The Narthex
'Languages' of Religion
Francis at times ignores the primacy and uniqueness of Christ's message. Why?
By John M. Grondelski | September 16th 2024 8:37 PMImagine a scenario where Jesus and his modern disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asks his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" They say in reply, "Allah, others Brahma or Buddha, still others Confucius or one of the ethical teachers." And…
READ FULL BLOG POSTFidelity Month & 'Hesed'
Fidelity is vital to overcoming the centrifugal force of individualism
By John M. Grondelski | May 23rd 2024 3:05 PMFidelity (in Hebrew, hesed) is one of the Lord’s great attributes. The history of salvation is the history of hesed. Because God's revelation to man is so anchored in fidelity, hesed is an extraordinarily rich Biblical concept. Adam sinned, yet “even when he lost Your friendship, You did not abandon…
READ FULL BLOG POSTThe Future of Easter
If the Pope aims to fix a 'common' Easter with the Orthodox, then discussion is long overdue
By John M. Grondelski | May 6th 2024 12:01 PMThis past Sunday, May 5, was Easter in various parts of the Orthodox Church which still use the Julian Calendar for liturgical purposes. To these Orthodox: Christos voskrese! Voistinnu voskrese! (Christ is risen! He is truly risen!) I mention Orthodox Easter because while this year (as is typical) it falls…
READ FULL BLOG POST'Reforming' a Religion
Why pray 'Thy will be done' when one can pray 'my will be done'?
By John M. Grondelski | December 15th 2023 2:51 PMRabbi David Ellenson died December 7 in New York. I read about it in The New York Times. I’ll admit to knowing nothing about the man before I read his obituary. The phenomenon of reading obituaries kicks in at a certain age. As a child, I was always puzzled by the…
READ FULL BLOG POSTTo Whom Shall They Go?
As Anglicanism fractures, with whom is Rome to conduct dialogue?
By John M. Grondelski | June 15th 2023 12:38 PMThe significance of the outcome of the Fourth Global Anglican Future Convention (GAFCON IV) held last April in Kigali, Rwanda, is coming into ever sharper relief. That an overwhelming portion of Anglicanism, especially in the “Global South,” has been pushed to the point that it no longer recognizes its communion…
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