Ascetical Theology and the Beloved Community
When I look at the corporate nature of injustice in our culture and society, and
May 4, 2021
This area for temporary and important messaging. COVID RESOURCES
This area for temporary and important messaging. COVID RESOURCES
When I look at the corporate nature of injustice in our culture and society, and
: Psalm 79 • Micah 5:1-5a • Luke 21:34-38 For many of us, this Advent
We inherit from modernity a cultural frame that divides nature – the “great outdoors” –
We long for transcendence. We seem to be built to encounter realities that transcend us. Every time we have a moment of awe, we know this, intuitively. And once the encounter passes, that longing to encounter the transcendent lingers and never really leaves us. Each encounter just deepens the longing. But how can we […]
Psalm 38, 119:25–48 • Isaiah 6:1–13 • John 7:53–8:11 They brought the woman accused of
The last time I reread for my children my favorite young-adult novel, Lizard Music, by
I remember once waiting with my two-year-old son for my wife, his mother, to come
I’ve been reading some of the popular work of an excellent social and moral psychologist
Psalms 55; Isaiah 10:20-27; Luke 3:1-9 Listen to the author read their meditation and
Wednesday – December 2 Psalm 119:1-24; Amos 3:12-4:5; Matthew 21:23-32 Listen to the author
There have been a series of popular bumper stickers in recent times with the words
There are key differences between rest, entertainment and festival (I depend upon the insights of
A Blues Brothers mystagogy was originally posted on The Living Church's Covenant blog on May 19, 2015.
My wife and I recently had a chance to entertain ourselves by watching The Blues Brothers, that 1980 classic, again.
Every other time I’ve watched this movie, the repeating theme wherein the “brothers” insist that they are on a “mission from God” came across to me simply as part of the joke of the movie or as a blasphemy (as it did to Aretha Franklin’s character in that famous scene), especially when I found myself in a rather pious mood.
This time I felt rather differently. Between the last time I watched this old comedy and this recent viewing, a lot of life, growing up, sorrow, and spiritual direction has intervened. I believe the brothers were indeed on a mission from God. And I believe it is “proved,” time and again throughout the movie by the constant intervention of grace.
Nathan Jennings came to Seminary of the Southwest in 2005, returning to his hometown. Currently, Nathan serves as the J. Milton Richardson Associate Professor of Liturgics and Anglican Studies. Nathan's academic interests include liturgical theology, dogmatic theology, ascetical theology, and theological hermeneutics.
This year will be the third year that we, as a community, will be celebrating the “Triduum” together. In the past, we have expected students to attend their field parishes for formation in the Triduum. We decided to give it a go for a few years here at Seminary of the Southwest, to see if the Triduum might not become for us an important part of our own formative traditions.
But what is the “Triduum,” anyway? It is not a word found in our Prayer Book. It is Latin for “The Three Days.” These “Three Days” refer to the three focal days of Holy Week surrounding Christ’s Last Supper, betrayal, death, burial and resurrection. It comprises four services over three days. The four services are: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and the Great Vigil of Easter. These take place from Thursday evening before Easter Sunday through Saturday night (or, in some places the Great Vigil occurs just before sunrise on Easter Sunday itself).
From the Rev. Nathan Jennings, PhD, Associate Professor of Liturgics and Anglican Studies
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