The appointed Gospel reading for this past Sunday was John 2:1-11, on the wedding at Cana. It is remarkable that Christ chose to work his first miracle at the celebration of a wedding, thus honoring and dignifying marriage and the domestic estate. The high calling of,...
Upbuilding Discourses
“Purity of heart is to blog one thing.” -E.J. Hutchinson
“Sold for Silver, Sacking Hell”: A Fifth-Century Hymn (8)
At long last, we bring to a close a translation begun in the first week of December. Below you will find the final two verses of Sedulius's A solis ortus cardine (Y, Z), on Christ's triumph over hell and the Devil and his journey back to heaven. Hope you've enjoyed it...
“Burst Forth Living from Death’s Womb”: A Fifth-Century Hymn (7)
This is the penultimate post of the translation of Sedulius's A solis ortus cardine. It covers three verses (T, V, X), but, because of differences in the Roman and English alphabets, five letters (T, U, V, W, X). Between that and having to start a line with the letter...
The Gifts of the Magi
Epiphany was one week ago today. At that time, we looked at Sedulius's treatment of the gifts of the Magi in his Paschale carmen. Niels Hemmingsen, too, provides a spiritual reading of the gifts in the sermon for Epiphany in his Postils, but it is different from the...
Bucer to Bullinger (7): On the Scholastics
In the last two posts, we looked at Bucer's statements on the Wittenberg theologians in his 1535 letter to Bullinger and Leo Jud. Today we move on to a new topic, one that has of late garnered much attention and generated much debate: the role of Scholastic...
“Tearful Faith’s Extended Hand”: A Fifth-Century Hymn (6)
Sedulius is back with three more verses. Today we have three more miracles (Q, R, S): the raising of Lazarus (John 11); the healing of the woman with an issue of blood (Matthew 9); and the healing of a paralytic (Matthew 9). As in the past, I've included all the...
Bucer to Bullinger (6): On the Wittenbergers
Last time we started Bucer's comments on the Wittenberg theologians. Today we finish that section. He has some firm words for his Swiss friends. I've included the previous passage as well. The new material begins with "It is possible...". Bucer to Bullinger on the...
Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter
How does Epiphany remind us of both Good Friday and Easter?
Bucer to Bullinger (5): On the Wittenbergers
Today we move on to a new topic in Bucer's letter to Bullinger and Leo Jud. (I don't think I mentioned previously that Jud is also a recipient of the letter, even though the inscription of the letter is to Bullinger alone. This helps to account for the second person...
“Unwatered Wine”: A Fifth-Century Hymn (5)
He's a day late, but Sedulius is back and he's got three more verses to add (N, O, P). All three verses this week are about Christ's miracles: the turning of water into wine in Cana (John 2); the healing of the centurion's servant (Matthew 8); and Peter walking on...