Then was sixty years ago when I was a teenager and member of the Anglican Church of Canada. Services would begin with this exhortation: Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face … Continue reading Worship then and now
faith
Blessed are the pure in heart
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Well, I have tried to keep myself pure. I read the Bible every day and hardly ever miss a church service. I have been married to the same woman for almost 47 years; it's been at least 45 years since the last time I … Continue reading Blessed are the pure in heart
Blessed are the merciful
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Mercy cannot be a passive virtue: kindly feelings towards someone in distress are worthless if not accompanied by action to help relieve the distress. There may be a time when we are called upon to perform some major act of mercy, but we should not waste … Continue reading Blessed are the merciful
Inside or outside?
There is a line that we cross when we give our hearts to the Lord. Many people stop once they have crossed the line, mill around with others they find there and wonder why they are not experiencing the blessings of Christian life that they were promised. After awhile, some of them step back to … Continue reading Inside or outside?
No room for boasting
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “For we brought nothing into this world” (1 Timothy 6:7). The Apostle was talking about material things, but I don't think it does his words any violence to say that no one of us came into this world with any pre-qualifications for … Continue reading No room for boasting
A fading faith
[This is one of my earliest posts on this blog, dating from four and a half years ago.] For twelve years we lived in a little village in Ontario. Directly across the street from our home was the United Church manse. The minister and his wife were a pleasant older couple, professional and polished. There … Continue reading A fading faith
Keeping the faith
Most Amish trace their families back to Mennonites from the Canton of Berne in Switzerland. An Old Order Amish bishop once said to me, "There must have been a special strength of character in those Bernese Anabaptists that has enabled their descendants to keep the faith for hundreds of years." The Amish divided from the … Continue reading Keeping the faith
Follow on to know the Lord
A teenage girl is convinced that she is pregnant and about to become the mother of baby Jesus, even though her mother, her doctor and an ultrasound all assure her that she is not pregnant at all. Why is this news? I suppose the media think this is one more way of poking fun at … Continue reading Follow on to know the Lord
Radical thinking from an archbishop
Liberty of thought is an impregnable fortress that no human power can force. Violence can never convince, it only makes hypocrites. When kings take it upon themselves to direct in matters of religion, instead of protecting it, they bring it into bondage. You should, therefore, grant to all a legal toleration. Not as approving everything … Continue reading Radical thinking from an archbishop
Pietists, Quietists & Anabaptists
I have been reading some of the writings of François Fénelon and find some moving passages. I plan to post some excerpts in coming days. Fénelon was a Quietist, that is a Roman Catholic who believed that salvation had to come through a personal relationship with God, rather than through the forms of liturgical worship. … Continue reading Pietists, Quietists & Anabaptists
Flatlander Faith 