moving feasts

i was surprised saturday to find the ninth of may listed as the feast day of gregory of nazianzus, who is usually called in the orthodox church gregory the theologian. i am accustomed to celebrating his feast on the 25th of january, just before the feast of the the three holy heirarchs. a check in wikipedia told me it was just a mistake: the western church once thought gregory had died on the ninth of may.

but i was particularly glad to be reminded of gregory because i am currently reading a clumsily written but insightful book by ephraim radner and philip turner, the fate of communion. one of the most important things the book says, i think, is found in one of turner's notes: ". . . the most serious issue in respect to ecclesial integrity and tolerable diversity that faces the anglican communion does not concern women's ordination or the ethics of sex, but attempts to diminish or rid ecusa's book of common prayer of the use of the trinitarian name, father, son, and holy spirit." (n. 21, page 125)

some of the most shocking words in the liturgy of st. john chrysostom, one of the holy hierarchs, called a doctor of the church in the west, come after communion, when the faithful chant, "we have seen the true light; we have received the heavenly spirit; we have found the true faith, worshiping the undivided trinity, for the trinity has saved us." unfortunately, even among those who call themselves christians in these days of post-modern non-dogmatic absolute dogmaticism, the idea of there being a "true light," a "true faith," is an anathema. even more unfortunately, within what calls itself christianity these days there is very little real belief in salvation. we are not saved. we have just become inculturated. we want to be seen as just as nice as anyone else.

turner has succinctly described this situation in an article in first things.

most unfortunately, this concern for our own acceptance rather than concern for the salvation of the world lets the devil take the hindmost. we can always use a good dose of gregory's passionate concern for truth, true light, true faith, and true love, which is not willing that any should perish.