar. I’ll define and describe it below, but phrases like “be authentic” or “follow your heart” capture the idea to a tee. I became an Anglican to “be authentic” and “follow my…
Anglicans, Infant Baptism, and Believer’s Baptism: A Baptist Weighs-In (Opinion)
Editor’s note: As with all of our “Opinion” pieces, the following guest post does not represent an official position of Anglican Compass. With the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, Anglican Compass believes that “the Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained. in the Church, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ”…
What Your Rector Wants For Christmas (UPDATED 2020)
I have a unique position in the church today. I used to be a Rector of a large church in North Dallas. (Christ Church in Plano, TX). But I am no longer a Rector. Instead, I have the good fortune to hang out, teach, coach, and encourage a lot of Rectors. During this challenging year,…
Why and How to Pray for Our Leaders
When the dust settles following an election, it is not unusual to hear Christian leaders exhort the faithful to be in prayer for our leaders, regardless of how we voted, our party preference, or any of a number of factors that might otherwise lead us to neglect such prayer. For Anglicans, the form and manner…
It’s Time to Go to Church
The most significant decision a Christian makes every week is whether they will go to church. The corporate worship of God is the principal activity of the people of God, and as the Westminster Catechism reminds us, the reason for which we were created. No other decision will so impact a disciple’s beliefs and practices…
A Rule of Life for Online Discourse
During a tumultuous year where much of our interpersonal interaction has been relegated to online spaces, many of us have found ourselves at odds with others on Facebook groups, Twitter threads, or any myriad of blog comment sections. Lively discussion about important matters should not be discouraged whenever there is a possibility of mutual growth…
A Good Story: Narrative as Theodicy
“If God, why evil?” When men first announced the death of God these four, short, stabbing, syllables were thought to be the nails in the Creator’s coffin. This riddle may not have been the instrumental cause of his death, but it was certainly thought that it would prevent any future resurrection on his part. Unfortunately…
Catechesis as a Weapon against Racism
These are trying times in our country. As if a global pandemic was not bad enough, the great pandemic of racism has reared its ugly head once again through the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. It is not as if this issue disappeared for a season and came back in a…
Military Chaplains and the Local Church
When thinking about Anglican priests serving in the military as chaplains, it’s helpful to take perspective on what a select and small group comprises this cohort. About 0.4% of the U.S. population presently serves in the entire active-duty military. Unless a congregation is near a military base, few of those worshipping in an Anglican parish…
Individual and Collective Sin – Principles for Action
How should we balance personal (individual) moral responsibility with collective (group) moral responsibility? Holy Scripture is replete with examples of individuals transgressing God’s law and destroying themselves and others. The law of Moses has many provisions for individuals to bring sacrifice to atone for individual sins. There are also countless examples of people, tribes, nations—collective…
