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Evangelical

2020-12-18T00:10:36-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

And Mary said. . .

Last updated on: December 18, 2020 at 12:10 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

“And Mary said. . .” I have been stuck on these words that come just before the Magnificat. Imagine being about to say something so good, true, and beautiful, history remembers it as “The Magnificat.” I once knew a professor, generally a very wise and good man, who said that Mary was not so important, was much less interesting than Saint Paul. The apostle had, after all, written so much of the New Testament and Mary was hardly mentioned at all.... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

2020-12-15T09:04:39-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Bet on the Fairy Tale: the Enduring Queen Outlasts Augustus

Last updated on: December 15, 2020 at 9:04 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

Bet on the fairy tale. Not the Hallmark version, but the hard Grimm truths that wise women told over fires for a thousand years. If you can put your money on the rich step-sisters or the Cinderella, pick Cinderella. If she does not win in this life, she will win in the life to come. God favors the humble and gives grace to the meek. The mighty are pulled down even if they wiggle and squirm their way to deathbeds.... Read more

Culture

Politics

Spiritual Reflections

2020-12-14T02:11:18-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

And Mary Said (The Politics of Christmas?)

Last updated on: December 14, 2020 at 2:11 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

The politics of Christmas are the incarnation of jollification: the righteous losers end up winning, the humble are exalted, justice happens. Christmas is a Hallmark move indeed: all is well. Mary broke politics at Christmas. She gave consent to the good God and the good God made all well. Like any courageous human, Mary was not “fearless,” but she chose, did her duty, persisted toward holiness. As a result, in a crooked world, her straight was remarkable. She was unknown... Read more

Culture

Politics

Spiritual Reflections

2020-12-14T02:08:04-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Light is Magnificent! (And Mary said. . . )

Last updated on: December 14, 2020 at 2:08 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

Every year comes the day when light is less and darkness is greater. Will the light fail? No. Never. God, omnipotent and omniscient, gives His children the knowledge over years, decades in our own life, and millennia in human history to see the truth. Saint Lucy is the Saint of Light, the one who sees and we celebrate her on our darkest days. Saint Lucy sees best when she sees worst. Of course, that is what I am supposed to... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

2020-12-13T10:28:33-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Choose Mary (Beware the Zealots and the Sadducees)

Last updated on: December 13, 2020 at 10:28 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

There were Zealots in Palestine. They rallied and wrote that God was on their side. They needed no evidence, because God spoke to their hearts. These zealous men believed they could do foolish things until only a miracle could save them and then a miracle would save them. They were men of the heart cut off from the head and their hands would do bloody deeds in God’s name. These lunatics and shysters believed God had told them to rebel... Read more

Culture

Spiritual Reflections

2020-12-12T13:57:18-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Christmas: Humility, Meekness, Tenderness

Last updated on: December 12, 2020 at 1:57 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

Humility. Meekness. Tenderness. There is glory, angelic might, omnipotent God, and three magi, but there would be no Nativity if there were not humility, meekness, and tenderness. The light, life, and wisdom are easy to desire, but embracing humility, meekness, and tenderness reveal if we wish true light, genuine life, and Holy Wisdom, and not just a seems-like product sold to us by the world, our own desires, and devils. Humility was Jesus being willing to go even to the... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

2020-12-12T13:52:19-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Different Icons, Roads to One Truth

Last updated on: December 12, 2020 at 1:52 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

My first Christmas creche from infancy is in my home office, our children’s first creche (minus a broken wiseman, 2020 was hard) is in our den, and our newest sits in the dining room giving us another view of one of history’s greatest events. There was an experiment with what one adult child calls the “bling nativity” but the less said about this the better. The handwritten nativity icon on our wall fills our house with Christmas all year. One could have... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

2020-12-12T13:46:39-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why I Generally Wait to Review Books (or other bits of culture) I Do Not Like (And even Worldviews)

Last updated on: December 12, 2020 at 1:46 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

Here is a proposed general rule for a first read on new books, a first viewing of a film (or even evaluating a “worldview”!): Praise the good, lest some vice, a hidden prejudice, cause us to condemn as bad something that merely makes us uncomfortable. This year I read a great many good books, some again, many for the first time, and more than one very bad book. Some were badly argued. One had a thesis where one could easily have... Read more

Culture

On Books

2020-12-11T01:31:12-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

West Virginian Chuck Yeager: Rest in Peace

Last updated on: December 11, 2020 at 1:31 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

Chuck Yeager is gone to Glory. As the West Virginia state song puts it, all things change, even the hills of West Virginia, but they point to a deeper eternal country, Prince Immanuel’s Land, where Yeager has gone by God’s grace: Oh, the West Virginia hills! How majestic and how grand, With their summits bathed in glory, Like our Prince Immanuel’s Land! Yeager was a hero in World War II, that generation is slipping past us, so his death on... Read more

Culture

2020-12-08T00:08:54-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Saying: “Pray for me!”

Last updated on: December 8, 2020 at 12:08 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

If I am very sad, I call Dad and Mom and ask them to pray for me. They do. God delights to allow His children to cooperate in His grace giving. He hears and gives us what is best always. As a good heavenly Father, God also delights in giving us what we wish when that would be best. Since loving others is so good for us, God is especially pleased when we pour out our hearts for other people. I can... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

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