tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-154554192012-02-01T10:07:48.424-06:00Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.comBlogger3891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-28716444665923919282012-01-31T14:45:00.004-06:002012-02-01T10:07:48.434-06:00

From Gandhi to Joe DiMaggio to Mother Teresa to Bill Gates, introverts have done a lot of good work in the world. But being quiet, introverted or shy was sometimes looked at as a problem to overcome.In the 1940s and '50s the message to most Americans was: Don't be shy. And in today's era of reality television, Twitter and widespread self-promotion, it seems that cultural mandate is in

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-73607140221318235492012-01-17T11:10:00.002-06:002012-01-17T11:10:00.112-06:00

It may shock some to discover that Fr. John Wesley disliked the use of anthems in worship because he greatly preferred songs that the entire congregation could sing. Most Methodist churches have come to embrace anthems (in addition to lots of good congregational singing, of course), as opportunities for the congregation to listen and to meditate upon the words and the heavenly sound of the music.

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-8998346951179119672011-12-25T10:52:00.003-06:002011-12-25T16:00:44.707-06:00

Just in case any of you haven't seen this yet. Only one year to go. This is without a doubt the most anticipated film (for me personally) since the most recent Indiana Jones movie...which reminds me not to get my expectations TOO high. But the trailer is certainly wonderful!

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-89288887905245416652011-12-19T01:55:00.001-06:002011-12-20T08:17:12.054-06:00

Singing the old hymn "Silent Night" by candle light is a common and much-loved Christmas Eve tradition in Methodist and other Western Christian churches. The video below comes from the Christmas Eve service of the West End United Methodist Church in Nashville, TN; a church known for excellently practicing traditional Methodist worship. In a world in which people (even Christians) are constantly

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-31455080007456460002011-12-08T17:28:00.006-06:002011-12-13T15:09:06.778-06:00

When I was a sophomore in college I attended a retreat with the St. Alban's chapel college group. We went to Sewanee, TN, where we stayed at the St. Mary's retreat house and spent our days hiking and cave-exploring or bumming around the campus of The University of the South. Each day included some of the divine hours or daily office - whether it was the morning prayer said with our little group

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-3766527264075529402011-12-01T09:16:00.001-06:002011-12-02T10:04:34.530-06:00

Now that we've entered into Advent, our liturgical life is centered on watching for the coming of the Lord. We keep watch as we approach Christmas and remember his coming as a tiny child born of the Virgin Mary, and we also keep watch for his coming as King in glory, at the end of the age.The video below features the Paul Manz anthem, "E'en So Lord Jesus quickly Come" based on the final chapter

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-30827139962961289032011-11-28T19:48:00.006-06:002011-11-29T08:26:23.420-06:00

The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, has long been an Icon of the quintessentially American form of Christianity: evangelical Protestant "Televangelism." I remember occassionally catching bits of services from the famed church on cable TV throughout my life; they were not all that different than what we were doing in traditional Methodist and Baptist churches, a service of hymns+

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-58438952098332857902011-11-22T01:43:00.001-06:002011-11-22T11:13:10.309-06:00

Today, November 22nd, in the sanctoral cycle or calendar of the Episcopal Church is the feast day of Clive Staples (or "C.S.") Lewis. Lewis has, of course, been very influential in English-speaking culture and Christianity over the last 75 years, far beyond the borders of his own Anglicanism. Below is a video recounting his conversion to faith in Jesus Christ, from a documentary about Lewis, and

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-6391994279847078282011-11-17T23:55:00.000-06:002011-11-17T23:55:00.700-06:00

The Incarnatio Blog (of Methodist pastor Rev. Matt O'Reilly) ran an interesting post a while back with an meaty quote from N.T. Wright about a Biblical understanding of purgatory: "purging" happens not in a cosmic prison after death, but rather it is the business of the pilgrim life in this age. Though I may be mistaken, I believe that St. Ambrose of Milan (one of the great early fathers) said

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-85790683954547389262011-11-13T22:17:00.001-06:002011-11-15T13:45:02.520-06:00

On Oct. 21st (about 3 weeks ago), in honor of his 80th birthday, Christianity Today re-ran an interview with Thomas Oden from September 1990. Oden has been a significant influence on me, especially in my seminary years through his books such as Agenda for Theology, Rebirth of Orthodoxy, and his massive ecumenical Systematic Theology in which he advocated giving much more attention to the ancient

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-11965888070979535942011-11-09T13:11:00.003-06:002011-11-12T20:50:12.231-06:00

The First United Methodist Church of Lubbock, Texas is one of the great "cathedrals" of United Methodism. Not in the technical sense, but like many of the Old World cathedrals, this congregation actively seeks to worship God "in holy splendor" in a large and beautiful gothic sanctuary, and they support numerous ministries, including a solid music ministry.The video below comes from a Sunday

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-62647699290761444732011-11-01T14:19:00.002-05:002011-11-01T14:31:10.669-05:00

We bless your holy name, O God, for all your servants who, having finished their course, now rest from their labors. Give us grace to follow the example of their steadfastness and faithfulness, to your honor and glory; through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.-from The United Methodist Book of Worship, 415

