Today on the Christian History Almanac, we pause to remember the beginning of the “Lenten” season (and this year, with the East and the West together!)

In episode THREE HUNDRED AND TWELVE, Mike, Jason, and Wade discuss the Protestant fear of formalism, or ritualism?

In the liturgy, Christ is present, self-giving, and ever-addressing his people.

Christians don’t need a bucket list. We’ve got the whole bucket: the Word fulfilled, life fulfilled, and life in full.

The liturgy ensures that the gospel is never something inward, merely a thought or sentiment of the believer.

"When God has his say, have confidence that his Word and sacraments bestow precisely what he says."

The “Chalking of the Door” is a way to celebrate and literally mark the occasion of the Epiphany and God’s blessing of our lives and home.

What is implicit by way of accoutrements and ceremonies becomes explicit in the sermon: Beliefs are put to proclamation.

Runnin’ Down A Dream. In this episode, we dig deeper into liturgy and “action”—who’s doing what and why in Christian worship? How did the ancient pagans worship their gods, and why? What did the 16th-century Reformers teach about worship? Why should we moderns care? Mimesis, anamnesis, liturgical action, ritual, myth, sacrifices, and sacraments—we’ve got it all this week.

Symbols throw together a physical artifact we can see, hear, touch, taste, and/or smell, with a truth beyond the tangible.

This is an edited excerpt from Addendum A, “The Church Year,” On Any Given Sunday: The Story of Christ in the Divine Service, written by Michael Berg (1517 Publishing, 2023), pgs. 113-120.

In episode TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-ONE, Jason and Wade discuss sola scriptura, Scripture alone.