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I’ve finished and uploaded to YouTube Episode Twenty in The Lives of the Saints – Second Series.  Episode Twenty is focused on the life and contributions of St. Augustine of Hippo, so called in order to distinguish him from the later St. Augustine, Augustine of Canterbury.  St. Augustine is one of the half dozen most significant contributors to the doctrines of the Church Universal in the first five or six centuries A.D.   He is the most famous pupil of the great St. Ambrose of Milan, another formidable pulpit orator and Bishop of Milan.  For more on St. Ambrose, watch Episode Four in this series 

Episode Twenty includes four images of the great saint, including the oldest known representation of him, a late 6th C. fresco in a chapel on the lower level of the Lateran Palace, Rome (left, public domain), and Jaime Huguet’s egg tempera on wood panel, The Consecration of St. Augustine, painted for the Spanish monarchy in 1462 A.D. and now in the Catalan National Museum of Art, Barcelona, Spain.  Another Huguet painting included in the episode is one of a collection of paintings of famous men in the Louvre Museum, Paris.  There is also an illuminated letter from an 13th or 14th C. edition of his The City of God printed in Avignon, France, from a collection in the Episcopal Museum, Vic, Spain. and a color photograph of his tomb in the Basilica San Pietro d’Oro (St. Peter of the Golden Ceiling), Pavia, Italy.  I tell the story of his wandering remains and how they ended up in Pavia (twice).

Watch the Video.          Listen to the Podcast

The next episode in the Saints 2 series is focused on a lesser known but important figure in the early Church, St. Cyprian of Carthage, who is especially revered in the Eastern Church although his bishopric was in the jurisdiction of the Church at Rome.  Other saints in the final episodes in the series are the Blessed Lancelot Andrewes (Sep 25), Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (Sep 29), Jerome of Jerusalem (Sep 30),  Francis of Assisi (Oct 4), Vincent De Paul (Oct 6), the English Martyrs (Oct 16), Blessed William Tynedale (Nov 6), Leo the Great (Nov 10), Clement of Rome (Nov 23), and, finally, the last episode in the series, Catherine of Alexandria (Nov 25).

I’ve begun work on the script and introductory video for a new series of 10-12 podcasts titled The War on Christianity.  In this new series I will discuss the ongoing war on two levels:  first, the physical threat (including bombings, mutilations and other terroristic events) and, second, the greater and more insidious threat which is being fought every day in the courts, legislatures, school rooms, and, regrettably, among the “leaders” of the modern Church, and in literature and virtually all artistic media.    In the series, I will present ideas on how individual Christians, acting at the personal and family level, can protect themselves in their daily lives. I will offer practical instruction on everything from understanding the doctrines of the Church (expressed in the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed and in the traditions handed down from the Apostles); suggestions for developing personal prayer habits; techniques for reducing the impact of the media’s overwhelmingly one-sided bias against religion (especially Christianity but not including Islam).  Only Episode One, the Introduction, will be available in video form.  The remainder will be exclusively in MP3 Podcast format and linked from a yet-to-be-created page on the AIC Web Site:  www.AnglicanInternetChurch.net.

A note for readers:  You may have noticed that my email address (front.stjohnanglican@earthlink.net) accepts messages only from persons already in my address book.  This is because I receive dozens and dozens of SPAM messages every day and don’t have time to sort them from the genuine inquiries.  My email provider (Earthlink.net) includes a Request to be Added to the Mailing list option for blocked senders.   If your message gets blocked, please complete the request form, which comes directly to me.  You can avoid this problem by asking to be added to the AIC’s Weekly Update, a short email that goes out (usually on Fridays) and which includes a message and links to the newest videos, books or podcasts.   Send me a request in writing at 7162 Soft Wind Ln, Mechanicsville, Va 23111 or call me at (804) 559-2690 (best times 9-4, M-F).  If your email is blocked, use the above-mentioned Request to be added…..   Your privacy will not be compromised. The email address in Weekly Update messages is blocked (BCC) and cannot be read by other recipients.  You can request removal of your name at any time with an email or written request.  We do not share names and addresses of supporters, contributors, and recipients of the Weekly Update with anyone or any organization.

