There’s a common refrain from religious ‘nones’ that goes something like “I encounter God more in the forest than I ever do in a church.” While such an attitude may miss the mark about what church is for, it captures the undeniable truth that we experience the Transcendent often and easily in nature. It’s a … Continue reading Everywhere Present and Filling All Things: ‘O Heavenly King’
One of the main criticisms of liturgical or common prayer is that it quickly becomes rote. As though if it’s read from a page, it can’t be from the heart; and if it’s not from the heart, it’s just the kind of vain repetition Jesus warned us against (Matthew 6.7). What this argument fails to … Continue reading Resetting the Narrative: The ‘Normal Beginning’
Yesterday, I introduced this year’s Lenten series, which will be daily reflections on famous or important liturgical prayers. As a general principle, I’ll be treating the season of Lent like a liturgical day, starting with the evening offices then going through the daytime services. But today I’m going to start with the quintessential Lenten prayer … Continue reading A Faith That Works: The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian
A recurring theme here lately has been the contrasts between the kingdoms of this world and their theologies of glory on the one hand, and the kingdom of God with its theology of the cross on the other. Nowhere does Christianity’s theology of the cross come to the fore more than in the Western Christian … Continue reading A Kingdom of Dust and Ashes: A Reflection for Ash Wednesday 2026
One of the most common debates among committed Christians over the centuries has been the relative importance of personal piety versus acts of compassion. It’s played out on a lot of fronts: The action versus contemplation debate in monastic circles, the faith versus works debate of the Reformation era, and in the present attacks today … Continue reading Happy Are Those… : A Reflection on Psalm 112
Matthew Root 