The importance of the Christian calendar: the significance of All Saints day

I spend a great deal of my time engaging with people of very diverse theological and faith perspectives. From the most social justice oriented (activists for justice and social transformation) to some of the most mystical and spiritual (these include monks such as the Benedictine brothers and sisters, and the 24/7 prayer houses and 'boiler rooms' that are springing up across the world). Then there are the wonderful sisters and brothers whose approach to the scriptures and doctrine of the Christian faith are as varied as their spiritual practices - orthodox Christians in Africa, Europe and Asia, Catholics, Pentecostals, Evangelicals and members of the so called 'mainline' denominations.

This diversity is both refreshing and sobering! It is refreshing to see that people are finding creative and contextual ways in which to appropriate their faith and apply it courageously and effectively in their lives. However, it is also sobering since there seems to be such a lot of resentment, ignorance, and prejudice among many of these groupings.

One of the disciplines I practice is an attempt to find something good in every person or group that I have the privilege to spend time with, and believe me I meet many people and find many worthy things to celebrate and learn from their faith.

I guess that being a Wesleyan does allow me some measure of spiritual pragmatism - find what works and then integrate it! However, being a systematic theologian does also make me aware of the dangers of syncretism and the shallowness that can arise when we divorce our pragmatic faith from our doctrinal and historical heritage!

I have been so blessed to find many 'emerging' Christians rediscovering the depth and value of ancient spiritual traditions (such as my friend Aaron Walsh's Benedictine rule in their community of young adults in New Zealand, or the appreciation of liturgy among a group of charismatic Christians in Durban (their pastor even wears a prayer ring to give him discipline in saying his daily prayers!), then there are those Christians here in Stellenbosch who are making use of iconography, art and music to help them find new perspectives on the scriptures, their lives and God's will for their communities...)

One of the persons that I have been following for a while is Fr James Coles - I discovered him on Twitter (you can follow me on twitter @digitaldion and frequently read his great blog!

He posted this wonderful reminder of richness of one particular season in the Christian calendar, All Saints Day. Following the Christian Calendar is a great discipline for Christian individuals and Christian communities. Of course there is great freedom in preaching a series of topical messages, but there is nothing quite like following the lectionary together for a full year, sitting under the weight of scripture, each week listening for what God may want to say through the collection of scriptures from the Old Testament and New Testament... I don't know about you, but I have frequently found that when I do not submit myself to this kind of discipline I end up repeating my 'hobby horse' topics again and again in my preaching.

Well, here's Fr James' post. I'd love to hear your insights on All Saints day - do you agree with the commemoration of the saints? Is it consistent with Christian doctrine and the Scriptures? Is there anything that we can learn from this event in the Christian calendar in cultures such as those in certain parts of Africa and Asia where the ancestors are venerated?

Flannery O'Conner said, "What people don’t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is a cross."

The first Sunday after Pentecost is dedicated to the commemoration of all the saints. The writer to the Hebrews lists all that the saints have gone through and the blood they shed and then says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us." Our commemoration of All Saints teaches us at least two things:

1. We are called to be saints. Saintliness is not an abnormal or exceptional state: it is, on the contrary, the normal flowering of every Christian life. This call to holiness is address to each of us. Saint Paul addressed his letters to the faithful in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Phillipi and Collosae as saints. Do we have the will to follow Christ when it is costly? That’s why the Flannery O'Conner quote hits me. I want the electric blanket of doing what I want, when I want, with who I want. I read today (Matthew 5:42) "Give to him who begs from you..." I can almost 100% guarantee the Lord is bringing me my homeless today. Will I respond like a man who thinks faith is an electric blanket or like a man who believes that faith is a cross?

2. We don't believe that we are the Church without those who have gone before us. If those who have died are non-existent (as many describe death) than how is it that Moses and Elijah were speaking with Jesus on the mountain of transformation? Jesus has trampled down death by death and bestowed life to those in the tombs. Those who have died are alive in Christ. We remember the departed and they remember us.

1 Corinthians 1:2 To the Church of God, which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why remember all the saints? Because they are us, we are them.

All Saints Sunday readings in the Orthodox Church: Hebrews 11:33-12:2 and St. Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30

Comments

[Steve Hayes]

And of course Saturday was the Orthodox Halloween!

[pamela]

I check out people who "pop" up on Twitter, their links profiles, ect. if I don't know them to decide if I am going to block them or not. I came to your blog and this article. Funny thing is, I have been praying about and reading scripture about the "great cloud of witnesses" and was given a glimpse of it that was so grand I had to ask God to stop because I couldn't take any more grandeur. We truly don't understand God's Kairos existance in our Chronos being. It is not in our mental capacity. Macrina Wedekehr writes in A Tree Full Of Angels that "our frailty can't take all of God's glory in one gaze. It would be too much for us. Our task then, if we want to see Go and live is to start looking like God, lessen the difference between us...our baptismal invitation to be like God in Christ."

[digitaldion (Dion Forster)]

Dear Pamela,

Thank you so much for your very thoughtful comment. It is wonderful to connect with you and to hear your thoughts.

May you be richly blessed!

Together with you in Christ,

Dion