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A Historic Easter Change Is Coming — But Will Protestants Get On Board?

...and as an Anglican, the wider Anglican Communion. Historically, the disparity in Easter dates has been a visible manifestation of Christian disunity, and efforts to establish a common date have been ongoing. Previous Attempts  In 2016, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby expressed support for a fixed date for Easter, engaging in dialogues with leaders from various Christian traditions, including Pope Francis and Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew. He emphasised the importance of unity in celebrating the resurrection of Christ and hoped for an agreement within a decade, or at least before he retired. Recently uncovered scandals forced him to retire earlier than...

From Dust to Redemption: The Meaning of Ash Wednesday

...Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance, fasting, and preparation for Easter in the Christian calendar. It is observed by many Western Christian traditions, including the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Lutheran churches, and some Methodist and Reformed communities. The day falls 46 days before Easter Sunday and is always on a Wednesday. Origins and Historical Development The practice of Ash Wednesday can be traced back to the early centuries of Christianity, though its formal observance developed over time. The use of ashes as a sign of repentance has deep biblical roots, appearing frequently in the Old Testament. People w...

Lent Day 34: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XXIII

...uch of my Anglican upbringing: the liturgy used in some parts, is word-for-word, which just goes to show how well preserved this has been down through the centuries. For example, in the Anglican order of service, the Liturgy of the Sacrament has these phrases: The Lord be with you and also with you Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give thanks and praise. Holy, holy, holy Lord… These are word-for-word what Cyril writes about when explaining the way in which a church service is conducted. The only main difference, other than different wording elsewhere, is that the Anglican service...

Francis Chan turns towards a more historical and ancient view of Communion

...Lutheran, Anglican, Reformed, Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal/Charismatic. Most “non-denominational” churches are still largely Baptist in their theology, despite avoiding any overarching labels. You could also possibly argue for maybe 20-ish denominational groups, if you accept some of the sub-sects of the six listed above as different enough to warrant being counted separately. But I digress. Chan then continues his sermon, making some more generalised historical claims: “…for 1500 years it was never one guy and his pulpit being the centre of the church, it was the body and blood of Christ…” Another area he touches on is the centrality of th...

8 Most Controversial Topics In The Church Today

...an in the Anglican Church. The Anglican Church has changed its attitude on homosexual marriage and gay priests in recent years (and even months), but there is still widespread opposition. Some have urged the church to be more accepting of LGBT people; some have gone so far as to support homosexual clergy and allow them the ability to perform same-sex marriages; while still others are staunchly opposed to the conventional definition of marriage. 2. Abortion At first glance, one could believe that this topic is not as contentious within the church as it is between those within and those outside the church. According to a recent Pew Research Center research, pers...

Lent Day 30: Cyril of Jerusalem: Catechetical Lectures: Lecture XIX

...using the Anglican liturgy since that’s what I’m most familiar with from memory: Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God? I reject them.   Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil? I renounce them.   Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour? I repent of them.   Do you turn to Christ as Saviour? I turn to Christ.   Do you submit to Christ as Lord? I submit to Christ.   Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life? I come to Christ. And this is the text from Cyril’s lecture which I’ve compiled into one paragraph of liturgy for easier reading: I renounce thee, Satan and...