Historians appear to believe that wherever there was something important going on there must have been some big shots behind it. When they look at the history of Christianity, the Catholics and Protestants had all the big shots. Since they find no big shots on the side of those we call Anabaptists, they assume that … Continue reading A church of nobodies
Roman Catholic
Worship styles – what is essential?
I was reading articles about the history of church pews and it seems most writers feel that pews became important at the time of the Reformation. In Roman Catholic worship the focus was on the communion and provisions for congregational seating were not of major importance. With the Reformation, the focus switched to the sermon … Continue reading Worship styles – what is essential?
Manchester and the Crusaders
Islamic extremists are telling Muslim youths that it is their religious duty to strike back at Christian nations because they are descendants of the Crusaders who wreaked havoc upon Muslims many years ago. There are serious flaws in this simplistic approach: 1. The Crusades were efforts by the popes to expand their political influence. Religion … Continue reading Manchester and the Crusaders
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
Business and Church
I grew up in a small Saskatchewan town with four grocery stores and three churches. One store was owned by a cousin and another by an old friend of the family. Another was owned by a Catholic family and the fourth was the local Co-op. The three churches were the United Church of Canada, the … Continue reading Business and Church
Anabaptists and their persecutors
The following statement was made in 1538 by an unnamed Anabaptist leader during a meeting between the Swiss Reformed and Anabaptists in Berne: "While yet in the national church we obtained much instruction from the writings of Luther, Zwingli, and others, concerning the mass and other papal ceremonies, that they are vain. Yet we recognized … Continue reading Anabaptists and their persecutors
Business and Church
I grew up on the edge of a small Saskatchewan town. There were four grocery stores and three churches. One store was owned by a cousin quite a few years older than myself, another by an old friend of my family, another was owned by a Catholic family and the fourth was the local Co-op. … Continue reading Business and Church
Flatlander Faith 