I love The Enchanted April! How often in life we feel so stuck, and yet God is able to pour unimaginable grace that can transform everything. The movie is lovely.
Fear and trembling, awe and wonder - what a rallying cry! Thanks for all this as always, Haley.
"Have the child. Practice the religion. Found the school. Support the local theater, the museum, the opera or concert hall, even if you can see it all on YouTube. Pick up the paintbrush, the ball, the instrument. Learn the language — even if there’s an app for it. Learn to drive, even if you think soon Waymo or Tesla will drive for you. Put up headstones, don’t just burn your dead. Sit with the child, open the book, and read. As the bottleneck tightens, all survival will depend on heeding once again the ancient admonition: I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”
The Enchanted April - the book and movie are wonderful, so glad to see it mentioned in here! Also, that article by Ross Douthat looks fascinating - that quote is fabulous - I'll have to circle back and read it later. Thanks for all of these!
I resonated with and saw much of my theological journey to this point within Jeff Reimer’s article and the interview with Brad East as it related to your theme of ecumenism, particularly the notion of what it looks like to be a “mere Christian” amidst a fragmented church. What I was not prepared for arriving at this position is most days feeling a visceral longing for the Church (East and West; Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant) to be united again. I think both those resources speak to that longing either indirectly or directly.
Koperski’s essay was very thoughtful. As you’ve been learning more about Anglicanism, have you found a helpful resource explaining their view on infant baptism? It seems to me that it’s more similar to the Presbyterian view than the Catholic or Lutheran, but I’ve had a hard time finding whether there is one official ‘Anglican’ stance.
I have not delved too much into Anglican baptism, though I thought the opposite from what I've gathered?
There's a bunch of books on Anglicanism I have saved in a list... surely some of them would have some good explanations. But that doesn't really help you.
My husband came across this Anglican guy (obviously not the official voice) and spoke highly of his explanations of some unique angles of infant baptism. (This is a reminder to myself I need to watch it.)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7DHcGQa8jA&t=1370s
Thanks for the link! Reading book would be helpful to me, I’m just trying to be a bit…efficient. Or intellectually lazy, perhaps, but I prefer to think the former. Historically, the Sacraments of Communion and Baptism were the dividing line between Lutherans and more radical reformers, so I anticipate the difference but I could be totally wrong! Thanks for giving me occasion to learn more about the Anglican way.
For the record, I am no expert here. We have only in the last year and a half even stepped into an Anglican church... evangelical Baptist types that we've been for all time (still are?)?? < insert existential flailing
Haha the existential flailing leads you to grasp for the truth of the tradition in a way that the cradle-believers *usually* don’t find occasion to. Don’t worry, I won’t count you an expert, just a helpful guide to sources.
The ecumenism post is so interesting! My family was always Episcopalian/Anglican growing up, but now that we're all adults, there's a 50/50 split Anglican and Baptist, which makes for some, shall we say, interesting conversations when we're together.
> we are actually being conditioned to ignore our bodies while growing up
Oops, it’s me. Take a person already not super attuned to her own physical needs, add a nice-sized dose of evangelical purity culture, stir it around for a good couple of decades, and you have a recipe for a bad time. I told someone awhile back that I think I just learned in the past few years that I even have a body, let alone that it’s good.
It's sooo good. There's even one moment (the introduction of Rose's husband at the dinner table) where I think the movie outdoes the book. Both the book and the movie are like a bubble bath and a cup of warm tea for the soul.
I have found a really small, but also very meaningful way to support a woman who’s had a miscarriage, is simply by sending flowers: https://verilymag.com/2019/01/what-to-do-for-a-friend-who-had-a-miscarriage-send-flowers-2019
I also wrote something of a meditation on the rosary for miscarriage: https://aleteia.org/2016/10/15/how-the-holy-rosary-brought-me-real-comfort-after-a-miscarriage
I love The Enchanted April! How often in life we feel so stuck, and yet God is able to pour unimaginable grace that can transform everything. The movie is lovely.
Fear and trembling, awe and wonder - what a rallying cry! Thanks for all this as always, Haley.
