VOICES OF ADVENT: DEVOTION, REPENTANCE, AND PROPHETIC ZEAL
In this advent series at St. James' Cathedral Dr. Marion Taylorwill focus on three nineteenth-century Anglicans whose writings about the advent themes of devotion, repentance, and social justice will help us prepare to celebrate Jesus birth and second coming.
Schedule:
6:00pm Worship (St. James Cathedral, 106 King St. East)
6:30pm Light Supper (Cathedral Centre, 65 Church St.)
7:00pm Lecture (Cathedral Centre, 65 Church St.)
Wednesday, December 4 – Devotion: Anglican Hymn Writers and Devotional Writers: Christina Rossetti and Elizabeth Rundle Charles
Christina Rossetti was one of Victorian England’s finest poets. She also authored devotional works and commentaries on Scripture. We will look at some of her hymns and devotional writings. In reflecting on the annunciation, Rossetti (1830-94) described Mary as “blessed among women, blessed in believing the sure word of promise . . . blessed in hearing the word of God and keeping it, and called blessed by all generations.”
Elizabeth Rundle Charles was an influential and prolific Victorian author of Christian poetry, historical fiction, devotional commentaries, and collections of hymns, a number of which she translated from Latin. The season of Advent brought Charles great joy and she particularly loved St. Ambrose’s fourth-century advent hymn, “Veni, Redemptor gentium.”
Wednesday, December 11 – Repentance and Suffering: Josephine Butler
Josephine Butler’s social activism brought her face to face with suffering. Bringing the burdens of others before God, she prayed that Christ would come quickly and deliver forever our, groaning world.
Butler is less well-known for her work as a biblical interpreter. Her interpretation of the story of the Levite’s concubine in Judges 19 is timeless and inspiring.
Wednesday, December 18 – Prophetic Zeal: Hannah Moore
Hannah More is remembered as an educator, writer, and social justice reformer. She was friends with William Wilberforce and helped give the antislavery movement a public voice. More’s poem about a mistreated slave separated from her children raised the question of Britain’s role in the Slave Trade.
About Marion Taylor, PhD
