Scholarship • Serving • Ministry – Ian Paul
The lectionary gospel reading for the Second Sunday before Advent as we approach the end of Year A is the so-called Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25.14–30. The most popular interpretation of this is that God gives us abilities and gifts (‘talents’) and leaves us to get on with using them in fruitful and …
Andrew Goddard writes: What follows explores ten questions relating to the theological rationale that has been offered for the proposed Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) in Annex H of GS 2328. It argues that a theological rationale needs to state and justify any theological changes from past teaching and show that there is an …
There was a small social media storm last week when the newish group ‘Inclusive Evangelicals’ issued a letter, with 600 signatories, supporting progress in authorising prayers of blessing for same-sex couples, rooted in the conviction that ‘prayerful reading of scripture has led us to an inclusive position on same-sex relationships.’ I infer from this that …
David Ball writes: When people say, “We read the Bible differently from you,” it begs the question: is there a right or wrong way to read Scripture? In our post-modern context, it is easy for us to think that every reading of Scripture is as legitimate as another. If I read the Bible in a …
The lectionary gospel reading for the third Sunday before Advent at the end of Year A is Matt 25.1–13, known as the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. This forms part of the second half of Jesus’ teaching about the future. In Matt 24.3, in response to Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the …
The lectionary gospel reading for the third Sunday before Advent at the end of Year A is Matt 25.1–13, known as the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. This forms part of the second half of Jesus’ teaching about the future. In Matt 24.3, in response to Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the …
Stephen Kuhrt is Vicar of Christ Church, New Malden and has recently written an illustrated history of his church from its beginnings in the 1850s to 2006. He has also written two volumes on the stained glass windows at the church and their background, which can be found here and here. I asked him about …
Andrew Goddard writes: As people have responded to the latest proposals from the bishops (which I discussed here and here) it looks horribly like the whole LLF process in its current form is going to “all end in tears”. Summary This article seeks to explore why that is the case and why now nobody seems …