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-16575260605066133472011-10-29T08:58:00.001-05:002011-10-31T15:28:50.935-05:00

Here is a selection from the remarks of the Rev. Dr. Timothy C. Tennent, president of Asbury Theological Seminary, at the 2011 convocation. Though some in the United Methodist 'establishment' may still view this evangelical school with suspicion, I've long respected Asbury, and seriously considered attending school there, in large part because of its uncompromising commitment to being Wesleyan,

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-74495330076839996562011-10-25T09:19:00.005-05:002011-10-25T09:19:00.921-05:00

The excerpts below come from a recent Wall Street Journal article, which (for as long as the link still works) can be found in full here. The Episcopal Church, headed by Presiding Bishop Katherine Schori is pursing an aggressive policy of...well..."persecution" is far too strong a word, but certainly "obstruction" is fair... she is pursing a policy of obstruction of alternative Anglican Churches

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-19413304251395689442011-10-20T18:05:00.002-05:002011-10-20T18:05:00.631-05:00

This is my concluding reflection on Lewis' essay, "Modern Theology and Biblical Criticism," delivered to Anglican students and scholars at Cambridge in 1959. You can read the full essay in Christian Reflections. Here is how Lewis finishes out his essay:"Such are the reactions of one bleating layman to Modern Theology. It is right you should hear them. You will perhaps not hear them very often

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-1654313575204279372011-10-15T02:55:00.001-05:002011-10-15T02:55:00.548-05:00

United Methodist Bishop Scott Jones wrote a book about our doctrine that called The United Methodist Church "the extreme center." That is a good description. We are a church and a (Wesleyan) theological tradition that quite deliberately sees itself as at once "catholic and evangelical and reformed" (2008 Book of Discipline, para. 102, page 59).We hold to the ancient catholic faith of the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-91067253794875421082011-10-10T23:32:00.002-05:002011-10-12T18:01:11.500-05:00

This post is a follow-up to my first post reflecting upon "Modern Theology and Biblical Criticism," a paper written and presented by C.S. Lewis for a gathering of Anglican seminarians at Wescott House, Cambridge in May 1959. Lewis, a "sheep" from the flock of Christ, over whom these seminarians will soon have charge, writes:"Now for my second bleat. All theology of the liberal type involves at

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-86915360115618298152011-10-06T10:23:00.001-05:002011-10-06T10:34:47.615-05:00

From this coming Sunday's Lectionary Bible readings:"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-14545085438866300002011-10-04T09:09:00.003-05:002011-10-04T09:16:08.724-05:00

According to NPR this morning, today in 1535 the Coverdale Bible was published by Myles Coverdale, an English presbyter/priest. It was the first complete Bible to be published in modern English. Coverdale went on to become bishop of Exeter. So as we continue to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the exquisite King James Version (1611) of the Bible this year, we also today celebrate the 476th

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-58710420404824998042011-09-21T20:03:00.011-05:002011-10-12T18:00:26.750-05:00

"Modern Theology and Biblical Criticism" was the name of a paper written and presented by C.S. Lewis for a gathering of Anglican seminarians at Wescott House, Cambridge in May 1959. I read this paper recently and believe that many of his points are still quite relevant to the renewal of (mainline) theological education. Lewis confesses that he no doubt has many mis-understandings because he is an

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-50703663847740987602011-09-18T15:51:00.000-05:002011-10-11T14:25:40.989-05:00

As mentioned a while back, I am currently reading (at a ridiculously slow pace, I confess) The Book of Pastoral Rule by St. Gregory the Great. I am hoping to learn a bit more about spiritual leadership and the care of souls from the wisdom of the ancient church than what was included in my seminary training. In keeping with a suggestion I received, I will from time to time be reflecting and

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-7723702420048384412011-09-12T11:44:00.005-05:002011-09-12T12:21:43.186-05:00

It is now being reported that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is planning to step down next year. It is believed that Cambridge University will create a position for Williams so that he can pursue an academic life; he studied, taught, and served as a chaplain at Cambridge.Archbishop Rowan, aged 61, could serve almost ten more years, since he is not required to stand down until he

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-57839754902052349812011-09-06T13:54:00.004-05:002011-09-07T09:53:09.155-05:00

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese has pitched in $25,000 to help with millions in repairs needed to the Washington National Cathedral (Episcopal).“The National Cathedral holds a special place in the hearts of all of us in Washington,” said Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington.“So many recognize it as a national house of prayer, and indeed its magnificent Gothic spires are a reminder of our constant

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-66346722448242942442011-08-28T08:27:00.001-05:002011-08-28T08:27:00.448-05:00

I've often heard, among my knowledgable Roman Catholic friends of that great quote from Augustine about believing in the Bible because he first believed in the authority Church. I suspect what he is really talking about is not a particular theoretical model of the magesterial authority of the bishops (certainly he is not talking about the infallibility of the pope), but rather the authentically

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-29985827892332786172011-08-24T21:58:00.002-05:002011-08-26T12:15:13.876-05:00

I ran across this article from The Guardian: A Working Life, following a busy day in the life of English Bishop Richard Chartres of London (who recently delivered the homily at the Royal Wedding). His day sounds a good deal more full of busy-ness than mine, yet it seems he finds time for extensive reading and reflection. Humbling. I thought this quote profoundly true, pointing I think to that

