Tag Archives: All Saints

Saints, known and unknown

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angelico-saints-martyrsToday we celebrate, remember, and honor all the saints, known and unknown. Back in the earliest days of the Church, martyrs were especially esteemed. The local church celebrated the anniversary of a martyr’s death in the name of Christ – on the anniversary date and in the place of martyrdom – it was all part of what people just knew. By the 4th century the list of martyrs was very much longer and the Church was caught between its desire to remember and celebrate the martyr’s witness and death, an ever-expanding geography, and the practical matter of finding days to set aside to celebrate. Very soon there was a movement to find a common day to celebrate martyrs that were important to the Church while leaving the local communities to set aside days for martyrs that loomed larger in local memory. Continue reading →

All Saint: both and

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angelico-saints-martyrsOne of the things I do is to keep reading, to refresh old thoughts, garner new thoughts and perspectives, and to continue to fuel soul, mind, and imagination. Sometimes the reading materials are books and sometimes – increasingly more often – articles garnered from the internet. One sight that I always “thumb through” is Journey With Jesus. The site is self-described as “A weekly webzine for the global church.” One of the primary authors on the site is Dan Clandenin. He comes from a Protestant perspective, but he brings good insight – insight and perspective that I have found advances pathways for Christian denomination to find common ground.

Sometimes Christians are “it is either this or that” with the implications it can’t be both. This is true to Protestants, Reformers, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Catholics, and any moniker I have left out. In our best days, we acknowledge that in the realm of mystery, it is most often “both-and.”

That is why I particularly like Dan’s article Saints and Sinners. I might tweak a phrase here or there – but then that would be my take on such things. Overall, I love the trajectory – and I hope you enjoy the article.