January 30, 2017

Prongs and Rings


Heterosexuality, under a dominant male view, is about penetration. Thus it maps well to things like electrical plugs and sockets, male and female.


Marriage, however, is about permanence and fidelity, suitably imaged by unending rings, and mapped to things as diverse as religious profession by a nun and the union between Christ and his Body, the church.
Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG

January 19, 2017

Wedding Preparation


Very happy to see my latest work for Church Publishing off the press, and delighted to see the kind words about it on the back cover.

"Kudos to liturgical scholar Tobias Haller for crafting this comprehensive guide to marriage in the Episcopal Church, based on canonical and liturgical changes authorized by the 2015 General Convention and presented in an easy-to-use format, for clergy, church musicians, and couples. Great to have this information all in one resource!"
-The Right Reverend Thomas C. Ely, Bishop of Vermont

"Preparing for a Wedding in the Episcopal Church is an invaluable resource for any Episcopalian involved in wedding planning and preparation. It thoroughly and concisely explores everything from balancing the sacred and secular to navigating liturgical options to managing photographers and florists. Firmly rooted in solid theology and liturgical practice, it is a timely and practical guide:'
- The Reverend Susan Russell, Senior Associate at All Saints Episcopal Church, Pasadena, California

"Here is a very practical, thorough, and theologically sound guide for clergy, couples, and church musicians on marriage in the Episcopal Church. The church's canon on marriage was updated most recently in 2015, and Tobias walks us through the changes and implications for planning, offering practical advice and guidance to assist all those involved."
- Carolyn Moomaw Chilton, Associate for Evangelism and Stewardship, Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia

"Every parish priest should have this resource, which will help them become familiar with the marriage canon and marriage liturgies authorized in 2015. Tobias Haller offers wise pastoral guidance. Drawing from his years of experience, he explores the many options and recommends sound liturgical and pastoral practices."
- The Reverend Dr. Ruth Meyers, Dean of Academic Affairs and Hodges-Haynes Professor of Liturgics at Church Divinity School of the Pacific

Tobias Stanislas Haller BSG

Timely Thoughts

Early this morning I woke with some images and thoughts running through my mind. 

The future does not exist except as potentiality.
The arrow of time is connected with the expansion of space-time — we do not move "into" an existing future any more than the universe expands "into" a presently empty space — it is space-time itself that is expanding, and this drives the arrow of time.
Experience (the present and past) is the collapse of potentiality into actuality.

That's enough for now. My brain hurts.


TSH