Ben Myers is compiling a Church attendance manual. Here is part 1: arriving late.
Allison Pearson writes in The Telegraph that Wishy-washy Anglicans like me should speak up for the Church.
Jonathan Clatworthy writes for Modern Church that Hard work is not a virtue.
Paul Vallely writes for the Church Times about What really makes a nation Christian.
Simon Barrow writes for Ekklesia about Easter: actually it’s 50 days, and nothing to do with ‘Christian country’ ideology.
Barney White-Spunner writes for The Telegraph that Village churches need their own resurrection.
Diarmaid MacCulloch has given the fourth annual Princeton in Europe Lecture: What if Arianism had won? [63 minute video]
Arriving late: The Anglican “mild-mannered English contrition” – now that’s a look I’m hoping to perfect. No Messy Church for me!
Diarmaid MacCulloch, as ever, is brilliant. The great ‘what ifs’ of Church history, the political machinations, the social upheavals and the theological forces at play. Many of the things done in his name I fancy would have given great surprise, if not offence to the poor carpenter of Nazareth.
Incidentally, in a long ministry I have observed that often when clerical guidance or liturgical formation are absent, the laity pray and talk spontaneously like Arians. Now there’s an interesting phenomenon to consider.
The piece by Barney White-Spunner (great name) seemed to me very constructive.
Nicholas; I’m really interested in your comment about the faithful being naturally Arian. I too have noted this many times. I’m a Catholic seminarian and have noticed another trend possibly linked to the previous point. The people naturally think that The Blessed Sacrament is a only a symbol of Jesus (not the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ himself). A much older friend of mine will go to Adoration and at the same time profess that the Blessed Sacrament is a symbol of the body of Jesus which we receive in rememberence of him. It’s classic Protestant doctrine… Read more »