Dear friends in Christ,
Our big event next week is the Fall Theology Lecture.Dr. Karina Martin Hogan of Fordham University has done a lot of research on “2 Esdras,” a book of the Apocrypha. “2 Esdras” itself is an apocalypse, as is Daniel (in the Old Testament) and Revelation (in the New). This is a good chance to learn about the Apocrypha, and about what an “apocalypse” is, but of course mostly to learn about 2 Esdras, which you may have heard me call “the most interesting book of the Bible you haven’t read.” Part of the interest is that it is both Jewish and Christian. There is a Jewish center to it. And then Christian material has been added at the beginning and at the end. There is also some interesting history — the treatment of 2 Esdras at the time of the Reformation.
So it promises to be an interesting subject: “2 Esdras: The Apocryphal Apocalypse.” I need only add that the lecturer herself is an esteemed member of Fordham’s theology faculty; an associate professor of biblical studies and ancient Judaism, and the associate chair of theology for the Lincoln Center campus. The lecture will be in the church at about 6:30pm (following the short mass that follows Evensong at 5:30pm) on Wednesday, September 30. There will be time for questions, and a reception will follow. The lecture is free, open to the public, and does not require a reservation. Please share this information with anyone you think might be interested.
Click or tap here to browse a list of past lectures. You can listen to on-demand webcasts of eacdh lecture or interview by clicking the red links and navigating to our media player at the bottom of the ensuing page.
Continuing classes —
The 39 Articles of Religion have a very long article about predestination (Art. XVII), which I didn’t quite get to last week. While the Article claims that “the godly consideration of predestination . . . is full of sweet, pleasant and unspeakable comfort,” it also uses the word “wretchlessness” (hello?) and makes some claims that are, shall we say, less than perfectly clear. I will attempt to clarify this matter a bit on Sunday, and shall we say that if you are meant to understand it, you will? (No, we shall not say that!) In truth, predestination is a fundamental Christian claim, good news that is often misconstrued, and a window upon the mystery of our relationship with God. I hope you can join me on the 5th floor on Sunday, at 10 o’clock. Or, perhaps, you will be able to come to the repeat class on Monday on the 2nd floor at 12:40pm.
Herbert McCabe’s Faith Within Reason — our Tuesday evening class — will continue with chapter 3 this week, a short chapter that asserts “Doubt Is Not Unbelief.” You’re welcome to the class even if it would be your first; each chapter began as a separate essay, and they are all related thematically, of course, but they don’t exactly build upon each other. Which is to say, don’t have any doubt that this would be a good first class to attend. We meet in Andrew Hall from 6:30 to 7:30pm on September 29 (following the Festal Eucharist for St. Michael and All Angels at 5:30pm).
“Good Books & Good Talk” will conclude its tragic season with “King Lear” on Monday, October 19. If you read the play, you’re welcome to the seminar, which will begin at 6:15 p.m.
Peace,
Father Austin
