Greg Peters, Anglican Spirituality: An Introduction. Cascade Book, 2024. 108 pp. For many of us, the look and feel of being Anglican is as attractive as anything else it has to offer. Prayer Book spirituality is marked by modesty and calm, and methodical ways of speaking and thinking. There is a commitment to a discipline…
Mercy in the Midst: Courage to Stay in an Imperfect Church
As both a therapist and a parishioner, I have watched many weary believers seek refuge in liturgical traditionsโdrawn by beauty, order, and a sense of rootedness after years of spiritual fatigue within politicized or performance-driven church cultures. I have seen institutions rise to moments of grace and stumble into failure. The difference often lies not…
A Garden Enclosed
Anglican Compass is proud to announce the republication of the 1907 spiritual classic A Garden Enclosed: Practical Studies in Religious Life by Sister Frances Anna, writing anonymously as “A Sister of the Community of St. Mary.” This community is the oldest Anglican religious order in the United States. Below is an introduction by the Rev….
Icons Over Idols: Heroes in an Age of Disillusionment
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 shepherdsโdare I say heroesโplagues the Christian…
Shame in the Psalms
All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger. Psalms 44:15-16 While some of the psalms exult in joy and praise, many others describe the more challenging aspects of the human experienceโincluding shame….
Taizรฉ: Brother Roger’s Vision of Christian Unity
Taizรฉ is the name of a small village in France, which is home to a monastic community of ecumenical Christian brothers and hosts many thousands of pilgrims from all denominations who visit each year. When these pilgrims return to their homes, they carry with them the spirit of Taizรฉ, expressed in song, silence, and a…
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…
Martin Luther and the Christian Life
Luther’s concern didn’t remain in the ivory tower of abstract theology. Indeed, in many ways, Luther’s aim was a robust recovery of the Christian life.
Spiritual Attack or Mental Illness?
As a priest, people often share stories with me about a loved one, friend, or acquaintance who is behaving in a dangerous, unusual, or self-destructive manner. They wonder if this is a spiritual problem or a mental healthย problem. They want me to help them decide which one it is. Is my loved one facing a…
