Theology Update for the Week of August 30

Dear friends in Christ,

The 39 Articles of Religion comprise one of the classic Anglican formularies, dating from the 16th century and adopted, with slight changes, by the Episcopal Church in the beginning of the 19th. They have continuing relevance for those who want to understand the doctrinal orientation of our Anglican/Episcopal inheritance. The Sunday class continues on August 30 with Articles VIII, IX, and X, on the creeds, sin, and free will. Visitors are welcome: in Andrew Hall, on the 3rd floor, at 10am. I will repeat the class on Monday, August 31, at 12:40 p.m. on the 2nd floor.

Next Sunday, September 6, a Labor Day special: A (Re)introduction to Christian Wiman. Wiman, sometime editor of Poetry magazine and now at Yale, has written both poetry and prose about his Christian faith and his struggles with cancer and its pain. Dr. Robert Duvall will speak about Wiman’s significance and share some of Wiman’s powerful poems. The class will meet at 10 o’clock in Andrew Hall.

Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”: We will have a seminar discussion of the play on Monday, September 14, from 6:15 to 7:45pm. Anyone who reads it is welcome to the conversation. But no foul brew will be served.

Starting September 15, a Tuesday evening course on Faith Within Reason. Herbert McCabe is known for his presentation of Christian thought with uncommon coherence, insight, and wit. This course will ask if it’s reasonable to believe the creeds, will explore the difference between doubt and unbelief, will ask “Why God?” – and will take up the problems of evil and God’s omniscience. The book is available in our bookstore. We will discuss chapter 1, “Is Belief Wishful Thinking?” at the first class. And please do note the Fall Theology Lecture, “2 Esdras: The Apocryphal Apocalypse,” which will be given by Professor Karina Hogan of Fordham University on September 30 at 6:30pm. The lecture is free and open to the public. I like to say that 2 Esdras is the most interesting book of the Bible that you’ve never read. It’s an “apocalypse” (like Daniel and Revelation), with a Jewish core to which a Christian opening and conclusion have been added. So if you’d like to know more about the Apocrypha, or about apocalyptic writing, or what was happening in the early centuries after Christ-this is a good opportunity.

Peace,

Father Austin