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Baylor University
Institute for Faith and Learning
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    • Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture
      • 2022 Art Seeking Understanding
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      • 2016 Higher Learning
      • 2015 The Spirit of Sports
      • 2014 Faith and Film
      • 2013 Kierkegaard: A Christian Thinker for Our Time?
      • 2012 Technology and Human Flourishing
      • 2011 Educating for Wisdom in the 21st Century University
      • 2010 Human Dignity and the Future of Health Care
      • 2009 Secularization and Revival
      • 2008 Bottom-Up Approaches to Global Poverty
      • 2007 Friendship
    • Bill and Roberta Bailey Family Lecture in Christian Ethics
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      • Starting Points
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    • Institute for Faith and Learning Video Archive
    • Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture Video Archive
    • Bill and Roberta Bailey Family Lecture in Christian Ethics
    • Recommended Reading
    • External Resources
    • The Christian Reflection Project
      • Acedia
      • Advent Ethics
      • Aging
      • Anger
      • Apocalyptic Vision
      • Attentive Patience
      • The Book of Acts
      • Caring for Creation
      • Catechism
      • Chastity
      • Children
      • Christianity and Islam
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      • Cities and Towns
      • Cloning
      • Consumerism
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      • Hospitality
      • Immigration
      • Inklings of Glory
      • Lent
      • The Letter of James
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      • Moral Landscape of Creation
      • Mysticism
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      • Peace and War
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      • Where Wisdom Is Found
      • Women and the Church
      • Women in the Bible
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Baylor BU Institute for Faith and Learning Media and Resources The Christian Reflection Project Advent Ethics
  • Faith Animating Online Education
  • Institute for Faith and Learning Video Archive
  • Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture Video Archive
  • Bill and Roberta Bailey Family Lecture in Christian Ethics
  • Recommended Reading
  • External Resources
  • The Christian Reflection Project
    • Acedia
    • Advent Ethics
    • Aging
    • Anger
    • Apocalyptic Vision
    • Attentive Patience
    • The Book of Acts
    • Caring for Creation
    • Catechism
    • Chastity
    • Children
    • Christianity and Islam
    • Christmas and Epiphany
    • Cities and Towns
    • Cloning
    • Consumerism
    • Death
    • Disability
    • Easter
    • Food and Hunger
    • Forgiveness
    • Freedom
    • Friendship
    • Gambling Culture
    • Generosity
    • Global Wealth
    • Health
    • Heaven and Hell
    • Hospitality
    • Immigration
    • Inklings of Glory
    • Lent
    • The Letter of James
    • Marriage
    • Membership
    • Monasticism Old and New
    • Moral Landscape of Creation
    • Mysticism
    • Parables
    • Patterns of Violence
    • Peace and War
    • Pentecost
    • Pornographic Culture
    • Prayer
    • Prison
    • Prophetic Ethics
    • Racism
    • Sabbath
    • Schools in a Pluralist Culture
    • Scripture
    • Sermon on the Mount
    • Singing Our Lives
    • Sports
    • Suffering
    • Traveling Well
    • Virtual Lives
    • Vocation
    • Where Wisdom Is Found
    • Women and the Church
    • Women in the Bible
    • Work

Advent Ethics

How does Advent, the first season of the church year, cause us to reexamine our desires as we prepare to welcome Christ, the Desire of Nations? The church year "continually pushes us back to Christ," Kimberlee Conway Ireton notes, "to stories of his life and to the rites," especially to the Eucharist "by which we, his disciples, re-enact his life and enter into it."

Claude Mariottini explains how Isaiah's oracles are employed in Advent liturgies to interpret Jesus' birth, ministry, and suffering. We offer fresh translations of the "O Antiphons" set to music by Kurt Kaiser. These seven ancient texts use striking prophetic images to voice the ultimate petition of Scripture: "Come, Lord Jesus."

In Bernard of Clairvaux's account of Christ's "threefold coming," James Conner sees Advent as "a 'sacrament' of the presence of God in his world." Jenny Howell commends Father Alfred Delp's rich prison meditations on Advent.

Amber and John Inscore Essick describe three distinctive Advent traditions--lighting candles on a wreath, celebrating St. Lucia's Day, and decorating a Jesse Tree-- that help us faithfully narrate and prepare for the arrival of the Christ.

The study guides and lesson plans integrate Bible study, prayer, and worship to explore how the season of Advent guides our formation as disciples. The guides can be used in a series or individually. You may download and reproduce them for personal or group use.

Download the entire Advent Ethics issue and the set of six Study Guides. Or, download individual pieces by clicking the titles below.

