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Our epistle reading for Trinity 13 in this Year C is 1 Tim 1.12–17. (It is not clear why the lectionary omits the opening verses of 1 Tim.) There are very good reasons to believe (against some scholarship) that this was indeed written by Paul. His personal testimony matches what we know from elsewhere; the … Continue Reading
The theme for the Tyndale Fellowship New Testament Study Group in 2026 is Paul within Judaism, and we are meeting from Wednesday 1st to Friday 3rd July 2026 at the excellent conference facility of High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, UK. It is easily accessible by train from London in about 20 minutes (from Tottenham Hale). … Continue Reading
John Root writes on: Polyphonic God: Exploring Intercultural Theology, Churches and Justice, edited by Israel Oluwole Olofinjana, David Wise, and Usha Reifsnider. This book is a goldmine. Several of the contributions are brilliant; none is without merit. Church leaders in multi-ethnic communities will find the book invaluable, despite its fairly hefty price. Contributions come from … Continue Reading
In the gospel reading for Trinity 12 in Year C, Luke 14.25–33, we complete our navigation through this section of Jesus’ intermingled teaching and action until we hit the landfall of the ‘parables of the lost’ next week in Luke 15. The double focus on the crowds and discipleship, the drawing together of teaching found … Continue Reading
The epistle for Trinity 12 in Year C is Paul’s letter to Philemon about his runaway slave Onesimus. Why is this letter so interesting? What is the significance of it being a public rather than private letter? What rhetorical strategy does Paul use to make his point? And how do the ideas of reconciliation and … Continue Reading
Ian Paul: theologian, author, speaker, academic consultant. Associate Senior Research Fellow, Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology; Associate Minister, St Nic's, Nottingham; Managing Editor, Grove Books; member of General Synod and Archbishops' Council. Mac user; chocoholic. Tweets at @psephizo
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Gospel commentary index Lectionary Year A
Andrew Goddard Bible biblical interpretation Biblical literacy biblical theology Church of England culture discipleship discussion doctrine eschatology evangelism gay General Synod Grove guest Hermeneutics History hope interpretation James Blandford Baker Jesus John's gospel Justin Welby leadership lectionary Luke Luke's gospel Matthew ministry mission New Testament Paul politics power preaching Revelation same sex marriage same sex unions sexuality theology video Year A Year B Year C
