Mining The Mysteries will be on a short break for the rest of Advent and Christmas. We will return on January 20th. We hope everyone has a blessed Advent and a wonderful Christmas.

See you in 2026!

In this episode, we're digging deeper into the fourth commandment to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, exploring its meaning from creation through the Old Covenant civil law to its fulfillment in Christ's resurrection. We discuss how the Sabbath principle shifted from Saturday (the seventh day) to Sunday (the eighth day) as the early church gathered to break bread on the first day of the week, celebrating the new creation begun in Christ. We also touch on some common obstacles to faithful worship today, including misplaced priorities, hedonism, and the privatization of faith, while emphasizing that Sunday worship remains a holy obligation for Christians as we participate in the resurrection life and look forward to our eternal Sabbath rest.

In this episode, we dig deeper into the theology behind the Third Commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Moving beyond mere cursing, we discuss the mystery and holiness of God’s self-revelation as the transcendent "I AM" in Exodus. We connect the Old and New Testaments by identifying Jesus Christ as the embodiment of this divine name, through whom we all find salvation and adoption into God's family. We wrap up the episode with some practical ways to honor the Lord’s name and the importance of reverent liturgical worship, such as bowing at the name of Jesus, and encouraging all Christians to reflect God's holiness in their everyday lives.

This week, we have a special episode with guest Corey Byrum, a St. Philip's parishioner, to discuss his journey from Reformed Baptist and Presbyterian traditions to Anglicanism. Corey explains how his understanding of the Second Commandment and sacred images changed over time. He also reflects on the responses he received from former church communities, the study that led him to reconsider long-held assumptions, and the practical ways images can support prayer and devotion in the home.

https://northamanglican.com/author/cory-byrum/

https://bit.ly/AFFIRMATIONOFSTLOUIS

In this episode, we explore the second commandment, which forbids graven images. We clarify that God's focus is on worship and allegiance, not on the images themselves. We examine ancient contexts such as animism, pantheism, and polytheism that surrounded Israel, showing how this commandment preserves the distinction between Creator and creation. We discuss how the Incarnation—Christ as the image of the invisible God—makes sacred images appropriate when used properly for veneration. We also address Protestant concerns about icons and statues and relate the commandment to modern life. Finally, we challenge listeners to consider contemporary forms of idolatry, including social media, political tribalism, materialism, and consumer debt, emphasizing that our ultimate allegiance belongs to Christ, who is our only hope in this broken world.

Welcome back to Part Two of our series on the Ten Commandments. In this episode, we shift our focus from loving God (the vertical aspect) to loving our neighbor (the horizontal aspect). We explore what it really means to show practical, sacrificial love to everyone, including those with whom we disagree and those in positions of authority. Our goal is to move beyond theoretical understanding and actively fulfill the law through quiet, Christ-like service in our homes and communities.

This week, we have another special episode with Bishop Chad to discuss Death & Dying.

Bishop Chandler Jones joins us this week to discuss the crisis in Canterbury and explore the historical role of the Archbishop of Canterbury. We also examine the modern crisis, tracing the theological decline back to the 1960s–70s and 1992, and point out how innovations like women's ordination and changes to the doctrine of Holy Matrimony share a common Gnostic heresy.

Here are the resources mentioned in the episode that we recommend for further reading:

• A History of the Church in England by J. R. H. Moorman

  • https://bit.ly/JRHMoorman

• The Affirmation of St. Louis

  • https://bit.ly/THE-AFFIRMATION-OF-SAINT-LOUIS

In this episode, we discuss the first four commandments and our duty to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. We explore how we live in a pre-Christian culture where basic biblical knowledge can no longer be assumed, making catechesis more important than ever. Additionally, we discuss how humanity was created in God's image to reflect His righteousness, with Adam serving as both priest and king in the Garden of Eden. Finally, we examine how the Holy Spirit enables us to fulfill our vertical relationship with God, transforming our hearts and minds so that we can grow in His likeness through prayer, worship, and daily devotion.

In this episode, we discuss whether the Law of God remains necessary for Christians today. We also explore how the spirit of autonomy in American culture undermines biblical order, examine Jesus's declaration in Matthew 5:17-20 that He came to fulfill, not abolish, the law, and critique the hyper-grace movement's dismissal of sanctification while explaining the "third use of the law" as a guide for Christian living. Baptized Christians are called to grow in righteousness through obedience—not as a means of justification, but as a response to being made righteous in Christ. The law provides order amid chaos and guides Christians on the narrow path of repentance toward eternal life.