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The Virtuous Vertical, the Heinous Horizontal, and Sanctity
Rev. Jim Quigley preaches on All Saints Sunday at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., noting a baptism that morning and offering parishioners a sermon focused on a “theology of sanctity” through the Beatitudes. He contrasts two interpretive strands: Augustine and Gregory of Nyssa’s “virtuous vertical,” a step-by-step ascent from poverty of spirit to peacemaking, including Augustine’s pairing of Beatitudes with phrases from the Lord’s Prayer, and Martin Luther’s “heinous horizontal,” which rejects hierarchy, emphasizes the priesthood of all believers, and frames grace and identity as God’s gift before any imperative to act. Quigley imagines these views meeting like a cross. Drawing on Nadia Bolz-Weber’s Accidental Saints, he describes the Beatitudes as Jesus’ performative language spoken to people in real circumstances, blessing congregants where they are while still calling them toward sanctification.
00:00 All Saints Welcome
00:33 Choosing Sermon Three
01:44 Theology of Sanctity
03:30 Virtuous Vertical Ladder
06:09 Lord’s Prayer Connections
07:51 Luther Flattens Hierarchy
09:51 Crossroads of Sanctity
11:20 Accidental Saints Insight
11:52 Beatitudes as Performative
13:46 Art Teacher Illustration
15:04 Closing Blessing
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com (https://stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
20 Oct 2026
Render Unto Caesar: Wondering About Conflicting Loyalties
Rev. Jim Quigley preaches at St. David’s Episcopal Church on October 18 (Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost) about Matthew’s emphasis on the law and the ongoing tension within the tradition over what honoring the law means. He notes that Torah contains nothing about whether it is lawful for Jews to pay taxes to the emperor, suggesting the question is meant to create “wiggle room” amid competing loyalties and to serve as a smokescreen. He explains Jesus calling questioners “hypocrites” as “actors” and highlights Jesus’ response, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s,” which makes people wonder how much of life is given to Caesar versus God. He reflects on the meanings of “render” and urges congregants to consider what they are offering with their lives.
00:00 Warm Welcome
00:06 Why Scripture Still Surprises
00:53 Ma Katuv In Torah
01:27 Matthew And The Law
04:08 The Trap Question
05:38 Searching Torah For Answers
07:08 Wiggle Room And Smokescreens
08:55 Hypocrites And Actors
10:13 Render Unto Caesar
11:28 What Are You Rendering
11:50 Meaning Of Render
13:07 Final Charge And Blessing
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com (https://stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
14 Oct 2026
Remembering the Covenant: God, the Golden Calf, and Changing Our Minds
Rev. Jordan Rippy preaches at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., focusing on Exodus and the golden calf rather than the Gospel reading. He situates the story after the Ten Commandments and describes how the Israelites, anxious during Moses’ long absence, fear God has left them and turn to an idol, a reaction he compares to a lack of “object permanence” and notes congregants share in similar spiritual anxiety. He reflects on how difficult it is to admit being wrong and change one’s mind, citing Adam Grant’s categories of preachers, prosecutors, and politicians versus “scientists” who seek truth. Rippy highlights the unsettling moment when God plans to destroy Israel but relents after Moses urges God to remember deliverance from Egypt and promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, emphasizing that while sin matters, mercy and renewed commitment are possible through remembering deepest promises.00:00 God Changes Course00:27 Setting Up Exodus01:11 Moses Missing Anxiety02:46 Why We Resist Change04:04 Think Again Framework05:46 Golden Calf Showdown06:59 A Human God08:10 Remembering Promises09:10 Grace To Change
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com (https://stdavidsepiscopaldc.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
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