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-1816617345271865842011-08-19T20:08:00.008-05:002011-08-20T12:17:03.551-05:00

In reflecting on the lectionary's Gospel text for this coming Sunday (Matt. 16), which speak of the authority of the apostles (Peter in particular as their leader) to "bind and loose," I have been reflecting a bit on the "authority" of the church leaders. Having spent plenty of time around Christians who are young, individualistic, evangelical/"low-church", or emergent/ing/ence, I've certainly

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-26585700645654646312011-08-11T10:05:00.004-05:002011-08-11T10:08:21.892-05:00

Sometimes less really is more. What are some ways we notice individuals or organizations (churches?) "overcommunicating" or trying a bit too hard, perhaps to the detriment of the message that they wish to communicate?

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-12721109953646718992011-07-23T21:40:00.009-05:002011-07-26T10:17:41.550-05:00

Saturday night I had the evening to myself (my wife being out of town), so I decided to rent a French movie that I'd been wanting to see, Of Gods and Men. The movie, based upon actual events, tells the story of a group of Christian monks in Algeria who find their region overcome by violence as Muslim extremists and the corrupt government struggle for power.As the violence descends closer to the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-3896735197422389972011-07-14T13:10:00.003-05:002011-10-14T17:03:16.307-05:00

As I may have mentioned before, I went to a United Methodist Church as a child, where I was also confirmed. Throughout high school and the beginning of college, I attended other churches, mostly Baptist and independent evangelical churches. From these evangelical churches I learned most of what I know about the content and nuances of the Bible, and caught from them a desire to know God's book as

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-77713332060201670532011-07-08T16:13:00.001-05:002011-07-08T16:13:00.394-05:00

In recent days I have enjoyed reading the Kyrie Eleison blog of Methodist pastor Sky McCracken. Rev. McCracken was recently appointed to be a district superintendent (or, "DS" - a helper of the bishop who gives oversight to a particular part or "district" of the bishop's episcopal area). Because our bishops have oversight of so many churches (my bishop has more than 400) the district

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-75824899557562018392011-07-03T21:59:00.001-05:002011-07-03T21:59:00.927-05:00

On this 4th of July, I commend to you again the wonderful quote by G.K. Chesterton regarding the US Declaration of Independence, which was signed this day in 1776, and which I like to try to read each year around this time.One thing I have been saying from time to time is that we ought to designate a more singable (and perhaps, less war-focused) song as our national Anthem. Maybe "America the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-22112377593651599332011-06-29T14:31:00.001-05:002011-06-30T09:55:24.702-05:00

Rev. Dr. Todd A. Stepp has a nice piece at his blog considering a few of the major theological approaches to the sacrament of Holy Communion (Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Zwinglian, Calvinist, etc.) and exploring how the Wesleyan understanding is similar to and distinct from that of other churches. There follows some good discussion in the comments, so his post is worth the read.There are now

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-19155071810482759382011-06-23T10:49:00.003-05:002011-06-23T14:29:22.260-05:00

Every now and again among Methodist bloggers there develop some good discussions or commentary about whether or not to wear a clerical collar, which is optional for all United Methodist clergy (as an Anglican priest John Wesley, as pictured below, always wore the 18th Century version of the collar).I've been in an ecumenical ministry for the last four years in which I did a good deal of preaching

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-57871834232786084792011-06-18T14:01:00.003-05:002011-06-25T14:16:48.338-05:00

The Bishop of London has warned that fundamental concepts vital to British society [and other Western Societies] will be unsustainable without a Christian underpinning.The Rt Revd Richard Chartres said Britain’s culture and civilisation were founded on the Bible, and expressed concern at any undermining of that foundation. Rt Revd Chartres, who gave the sermon at last month’s Royal Wedding, was

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-77531143321705478982011-06-12T17:11:00.001-05:002011-06-12T17:11:00.354-05:00

The 'Eagle and Child' pub in Oxford (England) is the much celebrated meeting place of the 'Inklings,' the informal literary and philosophy discussion group that included such luminaries as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield, and others. While the group did meet in a couple of other pubs around Oxford, the 'Eagle and Child' is most associated with the group.(I took the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-87821222211571849832011-06-03T19:13:00.001-05:002011-10-22T17:43:45.878-05:00

The highly ironic post below is reprinted from the Non Sermoni Res blog. It may help you to know that the article is describing exactly what Trinity (Anglican/Episcopal) School for Ministry has been doing, a school which has been far more successful in attracting young adults than the average Episcopal or "mainline" seminary (or church).Reflecting on my own church connection, I think it worth

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-62337832068268326032011-05-22T05:09:00.000-05:002011-05-22T05:09:00.200-05:00

Let's face it, recent news from the Church of England has not all been good. Assertive atheism is urging people to abandon Christianity altogether. Church attendance remains low, as does the number of young clergy. Die-hard traditionalists are being wooed away by Roman Catholicism as the Church of England moves toward allowing women bishops.But there is some good news: attendance at the 43

