A theology professor and ordained Anglican in New Zealand writes about functionally joining a big Baptist church close to home for the sake of his family. Marked by vulnerability, this essay describes how he submits himself and his family to a healthy and life-giving Christian community -- and perhaps not entirely despite his priesthood.
By Jordan Hillebert
Augustine wept at his ordination.
He had arrived in the ancient seaport of Hippo, in part, to avoid becoming a priest. The Catholic...
COVID-19 lockdowns meant dramatic changes for the Rev. Dale Van Wormer's priestly ordination, but the 27 year-old gives thanks for a moment of yearning and longing that he hopes can draw people closer to God.
Only in light of the confession of Jesus as Lord can we come to a right understanding of who we are. The church is indeed holy, a temple enabled to offer sacrifice. But its holiness is derivative of his, its sacrifice is the pleading of his for the sake of the world.
The real struggle in the next generation will be to understand ourselves, as the people of God and not just conglomerations of individuals, in the light of our exilic condition. It will be the underlying test for Anglicans in the Global North. How do we come to understand ourselves as a people with a different narrative, as a people against culture’s grain, beyond the immediate political answers we might give?
