Tuesday, December 04, 2018

Revised 1-Year Lectiony in Protestant German churches

Evangelical Church Year


A note from the SELK:

Zum 1. Advent 2018 wird im Raum der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) eine neue Ordnung der gottesdienstlichen Lesungen und Predigttexte eingeführt.

Die Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche (SELK) hat durch ihren Allgemeinen Pfarrkonvent und durch die diesjährige Kirchensynode beschlossen, sich an diese neue Ordnung in ihrer Praxis eng anzulehnen. So werden Gottesdienstbesucherinnen und -besucher an manchen Sonn- und Festtagen im Kirchenjahr auf neue Lesungen stoßen. Es handelt sich allerdings um eine äußerst moderate Revision, sodass es zumeist beim Bekannten bleibt.

For the 1st Advent 2018, a new order of Divine Service readings and sermon texts will be introduced throughout the the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD).

The Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELK) has decided, through its General Parish Convention and through this year's Synod of Churches, to closely follow this new order in its practice. On some Sundays and holidays in Church Year worshipers will encounter new readings. However, these are very moderate revisions, so they usually stay close to what we are acquainted. 


Sunday, November 04, 2018

Christ, Thor and the Midgard Serpent, para. 1

I’ve been translated a 26-page essay by Otto Gschwantler from around 1968 that examines the connections of similarity between aspects of Christ with Thor and the Midgard Serpent. Below is the first paragraph. 

Christus, Thor und die Midgardschlange 
Otto Gschwantler 
1968


1. The German mythology offers a series of motives, that shows a noticeable similarity with Christian ideas. It is reminiscent of Havamal 138, where Odin himself says: 

„I know, that I hang
on windy tree
9 long nights
with the javelin wounded
consecrated to Odin, 
myself to myself.“ 

The question here cannot be clearly answered to this day, namely, is this a random similarity with the crucifixion or a known Christian influence? Also the light figure of Balder, his death and his return after Ragnarök, shows in its overall appearance and tension some details reminiscent of Christ. One also has to again affirm or to deny Christian influence in this instance. 

Friday, October 19, 2018

The Apostles’ Creed in Anglo-Saxon

Se læssa’ créda

1 Ic belīefe on God ðæs Fæðer ælmihtigan Scippend heofonas and eorðan. 
   And on Hælend Crist hīs ān-feald Sunu Drihten ûsa 
hē geæcnian bý ðe Hālgan Gáste 
gebære of ðære Sancta María 
5 geðolode under Pontiscean Pilate 
on rōde āhēnge to deaðe and on eorðan bebyrigde 
hē fērde tō helle 
and ðe driddan dæg ðonne hē ārīsan of ðæs dēaðe
hē tō heofonum āstīge 
10 and sitt æt ðe rihthandre of God ðonne Fæðer ælmihtigan 
from ðas hē sceal mægenðrymlíce cuman tō démanne ðe lifiendan and ðe deadan. 
   Ic belīefe on ðone Hàlgan Gaste 
ðā halgan eallgeleafican cirice 
ðæt gæd ðāra halig folces 
15 ðā forgiefnesse ðæs gylta 
ðā ærist ðære bræde 
and ðæt līf ā on ecnesse. 

   Sōðlice. 

Thursday, October 18, 2018

The Lord’s Prayer in Anglo-Saxon

From the Heliand:

Ðe Fadar ûsa

        Fadar ûsa | firiho barno,
1601 thu bist an them hôhon | himila rîkea,
        geuuîhid sî thîn namo | uuordo gehuuilico.
        Cuma thîn | craftag rîki.
        Uuerða thîn uuilleo | ob=ar thesa uuerold alla,
1605 sô sama an erðo, | sô thar uppa ist
           an them hôhon | himilo rîkea.
        Gef ûs dago gehuuilikes râd, | drohtin the gôdo,
        thîna hêlaga helpa, | endi alât ûs, heb=enes uuard,
       managoro mênsculdio, | al sô uue ôðrum mannum dôan.
1610 Ne lât ûs farlêdean | lêða uuihti
        sô forð an iro uuilleon, | sô uui uuirðige sind,

        ac help ûs uuiðar allun | ub=ilon dâdiun.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

The 10 Commandments translated into Anglo-Saxon

The Commandments

Nu lufa þu odre fremde godas ofer me. 
Ne minne naman ne cig þu on ydelnesse. 
Gemun ðæt þu gehalgie þone resrendæg. 
Ara þinum fæder þinre meder. 
Ne sleah þu. 
Ne lige þu deornunga. 
Ne stala þu. 
Ne sæge þu lease gewitnesse. 

Ne gewylna þu ðines nyhstan yfres mid uneyhte.

Anglo-Saxon research

For the past two years I have been studying and researching Anglo-Saxon literature, mythology and Christianity. I will post here some of my work and essays. 

Monday, April 02, 2018

Easter Monday. Luke 24,13-35

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them.30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24,13-35) 

Antiphon

℣ We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord  and His might,  
℟ and the wonders that He has done. 

Collect of the Day
O God, in the paschal feast You restore all creation. Continue to send Your heavenly gifts upon Your people so that they may walk in perfect freedom and receive eternal life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord  who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen.