Visit Greece in the footsteps of St Paul in April 2027
PLEASE NOTE: This trip is now fully booked! If you would like to be on a waiting list for our future trips to Greece (likely April 2028), Turkey (September 2028) or Israel, please email Steve Upton at at [email protected] I am planning to lead a study trip to Greece in the footsteps of St Paul, from Tuesday 20th to Thursday 29th April 2027 inclusive visiting Thessaloniki, Philippi, Berea, Meteroa, Delphi, Corinth, and Athens. It is a great time of year to go, as the weather is warm but not too hot, the sites are less busy, and for those in…
Gospel commentary index Lectionary Year A
On this page, you can find an index to all the commentary articles on the gospel lectionary readings for the whole of Year A, together with links to the video discussions between Ian and James. The articles will be reposted with updates during the year—but they are listed here for convenience and planning ahead.
How clergy dress sends a message—but which one, and why?
What we wear sends a particular message. But, ironically, the message that conventional clergy attire (clerical collar, cassock, and so on) sends is actually the opposite of what it was designed to communicate. And what message do we actually want to convey? I was interested to read, two weeks ago, Angela Tilby’s column in the Church Times, How clergy dress sends a message. I think she makes some astute observations about the importance of our attire. In our class-conscious society, there will be many who regret the association of clergy with “status” and believe that they are more accessible in…
The material evidence of early Christian devotion
Dr Tim Murray offers this review of Bruce Longenecker’s latest book, The Materiality of Early Christ Devotion Our historical imagination matters Most of what we know about early Christianity we…
The intermix of good and evil in the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13
The lectionary gospel reading for the Trinity 7 in Year A once more splits up a text in order to unite a parable and its interpretation by Jesus, though with…
The conversion practices draft bill: right and helpful or fatally flawed?
Mark Bratton writes: The long-awaited draft Bill on conversion practices (‘the draft’), recently released for pre-legislative parliamentary review, is fundamentally flawed. According to the Preamble, the draft aims, among other…
How does our worldview shape our attitude to sexuality?
Andrew Bunt has just brought out a new book, Getting God’s Perspective: A Short Christian Introduction to Worldviews, Sexuality and Gender, and I had the chance to ask him about…
The paradox of Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11
The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 5 in this Year A is another odd selection of verses, Matthew 11.16–19 and 25–30. It is yet one more occasion where we could…
The power of sin in Romans 7 video discussion
Romans 7.15–25a is the epistle for Trinity 5 in Year A, and includes the famous ‘I’-passage over which there has been much debate. Is Paul speaking in the first person…
How often did Jesus visit Jerusalem? Why does this matter?
One of the obvious differences in chronology between John’s gospel and the ‘Synoptics’ (Matthew, Mark and Luke) is that John gives an account of Jesus in Jerusalem on five different…
The Church of England’s problem with antisemitism
This week, the Archbishop of Canterbury is visiting Israel/Palestine and meeting with Palestinian Christians there, who have made a plea for churches in the West to support them and campaign…
The disciples are the presence of Jesus in the world in Matthew 10
The gospel read for Trinity 4 in Year A of Matt 10.40–42 is perhaps the strangest choice in the whole lectionary—at only three verses! (The lectionary epistle is Romans 6.12–23;…
Not under law but under grace in Romans 6 video discussion
For Trinity 4 we continue reading in Romans 6. Paul continues to anticipate objections to his radical claims about the freedom that we now have in Christ. To do so,…
