Veni Veni Emmanuel

L’Accorche-Choeur, Ensemble vocal Fribourg. Veni, Veni Emmanuel is a synthesis of the great “O Antiphons” that are used for Vespers during the octave before Christmas (Dec. 17-23). These antiphons are of ancient origin and date back to at least the ninth century. Continue Reading...

Byzantine Chant — Christ is Born!

Our Savior, the Dayspring from the East, has visited us from on high, and we who were in darkness and shadow have found the truth; for the Lord is born from the Virgin (Exaposteilarion, tone 3) The video features the Romeiko Ensemble, a Byzantine choir, performing hymns for the Feast of the Nativity in 2006 at the Hellenic Library in Athens, Greece. Continue Reading...

Scrooge and the Ghosts of Charity

Merry Christmas. And God bless us, everyone. Here’s hoping that all readers have enough to keep them warm and safe this holiday season and throughout the coming year. By all means, if you have more than enough, it might warm your soul to share with those less fortunate. Continue Reading...

The Age of Uncertainty

If you continue to wonder why the U.S. economy, long after it has shown signs of life and has started to recover from the Great Recession in fits and starts, refuses to take off, here’s a pretty good answer: “Our entrepreneurs have lost faith in the federal government,” says Michael Franc. Continue Reading...

Empowerment through Giving within the Local Church

In a follow up to Jordan Ballor’s commentary last week, “Christian Giving Begins with the Local Church,” here is a related excerpt from Darren Dochuk’s From Bible Belt to Sunbelt: Plain-Folk Religion, Grassroots Politics, and the rise of Evangelical Conservatism. Continue Reading...