"Similarly we also, who by His will have been called in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, or our own wisdom or understanding or godliness, nor by such deeds as we have done in holiness of heart, but by that faith through which Almighty God has justified all men since the beginning of time. Glory be to Him, forever and ever, Amen." - St. Clement of Rome (Letter to the Corinthians, par. 32)
See? I told you he was a Lutheran.
ReplyDeletePastor Weedon, I don't know how much time you must spend reading to come up with these gems, but thank you. You and your blog are a treasure.
ReplyDeleteDavid,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kinds words. I must confess that this particular citation comes from a book almost as worn as my Bible: *Early Christian Writings* by Maxwell Staniforth. It's a volume I recommend any and all to pick up - NOT a scholarly volume, mind you. It's a popular translation and I think that's why I've treasured it so much over the years. It collects the most famous of the writings of Christians right after the New Testament was finished.
Pax!
What! No quote from Luther on his birthday?
ReplyDeleteHe may not be "patristic" but he is pater to us all.
Mark,
ReplyDeleteHis earthly birthday is of little importance. It is his heavenly birthday - February 18 - that we commemorate and rejoice in!
Yup, I know all about how saints are commemorated, and so my earlier comment was tongue in cheek.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm not so sure about describing his earthly birthday as of "little importance."
You need to be born before you can die. Without his earthly birthday on November 10 there we simply wouldn't have his heavenly birthday on February 18. That should be worth something.
So a tip of the stein to Br Martin on his 523th.
Pastor Weedon-
ReplyDeleteThank you for mentioning the name of the book! I am making a trip to the bookstore this afternoon! We'll be using it for early church history with our son, (we're inspired by the 'not scholarly' part!). The text we are using is kind of blah...
Oratiomom (what a GREAT moniker - should call you St. Monica!),
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you and your son will LOVE it. If I could recommend where to start in it? I'd start with the Epistle to Diognetus, and then move to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, and then the Epistle of Polycarp and the Epistles of Ignatius, then the rest.
Pax!
You have a great blog. Any site that mentions Urbanus, Clement, ecourages folks to read the Epistle of Polycarp and the Epistles of Ignatius, and can speak to the everyday goings on in the life of the church is worth subscribing to.
ReplyDeleteI have added a link on my blog in order to share it with others. Thanks again for your insight.
David,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words. Best part about blogdom is finding new folks - and I'm glad to have found your blog as well. Have added it to my blogreader!