I am blogging regularly (once every 10 days or so) for the Dunsborough Anglican Church at the invitation of Parish Priest Desiree Snyman. It’s worth a read.
Archive for the ‘spirituality’ Category
3 Aug
Spiritual help for people with chronic pain
I know what it is to live day in day with high levels of pain. My doctors tell me that, like 5 -10% of the population, my central nervous system is misfiring and produces chronic pain. For me, this pain seriously impacts my mobility. I appreciate the medical help that I receive. I also know [...]
15 Dec
Really Living After Death
One toxic idea that has seeped into Christianity is the belief that individuals survive death. This cane-toad of an idea has been introduced into the Christian faith either in its Greek form of the immortality of the soul, or in its post-Enlightenment guise of individual personalities somehow living on after death. These ideas poison by [...]
18 Oct
Hopkins uses Duns Scotus’ treasure
FRANCISCANS DISCOVER HOPKINS 5. The Franciscan idea of inscape Hopkins liked Dun Scotus’ idea of haecceitas, but it was too abstract for him to use directly for his poetry. He took the idea of landscape, the way an artist arranges the exterior world and chooses colours, composition and frame to express herself. Hopkins’ revolutionary idea [...]
16 Oct
The Franciscan who influenced Hopkins
FRANCISCANS DISCOVER HOPKINS 4. THE INFLUENCE OF DUNS SCOTUS DUNS SCOTUS – Franciscan Theologian 1265-1308 Hopkins acclaims Duns Scotus in Duns Scotus’ Oxford Towery city & branchy between towers; Cuckoo-echoing, bell-swarmèd, lark charmèd, rook racked, river-rounded; The dapple-eared lily below thee; that country & town did Once encounter in, here coped & poisèd powers; Thou [...]
14 Oct
Priest-poets enrich the Franciscan spirit
2. WHY SHOULD FRANCISCANS BE INTERESTED IN GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS? Gerard Manley Hopkins was a poet-priest, that is, he wrote poetry as part of his vocation as priest. His poetry is ministry. Hopkins is in a long line of priest-poets. George Herbert was one. Hopkins looked back to the Dominican geniusThomas Aquinas, a serious teacher [...]
13 Oct
Why Should Franciscans be interested in poetry?
FRANCISCANS DISCOVER HOPKINS 1. SHOULD FRANCISCANS BE INTERESTED IN POETRY? • St Francis was influenced by the troubadours. His interest in troubadours probably started on journeys to France as a child. The troubadours: o Sang in Italian or Provençal (French) and not Latin. o Broke convention by singing love songs to ladies beyond their status. [...]
12 Apr
I can say Alleluia!
I wake on Easter morning with my wife’s kiss. “Christ is Risen!” she smiles. I hesitate before responding, “He is risen indeed.” it is a great day, but I feel just pain behind and in front. The Psalmist’s words were louder in my mind than Easter’s liturgical cry: ” Fat bulls of Bashan surround me [...]
