Monday, June 9, 2025

It is the 9th of June 2025. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis. 

A very happy Monday to you- as is our custom, we head to the mailbag- so many good questions, keep them coming- we head to North Carolina- perhaps the Piedmont Triad region? I take no sides between the two Carolinas- friends in both- BUT, don’t get me started on this idea that the Panthers and NHL Hurricanes are just generic “Carolina”- it’s Charlotte and Raleigh in the North. Do Virginia teams or Dakota teams do this? Disagreements aside, we can all agree there seemed to be good evidence that Christian Laetner at least exhibited signs of being the anti-Christ.

Forrest asked: “A question I've been wondering about: the mystery of faith: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." Where did this come from historically? I've always loved this short statement and the acknowledgement of the mystery present in it... But I've no idea where it originated and was wondering if you could do your thing and enlighten us?”

Oh, you mean the good old Acclamation A from the Novus Ordo Mass, or the Paul VI Mass or better known as the one most use today, after Vatican II- the non-Latin Mass (quick note: this is the “ordinary mass” and the old Latin, “Tridentine” mass can still be said- it is simply “extraordinary”).  

So, part of the spirit of Vatican II was the “opening” of the Mass for lay participation. The document “Sacrosanct Concilium” from 1963 declared, “To promote active participation, the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs.”After the consecration and preparation of the Eucharist.”

And so, after the Eucharist is consecrated, the Priest would say “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith” and then one of four acclamations would be said (I say “would” because they have been slightly changed)- the four are:

1. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
2. Dying, you destroyed our death, rising, you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.
3. When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.
4. Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the world.

Today you might hear:

• We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
•  When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again
• “Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.”

The Language of “mystery” is certainly appropriate for things pertaining to the Lord’s Supper but this isn’t like “Scooby Doo” but rather think Matthew 13- Jesus says “the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God have been given to you” and in Ephesians 1:9- “having been made known to us the mystery of his will” or Timothy 3:9- they must know the mysteries (NIV has “deep secrets”). It’s the same word- “mysterion”, which can be translated as “sacred secret”. 

In the time of Jesus and the early church, there were so-called “mystery” religions- these were essentially gnostic, that is, you were saved by “secret knowledge” that “they” don’t want you to know. This is one of the primary groups that the authors of the New Testament and the early church fathers were writing against. This public acclamation of our great mystery is not like that- it is publicly proclaimed and about an event, not done secretly in a corner, but in historical time and space.

Acclamation A “Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ Will Come Again” made its way into non Catholic Churches in the 70s and 80s, so even when the Catholic Church changed it, well, the Lutherans and Anglicans and everyone else were not compelled to change it. But this predates Vatican II and has its roots in (well, Scripture) but also the Liturgy of St. James- this is the oldest Mass still in use today- tradition has it going back to Jerusalem and James, its first Bishop. This Mass is known for its simplicity- its direct language and biblical references. If you go read it (link in transcript https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0717.htm) you will find a number of things familiar- in part because of its use of Scripture but because liturgies aren’t static- they are borrowed and translated such that Forrest in North Carolina and Susan in Ottawa and Li in Beijing and Ivan in Moscow… all can have this saying floating about in their own churches. Do you have your own phrases or sayings from liturgical residue?  I like to tell my kids that something is “meet and right so to do…”  

Thanks for the email, Forrest, and your continued support of this show- send me your emails at danv@1517.org.

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary, and here at the start of Pentecost, we get some good promises through the prophet Joel. 

You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,
    and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,

    who has worked wonders for you;

never again will my people be shamed.

Then you will know that I am in Israel,

    that I am the Lord your God,

    and that there is no other;

never again will my people be shamed.

“And afterward,

    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.


Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

    your old men will dream dreams,

    your young men will see visions.

Even on my servants, both men and women,

    I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 9th of June 2025, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by the Shaggy to my Scooby- he is Christopher Gillespie

The show is written and read by Mr. Iguana’s new #1 Fan- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day —and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true. Everything is going to be ok.