Visit Greece in the footsteps of St Paul in April 2027
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 ministry it avoids the major church festivals. Going midweek to midweek also means only missing one Sunday. Full details below, and in the PDF brochure here: Greece trip April 2027. To reserve your place, email Steve Upton at [email protected]…
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.
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 really do with a lectionary commentary which explains the rationale for this choice. Although it might appear to be irritating, it actually illustrates a far more serious issue. (The epistle is the Paul’s challenging ‘I’ passage in Romans 7.15–25a. The video discussion can be found here, and is also linked below, along with the video discussion of this passage.) The passage as a whole comprises: Jesus rather taunting comparison of…
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,…
Why we need to be reading printed Bibles
It’s not uncommon in churches, when the time comes for the Bible reading, to see people reach not for a printed pew Bible, but for their phones, to read the…
Thinking Christianly about smart phones
The Government’s proposed ‘ban’ on smart phones raises some vital issues about how as Christians we think about technology. What is actually at issue here? There are questions of young…
How does Jesus help us stay faithful under pressure in Matthew 10?
The gospel reading for Trinity 3 in Year A is Matthew 10.24–39—we continue to work through Jesus’ teaching on mission in Matthew 10, but the lectionary has jumped across from…
Baptised into new life in Christ in Romans 6 video discussion
In Romans 6, Paul uses the actions of baptism (going down into the waters of death, coming up to breathe the air of new life) to explain our new status…
Should the Church be saving the planet, or saving people?
Sir Paul Marshall, the owner of GB News, has apparently committed the unforgivable sin. Instead of seeking to save the planet from global warming, he has contributed money to the…
