Parochial Theology
As a follow up on my earlier post in which a argue the case for a Parochial Theology, I am posting a brief homily which I preached at a midweek Eucharist commemorating George Herbert, 1593-1633. I do so because I think that his writing were an early contribution to the body of Parochial Theology.
A Brief Homily Preached at A Week Day Eucharist, Feb. 2026
+ George Herbert was
born in 1593. The Herberts were a wealthy lot, not nobles, but important commoners who participated in English government.
His father served in the parliament and held various governmental
functions as did his elder brother. He
went off to Trinity College at Cambridge, the academic bastion of the English
Reform, intent on becoming a priest. Recognized for his rhetorical skills, King
James recruited him to service in parliament and in the governance of the
kingdom. Which he did until James’s death in 1624, when he was ordained a priest
and took on a rural parish, in southwest England. The parish was about 8 miles
north of Salisbury Cathedral. It consisting of two churches St. Peter’s
Fugglestone and St. Andrews, Bemerton, the later serving as his residence.
The importance of this move is made clear if we recall that
the reform of the English Church, at the time less than a hundred years old, was
largely focused on political issues played out in public forum and on ideas debated
in academic circles! Something that was broadly true of the 16rh century
reforms across the board. At this point, we might register the thought that we could
very well say the same about our own church in the 21st century.
One might suppose that George Herbert's action was an escape,
but in truth it was a choice to take on the frontier, namely, the life of the
parish church! After all, the Gospel is neither politics or ideas, but a Life.
Herbert went out intent on living that life.
He wrote an essay called “The Country Parson” in which he
described the role of a priest in a parish setting. He added a second title, “Priest to the Temple”
which makes it clear that his essay was the blueprint of what he intended to
do. During the ministry that followed he wrote poetry that captured his daily
prayer life as a priest. This body of poetry is quite stunning, theologically
and poetically. As late as the 20ieth century T. S. Eliot pointed to his poetry
as a foundation for modern English poetry.
Theologically, because he identified poetry as a basic media for English
theology. In the poetry of the “Temple” he
indicates a commitment to the liturgical life, for example, he commends the observance
of Lent:
Lent
Welcome dear feast of Lent Who loves not thee He loves not Temperance and Authority But is composed of Passions
Love
LOVE
bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty
of dust and sin.
But
quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From
my first entrance in,
Drew
nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If
I lack’d anything.
‘A
guest,’ I answer’d, ‘worthy to be here:’
Love
said, ‘You shall be he.’
‘I,
the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I
cannot look on Thee.’
Love
took my hand and smiling did reply,
‘Who
made the eyes but I?’
‘Truth,
Lord; but I have marr’d them: let my shame
Go
where it doth deserve.’
‘And
know you not,’ says Love, ‘Who bore the blame?’ ‘My
dear, then I will serve.’
‘You
must sit down,’ says Love, ‘and taste my meat.’
So
I did sit and eat.
This concern for the liturgical life contrasts with the
concern of the public and academic reform focused politics and ideas for which
it had little value!
No comments:
Post a Comment