The issue has come up again recently: why are there often two different numbers for the same psalm? The Hebrew Bible counted the psalms one way. The Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek counted many psalms slightly differently. The early Christians used the Septuagint, and then went on to translate into Latin (the
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Remember the 67-70 AD war of Jews against Romans. The Romans won – the temple was destroyed; Jerusalem lay in ruins. Hadrian was born just after that, 76AD. He was the Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He rebuilt the Pantheon, and built “Hadrian’s Wall”, the northern limit of Britannia – areas of the island
To critics of the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) and its twin, the RC 3-year Sunday cycle of Mass readings (RC3Yr), I regularly quote Churchill: “The RCL is the worst form of systematically reading the Bible as church, except for all the others.” I challenge people to show me a better form. Now someone has taken
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The launching of the HeForShe movement is a good time to rethink inclusive and expansive language, and other gender-discriminatory issues, in liturgy. HeForShe aims to enlist men and boys in a campaign for gender equality. HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other
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Singing in worship is one of the most important dimensions of liturgy. Singing is attractive, prays twice, gives worship vitality, forms community, reinforces memory… Let’s put to one side for another day the good statement that we don’t sing at the liturgy, the liturgy is sung, and focus on the concrete decisions we have to
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The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, made media waves when he acknowledged he has doubts. In the interview with Lucy Tegg (video above, start at 12:00 minutes in), he candidly says, “There are moments, sure, where you think ‘Is there a God? Where is God?’” When asked, “Do you ever doubt?”, he replies, “Yes. I
Many people, in the month of September, focus on creation. This month runs from the Eastern Orthodox starting the liturgical year on September 1 and prepares for the feast of St Francis on October 4. This site is committed to the three year lectionary (RC) and its derivative, the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). Rather than departing from that
September 14 is Holy Cross Day, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Triumph of the Cross. For Roman Catholics this feast takes precedence over the Sunday in Ordinary Time, for Anglicans it can be observed on the Sunday or on the next suitable weekday. St Helena, discovered the true cross of
The Great Vigil of Easter The Great Vigil of Easter, when observed, is the first service of Easter. It is celebrated at a convenient time between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Morning. This, our autumn festival, celebrates a tomb burst open like ripened fruit. When the world turns towards its coldest and
The Sixth Sunday in LentThe Sunday of the Passion with the Liturgy of the Palms Palm Sunday is celebrated at the beginning of Holy Week. In the Three Year Series and the Revised Common Lectionary this, rather than the Fifth Sunday in Lent, is the Sunday of the Passion. Liturgical colour: Red. The Liturgy of
