ST. AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY OKC
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • What We Believe
    • The Episcopal Church
    • History
    • How We Worship
    • Community Life
    • Leadership and Governance >
      • Governance Structure
      • Clergy & Staff
      • Vestry
  • Worship
    • Bulletins
    • Service Times
    • What to Expect
    • Liturgical Practices Explained
  • Get Involved
    • Newcomers and Visitors
    • "Belonging" Classes
    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Donate
  • Volunteer Ministries
    • Community Outreach
    • Christian Education
    • Worship Assistants
    • Small Groups
    • Internal Service Volunteers
  • Announcements
    • COVID-19
    • Announcements
    • Upcoming Events
    • Events Calendar
  • Canterbury Canticle
  • Photos

CANTERBURY CANTICLE

RAMS AND HAMMERBEAMS - DR. GIL HAAS, ST. AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY EPISCOPAL CHURCH

1/25/2021

0 Comments

 
A hammerbeam is a timber truss allowing a roof to span a greater distance than the length of any individual timber.  This type of construction supports our Cathedral’s roof.  Hammerbeams are supported by curved braces from the wall, and hammer posts are built on top to support the rafters. The ends of hammerbeams are often decorated, and the ram’s heads in our Cathedral serve this function.  The most famous ram in the Old Testament is the one Abraham substituted for the sacrifice of Isaac.  This ram, sacrificed in Isaac’s stead, is an image of Christ crucified in our place.  The thicket in which the ram was entrapped is likened to Jesus’ crown of thorns.  Rams also represented male fertility, and statues of rams were believed to make women fertile and ensure a family hearth’s happiness.  Similarly, rams were used by the early Church to symbolize Christ’s spiritual fertility.  Rams lead sheep, and St. Ambrose considered rams emblematic of the divine Word.  Rams fighting with wolves and defending the sheep represented the war between Jesus and Satan for souls.  Rams tend to butt their enemies, and ram’s heads were placed on the ends of “battering rams” during a siege. 

​~ Dr. Gil Haas, St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Authors

    Various Clergy and members of St. Augustine contribute to authoring the blog on a variety of topics. 

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church - 14700 North May Ave - Oklahoma City, OK  73134 -  (405) 751-7874

GIVE
Contact Us
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • What We Believe
    • The Episcopal Church
    • History
    • How We Worship
    • Community Life
    • Leadership and Governance >
      • Governance Structure
      • Clergy & Staff
      • Vestry
  • Worship
    • Bulletins
    • Service Times
    • What to Expect
    • Liturgical Practices Explained
  • Get Involved
    • Newcomers and Visitors
    • "Belonging" Classes
    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Donate
  • Volunteer Ministries
    • Community Outreach
    • Christian Education
    • Worship Assistants
    • Small Groups
    • Internal Service Volunteers
  • Announcements
    • COVID-19
    • Announcements
    • Upcoming Events
    • Events Calendar
  • Canterbury Canticle
  • Photos