Homily 2: What does it mean to be human? 

Our Discipleship Service, introduced in 2023, is based on the Catechism Service ( • Catechism Service ) we used in the Autumn of 2020 to frame our weekly online discussion group on the basics of the Christian faith.
For the 2023 Discipleship Services we decided to listen to the teaching in the official Homilies of the Church of England, though not by reading out the Homilies themselves. In 2021 Lee Gatiss wrote his edition of the First Book of Homilies updated into modern English (Church Society/Lost Coin Books, 2021). (You can find the original Homilies here: www.anglicanlibrary.org/homilies/index.htm and links to Dr Gatiss reading out his versions here: • The Homilies )
In the introduction to that edition Dr Gatiss wrote:
“the Homilies have always been an important part of the official formularies, which define and expound the inheritance of faith which Anglicans are to proclaim afresh in each generation, [an updated English version] seemed a worthy and worthwhile thing to do...
We may not necessarily agree with [George] Whitefield that these Homilies should still be read out in churches today. We might prefer to have the same doctrine delivered to us in freshly-written, specially-composed sermons from well-trained contemporary preachers who know their own congregations well.”
The sermons in this series are an attempt to do just that: a modern re-working of the content of some of the Homilies of the Church of England. They are not held out as successful model examples of this re-working, nor as sermons by a 'well-trained contemporary preacher'. Instead they are offered with the prayer that others who are much more capable and skilled will take up Dr Gatiss' challenge. And also that despite the many faults of these attempts, by God's grace and the work of the Holy Spirit, some of the “rich and edifying diet” that is given in the original Homilies will be heard by people today.
In this series:
Homily 1: What is our most important task? • Homily 1: What is our ...
Homily 2: What does it mean to be human? • Homily 2: What does it...
Homily 3: How can we be saved? • Homily 3: How can we b...
Homily 4: What does it mean to have faith? • Homily 4: What does it...
Homily 5: What are 'good works'? • Homily 5: What are 'go...
Homily 6: What is love? • Homily 6: What is love?
Homily 8: Falling away from God • Homily 8: Falling away...
Homily 9: The fear of death • Homily 9: The fear of ...
Homily 10 (Book 1) and Homily 21 (Book 2): The Coronation and Rebellion • The Coronation and Reb...
Homily 11: The Christian sexual revolution • Homily 11: The Christi...
Homilies 7, 8 and 9 (Book 2): Prayer • Homilies 7, 8 and 9 (B...
Homily 12 (Book 2): Why celebrate Christmas? • Homily 12 (Book 2): Wh...
Homily 16 (Book 2): The nature and gifts of the Holy Spirit • Homily 16 (Book 2): Th...
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