Theology Update for the Week of February 8

Dear friends in Christ,

Christopher Beha’s lecture on “Faith and Fiction” has been posted to our website, and you can listen to it here. It is worth listening to, if you were unable to be at the event itself; I will pick up on one of Beha’s points in my sermon tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s 10 o’clock class will pick up at the 16th chapter of Genesis. This is where Sarai gives her handmaid to Abram to take as a wife; the handmaid (Hagar) conceives and then there is a real soap-opera-style mess in the household. I hope to offer some insight into the strange thing that is said about the boy, Ishmael, that he will be a blessing. Sacks connects it to the saying that he will be a “wild ass” of a man. Newcomers and visitors always welcome: on the 5th floor. We’ll have coffee and tea in the room.

Monday, at 12:40pm on the 2nd floor, I’ll repeat the Sunday class for anyone who can’t make it tomorrow. The Monday class concludes at 1:20pm.

Tuesday, the Rector’s Christian Doctrine class turns to the Holy Trinity. Father Turner has announced that he will speak on how “Living in community reflects our belief in God as ‘Three in One.'” Newcomers and visitors are also welcome to this class: in Andrew Hall, from 6:30 to 7:30pm on February 10.

Looking ahead:

On Monday, February 23, the seminar on What Happened to Sophie Wilder (by Christopher Beha) will be held in Andrew Hall from 6:15 to 7:45pm. That is to say, it will be held unless we have another ice storm, hurricane, or one of the other things erroneously called “acts of God.” If you read the novel, you are welcome to the seminar, even if you don’t know what happened to Sophie Wilder.

We have posted on our website some more information about Jeremy Waldron’s forthcoming talks, “One Another’s Equal: The Basis of Human Equality,” forthcoming on three successive Wednesdays starting February 25.

And a personal note:

Tomorrow is the 29th anniversary of my ordination as a priest. It was a snowy day in Wappingers Falls (a foot or two of the white stuff had fallen the day before). The late Stuart Wetmore came up to Zion Church there to celebrate the ordination and the mass. Two curates of Saint Thomas (who then knew?) were present: Stuart Kenworthy to preach, and Howard Stringfellow to swing the thurible. As light snow is now falling outside the choir school, I write this with thanksgiving for your prayers and gratitude for uncountable blessings.

Peace,
Father Austin