Peace in the Blogosphere, Good Will to Men

I saw just a minute ago that the previous item by S. M. Hutchens had at the moment 57 comments, which has to be a record. A few complained that Christians were "fighting" when instead we should be celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace. Well, no and no. I didn't think the string particulary pugnacious or offensive--an intense debate over the translation or choice of a word, for example, was held at Nicea. Not that this is Niceae--if it were, it might get more heated anyway.

The other no is simply because we are still two weeks away from that celebration of Nativity that was mentioned, not that we all haven't heard Christmas carols already announcing the advent of angels and shepherds. But it is still Advent, a pentitential/preparatory time in the Christian Year, and not yet Christmas.

I look forward to December 25 when we begin to celebrate through Epiphany on January 6. Of course any one who is using our Calendar of the Christian Year already knows the seasons are structured this way. And our Calendar is a 13-month edition, which means you get Advent first--December of the current year is at the front, which is a good place to begin, since Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year in the West.

It's the weekend as I write, perhaps a good time to go on-line and order our 2006 Calendar. We'll get it out in the mail to you straightaway next week.

Comments

[Christopher Culver]

Wasn’t Arian beaten at Nicaea? Those saying that Mere Comment’s back-and-forth gets too violent should be grateful that blows can’t be exchanged through a blog debate.

[Scott Walker]

Arius wasn't beaten at Nicea. St. Athanasius had had enough and smacked him one. He had it coming.

[luthien]

St Athanasius smacked Arius? I thought it was St. Nicholas.

[Gabriel Sanchez]

I just want to take a moment and assert that I for one had nothing to do with the 69 messages Mr. Hutchens has received. Amazing...

[Jacob Brooks]

It was indeed St. Nicholas, I reference the prologue for December 6th:

He was present at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea [325] and, out of great zeal for the truth, struck the heretic Arius with his hand. For this act he was removed from the Council and from his archiepiscopal duties, until the Lord Christ Himself and the Most-holy Theotokos appeared to several of the chief hierarchs and revealed their approval of Nicholas.

[luthien]

Thanks, Jacob! (and have a blessed feast of St. Nicholas next year :) )