Where God locates his name, there he is bound to be. He cannot evacuate his name. What and whom he puts his name on are his. Where his name is, there is prayer welling out of it, inexhaustibly. How inexhaustibly the history of the liturgy of Baptism shows abundantly. -- Dr. Norman Nagel, Holy Baptism, p. 5.
Dr. Nagel's use of adverbs can make
ReplyDeletehis sentences rather bumpy to
understand in any theological sense.
Anonymous, I find that his writing forces me to slow down and read carefully, sometimes even read aloud what is there. That helps me.
ReplyDeleteJeremy
I usually find Dr. Nagel's writings and quotables to be be stunning oracles of God. But I am clueless what he is saying here. Anyone care to paraphrase?
ReplyDeleteHe is writing about the liturgy of Baptism. He has located Himself in His name that is applied in the water. By His name He is at work making the baptized person His own possession. And because God is where His name is, prayer naturally wells out of that name. The liturgy of Baptism shows a constant welling up of prayer and praise of the One who names us there His own: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly Rev Weedon. This is most certainly true.
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