Word & Table

We talk about the ancient Christian and Jewish practice of fasting and talk about the spiritual logic behind abstaining from food and why it's not about despising the body but honoring its proper place before God.

Music: Kyrie Eleison and Gloria in Excelsis (Missa Simplex) from Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and The Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

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The Feeding of the Five Thousand is one of the few episodes mentioned in all four gospels. What is the deeper meaning behind the miracle? What does it have to do with how we worship today?

Music: Alma Redemptoris Mater by Richard Proulx. From "More Sublime Chant" copyright GIA Publications.

We answer a listener's question about Vestries. What are they? Where do they come from? What do they do? What don't they do?

To support our show, go to wordandtablepodcast.com and click on the '$' symbol. We are coming up on our first full year of broadcasting and hosting and licensing costs are looming. Your support will ensure there is another year of Word & Table!

Music: "Ave Verum Corpus" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications.

Some announcements about the next year of Word & Table and how you can support the show going forward. In short:

Fr. Stephen and Alex introduce the next Church Doctor: Justin Martyr, an early church philosopher whose writings are "the mother load" for helping us understand early church life and thought .

Music: "Corde Natus ex Parentis" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

Fr. Stephen gives an introduction and summary of the Book of Hebrews, what makes it different from the other epistles in the New Testament, and what it has to say about the often overlooked virtue of hope.

Music: "De Profundis Clamavi" from More Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

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We discuss how an important early church manual on ritual and practice got lost and was found again and what its contents reveal about how the early church handled the Eucharist, charity to the poor, and how long to keep visitors in their homes.

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Music: "Creator of the Stars at Night" by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

We discuss all things regarding ordination: how ministers come to be ordained, the rite itself, the meaning behind bishops' clothes, and why deacons, priests, and bishops exist in a religion that is also a priesthood of all believers.

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Music: "Ave Verum Corpus" from Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

After 37 episodes, Father Stephen and Alex finally get around to talking about Anglicanism. How is it different from Roman Catholicism? How is it different from other Protestant traditions? And what about that mad king who wanted a divorce?

Music: Canticle (English) from More Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.

Father Stephen and Alex do their level best to explain the Trinity and find a suitable metaphor that isn't heretical. They also explain why the Trinity isn't an optional doctrine for Christians and what it shows us about God.

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Music: Kyrie Eleison and Agnus Dei (Missa Simplex) from Sublime Chant by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers. Copyright GIA Publications.