As always, thank you for your interest in and support of The Anglican Internet Church.  May God bless you in all that you do in His Name.

Glory be to God for all things! Amen!

The new video preview of our Bookstore catalogue, produced on the new Mac in the expanded version of iMovie, is now available.  It runs just over 18 minutes and includes information and picture glimpses of pages in every currently available book.  The new program has more choices in pages transitions and themes.

Watch the Video preview

Again this year for Good Friday I’ve included the links to the AIC’s series for Good Friday, In the Cross of Christ I Glory.  The program was written for use at my former parish from Noon to 3 PM on Good Friday, based on a version of the Seven Words from the Cross which was  first read in 1946 A.D.  The original author relied upon a homily written in 1904 A.D.   To their work I added prayers and quotations from the Holy Fathers of the 4th Century and later.

The format is an opening address followed by seven sets of prayers and meditations for the seven words from the Cross and a closing address.  The entire text is found on pages 75-101 of the AIC Bookstore Publication, Occasional Services for Anglican Worship, now available in paperback and Kindle editions using the links in the Virtual Bookstore section at the bottom of the home page of the AIC Web Site where you found this Blog.

• Part One:  Introduction
• Part Two: First Word
• Part Three:  Second Word
• Part Four:  Third Word
• Part Five: Fourth Word
• Part Six:  Fifth Word
• Part Seven:  Sixth Word
• Part Eight:  Seventh Word & Conclusion

I hope each of you was able to attend a Good Friday service in your area and will attend at your local parish on Easter Sunday.

Glory be to God for all things! Amen!

I got a little behind in my production schedule and neglected to upload two new episodes in The Lives of the Saints – Second Series.  The first is focused on St. Thomas Aquinas, whose Feast Day is March 8th.  The episode includes five illustrations, from the 15th, 17th and 20th Centuries.  St. Thomas is best known for his Summa Theologica.  In the series I avoided comment on whether systematic theology has been a plus or a minus for Christianity.

The illustration at left is one of nine scenes in the Valle Romita polyptych in tempera and gold on panel by the Renaissance artist Gentile da Fabriano from the collection of the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan, Italy, painted circa 1400 A.D.  In the original, there are eight scenes in two rows surrounding a larger ninth central image of the Blessed Virgin and Holy Child.   St. Thomas appears in the far right side of the top row.

Watch Episode 13       Listen to Episode 13

The second presentation celebrates the life of St. Gregory the Great,

Bishop of Rome, 590-604 A.D.   I include three illustrations, one of which is a 19th C. stained glass window at Stabroek, Belgium.  Gregory’s accomplishments are almost legendary in scope: ambassador to Constantinople; first monastic to be Pope; sponsor of revised liturgies, including the Presanctified Gifts still in use; founder of monastery; author of one of the earliest lists of Christian virtues in the Western Church; and advocate of the style of chanting of the Psalms at Alexandria, now known as the Gregorian chant.  The illustration is the top section of the 19th C. stained glass window referenced above, showing the Holy Spirit, depicted as a dove, whispering into Gregory’s ear as the wrote his Dialogues.  The image is based on the contemporary account by Deacon Peter of Rome.

Watch Episode 14       Listen to Episode 14

The next episode in the series, Episode 15, celebrating St. John Climacus, whose Feast Day is March 30th, will be uploaded next week.   The newest AIC Bookstore publication, The Writing Prophets of the Old Testament is now available in both paperback and Kindle editions.  Use the Virtual Bookstore links at the bottom of our Home Page at http://www.AnglicanInternetChurch.net.

As always, thank you for your intestest and support.

The newest AIC Bookstore Publication, The Writing Prophets of the Old Testament, is now available through our Virtual Bookstore at CreateSpace.com and, by special order, from retail bookstores.  A Kindle edition will be available in the coming weeks.

