Tag Archives: rituals

No Scarlet Letter

Posted on January 3, 2018 by ehurst

Maybe you remember the story in John 4, where Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman from Sychar. He could read her very soul, and noted that she had a very unstable romantic past. We know very little of the historical context … Continue reading →

Posted in eldercraft, teaching | Tagged human sexuality, Jesus, marriage, penitence, rituals, scripture, social conditioning | Comments Off

Refresh: Symbols and Rituals

Posted on October 19, 2017 by ehurst

On the one hand, the symbols are just that — symbols. They are not the thing itself. The key to mysticism is that we believe our current “reality” is just one huge deception. There are glimpses of ultimate reality and … Continue reading →

Posted in eldercraft | Tagged christian mysticism, communion, covenants, Jesus Christ, rituals, worship | Comments Off

Psalm 113

Posted on August 13, 2016 by ehurst

For historical reference, this begins a series of psalms traditionally used to celebrate Passover. This one and the next were sung before the meal. As with other songs of this type, the format is rather simple and easy to memorize. … Continue reading →

Posted in bible | Tagged Passover, Psalms, rituals | Comments Off

Easter versus Resurrection Sunday

Posted on April 3, 2016 by ehurst

This is a rant. This is a personal reaction that need not apply to you. The mainstream Western Christian celebration of Resurrection Sunday has worn thin on me, and even the corrective blog posts and articles have gotten trite. Over … Continue reading →

Posted in personal | Tagged culture, religion, rituals, worship | Comments Off

Driving Is Not Fun

Posted on November 12, 2015 by ehurst

It was about a three-hour drive to my Dad’s funeral. While I love seeing the countryside out there in the northeastern part of the state — mountains and forests — I was alone and no one could take the pictures. … Continue reading →

Posted in personal | Tagged family, military, peace, psychology, religion, rituals | Comments Off

Admin: Parish Rituals

Posted on March 13, 2015 by ehurst

An offline question led to the realization I’ve never actually discussed rituals for our parish. There is a sense in which we can’t do them. One, we don’t have anyone officially designated as our priestly pastor, someone to handle the … Continue reading →

Posted in administration | Tagged christian mysticism, church, religion, ritual observances, rituals, worship | Comments Off