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In 2018, I sensed God calling me to write a weekly commentary on the gospel lectionary reading for the following Sunday. So I began with Year C, when the main gospel was Luke, and worked through the following three years. Then, in 2021, I started producing video versions of these commentaries—but it didn’t work doing … Continue Reading
Maggie and I are planning to lead another study trip to western Turkey next autumn, from Tuesday 28th September to Thursday 7th October 2027 inclusive visiting Istanbul and the seven cities of Revelation, plus some other key sites of archaeological importance. It is a great time of year to go, as the weather is warm … Continue Reading
A lengthy new report argues that the primary reason for decline in the Church of England is the wrong allocation of money and resources. It proposes that decisions about ministry should be delegated to deaneries, and that this will resolve many of its problems. But do its claims stand up to scrutiny—even on the report’s … Continue Reading
The term ‘love’ is clearly important in the New Testament in a range of contexts. But modern use of ‘love’ shifts its meaning into all sorts of different areas. One solution to this has been to distinguish the different Greek terms for ‘love’ in Scripture. But this approach does not stand scrutiny, so cannot solve … Continue Reading
The lectionary reading for All Saints in Year A is Rev 7.9–17—an extraordinary vision of the people of God, which begins at the start of the chapter, in the interlude between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals. Our video discussion is linked below, followed by an extract from my commentary on Revelation 7. … Continue Reading
The late Richard Hays’ book The Moral Vision of the New Testament was a landmark work that offered a serious, structured approach to the question of how the New Testament should shape Christian ethical thinking. To mark 30 years since its publication, Cherryl Hunt, Nick Moore, and Tim Murray have edited a new volume New Testament Ethics: … Continue Reading
There has been a growing movement claiming that Christianity calls for a certain kind of masculinity, protesting against a perceived feminisation of the faith. Is there any grounds for this? What kind of language do we find in the New Testament? This article explores the issues around Paul’s language ‘act like men’ in 1 Cor … Continue Reading
Mike Starkey writes: It’s early afternoon on Friday 16 October 2026. I enter the public transport office in central Strasbourg, next to the Alt Winmärik tram stop. Alt Winmärik means Old Wine Market in the old Germanic Alsace dialect. From the 14th century onwards, this street was the place wine was bought and sold. A … Continue Reading
In the epistle for Trinity 21 in Year A, 1 Thess 2.1–8, Paul and his co-authors explain their approach to ministry, but do so by appeal to what the Thessalonians knew of them. They distance themselves from itinerant philosophers, who speak out of personal gain, and instead talk of being entrusted with the gospel of … Continue Reading
Why was a faculty application for a portable baptismal pool in a church in Southwell and Nottingham rejected? What does that tell us about processes in the Church of England—and are they fit for purpose? It is not often that a consistory court judgment makes the national press, and when it does it is usually … Continue Reading
The gospel reading for Trinity 20 in Year A is Matthew 22.15–22, the short exchange between Jesus and his opponents on the question of the Roman ‘poll’ tax. This has important theological implications for our understanding of issues of politics and power, though it is often misread. Jesus doesn’t teach the ‘separate realms’ that many … 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
