There is an overwhelming lack of trust in leadership and institutions, including religious leaders, in our day. I’ve had young men approach me privately within my parish, lamenting that they believe they cannot trust the actions or teachings of any religious leader or denomination. A perceived absence of trustworthy shepherds—dare I say heroes—plagues the Christian…
Justice Delayed is Justice Denied: The Importance of Speed in Church Discipline
Speed is an essential quality of effective church discipline. Speed is not merely helpful; rather, speed is essential. We find this principle grounded in Biblical teaching, English common law, the American Constitution, and contemporary practice. The saying is true (and worthy of full acceptance): when justice is delayed, justice is denied. Moreover, the church’s recent…
Veni Creator Spiritus: The Ancient Ordination Hymn
The silence of the ordination service is heavy with expectation, especially when the ordinand lowers his body to the ground. He has been examined by the bishop, and soon he will kneel under the bishop’s hands. Though he has just made lofty vows, he knows, like Isaiah, that he is a man of unclean lips….
Reformed Episcopal Seminary: Occupying the ‘Center’ of Anglican Formation
Reformed Episcopal Seminary (RES) in Philadelphia is nearing its 140th year. Founded in 1887, the seminary’s task has long been to train clergy for the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC). Today, under the leadership of Dr. Matt Harrington, President and Dean, RES is seeking to re-envision itself as a leading seminary choice both in the ACNA…
Book Review: Tim Keller on the Christian Life by Matt Smethurst
Matt Smethurst, Tim Keller on the Christian Life: The Transforming Power of the Gospel. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2025. 240 pp. $27.99 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-4335-9619-3. As a best-selling author and pastor in the heart of New York City, Tim Keller modeled a faith not threatened by intellectual inquiry but enriched by it. In this short, approachable…
Homeward Bound: The Ministry of Visitation
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27 The shepherd’s work is to visit the flock. A good shepherd tends to the sheep not only within eyesight but also goes and finds the…
Rise of the Anglican Megachurch: Observations from the ACNA’s Largest Churches
The vast majority of Anglican churches have fewer than 100 attendees on a Sunday. But there have always been a few parishes that welcome many more. These are typically legacy churches with centuries of history, such as Falls Church in Virginia (est. 1732) and St. Philip’s in Charleston, South Carolina (est. 1680). Even newcomers to these ranks, such…
Preaching and the Anglican
The discipline of hearing and applying the preached Word is part of the vital bread and butter of a healthy, full-blooded Christian life. If we’re honest, though, we probably allow ourselves to become overly familiar with the sermons we hear. The glaze so easily sets in on our eyes and ears. It all looks so…
Summer Youth Camps in the ACNA
It’s that time again. The weather is heating up, and the kids have abandoned their scholarly pursuits for a life of lounging on the family couch like it’s their job to keep it from floating away. Thank the Lord for summer church camp! It’s time to send your beloved little saints out of the air…
The Church Offers What the Culture Can’t
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…
