So here it is, almost Reformation Day, and in fact, it is Reformation Day. This day celebrates the day that Martin Luther dressed up as an Augustinian monk on Halloween and went down to the local bulletin-board—on the door of the church, as it happened—and tacked up a bunch of questions for the guys to [...]
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Reformation Day: October 31
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Luther, reformation on October 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Ghosties, Ghoulies, and Things That Go Bump in the Night: All Hallow’s Eve, October 31
Posted in Uncategorized on October 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Really there’s no point writing about Halloween. The origin of the holiday is covered elsewhere in more detail than you can ever possibly desire. (Just google it.)The debates within Christianity about whether Halloween should Christians should celebrate Halloween is covered elsewhere in more detail than one can possibly desire. (Ditto with the Google). And pretty [...]
The Organizing German
Posted in Uncategorized on October 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
On October 7, most of the Lutheran bodies in America (of which there are a marvelous variety) commemorated the life of Henry Melchoir Muhlenberg (1711-1787), who has claim to the the Great Organizer of American Lutherans. He was not, it must be quickly added, the founder of the Lutheran church in America. By the time [...]
Frankly Francis: Francis of Assisi, October 4
Posted in Uncategorized on October 4, 2011 | 1 Comment »
I’m writing a blog called Cooking for Jesus so think it’s obvious: I like food. I like food way too much. I like food so much that the only thing that turns me off food is food writing. Not all food writing mind you. Food writing that gets in there and gives you all the [...]
Turning My Face
Posted in Uncategorized on April 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
GOOD-FRIDAY, 1613, RIDING WESTWARD. by John Donne LET man’s soul be a sphere, and then, in this, Th’ intelligence that moves, devotion is ; And as the other spheres, by being grown Subject to foreign motion, lose their own, And being by others hurried every day, Scarce in a year their natural form obey ; [...]
February 2–Candlemas–The absolutely LAST day of Christmas
Posted in Uncategorized on February 2, 2010 | 2 Comments »
END now the white loaf and the pie, And let all sports with Christmas die. This is it, mes enfants, the absolutely LAST day of Christmas. No excuses, returns, or exchanges. Candlemas is the Feast of the the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Purification of the Virgin Mary. Under Jewish law, a [...]
Barm Brack for Brigid
Posted in Uncategorized on February 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Candlemas Eve
Posted in Uncategorized on February 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Is your Christmas tree hanging on to its last needle in the corner? Is the thing upon your door the object formerly known as a wreath? Get them down before the goblins come… Down with the rosemary, and so Down with the bays and misletoe; Down with the holly, ivy, all Wherewith ye dress’d the [...]
Taking Time
Posted in Uncategorized on January 7, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Once in a Christmas Cantata, I sang a song about the Three Wise Men that contained the line, “What we learn from these three wise men is that we must take time.” Good advice. So I am going to take my time in this season of Epiphany to work through the Epiphany traditions of different [...]