Liturgy
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Coptic patriarch praying in Venice matters more than it looks
The Coptic Church does not treat sacred space casually. That Pope Tawadros celebrated liturgy at a Catholic basilica — not once, but twice in three years — signals a quiet theological recognition that cuts deeper than diplomatic courtesy or interchurch goodwill.
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The liturgical discipline of mystery
Water, oil, fire, bread and wine do not merely represent something else — within the liturgical action they do something. They engage the body, awaken memory and invite response. Over-explanation risks leaving the assembly understanding more while perceiving far less.
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Mercy, joy and the nearness of God
People arrive at liturgy seeking love and mercy but leave without feeling them. The gap between what the words intend and what worshippers experience raises an urgent question: what is the liturgy actually revealing about the God we gather to meet?
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Fake symbols lead to fake worship?
Bread is baked. Wafer is boiled. No one would serve a communion host alongside soup at a dinner table. The gap between what we call ‘bread’ and what we actually use reveals how far convenience has drifted from the gospel’s original gesture.
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The words we pray shape who belongs in the Church
The language used in Catholic worship is not a neutral tool — it actively shapes who feels seen, welcomed, and addressed by God. When liturgical words no longer resonate with the lived experience of the assembly, the Church’s ability to gather all the baptised is quietly undermined.
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Juxtapositions: Lent, liturgy and life
From Ash Wednesday dispensations to Ramadan night bazaars and Iranian strike headlines, this Lent in Singapore refused to stay tidy. Fifteen days of overlapping seasons, obligations, and emotions came to the liturgy — and were held together without any of them being erased.
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From the Upper Room to the rule book
When “rubrical correctness” becomes the ultimate measure of faith, the celebrating Body of Christ is left behind. We examine the rise of self-appointed observers and their impact on the local parish experience.
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Restorationism divides
Restorationism promises clarity where ambiguity dominates. It offers programmes, pipelines, and reforms. But the Gospel teaches something scandalous: God scatters seed recklessly, trusts mixed fields, and reserves judgment for harvest. Control is not the language of faith.
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Marking the rhythms of human life and Christian spirituality
As winter wanes and spring approaches, Lent invites us to revive our spiritual rhythms through prayer and reflection. This season offers both individuals and communities a chance to align their inner lives with the natural turning of the earth toward renewal.
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What 600 million Pentecostals know about worship that we’ve forgotten
Where people found healing, story, song, and embodied gesture—where they encountered transcendence through colorful devotions, Marian piety, and the communion of saints—faith flourished. Pentecostalism’s worldwide explosion offers clear evidence: people hunger for mystery, not explanations; for symbols, not signs; for mythos, not merely logos.
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