Ancient Anglican

In his defense of his ministry against the Greeks, Paul borrows heavily from the prevailing Greek philosophical schools to justify his authority.

Paul opens his letter with what will become known as the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and love. As you prepare for this evening, think through the role that each of these three virtues plays within the life of the Church and the life of a Christian.

Because the greeting in 1 Thessalonians 1:1 is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy, the general consensus is that this letter was written from Corinth fairly soon after Paul had left Thessalonica.  This is the very first of Paul’s correspondence.

The letter is paranetic or pastoral in the manner of contemporary Stoics (like Seneca) or Cynics (like Dio Chrysostom). In the first part of the letter, Paul presents himself as a father or a nurse, and then he offers consolation to his audience for the trials they have suffered.

We are not gathering tonight or next Tuesday.  We will start our summer discussion of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians on Tuesday, June 7.  Before then, please take the opportunity to read through 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians.  Both of these books are fairly short.  Also, please read Acts 17:1-15 where Luke tells us of Paul’s missionary journey to the city of Thessalonica.  1 Thessalonians is generally considered to be Paul’s first letter and was…

In classical Western thought (both Christian and pagan), the unencumbered soul will always choose the Good, for that is the source of its existence.  Therefore, when we “choose” to follow our base passions and desires, we are, in reality, enslaved to them and not free. 

In the later meditations, á Kempis shows us how someone who is in Christ responds to the hardship.  If our responses are different, then the problem doesn’t lie with the response itself, but in our relationship with Jesus.

We were created and commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Deut. 6:5, Matt. 22:37. That love, however, can be bent either internally resulting in pride, anger, and envy, or bent externally towards the material world resulting in greed, gluttony, or lust. Therefore, á Kempis encourages us to keep our love of God alone. 

Jesus gives us for lessons for peace: Do another’s will, prefer less than more, seek the lower place, and ask God’s will be fulfilled in you.

For me, these meditations of á Kempis in leading us to imitate the meekness of the suffering servant raises the question of how do we confront injustice in the world. 

discernment is rooted in spiritual practice, yet it is not a step-by-step process. It requires, learning to listen for and recognize over time the voice and character of God in our hearts and daily lives. – Henri Nouwen

We want to be the best Christian we can be.  But, the example Christ gives us is to be humble, not to be the “best”.  In our union with Christ, we are not called to great moral progress or perfection but simply to appear before him with a broken and contrite heart. Ps. 51:17.