It’s a line in the hymn “living he loved me”. The chorus goes Living he loved me, Dying he saved me, Buried he carried my sins far away. Rising he justified, freely for ever. One day he’s coming, oh glorious day. I’ve written recently about life between death and resurrection. I’ve talked about the way… Continue reading Buried he carried my sins far away
Posts
Do we need to believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus for salvation (a response to NT Wright)?
NT Wright has recently raised the question as to whether it is necessary to believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. It’s in relation to his friend Marcus Borg, a more liberal scholar. Wright’s assessment is that Borg was a muddled Christian, he didn’t think the body mattered and had rejected a more dogmatic form… Continue reading Do we need to believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus for salvation (a response to NT Wright)?
Are we depending too much on military might? A response to Symon Hill on Keir Starmer’s increase of the Defence Budget
Symon Hill argues in Premier Christianity that Kier Starmer is wrong to spend more on defence. His argument is two-fold. First, he argues that a strong military defence does not work as a deterrent and secondly that it is wrong to do this because it means that we are putting our trust in military forces… Continue reading Are we depending too much on military might? A response to Symon Hill on Keir Starmer’s increase of the Defence Budget
Letting God’s Word do its work in the light
The other Sunday at church, I was preaching on Luke 8. We went for it and covered the whole chapter with its big stories and its big signs. We might wonder what those miracles in the second part of the chapter have to do with the parables at the start. Well, it struck me that… Continue reading Letting God’s Word do its work in the light
Why Pentecost is good news
Today is Pentecost Sunday. Fifty days after Easter, Acts 2 tells us that the disciples were gathered together when God’s Spirit came down filling the place and then. This was accompanied with dramatic signs: the building shook, a strong wind ripped through the place, the appearance of tongues of fire in their heads and the… Continue reading Why Pentecost is good news
Jeff the low stakes prophet
I recently saw this video from Lutheran satire. Here are some reflections. First the video may play into a stereotype of Charismatic prophecy, people talking to their experience and with it the status of their ideas, with a “thus says the Lord”. Now, it is fair to say that I have encountered people who either… Continue reading Jeff the low stakes prophet
Pastoral Counselling – can we do it?
I’ve been sharing some videos on YouTube recently to help you think through approaches to pastoral counselling. However, I’m still aware that for some, there will be a question about whether or not we should be even attempting this kind of thing In fact, there are, I think two risks. On the one hand, there… Continue reading Pastoral Counselling – can we do it?
The parable of The Sower with wide angled lens on
My dad used to have an SLR camera. It was novel in those days to have a camera where the view finder looked directly down the main camera lens. It also mean that he could switch between lenses. A telescopic lens enabled him to focus in on detail in the distance, a wide angled lens… Continue reading The parable of The Sower with wide angled lens on
Selden College: What about the curriculum?
I’ve already observed that there’s some significant vagueness around aspects of what Selden College will offer students. What we do know is that it is seeking to offer a Liberal Arts course. Liberal Arts courses are offered by a few UK Universities and also by a number of US institutions. The liberal arts tended historically… Continue reading Selden College: What about the curriculum?
A regular reminder: If you want me to be confident about your interpretation of the past, start by leaving me confident about your interpretation of the present
This is a quote in On Classical Trinitarianism edited by Matthew Barrett and Todd Billings. “Consider, for instance, the predictably heretical perspective of many evangelicals concerning the Trinity. Evangelical understandings are improving, but a recent poll reported online in Christianity Today found 78 percent of evangelical respondents agreeing with Arius, though they had no idea… Continue reading A regular reminder: If you want me to be confident about your interpretation of the past, start by leaving me confident about your interpretation of the present