David T. Koyzis

For centuries the House of Lords was the highest court of appeal in England, although more recently the full Lords did not actually hear cases, which in 1876 were delegated to the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, or the Law Lords. As of 1 October, however, this body’s jurisdiction was turned over . . . . Continue Reading »

Today is the feast day of St. Basil the Great, who lived from approximately 330 to 379 and was bishop of Caesarea. In the Orthodox tradition he is grouped with St. Gregory the Theologian (Nazianzus) and St. John Chrysostom as the Three Holy Hierarchs, and with Gregory the Theologian and St. Gregory . . . . Continue Reading »

Today is the feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr in the eastern church. The western churches celebrated his feast day yesterday. His story is told in Acts 6-8:1. One element of this episode has always puzzled me. Verses 2-4 of Acts 7 tells us:And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples . . . . Continue Reading »

The following piece appeared in the 8 December 2008 issue of Christian Courier, as part of my monthly column, Principalities & Powers:In the liturgies of some churches, the congregation stands at the reading of the gospel lesson. There may even be a gospel procession in which the celebrant walks . . . . Continue Reading »

The following appears as the most recent instalment of my monthly column, “Principalities & Powers,” in the Canadian newspaper, Christian Courier:Among the four gospels Luke is unique in offering readers four canticles, along the lines of those found in the Old Testament. The best . . . . Continue Reading »

Hunter Baker has criticized John Stackhouse’s recent post defending his decision not to sign the Manhattan Declaration. However, I would like to make a qualified defence of Stackhouse, who is correct in his assessment of the document in so far as the section on religious liberty is not . . . . Continue Reading »

There is perhaps no biblical passage that more breathes the spirit of Advent than Isaiah 40:1-8, which, after the destruction predicted earlier in the book, suddenly and unexpectedly promises comfort to the people of Israel, who have gone through generations of exile in Babylon. So unexpected is . . . . Continue Reading »

It would take too long to list the myriad composers who have set to music the Magnificat of Mary, as found in Luke 1:46-55. J. S. Bach’s is perhaps the best known of the baroque settings, while, of the modern English-language versifications, Timothy Dudley-Smith’s Tell Out My Soul . . . . Continue Reading »

I would love for our churches to sing Advent hymns all year round. Why? Because they convey the aching sense of longing that all of us Christians have as we continue to live between the times. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it,Advent is a time of waiting. Our whole life, however, is Advent — that . . . . Continue Reading »

Some of my favourite hymns are Advent hymns. No, not the Christmas songs that fill the malls and airwaves around this time of year, but the Advent hymns that fill us with a sense of expectation at both comings of the Messiah. One of the very best has to be Saviour of the Nations, Come. The Latin . . . . Continue Reading »