A Christmas Day Sermon: One of my favourite things to do is burn frankincense. I started this whilst living in Egypt and enjoying it in the Coptic churches. All the way through the Old Testament, the priests would burn incense. And somehow this represents before God the prayer of the people. Even today in many... Continue Reading →
The Nativity Sermon of Saint John Chrysostom
I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn! The angels sing! The archangels blend their voices in harmony! The cherubim resound their joyful praise! The seraphim exalt His glory! All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here... Continue Reading →
An Advent Poem
In our secret yearningswe wait for your coming,and in our grinding despairwe doubt that you will. And in this privileged placewe are surrounded by witnesses who yearn more than do weand by those who despair more deeply than do we. Look upon your church and its pastorsin this season of hopewhich runs so quickly to... Continue Reading →
St Nicholas, the Arians, and the Nicene Creed
The ancient Christian St Nicolas was a heroic defender of Christian orthodoxy, defending the Nicene creed as it weeves its way through the deep and dark truth of the nature of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In making this stand, the Arians lost the theological war for the truth of God (again, and thank... Continue Reading →
Advent ‘Greetings’ or “Hey, Boo!”
“Greetings” is the first word of the Christmas story. Today, it has come to mean a pleasant way to say hello to someone, but often, no more than this. Yet, in the Christmas story, the word "greetings" (Gk. χαίρω) is remarkably rich in meaning. Mary’s role in the coming of Jesus Christ into the world... Continue Reading →
What was God to do?
Some exquisiteness from the magnificent 'On the Incarnation' by St. Athanasius (298-373 AD) (Kindle Edition)! My title 'What was God to do?' comes from a repeated question Athanasius asks in this chapter. Chapter III: The Divine Dilemma and its solution in the Incarnation - (continued) (11) "When God the Almighty was making mankind through His... Continue Reading →
About that baby in the manger…
"If Jesus' whole life to us is God's word to us, then he is God's word not only when he is intelligible, not only when he makes clear sense - not only when he is graspable and useable by us. He is also God's word when he is wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in... Continue Reading →
Gralefrit Theology 