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Stepping Out, Holding On, and Following the Call

In the coming weeks, I will begin a field placement at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington. It is the next step in my formation and discernment for Holy Orders, and I find myself approaching it with a mixture of excitement, gratitude, and more than a little nervousness. Perhaps that is why the Gospel readings of the past two Sundays have spoken to me so personally. One gave us Peter stepping out of a boat onto uncertain waters. The other gave us a Canaanite woman who refused to walk away, even when the answer she first received was silence. Together, they offer two pictures of faith that seem especially appropriate for this point in my journey: faith that is willing to step out and faith that is determined to hold on. Stepping Out of the Boat When Peter sees Jesus walking across the water, he says, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus answers with one word: “Come.” Peter steps out of the boat and begins walking toward him. For a moment, he does what...
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Why I'm an Anglican

Anglicanism has at its core the blessing of a very long-standing, liturgical heritage with ancient origins that results in worshipping the LORD in the beauty of holiness and in spirit and in truth and in loving the LORD our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Reverent. Centered upon God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Praise saturated. Inspiring. Convicting. Edifying. Thankful. Instructive. Full of the Word. Full also of Sacrament.
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Imago Dei

As Genesis 1:26 states, “Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness,” man is made “Imago Dei”, in the image and likeness of God. This is the foundation of our profound dignity as human persons: that we are created in the image and likeness of God, who is a communion of persons in the Holy Trinity. We are earthly creatures (i.e. have a physical body) and yet have a spiritual nature as well, indicating that we are made for something beyond this life. In fact, we are made for someone beyond this life, God himself. We are created for relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters.
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The Dangers of Christian Nationalism

Unveiling the Dangers of Christian Nationalism Christian nationalism, an ideology that merges religion and politics, poses significant risks to our society. By elevating Christianity as the privileged faith and linking it to national identity, this ideology undermines religious freedom, fosters division, erodes secular values, and distorts the true essence of Christianity. It threatens the fundamental right to practice any religion or no religion at all, fuels polarization, compromises equality, and paints an inaccurate picture of the teachings of Christianity. It is crucial to raise awareness, promote inclusivity, uphold secular values, and encourage critical thinking to counteract the harmful effects of Christian nationalism, and to build a society that embraces diversity, unity, and the preservation of individual freedoms.
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True religion

One of the most famous quotes on true religion from the Christian Church Fathers is by St. James, who said in James 1:27: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  St. Augustine also provided insights about true religion. In his Confessions, he wrote, "For to worship You is to acknowledge that You exist, and that You reward those who seek You diligently. This is the faith that saves the people of God." He believed that faith in God was the foundation of true religion and that worship and devotion should come from the heart.  Another Church Father, St. Cyril of Alexandria, wrote, "True religion consists in worshipping the Lord in spirit and in truth, not with visible sacrifices, but with the offering of the soul itself." He believed that true religion was a matter of the heart and not just outward actions.  Overall, the teach...
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The Passion - Holy Week

My dear brothers and sisters, Today we come together to commemorate the most important event in the history of humanity, the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his suffering and death, he showed us the greatest act of love that God could possibly offer to us. As we enter into this Holy Week, it is important to pause and reflect on the journey our savior went through for our sake. Imagine for a moment, the pain and anguish that he felt. The crown of thorns on his head, the lashes from the whips on his back, the nails piercing his hands and feet, and ultimately, the life slowly ebbing away from him on the cross. Why did He do it? Why did our Lord willingly suffer such a painful and degrading end? The answer is simple yet profound - love. Love for us, His children. Love that was willing to endure any suffering and pain, even unto death, for our redemption and salvation. The passion of Christ reminds us of the magnitude of God's love for us. His love transcends space and time, crossi...
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What does it mean to be a Human Being?

Throughout the myriad of opinions and righteous indignation from all sides, of the past few weeks, I've been left with many various thoughts, but at their essence is this; a lack of hope in the human spirit.  At the extremes, both left and right, both "black and white," both spiritual and terrestrial world views, are displaying the same deficiency.  What has happened to fertilize the growth of hopelessness in our culture? In the past, I've asked the question, "What does it mean to be a human being?"  The answer to that question is interesting to me because it exposes, I believe, what the individual believes about, not only, themselves specifically, but others in general.  In my experience, how we see human beings, and what we think it means to be a human being are integral to how we react to each other. All the "Isms" of today, feminism, humanism, socialism, capitalism, spiritualism, racism, conservatism, liberalism, gay or straight, you name it, h...
Location: Whiteville, NC 28472, USA
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