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-42824792743766030842011-05-17T13:17:00.003-05:002011-05-17T13:17:00.202-05:00

This was posted at the ChristianCentury site:Gay and lesbian advocates celebrated a landmark victory on Tuesday (May 10) when the Presbyterian Church (USA) entered the expanding ranks of Christian denominations that allow openly gay, partnered clergy. The winds of change, they said, are at their backs. "Presbyterians join a growing Protestant movement of Lutherans, Episcopalians and United Church

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-62335958491890209992011-05-11T18:05:00.001-05:002011-10-06T10:03:16.890-05:00

Have you seen this commercial from the Roman Catholic Church? The first things we can say is that it is well-done; visually, a very sumptuous ad. It is also takes a straightfoward "This is what Catholics believe" or "This is why it is good to be Catholic" approach. Lifted high are the Roman Church's history of culture-forming, service and social justice, and rich spiritual heritage. The Church's

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-17921960188784326352011-05-07T13:59:00.004-05:002011-05-09T10:30:00.342-05:00

"...your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he does not hear." (Is. 59:2, ESV)As you have surely heard by now (maybe on this blog), Rob Bell has done it again. Perhaps more so with the video promo for his new book, Love Wins, than with the book itself, he has opened a great debate (much of it online) on the nature of

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-1444749497880239582011-05-02T08:24:00.007-05:002011-10-06T10:03:16.891-05:00

The Archbishop of Canterbury has certainly been a busy man lately, officiating a much-anticipated royal wedding not quite a full week after Easter Sunday and the end of Lent and Holy Week.Many of you likely watched the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, leading the royal couple in their wedding vows last Friday. The majestic service of Holy Matrimony was adapted from the English Book of

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-82227226380163600302011-04-27T08:28:00.001-05:002011-10-22T17:43:45.880-05:00

Have you read about the New Mount Carmel project? A group of Roman Catholics are working to build a huge Carmelite monastery in the mountains of Wyoming. The relatively strict and conservative Carmelite order has seen a great influx of young people making monastic professions, and seeks to create a new place of prayer and retreat that will house many of them, in addition to welcoming visitors.

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-31882371885166411912011-04-24T06:56:00.001-05:002011-04-27T13:21:00.056-05:00

A collect (short prayer) for Resurrection Sunday:Almighty God, who, through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life, we humbly beseech thee, that, as by thy special grace preventing* us thou dost put into our minds good desires; so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-22635894904273647052011-04-21T01:00:00.002-05:002011-04-21T01:00:03.977-05:00

Today is the feast of Saint Anselm (1033-1109), the archbishop of Canterbury, philosopher, and theologian. St. Anselm is an important figure in the English Christian tradition that eventually grew into contemporary Anglicanism, and which also shaped the faith of the Wesley family and gave rise to the early Methodist movement. Anselm's writings address various philosophical issues such as the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-73949590889387432852011-04-15T15:20:00.002-05:002011-04-15T21:34:53.095-05:00

Those of you who follow the corporate life of the United Methodist Church may have already heard about a recent decision to change the way that the seminaries are funded. Currently, the official seminaries (there are 13 of them at present in the US) raise most of their funds through tuition and donations, while 12-20% of their budget is appropriated directly from The United Methodist Church. That

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-89952172265528564472011-04-05T16:41:00.014-05:002011-04-10T15:16:05.111-05:00

Restructuring. Cutting the bureaucracy. Streamlining for mission. There has been a lot discussion in recent years about how to restructure and re-organize the United Methodist Church. While I am not one of those who sees re-structuring United Methodism as "the silver bullet" that will usher in an era of great revival of the Christian faith across the globe, it does seem clear that there has been

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-25408569636082176572011-03-27T15:04:00.004-05:002011-03-28T11:13:11.680-05:00

I found this here, after seeing it in the USA Today this weekend. I thought this cartoon was at once funny, sad, and true. Sometimes I feel that opinion polls and 24-hour news cycles have combined forces to remove all sober and reasoned debate from our political discourse. Note the scrolling messages at the bottom of each news cast. I have my theory, what is yours: Why do you think our first

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-79043900234578025252011-03-16T14:27:00.002-05:002011-04-19T14:39:26.766-05:00

In case you missed it, USA Today ran a nice article yesterday on the controversy that has erupted in the Christian blogosphere regarding "rock-star pastor" Rob Bell's upcoming book Love Wins and the video used to promote it online. The video (you can watch in the page linked above) has Bell describing a version (an over-simplified caricature, it seems to me) of traditional evangelicalism and asks

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-12399894064909739122011-03-14T15:18:00.004-05:002011-10-06T10:03:16.893-05:00

I know I've been quite infrequent in blogging lately. Hopefully soon I'll have both something good to say and time to say it at the same time. Until then, I hope you enjoy this excellent video selection of NT Wright talking about Sacramental Theology. I actually listened to the entire "Space, Time, and Sacraments" lectures when I was in seminary, and found it excellent food for thought.A

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-68725109510622895822011-02-25T09:04:00.002-06:002011-02-25T09:13:41.978-06:00