"Have the child. Practice the religion. Found the school. Support the local theater, the museum, the opera or concert hall, even if you can see it all on YouTube. Pick up the paintbrush, the ball, the instrument. Learn the language — even if there’s an app for it. Learn to drive, even if you think soon Waymo or Tesla will drive for you. Put up headstones, don’t just burn your dead. Sit with the child, open the book, and read. As the bottleneck tightens, all survival will depend on heeding once again the ancient admonition: I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”
The Enchanted April - the book and movie are wonderful, so glad to see it mentioned in here! Also, that article by Ross Douthat looks fascinating - that quote is fabulous - I'll have to circle back and read it later. Thanks for all of these!
Although this article is from 2016, I think a lot of the key points remain very relevant, esp for those in ministry. How can we support families who have a miscarriage? There are good ideas here: https://uscatholic.org/articles/201610/the-quiet-grief-of-miscarriage/
And Red Bird Ministries for spiritual support with miscarriage and child loss www.redbird.love
I resonated with and saw much of my theological journey to this point within Jeff Reimer’s article and the interview with Brad East as it related to your theme of ecumenism, particularly the notion of what it looks like to be a “mere Christian” amidst a fragmented church. What I was not prepared for arriving at this position is most days feeling a visceral longing for the Church (East and West; Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant) to be united again. I think both those resources speak to that longing either indirectly or directly.
Koperski’s essay was very thoughtful. As you’ve been learning more about Anglicanism, have you found a helpful resource explaining their view on infant baptism? It seems to me that it’s more similar to the Presbyterian view than the Catholic or Lutheran, but I’ve had a hard time finding whether there is one official ‘Anglican’ stance.
Thanks for the collection this week!
I have not delved too much into Anglican baptism, though I thought the opposite from what I've gathered?
There's a bunch of books on Anglicanism I have saved in a list... surely some of them would have some good explanations. But that doesn't really help you.
My husband came across this Anglican guy (obviously not the official voice) and spoke highly of his explanations of some unique angles of infant baptism. (This is a reminder to myself I need to watch it.)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7DHcGQa8jA&t=1370s
Thanks for the link! Reading book would be helpful to me, I’m just trying to be a bit…efficient. Or intellectually lazy, perhaps, but I prefer to think the former. Historically, the Sacraments of Communion and Baptism were the dividing line between Lutherans and more radical reformers, so I anticipate the difference but I could be totally wrong! Thanks for giving me occasion to learn more about the Anglican way.
For the record, I am no expert here. We have only in the last year and a half even stepped into an Anglican church... evangelical Baptist types that we've been for all time (still are?)?? < insert existential flailing
Haha the existential flailing leads you to grasp for the truth of the tradition in a way that the cradle-believers *usually* don’t find occasion to. Don’t worry, I won’t count you an expert, just a helpful guide to sources.
The Anglican Way was one of the first books I read about Anglicanism as we were making our move out of the LCMS! Straightforward and helpful for me.
Loved this collection today, Haley!
I just bought a copy of The Enchanted April, Haley! Thank you for the recommendation!
The ecumenism post is so interesting! My family was always Episcopalian/Anglican growing up, but now that we're all adults, there's a 50/50 split Anglican and Baptist, which makes for some, shall we say, interesting conversations when we're together.
> we are actually being conditioned to ignore our bodies while growing up
Oops, it’s me. Take a person already not super attuned to her own physical needs, add a nice-sized dose of evangelical purity culture, stir it around for a good couple of decades, and you have a recipe for a bad time. I told someone awhile back that I think I just learned in the past few years that I even have a body, let alone that it’s good.
One of the most interesting articles I’ve come across. Thank you!
Enchanted April was one of our favorite movies growing up—still is! Have you seen it?
Have not - literally only heard about the book in the past year! and am just now discovering there is a film adaptation.
You’re in for a treat!
It's sooo good. There's even one moment (the introduction of Rose's husband at the dinner table) where I think the movie outdoes the book. Both the book and the movie are like a bubble bath and a cup of warm tea for the soul.
I need to read the book! It’s rare that a movie outdoes a book in any respect—high praise!