Anglicanism – Markham Shaw Pyle, author & historian

A look at how properly to observe Independence Day.

Because hubris—particularly in the achievements of others, and not of oneself—is no true patriotism, a few quiet, Anglican words from the ’28 BCP on the proper observance of US Independence Day, brought to you by a thorough conservative.

Magnificat

Today being a red-letter feast day, that of the Annunciation, I pop by to check up on y’all before resuming my Lenten silence. And, as I’m here, let me remind you that, although we are to pray daily for our various heads of government, that does not mean we pray that their policies, aims, ambitions,Continue reading “Magnificat”

Another day, another Ambush By Handel.

Quiet, ordinary Saturday, week of the Third Sunday after the Epiphany … and what are the Lessons appointed for Mattins on this unremarkable day of the Kalendar? Oh, only the following from Messiah HWV 56: I.5-6 (‘Thus saith the Lord’ with its ‘The Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple’, and thenContinue reading “Another day, another Ambush By Handel.”

‘For all the saints, who from their labours rest’:

Every day has its saint—commonly a right smart of them: including this, the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The Anglican Kalendar is more parsimonious than is the Roman, or the Orthodox, so far as red-letter observances go; but every day has its saint. Between—for example—, and inclusive of, 15 to 23 January, there are amongstContinue reading “‘For all the saints, who from their labours rest’:”

The heresy of entryism

Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered : let them also that hate him flee before him. —Ps. lxviii, Exsurgat Deus. Today is the Feast of S Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop & Confessor. A patron saint of lawyers, writers, and controversialists, Hilary stands for—and ought to be emulated in standing for—the principles thatContinue reading “The heresy of entryism”

For S Luke’s Day

This the Feast of Luke: Evangelist, artist, and physician. The world is clearly ill and in want of care and healing. We are all unwell and stumbling on a precipice, we are all cast down; we are all in need of good news, of medicine, and of the news and the hope of our cure.Continue reading “For S Luke’s Day”

I have been remiss in not mentioning this here.

Come for the fireworks. Stay for the eviscerations. Follow the analysis. And join in the anathemata. My latest—which is to be an appendix to the forthcoming The Conscientious Conservative—, which disposes of the claims of Trump, Trumpism, and the followers of either, the Trumpshirts, to be either conservative, in the Anglo-American sense of that term,Continue reading “I have been remiss in not mentioning this here.”

The means of Grace and the hope of Glory: praying the Daily Offices

Today is the Sunday after Christmas Day. It is also, this year, New Year’s Eve, in the civil calendar; which means it is the Eve, the Vigil, of the Feast of the Circumcision. From that, it should be obvious that this is a post of limited interest—as regards, at least, its likely audience, if any.Continue reading “The means of Grace and the hope of Glory: praying the Daily Offices”

For all the saints, who from their labours rest

Today is the Eve of All Hallows’ Day, Hallowe’en, the first day of the three days of Allhallowtide, the Fast before tomorrow’s Feast which begins with the Vigil this night, with the First Evensong of All Saints’ Day, Hallowmas. Allhallowtide shall then conclude, as ever it does in the eternal cycle of the Church Year,Continue reading “For all the saints, who from their labours rest”