The finished version includes 128 pages in soft cover, 8.5″ x 8.5″ format.  There are 62 full-color illustrations from the 3rd through the 21st Centuries, including manuscripts, icons, mosaics, frescoes, stained glass windows, paintings, photographs, and engravings from the artistic and religious traditions of both the Eastern and Western Churches.

Order your copy now   100% of all book royalties are contributed to the AIC ministry.

In Part I, I discuss the traditional division of the Old Testament into the Books of Moses, or Pentateuch; the Histories; the Poetic Books; and the Prophets.  In Part II are separate chapters on each of the four “major” prophets (depicted on the cover, from the left, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) and on each of the twelve “minor” prophets.  For each books, I offer a brief history as well as a summary of the major themes, followed by a series of selected major quotations.   The Scripture text uses the New King James Version, except for select quotations from the King James Version which appear in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  All cross references to the Book of Psalms use the prayer book text, which is based on the version used in the Great Bible of 1539 A.D.

As a bonus feature for readers unfamiliar with the Septuagint text of the Old Testament, I have included at the end of the chapter on Daniel the full text of five Deuterocanonical works.  These are Susanna, the Prayer of Azariah, the Song of the Three Children, Bel and the Dragon, plus Daniel and Habakkuk in the Lion’s Den.    The text is based upon either the St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary Septuagint (SAAS) or older, online translations identified in the text.

In the commentary, special text boxes demonstrate the influence of many of these sixteen prophets on the Christian worship tradition, especially as practiced by Anglicans using the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, and also their influence upon the development of Christian theology.   The AIC’s Service Book edition of the prayer book is also available through CreateSpace.com;

The publication of The Writing Prophets of the Old Testament concludes our series of Christian Education Study Publications, Prayers Collections, and Other Publications which have been produced by the AIC since 2014 A.D.  I hope readers will find them useful in broadening their knowledge of and understanding of traditional Christian doctrine and worship.

As always, thank you for your interest and support.  May God bless you in all that you do in His Name.  Glory be to God for all things!  Amen!

The newest AIC video series, currently in production, “Gesima” Season, explains the name of the Church season that isn’t used as much as it once was.  Even many Anglican jurisdictions have followed the lead of the Roman Catholic Church in eliminating the season.    Those who worship using the venerable 1928 Book of Common Prayer still the pre-Lenten Sundays by their ancient names:  Septuagesima Sunday, Sexagesima Sunday, and Quinquagesima Sunday.  These three Sundays are intended to provide a transition between the celebratory tone of Epiphany, which honors the several “manifestations” of Jesus Christ to the world, and the penitential season of Lent, which, in the Western Church begins on Ash Wednesday.  This year it falls on March 1st.   I hope your local parish continues to honor the old traditions.

The series, in two episodes, will explain the history of the season and the meaning of the name, and the earliest and latest dates on which each Sunday can fall.   Look for it to be completed before the end of February.

Meanwhile, I’ve been busy trying to get ahead with episodes in The Lives of the Saints – Second Series.  The next episode honors St. Simeon of Jerusalem on February 18th.  St Simeon is remembered for his dedicated, unwavering leadership of the See of Jerusalem for about a half century until his crucifixion around 107 A.D. during the reign of the Emperor Trajan.

The next episodes don’t appear until March, during which there are three celebrations: St. Thomas Aquinas (Mar. 8); St. Gregory the Great (Mar. 12); and ST. John Climacus (Mar. 30). I will illustrate the series with a collection of oil paintings, drawings on parchment, icons, statuary, altarpieces, and stained glass windows from both the Western Church and Eastern Church traditions.

A final note is just a reminder that the War on Christianity continues on nearly every continent.  People continue to die, be burned out or otherwise driven out of their homes or churches, and, deprived of fair treatment by the courts both in Europe and the United States.  Please remember these modern martyrs in your prayers.

As always, thanks for your interest and support.  Glory be to God for all things!  Amen!