Here is a fascinating post from Allan R. Bevere's blog:It has become increasingly popular to speak of racial and ethnic diversity as a civic strength. From multicultural festivals to pronouncements from political leaders, the message is the same: our differences make us stronger.But a massive new study, based on detailed interviews of nearly 30,000 people across America, has concluded just the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-23518346786485172082011-02-14T14:24:00.003-06:002011-02-14T14:27:55.769-06:00

Check out this quote at Through the Wardrobe on "Love in the Christian sense" from Kierkegaard."For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love." Galatians 5:6 (NRSV)

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-45893604133300857602011-02-11T15:51:00.005-06:002011-02-11T16:12:27.855-06:00

I tend to have an affinity for Evangelical Anglican theologians. If you look among Bible-believing Anglicans such as John & Charles Wesley, C.S. Lewis, N.T. Wright and others, you'll find some of my favorite theologians. Because they are Anglicans, I can expect them to be well-educated, Biblically literate, intellectually coherent, and deeply formed in the great tradition of the holy catholic

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-45926845722843464972011-02-02T10:24:00.000-06:002011-02-02T10:24:00.773-06:00

Why do we have Universities? That was a question that popped into my mind again recently as I was watching the President's state of the Union address. At times it sounds as though he would like 100% of the population to attend college. But whether that is necessary or good begs the question of why we attend college at all, what is the University for? What is its end or purpose?I am currently

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-72171728860254106762011-01-25T08:14:00.010-06:002011-01-28T10:46:49.883-06:00

Marriage is one of the core institutions of civil society. It precedes and gives rise to society, which in turn, precedes and gives rise to government (this is why many of us believe that the government has no legitimate authority to define or re-define marriage). Marriage is the primary means by which the identity, values, distinctions, and priorities of a culture are passed from generation to

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-10997665797171284232011-01-16T18:33:00.000-06:002011-01-16T18:33:00.206-06:00

Wright gave this lecture at United Methodist-related Duke Divinity School back in October. I believe my brother, Nance (a divinity student), was in attendance.Did you know? "The Divine," the title given to St. John in some older translations of the Bible (see the KJV, for example) is an old-timey way to say "theologian" (thus, many pastors and theologians have a Masters of Divinity degree). St

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-14138536273152772742010-12-31T14:58:00.002-06:002010-12-31T15:03:08.030-06:00

My wife and I, along with my Orthodox friend Fr. Philip and his wife, recently watched the new movie The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As a great fan of C.S. Lewis' work, I've watched with interest the 'movie-fication' of the Chronicles of Narnia, but I must admit I've been anticipating this film in particular, as the sea-faring tale is among my favorites in the series.As with Prince Caspian and

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-88082878976154406592010-12-14T12:17:00.003-06:002010-12-14T12:34:51.922-06:00

"I'll admit that church can be boring, unexciting. There are Sundays when the Holy Spirit is close and undeniable, and [there are] Sundays that are blah. I think Wesley would have me add that the church is not supposed to make discipleship thrilling; it's supposed to make it normal.We go to church to practice the faith, to rehearse the faith, to get so good at it that obeying Jesus on Sunday -

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-49049902982245291482010-12-03T08:55:00.005-06:002010-12-03T15:02:44.243-06:00

The turmoil of the Anglican Communion has been so complex in recent years that I've blogged on it less. Here is a very simplistic overview:In 2003, The Episcopal Church (in the USA) made an openly practicing homosexual man a bishop, contrary to the teachings of the Bible, the Christian tradition, and the Lambeth Conference (when every Anglican bishop in the world meets every 10 years or so).

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-4523329183307736802010-11-29T07:42:00.007-06:002010-12-03T14:55:42.420-06:00

On the Friday after the 9-11 attacks, leaders of various sorts gathered in the Washington National Cathedral for a (mostly Christian) memorial service that also included leaders and speakers from various non-Christian faith traditions. The sermon, however, was delivered by the Reverend Billy Graham who, true to his calling, delivered a simple presentation of the Christian gospel to the many

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-37755333616418167912010-11-21T00:05:00.003-06:002010-11-21T16:02:48.612-06:00

A great many Christian Churches around the world will begin celebrating Advent next Sunday, which means today is the last Sunday of our Christian year: Christ the King Sunday. Today we celebrate the majestic One, who reigns as King and Lord over all creation - the one who poured himself out in love, who was crucified and raised. The Resurrection of Jesus is the decisive pledge that, when it comes

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-24252554553681012032010-11-16T08:04:00.004-06:002010-11-16T08:13:18.827-06:00

Check out this post over at the Wesleyan/Anglican blog of Todd Stepp. It shares a great quote from N.T. Wright about God's accepting us as we are on the one hand and God's transforming our character just by loving us and calling forth our love of him on the other hand. This deep truth has implications not only for the Church's debates over sexual morality, but also over what it means for every

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-61257978257867647442010-11-06T16:12:00.009-05:002010-11-08T08:17:34.384-06:00

This is the video of Richard Hays' sermon upon being formally installed as the dean of United Methodist-related Duke Divinity School this Fall semester; it was delivered in Duke Chapel.This is an important word for The United Methodist Church, and all churches, to hear. In our own communion, we have often lowered the bar of discipleship so far (in the name of being "inclusive") that the actual

