Dear friends in Christ,
“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen!”. The Sunday class continues its study of the Revelation of Saint John the Divine on Sunday, February 5 at 10 a.m., looking particularly at the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters. With their plagues and torment, beasts, a dragon, and the Whore of Babylon, these are some of the most difficult chapters in the book, pointing to the deep mystery of the relationship between divine love and divine justice. If Jesus lives, John tells us, then Babylon must fall. The class meets on the fifth floor and previous attendance is not required.
The Psalms: Placeholders of Memory. On Sunday, February 12, at 10 a.m., the Rector gives an introductory talk about the psalms. In particular, he looks at how they are an important part of the life of the Church and its liturgy, and examines them in relation to folk music and folk melody around the world as a means of remembering stories and binding people together in community. Father Turner hopes to offer further talks on the different genres of psalms and the way they have been an essential part of the daily office in cathedrals and parishes, monastic houses, and everyday homes.
Condemned into Redemption: Understanding the Crucifixion. The Rev. Fleming Rutledge is the speaker for the 2017 Spring Theology Lecture. Her most recent book, Crucifixion, was named Best Book of the Year by the magazine Christianity Today. The lecture is on Wednesday, March 8, at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Praise for Fleming Rutledge’s Crucifixion. Recently Robert Barron, a Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, produced a short video reflecting on Crucifixion, extolling it as “one of the best theology books I’ve read in the last ten years.” You can see the introductory video on Youtube here.
The Rector’s Christian Doctrine Class: The Holy Trinity: Living in Community reflects our belief in God as “Three in One.” This class continues on Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 p.m. in Andrew Hall. Primarily intended for those who wish to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church, it is also open to any who are interested in the topic of the day.
Yours in Christ,
Joel
