The Quest for the Creed is the new edition of my book Adventures in Orthodoxy. The book contains twenty short chapters on the Apostles' Creed written in a creative "Chestertonian" style. Here is a sample chapter on the phrase, "He will come again to judge the living and the dead…" If there is such a thing as truth [...]
When they come across a Catholic custom they do not like or do not understand, Protestant Christians are likely to challenge Catholics with "Where is that in the Bible??" One of the Catholic customs most dislike is the veneration of relics. In every consecrated Catholic altar, for example, there are placed relics of the saints. Our [...]
Little Gidding is the tiny collection of farm buildings and a church not too far from Cambridge. It was the location of a small religious community headed by Nicholas Ferrar, who was a friend of the poet George Herbert. Eliot made a pilgrimage to the church and wrote his famous poem--the last of his Four Quartets. [...]
Bath Abbey Bath Abbey is one of the most historic and unusual abbey churches in England. Situated in the middle of town and right next to the best preserved Roman Baths in the world, Bath Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in the Middle Ages. The church was re-built just before Henry VIII's revolution. The [...]
A drive down the Western midlands of England will take you in one day past a whole series of beautiful Abbey churches--some now Anglican cathedrals, some parish churches and some ruins. Worcester, Gloucester, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Tewkesbury are just a few. Tewkesbury Abbey dominates the small market town of Tewkesbury. Like many of the old Abbey churches [...]
Solesmes Abbey, France Because of revolution, the Benedictine life in France had nearly died out. Dom Prosper Gueranger restored the life at Solesmes. The abbey was suppressed four times by the French government, but the community survived. In the early twentieth century the monks were forced into exile in England and established Quarr Abbey [...]
The ancient Romanesque church is situated in a beautiful secluded valley in Tuscany. I visited here last summer while on a private pilgrimage to Italy. Ever since I had seen this church and been inspired by it to build our new church of Our Lady of the Rosary it had been a dream of mine to make [...]
From the Anglican tradition O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give unto your servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey your commandments, and also, that by you we being defended from the fear of our enemies [...]
Cloister, St Philibert, Tournus, France St Philibert in Tournus is one of the most perfect examples of French Romanesque architecture. My discovery of this church was one of those serendipitous experiences you can only have when you are out on the open road with few plans, but a good bit of curiosity and a [...]
The central panels of Ely Cathedral's Nave ceiling Ely Cathedral was originally the Abbey Church of the Great Benedictine monastery founded by St Etheldreda in 672AD. The present building dates back to 1083, and cathedral status was granted it in 1109. Until the Revolution of Henry VIII it was the Church of St Etheldreda and St Peter. [...]