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-23975198456623138172010-10-31T11:59:00.002-05:002010-11-01T07:23:43.242-05:00

This sobering piece was in last Monday's USA Today. It makes one wonder where the courage is in our political system? Where are those leaders who will lead - who will cast a vision to the American people of a way out of our problems into a brighter future and who will inspire the people to walk that path, however painful it may look? Where is the grit, resolve, and pragmatism that once

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-35871177958181902012010-10-27T23:56:00.001-05:002010-10-28T17:20:57.439-05:00

In a couple of days Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity (in politics and public discourse) will hit the streets of Washington DC in anticipation of next week's election:This isn't a concealed campaign rally for either party. It's a counterprotest against the rising tide of conformity that causes hyperpartisans to demonize people with whom they disagree. It's the anti-demagogue Saturday on the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-20611203804967491892010-10-22T08:47:00.005-05:002010-10-22T11:32:29.949-05:00

What happens when a University professor, teaching an introductory course about Roman Catholicism, explains to his class the logic and arguments behind Catholicism's condemnation of homosexual acts (while also pointing out alternative views)? He gets fired because a student who was not even in the class complains to the administration about his "hate speech."Check out this First Things article

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-69413181118358564562010-10-15T22:48:00.000-05:002010-10-15T22:48:00.165-05:00

The "Gloria Deo" blog exists in part to help me and other Methodists/Wesleyans recover the catholicity - our ancient faith, liturgy, and sacramental piety - that was originally a part of the Methodist movement by virtue of its being within the Anglican church led by high churchmen such as the Wesley brothers.There are many churches and worshiping communities within United Methodism today that are

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-37488128109658437392010-10-10T01:05:00.003-05:002010-10-14T11:03:26.734-05:00

October 4th is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a Christian man of distinguished personal holiness who founded a spiritual movement (the Franciscan Order) of individuals radically committed to pursuing holiness together through simplicity of life. Anyone interested in the re-emergence of monasticism and the classic religious orders within the Reformational Churches will want to check out The

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-1670640072921733382010-10-04T14:09:00.001-05:002010-10-06T10:11:56.316-05:00

Did you see this article about Neo-Monasticism popping up here and there in The United Methodist Church?It talks about one project I knew about from my days as Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University headed up by Dr. Heath, and a few more I didn't know about, but by which I am intrigued.In addition to The Order of St. Luke, which has been working for decades to advocate

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-5958957964108258012010-09-30T00:32:00.001-05:002010-11-11T09:12:07.610-06:00

Today is the feast day of St. Jerome, one of the great Western Fathers, who labored long to bring the Scriptures to the common man by producing his translation of the Bible into Latin, the language of the Western Roman Empire."Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ" - St. Jerome

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-57821871412391606262010-09-23T20:09:00.000-05:002010-11-11T09:12:07.611-06:00

"Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament...There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth, and more than that: Death - by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-28586196112551915632010-09-18T16:26:00.002-05:002010-09-19T16:57:30.725-05:00

Since the Pope has been in England this week, there are natural comparisons being drawn between him and the leader of the Church of England, Rowan Williams.Conventional wisdom might suggest that there could hardly be two more different Christian leaders in today's Church than Pope Benedict XVI and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. Benedict has been called "God's rotweiler" because of his

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-34506412914143973372010-09-13T13:42:00.001-05:002010-09-14T11:43:11.305-05:00

Here is a piece from the UK's Telegraph (quoted in full below) addressing the hostile reception that some quarters of the British Media and intelligentsia are giving to the Pope's visit to England this week. It calls for a more honest and truly open dialogue (open even to religious dialogue partners!) within aggressively secular British culture:This week will witness the historic spectacle of

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-69498548468479866062010-09-05T14:31:00.004-05:002011-08-20T12:31:49.497-05:00

"Apostolic Succession" has been one of the much-debated concepts within the Christian world. All agree that Apostolic Succession has to do with guarding the "faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3); the faith taught by the Apostles of Jesus Christ and handed down to us.Many teachers working in the Protestant traditions argue that Apostolic Succession refers only to the process by which the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-61051701985084515202010-09-03T09:06:00.003-05:002010-09-03T09:14:46.948-05:00

The official United Methodist Church website, www.umc.org , was recently reformated, and I've noticed in recent days there are alot more articles that interest me and seem to be a bit more practical toward planning and doing ministry; even evangelistic ministry is finally getting highlighted more. Here are three recent items from the UMC homepage that suggest to me that our denominational

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-6514854026533566922010-08-28T11:23:00.004-05:002010-08-30T17:24:35.920-05:00

There you have the Inappropriate Priest on the Ten Commandments. More than just silliness there is a serious point here, I think. The members of this Church are rightly shocked at the open hypocrisy and insincerity of their shepherd. Perhaps he is an exaggerated version of those shepherds condemned in Jeremiah (see 10:21; 23:1-2; etc.).I think there are various kinds of much more subtle hypocrisy

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-26429344943305883972010-08-22T11:44:00.000-05:002010-08-22T11:44:00.079-05:00

The folks over at www.hereiwalk.org are chronicaling their journey from the (now Lutheran) monastery at Erfurt to Rome in an ecumenical pilgrimage symbolically connecting the Evangelical and Roman Churches as we approach the 500th Anniversary (in 2017) of Luther's posting of the 95 Theses. The journey is the same route that the monk Luther took in 1510 in his own pilgrimage to the Eternal City.

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-9767127477267726882010-08-16T08:49:00.004-05:002010-08-16T09:12:35.759-05:00

One of my favorite United Methodist clergy-bloggers, Andrew Thompson, has been blogging again lately, bringing us more of his usual thought-provoking fare.Most recently he is engaging with a New York Times article on preaching - here is an exerpt: He's talking about preaching. And what he means is that congregations want to be entertained rather than edified. They want a 'feel good' gospel rather

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-36952171218247918672010-08-09T11:59:00.008-05:002010-08-10T13:13:41.024-05:00

As you may have heard, a judge in California struck down Proposition 8 (the referendum that state voters passed defining marriage as between one man and one woman) as unconstitutional.Click here for comments from Christianity Today (the following is a provocative quotation):Judge Walker's decision is sweeping and comprehensive, basically affirming every argument and claim put forth by those

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-62560448983636520392010-08-08T15:19:00.000-05:002010-08-08T15:19:00.713-05:00

St. Luke the Evangelist (1st Century):25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-23248705398096330922010-07-31T10:49:00.000-05:002010-07-31T10:49:00.386-05:00

If you are looking for an excellent, thoughtful, book on classical Christian spirituality, then Sacramental Life: Spiritual Formation through The Book of Common Prayer is it.I recommend this to all pastors or clergy in any sacramental church because it so ably integrates theology, pastoral care, and spirituality. In fact, I wish this book had been required reading in my seminary curriculum.The

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-32916143923690087332010-07-23T13:28:00.000-05:002010-07-23T13:28:00.093-05:00

I have an audio recording of an interesting interview with Dallas Willard in which the question is posed: How can we tell if we are becoming spiritually more mature? Is there a way to measure spiritual maturity?Dallas gave a wonderful answer 'off the cuff' noting the difficulty of measuring spiritual growth, but throwing out some suggestive counter-questions we might ask ourselves:How easily do I

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-40191710990040565982010-07-17T10:05:00.003-05:002010-07-17T12:03:51.353-05:00

About Holy Communion the 20th Century Anglican theologian Gregory Dix (OSB) wrote:"At the heart of Christianity is the Eucharist, a thing of absolute simplicity - the taking, blessing, breaking, and giving of [bread and] a cup of wine and water as these were done with their new meaning by a young Jew before and after supper with His friends on the night before he died. He had told His friends to

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-35644822220320701492010-07-11T22:49:00.002-05:002010-07-14T17:57:48.197-05:00

Today is the feast of St. Benedict, the father of Western monasticism. I've done a couple of quiet retreats in an Abbey down here in south Louisiana. In Tennessee I once went to the daily office at an Anglican monastery, and I've found the atmosphere of them to be quite peaceful and conducive to prayer and reflection.Did you know that The United Methodist Church has an affiliated Benedictine

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-17852658280351552362010-07-07T15:15:00.004-05:002011-10-06T10:03:16.894-05:00

The Reverend Dr. Samuel Wells, a minister of the Methodist Church of Great Britain, is the Dean of the majestic Chapel at United Methodist Church-related Duke University. Watch Rev. Wells' thoughtful sermon for Sunday, July 4 (the sermon starts around minute 30ish in the video). The comparrison between Thomas Jefferson's notion of "Independence" and that of Frank Sinatra is, I believe, very

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-4932268264331105632010-07-02T10:07:00.005-05:002010-07-06T09:55:24.269-05:00

Find this story HERE.The World Council of Churches (WCC) is welcoming the Vatican's new top ecumenical officer. The WCC represents many of the world's Protestant and Orthodox Christians (the Patriarch of Constantinople was a founding member) and works closely with the Roman Catholic Church, which is not a member:The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-14300829626871670662010-06-24T10:07:00.003-05:002010-06-24T11:57:44.310-05:00

Here is a selection from provocative post over at Christianity Today about materialism:I can think of at least one glaring blind spot in American Christian history. Slavery. How could Christians who supposedly believed the gospel so easily rationalize the enslavement of other human beings? Churchgoers with good intentions worshiping God together every Sunday and reading the Bible religiously all

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-22861315906783780712010-06-18T21:48:00.001-05:002010-06-21T16:46:28.197-05:00

I've been to the meeting of the Louisiana Annual Conference a handful of times now. This year was without a doubt the most spiritual atmosphere, it seemed to me. Perhaps this was just because they ordained me (in a high holy service in the grand First Methodist Church of Shreveport) and so I probably spent alot more time in prayer before and during the conference - it is funny how that can change

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-32890740060343811362010-06-09T08:03:00.002-05:002010-06-09T08:03:00.295-05:00

This morning I ran across this report: members of the US Episcopal Church are being removed from the Anglican Communion's ecumenical dialogue teams. This comes in response to the recent consecration to the episcopal office of an open and practicing lesbian, over against the express teaching and wishes of the wider Anglican Communion, and disregarding previous Episcopal Church promises to "

