Homilies

What is a homily in the Anglican tradition?

A homily in the Anglican Communion is a sermon, a talk or message, given during a church service, usually by a priest or bishop, to help people understand the Bible and how it connects to their daily lives. The goal is to inspire, guide, exhort, and encourage people in their pilgrimage of faith.

The Two Books of Homilies

The Two Books of Homilies are collections of sermons written in the 16th century for the Church of England. They were created to help teach people about Christian beliefs and practices, especially in a time when not everyone could read the Bible, and many clergy weren’t trained to preach. The first book, published in 1547, focused on basic teachings like justification through faith and the importance of Scripture. The second book, published in 1571, dealt with practical topics like avoiding idolatry and the value of prayer. These homilies were meant to be read aloud during services to guide the Church in its teachings after the Reformation. The sermons you hear at St John’s will be modern expositions of scripture, for the people of God in the San Francisco Bay Area, but they will stand in the same tradition as the Books of Homilies.

The link below (“Listen Here”) will shortly be updated with an extensive audio archive of St. John’s homilies; but it is still “under construction.” Thank you for your patience as we complete our audio archive.