If you consider the communal and almost monastic lifestyle of the Amish of modern times, and the pacificism of contemporary Anabaptists some of this history may be disturbing. More familiar would be the words and descriptions of St Francis' and his followers below. "If we had any possessions we should need weapons and laws to defend them." -St. Francis of Assisi "Possessing … [Read more...]
Bernard of Clairvaux, the Proto-Anabaptists, and Holy Communion
"If there be anyone stained with crime, and driven headlong by despair to the pit of destruction, let him call upon this life-giving name, and he will speedily be restored to hope and salvation. Is there anyone amongst you in hardness of heart, in sloth, or tepidity, in bitterness of mind, if he will but invoke the name of Jesus his heart will be softened, and tears of … [Read more...]
Christian Fasting
As I was considering more and more Advent spiritual disciplines and practices throughout the Holy History of the Christian Church I began to ruminate on fasting. One thing I learned quickly in the Roman Catholic Church was that fasting did not simply mean abstaining from all food for a whole day. As a young Baptist, this is what I was taught fasting consisted of, though I … [Read more...]
What do Joel Osteen, Latin Christendom, and Sausages Have in Common? (This Post)
In keeping with the series on the Liturgical Calendar, I thought it best to give a brief exposition on Lent. If Advent is the beginning of the Calendar and one of the two 'big' celebrations, Lent is the second. Lent traditionally was the 40 days leading up to Easter. The significance of 40 in the Bible seems constant. The flood of Noah was 40 days and nights, the … [Read more...]
The Father of Modern Missions – William Carey (Part 3)
William Carey was in everything a man of action as well as a man of letters. He learned by doing, having been a teacher and founding a college before actually possessing a degree or education from one. He began his mission, churches, and school in a portion of India protected by the King of Denmark, and he worked to train local Bengali converts into ministers following a long … [Read more...]