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-17462165755510299112010-06-01T10:25:00.004-05:002010-06-02T09:46:04.396-05:00

Here is a good post over at the Methodist Thinker blog discussing a book, Staying the Course, which includes a series of essays from prominent United Methodist theologians and pastors all arguing in favor of the current teaching of The United Methodist Church with regards to our classical understanding of sex and marriage and homosexual behavior in the Christian Church:“The United Methodist

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-1150566209312145992010-05-24T03:00:00.004-05:002010-05-24T03:00:05.492-05:00

This day we remember what might be called John Wesley's "Pentecost experience." While listening to Luther's preface to Romans being read at a Bible study group (meeting at Aldersgate St. in London), Wesley suddenly felt his heart "strangely warmed" and had a new conviction and assurance that Jesus had died for him, for his own sins. It became personal for him.Though he was already a priest in the

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-87007609682430274992010-05-16T11:09:00.001-05:002010-05-17T10:50:07.383-05:00

One of the wonderful websites that you will find linked on Gloria Deo's right-side bar is The Front Porch Republic. Like many of the sites I recommend, I don't check in on this one nearly often enough, but they often have fascinating articles and commentaries, generally encouraging the renewal of genuine community - and with it a more genuine politics in American life.They have had articles

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-50414090701281890522010-05-11T11:25:00.006-05:002011-10-06T10:03:16.896-05:00

I've not yet seen this film, but it looks really intriguing. The tyranny of absolute egalitarianism; when good intentions bring the world to hell. 'Equality' is an easy thing for us to rally around; it is one of our most sacred values in the US (and Europe), but might it - could it - come into conflict with 'Liberty'? Has it already?When I was in college one of my political science professors

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-87267443316748884512010-05-05T10:32:00.001-05:002010-05-05T10:32:00.482-05:00

For everyone who was interested in the conversation (a couple posts back) about reforming the United Methodist Church's popular practices of Holy Communion (indeed to bring actual practice more in line with our official teachings), Andrew Thompson has written a stongly worded follow-up article over at his blog, responding to some of the flak he has taken for suggesting that we should actually

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-23604033099285703182010-05-01T13:36:00.005-05:002010-05-01T13:53:47.866-05:00

Today I read some exerpts from a recent Obama speech that I would like to share with readers (here is the source).I've been an interested observer of American politics for some years now, and what I see and hear too often tempts me to cynicism. All too rare are genuine thoughtfulness or wisdom, and so I like to highlight it whenever I find it.In his remarks, the president certainly allows us to

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-80677608368618739722010-04-21T14:23:00.008-05:002010-04-21T15:18:17.658-05:00

I want to alert you all to an excellent discussion going on through some Methodist blogs. First is Andrew Thompson's article Recommit to Communion as a means of healing Grace.Shane Raynor over at Wesley Report responds to Andrew here, agreeing that we should move towards weekly celebration of the blessed sacrament, but undecided (or disagreeing) that we need to "rethink the Open Table."For my

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-22631098598958456002010-04-14T10:11:00.000-05:002010-04-14T10:11:00.256-05:00

Stanley Hauerwas gives us a provacative and thoughtful quote:The title of your lecture is intriguing: "Why No One Wants to Die in America." What does that mean?It means that we live in a society that's in deep death denial. Assuming that most Christians live like other people, thinking they can get out of life alive. It's not going to happen. People care more about who their doctor is today than

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-55286342934908264692010-04-04T08:43:00.005-05:002010-11-02T08:48:41.253-05:00

"They appeared in glory [on the mountain] and were speaking of his Exodus, which Jesus was about to accomplish in Jerusalem." Luke 9:31I've had an exceptionally full Holy Week this year. It has been nice. Here is a collect from the Easter Vigil Last night, where we read the great stories of the covenant history (including the deliverance through the Red Sea), and renewed our baptismal vows:O God,

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-90178251688093665502010-04-02T09:33:00.001-05:002010-04-03T13:09:04.372-05:00

According to a USA Today article (quoted below), Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who has locked horns with the press in the past about a percieved anti-Catholic bias in New York Times reporting, defended Pope Benedict XVI's handling of the clergy abuse scandal at the end of Palm Sunday's mass:"Anytime this horror, this vicious sin, this nauseating crime is reported, as it needs to be, victims and their

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-25178463065291669092010-03-28T19:48:00.003-05:002011-10-06T10:03:16.897-05:00

I think is from last year. I don't know about some of the theology of these reporters, but I liked the story.It may be that tough times are helping even American Protestant Christians to see that there can be special grace and growth as we pass through times of pain and hardship: we can use them for godliness, as opportunities to "share in the sufferings of Christ" (Phil. 3:10) and learn to show

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15455419.post-25686458909991959542010-03-24T14:38:00.002-05:002010-03-25T11:21:27.248-05:00

Last year I had coffee with a friend of mine just after she returned from serving as a Roman Catholic missionary for a year in Honduras. During the course of our conversation, when she was describing the devotion and worship habits of the little community of young people she lived with there, she told me about a tradtional Roman Catholic prayer called the Angelus.Now, while I have some

Daniel McLain Hixonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09314281652215835311noreply@blogger.com2