Primitive Christianity Revived, Again
Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection served as a lay brother in a Roman Catholic monastery in Paris. Christians commonly remember him for the intimacy he expressed concerning his relationship to God as recorded in a book compiled after his death, the classic Christian text, The Practice of the Presence of God. Despite his lowly position in life and the priory, his character attracted many to him. He had a reputation for experiencing profound peace and visitors came to seek spiritual guidance from him. The wisdom he passed on to them, in conversations and letters, would later become the basis for the book, The Practice of the Presence of God. [wiki]
George Fox and Brother Lawrence did not know or have knowledge of one another. They were 17th-century contemporaries separated by the English Channel and their cultural and religious backgrounds. One was a traveling preacher and the other a recluse. Fox sought a change to the church and the direct relationship of the divine to the people; Brother Lawrence emphasized God’s immediacy in instructing His flock.
There were similarities. Fox preached the “Light Within” while Brother Lawrence considered the presence of God within. Both saw the need for believers to view God as a being in their presence. Brother Lawrence’s spiritual guidance has much to say to the Primitive Christianity movement.
The posted video is available in a a portable mp3 format.
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