On the 13th of March, we come to the 13th century and a quote from perhaps the best known Christian of that time:
“The soul is like an uninhabited world that comes to life only when God lays His head against us.” Thomas Aquinas
March 1
2th means we have arrived at the 12th century of church history. Our writer’s work has survived to our time. His writing has been admired by Catholics and Protestant thinkers right up to our time:
“There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is curiosity. There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is vanity. There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is love.” Bernard of Clairvaux
Day 11 of the march through church history. Our quote from the 11th century comes from one of the most highly respected theologians in the Eastern Orthodox church.
“Let us flee from the deceit of life and its supposed happiness and run to Christ alone, who is the Savior of souls. Him let us endeavor to find Who is present everywhere, and when we have found Him let us hold Him fast and fall at His feet (cf. Mt. 28:9) and embrace them in the fervor of our souls.” Simeon the New Theologian
Our march through church history takes us to Gandersheim in the modern Lower Saxony in Germany. There we find Hrotsvitha, a member of the religious community at the Benedictine abbey. This tenth century woman is the first known playwright in Christian-era Europe. Her efforts were directed at writing plays similar in style to the old Roman plays but with a Christian difference.
Hrotsvitha wrote about her talents as a poet and playwright in the following quote:
“…this alone I strive for with humble and devoted heart /—even if aptitude is
lacking on my part—/ that I may return the gift I received to its Giver again. /
For I am not such a lover of myself nor so vain / that in order to avoid censure
I would refrain / from preaching Christ’s glory and strength as it works
through His saints to the extent He grants me the ability to do so.”
This minisode centers on the reading of an excerpt from John Owen’s “Communion With God” in which Owen beautifully lays out the reasons for our being accepted by God in Jesus Christ.
Link to an article by Banner of Truth concerning John Owen and Communion With God can be found here
Link to the Banner of Truth website through which Communion With God can be purchased can be found here
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