Articles

  • "Redeeming Time," by Kimberlee Conway Ireton
  • "What Are We Waiting For?" by Claude F. Mariottini
  • "The Three Advents," by Fr. James Conner, OCSO
  • "Advent of the Heart: The Prison Meditations of Alfred Delp, SJ," by Jenny Howell
  • "The Advent Fast," by Thomas Turner
  • "Distinctive Traditions of Advent," by Amber and John Inscore Essick

Art

  • "The Coming Light," by Heidi J. Hornik, on Georges de La Tour, The Dream of Saint Joseph
  • "Confronting the Powers," by Heidi J. Hornik, on Caravaggio, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
  • "Prepare the Way of the Lord," by Heidi J. Hornik, on Michele Tosini, Saint John the Baptist

Hymn and Worship Service

  • "O God Among Us, Come," A Metrical Translation of the "O Antiphons" by Robert B. Kruschwitz and Kurt Kaiser
    • (melody and text only)
  • Seven Prayer Services and a Worship Service by Robert B. Kruschwitz

Inspirational Piece

  • "The Advent Invitation," by Larry Parsley

Book Reviews

  • "Meeting God in the Church Year," by Kimberlee Conway Ireton
    • Adolph Adam, The Liturgical Year: Its History and Its Meaning after the Reform of the Liturgy
    • Joan Chittister, The Liturgical Year: The Spiraling Adventure of the Spiritual Life
    • Bobby Gross, Living the Christian Year: Time to Inhabit the Story of God
    • Robert Webber, Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year
  • "Taking Advent Seriously," by Mark Oldenburg
    • The Bruderhof, ed., Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas
    • Gordon Giles, O Come Emmanuel: A Musical Tour of Daily Readings for Advent and Christmas
    • Mary Lou Redding, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent
    • Phyllis Tickle, Christmastide: Prayers for Advent through Epiphany from The Divine Hours

Study Guides and Lesson Plans (Download the set of six Study Guides)

  • "Redeeming Time"
  • "What Are We Waiting For?"
  • "The Three Advents"
  • "Advent of the Heart"
  • "The Advent Fast"
  • "Distinctive Traditions of Advent"
Baylor BU Institute for Faith and Learning Media and Resources The Christian Reflection Project Advent Ethics
  • About
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      • 2019 The Character of the University
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      • 2016 Higher Learning
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        • Featured Speakers and Panels
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      • 2015 The Spirit of Sports
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        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2014 Faith and Film
        Back
        • Video Archive
      • 2013 Kierkegaard: A Christian Thinker for Our Time?
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2012 Technology and Human Flourishing
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2011 Educating for Wisdom in the 21st Century University
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2010 Human Dignity and the Future of Health Care
        Back
        • Featured Speakers
        • Video Archive
      • 2009 Secularization and Revival
        Back
        • Video Archive
      • 2008 Bottom-Up Approaches to Global Poverty
      • 2007 Friendship
    • Bill and Roberta Bailey Family Lecture in Christian Ethics
      Back
      • Bailey Lecture Video Archive
    • Other Conferences and Events
      Back
      • IFL@25
        Back
        • Select Pictures from IFL@25
      • 2019 LFP National Conference
        Back
        • Presenters
      • Art & Soul
      • Pruit Memorial Symposium
        Back
        • 2001 Celebrating Augustine's Confessions
        • 2002 Christianity and Economics
        • 2003 The Schooled Heart
        • 2004 Slavery, Oppression, and Prejudice
        • 2005 Global Christianity
      • Baylor University Medical Ethics Seminar
        Back
        • 2016 Medical Ethics Seminar
        • 2017 Medical Ethics Seminar
        • 2018 Medical Ethics Seminar
      • One-Time Conferences
  • Programs
    Back
    • Communio: A Retreat for Baylor Educators
    • William Carey Crane Scholars Program
      Back
      • Additional Information
    • Missio
    • Forming Character in the Classroom
      Back
      • About the Program: Called to Character
      • Past Workshops
    • Reading Groups and Guest Speakers
    • Soundings Project
  • Media and Resources
    Back
    • Faith Animating Online Education
      Back
      • Starting Points
      • A Christian Imagination about Online Education?
      • Cultivating Character and Online Learning
      • Additional Resources
    • Institute for Faith and Learning Video Archive
    • Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture Video Archive
    • Bill and Roberta Bailey Family Lecture in Christian Ethics
    • Recommended Reading
    • External Resources
    • The Christian Reflection Project
      Back
      • Acedia
      • Advent Ethics
      • Aging
      • Anger
      • Apocalyptic Vision
      • Attentive Patience
      • The Book of Acts
      • Caring for Creation
      • Catechism
      • Chastity
      • Children
      • Christianity and Islam
      • Christmas and Epiphany
      • Cities and Towns
      • Cloning
      • Consumerism
      • Death
      • Disability
      • Easter
      • Food and Hunger
      • Forgiveness
      • Freedom
      • Friendship
      • Gambling Culture
      • Generosity
      • Global Wealth
      • Health
      • Heaven and Hell
      • Hospitality
      • Immigration
      • Inklings of Glory
      • Lent
      • The Letter of James
      • Marriage
      • Membership
      • Monasticism Old and New
      • Moral Landscape of Creation
      • Mysticism
      • Parables
      • Patterns of Violence
      • Peace and War
      • Pentecost
      • Pornographic Culture
      • Prayer
      • Prison
      • Prophetic Ethics
      • Racism
      • Sabbath
      • Schools in a Pluralist Culture
      • Scripture
      • Sermon on the Mount
      • Singing Our Lives
      • Sports
      • Suffering
      • Traveling Well
      • Virtual Lives
      • Vocation
      • Where Wisdom Is Found
      • Women and the Church
      • Women in the Bible
      • Work
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