Christ Church

The collect for today, The Seventh Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

LORD of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Romans 6:17-23
The Gospel: St. Mark 8:1-9

Artwork: Master of the Flemish Boethius, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish, 1479. Illumination, British Library, London.

The collect for a Martyr, in commemoration of Saint Olaf (995-1030), King and Patron Saint of Norway, Martyr, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O GOD, who didst bestow upon thy Saints such marvellous virtue, that they were able to stand fast, and have the victory against the world, the flesh, and the devil: Grant that we, who now commemorate thy Martyr Olaf, may ever rejoice in their fellowship, and also be enabled by thy grace to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold upon eternal life; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 St Peter 4:12-19
The Gospel: St Matthew 16:24-27

Artwork: Unknown sculptor, Saint Olaf, c. 1470. Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte de Hansestadt, Lübeck.

The collect for today, the commemoration of William Wilberforce (1759-1833), English MP, Evangelical, Abolitionist (source):

Let thy continual mercy, O Lord, enkindle in thy Church the never-failing gift of charity, that, following the example of thy servant William Wilberforce, we may have grace to defend the children of the poor, and maintain the cause of those who have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life for us, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever.

The Epistle: Galatians 3:23-29
The Gospel: St. Matthew 25:31-40

Artwork: William Wilberforce, St. John’s College, Cambridge. Photograph taken by admin, 18 July 2004.

The collect for today, the Feast of Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (source):

O GOD, who didst vouchsafe to bestow grace upon blessed Anne, that she might become the mother of the parent of thy Only-begotten Son: Mercifully grant that we who celebrate her festival may be partakers with her of thy heavenly grace; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lesson: 1 Samuel 2:1-8
The Gospel: St. Luke 1:26-33

Artwork: Hans Memling, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne, 1480. Oil on panel, Alte Pinakothek, Munich.

The collect for today, the Feast of St. James the Apostle, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

GRANT, O merciful God, that as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lesson: Acts 11:27-12:3a
The Gospel: St. Mark 10:32-40

Artwork: Fra Filippo Lippi and Workshop, Beheading of Saint James the Great (Predella panel from the Pistoia Santa Trinità Altarpiece), c. 1455-60. Tempera and oil on wood, National Gallery, London.

The collect for today, the Sixth Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O God, who hast preparest for them that love thee such good things as pass man’s understanding: Pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
The Gospel: St Luke 6:27-36

Artwork: Vasily Polenov, Sermon on the Mount, 1900. Oil on canvas, Chelyabinsk State Museum of Fine Arts, Chelyabinsk, Russia.

The collect for today, the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O ALMIGHTY God, whose blessed Son did sanctify Mary Magdalene, and call her to be a witness to his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by thy grace we may be healed of all our infirmities, and always serve thee in the power of his endless life; who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Lesson: Acts 13:27-31
The Gospel: St John 20:11-18

Artwork: Vasily Polenov, She proclaimed joy to those who weep, 1899. Oil on canvas, Samara Art Museum, Samara, Russia.

The collect for a Virgin or Matron, on the Feast of Saint Margaret of Antioch (289-304), Virgin and Martyr, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

O GOD Most High, the creator of all mankind, we bless thy holy Name for the virtue and grace which thou hast given unto holy women in all ages, especially thy servant Margaret of Antioch; and we pray that the example of her faith and purity, and courage unto death, may inspire many souls in this generation to look unto thee, and to follow thy blessed Son Jesus Christ our Saviour; who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Lesson: Acts 9:36-42
The Gospel: St. Luke 10:38-42

Artwork: Giovanni Battista Bertucci, St. Margaret, between 1495 and 1516. Oil on panel, Private collection.

At this year’s Atlantic Theological Conference, The Rev’d David Curry made a special presentation on Louise Penny’s novel The Madness of Crowds and other related literature. The YouTube video of Fr. Curry’s talk is posted here; his lecture notes follow below. He also prepared a set of PowerPoint slides, which can be downloaded by clicking on this link.

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well

Thank you for the privilege of offering the Atlantic Theological Conference book study. It marks a new venture and is not without its challenges. In my experience people have quite different opinions and feelings about literary works especially those in the popular realm, both about authors and characters. Some absolutely adore Louise Penny’s novels and her lead character, Armand Gamache; others, well, perhaps, not so much. My interest is not to persuade you one way or another on that score but simply to consider the kinds of ethical questions that such literature raises and the ways in which they are considered.

To that end, I would like to offer some reflections on the conference theme of “Plague, Perseverance, Providence: Adversity and the Christian Response to Adversity” by way of a brief consideration of Louise Penny’s novel ‘The Madness of Crowds’ complemented by a side-long glance at Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ and John Donne’s Sonnet, ‘What if this Present were the World’s Last Night.’ “It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine” (R.E.M. 1987), only we don’t, and perhaps shouldn’t. The accompanying power-point helps to highlight certain passages in the texts.

‘The Madness of Crowds’ was published in 2021 as a post-pandemic novel in her popular series of seventeen Chief Inspector Armand Gamache’s detective mystery stories. The title is taken from Charles MacKay’s ‘Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds’ (c. 1841) which explores a great range of examples of the psychology of mass hysteria and which is explicitly referenced in the novel.

Louise Penny’s novels belong to an array of detective mystery stories that explore a number of ethical questions and problems belonging to our contemporary world. Ethical refers to the idea or concept of what is good and right to think and do. It cannot be just for the few; it has to be for all. That is very much at issue in Louise Penny’s novel, The Madness of Crowds. Justice, as Plato shows in ‘The Republic,’ cannot simply be “the interest of the stronger”; in other words, that ‘might equals right.’ The Philosopher, he argues, must return to the Cave; his pursuit of wisdom is not a private matter. He is obliged to seek the good of all.

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The collect for today, The Fifth Sunday after Trinity, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962):

GRANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle: 1 St. Peter 3:8-15a
The Gospel: St. Luke 5:1-11

Artwork: Pietro da Cortona, The Calling of St. Peter and St. Andrew, c. 1626-30. Oil on canvas, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.