This piece examines the beatitude of poverty of spirit, dispelling notions that it necessarily means material poverty. The author proposes that poverty of spirit is for a person to be a beggar of spirit in complete trust and abandonment to God’s will and mercy. It is an awareness that nothing can be gained in this lifetime without God’s help, and nothing will transform us without...
Many ministers face burnout and compassion fatigue based on their jobs and are not given the proper tools to care for themselves. This essay analyzes some theologies of self-care, using humility and kenosis as guiding principles, before using Luke’s narrative of Martha and Mary as a case study for how self-care is necessary within ministry.
By Garrett S.
The Church today is highly fragmented, with thousands of denominations. Unsurprisingly, there is much disagreement on how to interpret Scripture, even within the Catholic Church. This piece examines if an objectively right answer on how to interpret Scripture is possible, focusing on the Gospels, especially Luke’s, and three candidates that can play such an arbitration role...
Christian discussion on forgiveness often begins from its theological dimension. This essay argues that an anthropological setting of this inevitable human reality will benefit Christians and non-Christians. We are social beings and we are continually interacting with others in order to sustain our innate social character. Our social circle diminishes if we fail to forgive and...
The Frauenkirche in Dresden, Germany, is widely regarded as the apex of confessional Lutheran architecture. This acrostic ekphrasis is written from the viewpoint of a Lutheran parishioner shortly after the Frauenkirche’s dedication in 1743. The church was built in the milieu of the confessional struggles that ensued in Electoral Saxony when Augustus the Strong converted to Roman...
"Our Defender in Battle
By Garrett S.
This paper is a response to the call of Pope Francis as well as the Catholic teaching for global changes to overcome the throwaway culture or culture of waste and care for an integral ecology. The global food system is malfunctioning, leaving large segments of the population undernourished and causing significant environmental damage. Food loss and waste are undoubtedly an...
This paper explores the story of Fainess Lipenga, a resilient survivor of human trafficking. It highlights her journey and its connection to broader social justice themes. Using a theological framework, it examines how ideas of liberation and justice shape our understanding of her resilience. It also emphasizes the role of faith and spirituality in healing for survivors and the...
By Garrett S.
This paper explores the significance of Christ’s identity in relation to disability, emphasizing the need for a liberating theology that acknowledges and affirms the dignity of disabled individuals in healthcare settings. It advocates for a Christological perspective that integrates the image of a disabled Christ, calling for awareness and equitable treatment for the disabled...
This piece places some voices from theologies of mental health in dialogue with voices from disability theology. While far from exhaustive, this piece seeks to spark insight into how theology and society at large contemplates mental health and disability. Specifically, this piece seeks to challenge assumptions about suffering and calls for greater understanding and inclusion.
By Garrett S.
This piece discusses the continuity in theology from Athanasius to the Cappadocian Fathers and from the Cappadocian Fathers to modern Systematicians. Firstly, it testifies that neo-Nicene theology was in line with the theology of the Nicenes. Secondly it testifies to a continuity in the foundational memes of neo-Nicene theology through the centuries all the way to 20th century...
This essay analyzes idolatry from the context of both the early Christians before the 3rd century as well as the interpretation of the modern day through looking at the early Christian martyrs and their defiance of Rome as an act of abstaining from the sin of idolatry while seeing how contemporary Christians can abstain from idolatry in the modern era, learning from ancient...
The vision of Virgil Michel was of an integration of the liturgy with life—he considered the liturgy to be the ground for social regeneration. This essay will first explore that idea but, following that, will contextualize the quest for integration within the particular sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist—particularly as it concerns participation in and...
By Garrett S.
This article presents an overview of Eastern Orthodox understandings of the theology of icons and how icons are used in liturgical spaces to communicate important theological truths. Specifically, as it relates to eschatology and liturgical practices around icons and the cultural importance of saints who come from different continents and times and how that helps us see a bigger...
Human suffering has transformative potential, both at the individual and community level. This article specifically explores Edward Schillebeeckx’s theological reflections on the transformative dimension of suffering. By highlighting the complexity of suffering and the challenges it poses to Christian faith, the article offers seven reflections from Schillebeeckx’s theological...
By Garrett S.
The mysteries of God are unfathomable, and for this reason theology uses analogies to express its meanings. The purpose of this paper is to develop some reflections on how I understand theology. To begin, I would like to make an analogy to highlight the importance of dialogue, stories, and their contexts in theology: we are made of stories, we are the stories we build with words...
A quick reflection on the mystical experiences of Maria of Jesus of Ágreda. Focusing on the importance of Angelology within greater Catholic thought by highlighting its deep relationship with Mary, the Mother of God. Moving from a slow understanding of knowledge concerning God, multiple excerpts from the text cover varying aspects of human identity by investigating the knowledge...
By Garrett S.
This is a comparison exegesis of the Rule of Benedict’s Chapters 36 and 53 with Chapters 69-70 and 79 in the Rule of the Master. Chapters 36, “The Sick Brothers,” and 53, “The Reception of Guests,” demonstrate how the central themes of caritas, service, and hospitality are present in the RB, as the sick person and the guest are to be treated and received as if they are Christ...