First Sunday of Advent (A)

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The Unknown Day and Hour   Lectionary: 1 Reading 1 -  Isaiah 2:1-5 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 122: 1-9 Reading 2 -  Romans 13:11-14 Alleluia -  Cf. Psalm 85:8 Gospel -  Matthew 24:37-44 '... Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.' Introduction  As we gather on this First Sunday of Advent , we also mark the beginning of the Church’s new liturgical calendar and a four-week preparation period leading up to Christmas. The word Advent comes from either of two Latin words, which simply mean “to come” (Ad-venire) or “to arrive” (Ad-ventus), and as early as the fourth (4th) century, Christians have had this special time of preparation towards Christmas. Of course, Advent is not merely a countdown to Christmas; Even as we begin the material preparations for the social celebration of Christmas, the liturgical celebrations of these weeks invite us to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. But what does the co...
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Review: Let Truth Prevail: An Introduction to European Christian Renewal Movements

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Let Truth Prevail: An Introduction to European Christian Renewal Movements Let Truth Prevail: An Introduction to European Christian Renewal Movements by Allen Diles

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is, for all intents and purposes, an academic text exploring the beginnings of the restoration/reformation movements in Europe.  There is an indirect tie-in to the Stone-Campbell movement in the United States of which I am a product of; so I found this history an extremely interesting review of how the various schismatic communities developed the various beliefs that they came to hold.  Each chapter introduces a movement and some of the founders and/or main players in the movement evolution.  This usually includes a compare and contrast against the predominant Catholic view as well as other Protestant churches … and it is remarkable how they were nearly all in alignment except for a few specific disagreements and it was the subsequent persecution that forced some of the major changes/conflicts.  The author then sums up the chapter in a Legacy section that talks about where they went from there and closes with “Questions for Thought or Discussion” and a ton of reference notes.  While some of the list of names and dates typical of a history text can be tough slogging, the terms and language used were clear and easily accessible/understood.

Introduction: The Concept of Restoration 

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage: The Medieval Church and the Need for Reformation “in Head and in Members” 
Chapter 2: “To Obey God Rather than Men”: The Waldensians 
Chapter 3: “Truth Prevails over All”: The Czech Reformation Part 1 
Chapter 4: “Jesus Christ, the Best Lawgiver”: The Czech Reformation Part 2 
Chapter 5: “Faith, Love, and Hope”: The Unity of the Brethren (Unitas Fratrum) 
Chapter 6: “For the Greater Glory of God”: The Protestant and Catholic Reformations of the Sixteenth Century 
Chapter 7: “Given, Surrendered, and Sacrificed Wholly to God”: Evangelical Anabaptists Part 1 
Chapter 8: “Overthrowing Religion and Civil Order”: Evangelical Anabaptists Part 2 
Chapter 9: “A Personal Religion of the Heart”: Pietism, Schwarzenau Brethren, and the Moravian Brethren 
Chapter 10: “No Such Thing as a National Church”: Scottish Restorationists 

Afterword: “Yet More Truth to Break Forth from His Holy Word”

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#LetTruthPrevail #NetGalley.

View all my reviews

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