Marking Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year

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Mark i ng T ime : Formi ng Sp i r i tua l i t y through the Chr i s t i an Year

6. Christ’s appearing to the world was extended forward to a January season of Epiphany (Greek epiphaneia ; Latin manifestatio ).

7. This season developed as the Church recognized Christ’s revelation.

a. To the Gentiles (i.e., West, January 6 as visit of the magi, East, with Christmas)

b. Christ’s public declaration as God’s Son (East, Christ’s baptism, Jan. 6, the West, January 13)

c. His glory revealed at the Cana wedding feast (West, second Sunday after Epiphany)

F. Reformation responses to the Church Year

1. Lutherans, like Anglicans retained the general outline of the Christian calendar after the Reformation.

2. Radical reformers rejected much of the ancient Church’s practice, and even held some of its doctrines suspect (e.g., Menno Simons and his view of the incarnation).

3. Calvinists kept only the Lord’s day and discarded completely all other commemorations (e.g., Scotland).

4. Reasons for abandoning the Christian calendar

a. They objected to the medieval doctrine of the invocation of the saints (i.e., Council of Trent 1543-63), i.e., “to invoke the saints as suppliants