9
October. St. Denys, Bishop. 1662 Book
of Common Prayer.
St.
Denys, Bishop, the
patron Saint of France, a missionary bishop (of Paris), and a martyr in the 3rd
century (about A.D. 272), under the persecution of Aurelian. He was often
confused with Dionysius the Areopagite, the convert of St. Paul (Acts
xvii. 34), and, by tradition, the first Bishop of Athens; whose
name was made famous in the Middle Ages by the celebrated mystic work on the
"Celestial and Ecclesiastical Hierarchies," published in his name
probably in the 5th century, and translated into Latin by the celebrated John
Erigena in the 9th century. -- October 9th.
A few needed notes: (1) All
elect and justified believers are “saints.” All were born dead in their sins
and trespasses. No saint, including all “Superintendents” or
“Over-seers” are anything, have anything or do anything—if good—apart from His
Majesty’s grace. Hence, we object to
partitioning schemata. The Law and
Gospel is a humbling message—from kings to farm hands. (2) The term, “patron
saint” must be qualified. Given my time and experiences in Italy for years,
medievalism lifted saints to a status of “heavenly patronage” and induced the
abominable doctrine of saints invocation, as practiced by Greeks, Romans and
Tractaholics. There is no objection to
the term “patronage” in another sense: sponsorship, honored position, etc. But, medievalism must be corrected and so
noted by the Church of England. (3) With Heinrich Bullinger, it is honorable to
remember and review the lives of those in church history. It is done all the time by scholars,
teachers, and students. (4) Put more
simply, on the 9th of October, in the Anglican tradition, we
rehearse and review Mr. (Bp.) Denys, martyred for the faith. These corrections—schooling—are offered
without ditching the day either.
Presbyterian objections to “days of remembrance” are rejected. Of course, the Anabaptists and others
wouldn’t have any idea of which we speak; they are properly dismissed until
they get better minds.
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