ITT We Discuss Theology

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

As part of our outreach, last year our rector instituted Ashes to Go, and stood at the busiest intersection in town for the early morning, lunch and afternoon rushes. This year we are doing it again, but expanding onto campus as well.

Somehow that just seems so . . . oxymoronic -- a call to a a holy Lent, with all that entails, given in such curt fashion. But hey, I guess if it reaches even one person, the angels rejoice.

[SWTXBelle]

Last year I made the observation that someone should sell stencils for Ash Wednesday. My cross always ends up looking like a smudge. Put the stencil in the middle of the forehead, dab with ashes - ta da! Smudge free cross.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Somehow that just seems so . . . oxymoronic -- a call to a a holy Lent, with all that entails, given in such curt fashion. But hey, I guess if it reaches even one person, the angels rejoice.

You know I thought similar, but I accompanied her last year when she did it and I was impressed. At least one person was driven to tears by the experience, and we had several people said that they were happy we were there because work obligations prevented them from going to the ash Wednesday services at their churches. And a lot of those who refused actually talked to us to find out more about what we were doing.

On another note I got my Prayerbook and the Guide today and I am excited for both.

[Psi U MC Vito]

And honestly, I don't see anything in scripture that is explicitly Trinitian, though I also don't see anything that is strictly Unitarian either.

[Little Dragon]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

And honestly, I don't see anything in scripture that is explicitly Trinitian, though I also don't see anything that is strictly Unitarian either.

Always in need of interpretation, which came later in the way of Councils and the writings of Church fathers, here are three quotes:
* All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit [Matthew 28:19].
* May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all [2 Corinthians 13:14].
* To God’s elect. . .who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood [1 Peter 1:1-2].

Here are some more quotes: Romans 14:17-18; 15:16; 1 Corinthians 2:2-5; 6:11; 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 2:18-22; 3:14-19; Ephesians 4:4-6; Colossians 1:6-8; 1Thessalonians 1:3-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Titus 3:4-6.

You are right. The idea of the Trinity is only implicit in the Bible, never explicit. Also, the word Trinity never appears.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Studying the creeds would be a good place to start to understand long-standing interpretations of the Trinity, whether or not the reader actually ascribes to them.

I agree completely. But there's a difference I think in saying it's a good place to start on an understanding of long-standing interpretations of the Trinity and just saying read them carefully and then we can talk.

[Psi U MC Vito]

So apparently people associate white robes with priests. I got called Father or Padre three times today.

[SWTXBelle]

Pope Benedict and the Archbishop of Canterbury, spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans, met and prayed together on Saturday but made only glancing references to the divisions between their Churches.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...tml?ref=topbar

[Psi U MC Vito]

I'm impressed that the Pope of Rome was at a joint service, though it does not say it was Mass I suppose. I have been impressed with the amount of ecumenical dialogue the last two Popes of Rome have engaged in.

[SWTXBelle]

I have fallen in love with this - although I was introduced to it at a funeral mass for a 13 year old boy, which means it will forever be bittersweet:

The Canticle of the Turning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXyGh1MW2OM

[PhoenixAzul]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I have fallen in love with this - although I was introduced to it at a funeral mass for a 13 year old boy, which means it will forever be bittersweet:

The Canticle of the Turning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXyGh1MW2OM

This is also the tune of anl Irish song, "The Star of the County Down"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GbdB7PlGtc

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

This is also the tune of anl Irish song, "The Star of the County Down"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GbdB7PlGtc

Yes, I know. My sister fronted a Celtic band that used to play it - my eldest daughter did Irish step dancing to it, including at a gig at the North Texas Irish Festival. I danced to it at a ball night before last! A beautiful melody, played majestically or céilidh-style.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

This is also the tune of anl Irish song, "The Star of the County Down"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GbdB7PlGtc

"Star of the County Down" actually isn't that old of a song -- it was written (the words that is) by Cathal McGarvey, who lived from 1866-1927. It was first published after his death, and was probably written in the early 20th Century.

The tune is a different matter. It is indeed an old tune that pops up throughout the British Isles with a variety of names and lyrics. I think the earliest example of the tune in written form is from the early 1700s. It's the basis of the hymn tune "Kingsfold" -- one of many folk tunes that Ralph Vaughan Williams took and "hymnodized" for the English Hymnal (1906). Lots of hymnals include the tune for "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" and/or "O Sing a Song of Bethlehem." Vaughan Williams also used it for Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus (1939), which is a setting for harp and strings of yet another of the old carols associated with the tune.

[IrishLake]

^ My in-laws church sings that song often (same tune, slightly different words). It annoys me to no end though, because the organist only plays songs at one tempo, and that's slow. So any song that's supposed to have a slightly faster tempo sounds depressing.

[SWTXBelle]

I am familiar with the organist-who-thinks-everything-is-a-dirge phenomena.
Fortunately, that is not a problem with my parish now.