We tend to think of Advent as the season of anticipation before Christmas—and while it is that, it’s also much more. Throughout its history, the church has observed Advent as a preparation not only for the first coming of Christ in his incarnation but also for his second coming at the last day. It's also about a third coming: the coming of Christ to meet us in our present moment, to make us holy by his Word and Sacrament.

In this short volume, priest and writer Tish Harrison Warren explores all three of these "comings" of Christ and invites us into a deeper experience of the first season of the Christian year.

The church year has been forming the faithful in the Christian story since the church's early days. The Fullness of Time series invites readers to explore the riches of the church year, guided by some of our finest church theologians. Each volume introduces the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of a season of the church—not as an academic exercise, but as an reflections on the theological and spiritual treasures of the church calendar.

 

The seasons of the church invite us to enact, over and over again, the gospel story. The Fullness of Time series promises to open up that story afresh to individuals, families, and churches alike seeking a deeper walk with Jesus.