By the gazelles

July 20, 2026 Mark Brians

There is a warning in the Song of Solomon: “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the does of the field, do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” (Songs 2:7).

If we are not careful it is easy to render these words of counsel from the bride as a warning, “be careful!… not too much love now… take it easy before you commit…. romantic desire is a hazardous thing… ‘kiss dating goodbye’” …etc.

And while there is certainly wisdom in not being reckless in romance…

No such thing as instant confidence

January 13, 2026 Mark Brians

T…he problem is that confidence, precisely because of what it is, “can never be instantaneous” (p.76). “It must be built, earned, over time” (ibid). Confidence, as the capacity to endure and withstand, only exists over the course of time. “It has a tempo.”

Entering Advent while the Anglican Communion goes through a great shaking

December 1, 2025 Mark Brians

We are now in the season of Advent —a season where we both (1) remember the waiting that happened before Jesus’ Incarnation (his first Advent) even as we (2) wait for his promised Second Coming. Both of these features shape how the Church has historically approached the days leading-up to the celebration of Christ’s birth on Dec. 25.

This year we enter into Advent amidst many great shakings that have rocked the Anglican world. A short list runs as follows…

Slowly, slowly unto Christmas

November 27, 2023 Mark Brians

A personal history.

Movement 1.
I did not grow-up with Advent as a season of waiting. Like many people in contemporary society I grew up with a strange season that came to span all the days from Thanksgiving to the Day-after-Christmas as a kind of elongated Holiday season… “elongated” is maybe too generous… “distended to the point of rupture” is probably a better description. Sometimes it started as early as the Day-after-Halloween.

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