Posts from May 2024
Center of Gravity – The Sermon on the Mount
“…the weightier matters of the law are justice, mercy, and faithfulness.” – Jesus (Matthew 23:23) Christian traditions often have primary books and passages they emphasize in their teaching and ministry. For example, Dispensationalist traditions gravitates toward apocalyptic books and passages, which they believe are coded with predictions about the future. They center books and passages like Revelation, Daniel, and Matthew chapter 24. Another example is the Pentecostal tradition, which gravitates toward the book of Acts and to passages about spiritual…
Mutterfest
One of the most unique and innovative traditions Moravians have is the celebration of the Holy Spirit as Mother of the Church, called “Mutterfest.” In the mid-18th century, Moravians in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania composed hymns and liturgies praising God the Holy Spirit as “Mother” at a time when the church also ordained hundreds of women for ministry. But later generations were scandalized by these “radical” practices and attempted to cover them up. Fortunately, historians like Dr. Craig Atwood have helped to…