Morning Prayer (1662 Book of Common Prayer)

LECTIONS. John Calvin on the Psalms. Keil & Delitzsch: Joshua. Matthew Henry: Isaiah. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown: Gospels. Matthew Henry: Revelation. Dr. Robert Reymond: Systematic Theology. Prof. Berkhof, Systematic Theology: Soteriology. Dr. Philip Schaff, Medieval Christianity/Swiss Reformation. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 51-60. Dr. Philip Schaff: Creeds, 1. Prof. Calvin rises to the splendor that David beholds in nature, but also in the constitution of the human being in God's image. Reinstitute Psalms for congregational singing as a major staple. Theologically orthodox hymns, like good sermons, are also warranted. Singing should be viewed as "singing as confession of the faith before God." Academic theology fails utterly if it is silent, personally or liturgically. Prof. Keil rounds off his discussion about Jericho's fall to divine judgment. Next up is Joshua 7 and Achan. Divine judgment will fall within God's covenanted community. Prof. Henry is touring the natural and international impulse to some version of religion--all cultures, all times, with their own divines, prophet oracles, etc. Christianity fed upon and consumed the pre-existing, Graeco-Roman pantheon. His point seems to be that humanity seeks someone who speaks a divine truth. Pondering. Relevant as we live in a day of state-worship where religion divines preach their metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. The "public education" system is an academic, governmental, and status conspiracy to disabuse children of God. Prof. Jamiesson speaks to the scholarly endeavors of Origen (185ish-253 AD) in the Canon, including refutations of the cultured despisers and commentaries on the Bible. He did textual criticism of Syriac, Greek and Latin manuscripts. Rev.3.1ff: "Fix your problems, Sardis, or else. Formalities and externalities, but dying and death is near for your parish. Prof. Reymond introduces the "necessity of the Bible." Louis Berkhof is positioning his views of the ordo salutis, or, the sphere of the divine operations at, upon and in redeemed people. It must ever-be theocentric rather than anthropocentric. God-centered thinking shapes, controls, informs and governs everything, from atoms to civilizations. Scaff on Medieval Christianity describe the barbarian invasions that brought depression to Roman citizens and the disruption of the Graeco-Roman world. Orosius, a student of Augustine, noted that if God conquered them by His Word, new vitality would arise atop the defeated Roman devotees of debauchery and high-living. Schaff on the Swiss Reformation details the abusive and horrendous treatment of Anabaptists. The Roman Catholic countries and jurisdictions were as bad. 1000s were killed. Schaff on the Creeds: everybody without exception says "I believe." The Christians organized their thoughts and put them down in words with grammar and dictionary- based words.