miscellanies (1 Mar 2025)
not so random reads from the interwebs
miscellany [ mis-uh-ley-nee], noun 1. a miscellaneous collection or group of various or somewhat unrelated items 2. a miscellaneous collection of literary compositions or pieces by several authors, dealing with various topics, assembled in a volume or book
It's been a long while since I posted any miscellanies...until recently, it had been a long time since I posted anything. Miscellanies are back as a list of the most interesting things I came across in the previous week that I think are worth reading and considering, as informed, historic Christians. With pithy re-introductions aside, here is this week's list.
What Protestants Get Wrong About the Epistle to the Hebrews Peter Leithart (conservative Presbyterian/Reformed) makes the case that, while the New Covenant is 'not a conservative gospel, but a revolutionary one,' having significant differences from the Old Covenant, it is not something completely new but brings with it the reality that was hidden in the shadows before Christ. Specifically considering worship, he says that “Christian liturgical practice is still sacrificial and priestly, but through Jesus we have access to the real, original, heavenly things. What Israel did in twilight, the church does in the full light of day. The new doesn’t inaugurate an a-liturgical form of life and worship, but radically rearranges liturgy itself.” This is a short, thought, provoking piece about how Christian worship ought to look as a continuation and fulfillment of everything before us.
The Re-Churching of Men. This is an article I referenced last Sunday when talking about growth among traditional churches as opposed to 'plain vanilla' Evangelical churches with contemporary worship. He refers to a New York Times piece documenting the increased numbers of Gen-Z men attending to churches with conservative doctrine and traditional liturgy. He laments the decreased attendance among women in this generation and cautions against the pendulum swinging too far. “The answer to toxic masculinity is not vapid egalitarianism in the style pioneered by liberal Protestants and mimicked by progressive evangelicals. Nor is it the gnostic androgyny of our sexually confused culture. The answer is bold, sacrificial, and Christ-like masculinity. Christ faces evil and lays down his life for his bride. The priest, acting in the person of Christ the head, must be a masculine icon for his parish, an assertive yet tender spiritual father. A re-churching of men has the potential to correct men’s worst impulses while redeeming men through the power of Christ crucified. This redemption may yet occasion the return of men and women to a renewed church, one in which the sexes will flourish together.”
It's Time We Stop Singing About Ourselves At Mass. Though written by a Catholic in the context of the Mass (so don't get lost in some unfamiliar liturgical terms), this article asks the important question, “What makes for a 'suitable hymn'? How should we gauge 'good' and 'bad' hymns?” It's a subject I've brought up many times, important because the hymns we sing will stick with us long after even the best sermon is forgotten. This author answers his own question this way, “I would suggest using a very simple litmus test by asking this question: 'Whom are we singing to?'” The article contains some interesting statistics about the focus of recent hymnody in the Catholic Church (which I'd suggest is following trail blazed by Evangelicals) showing that recent hymns are “written with an orientation of me, myself, and I. The worship is not a vertical gaze toward Heaven. Rather, the orientation is a horizontal glance around the room.” It's a thought-provoking read!