My most recent publication is the Tyndale New Testament Commentary on the Book of Revelation. You can order it from Amazon and other online retailers (make sure you order mine, and not the previous edition by Leon Morris!), or directly from the publisher on the IVP website.
My other recent publications include:
- How to Interpret the Bible: four essential questions (Grove, 2017)
- Being Messy, Being Church (Bible Reading Fellowship, 2017)
- Kingdom, Hope and the End of the World (Grove, 2016)
- The Book of Revelation: currents in British research (Mohr Siebeck, WUNT, 2015)
- Evangelical Leadership: Challenges and Opportunities (Grove, 2016)
What should a ‘Schools Charter’ for RSHE contain?
From September 2020, primary schools will be required to teach age-appropriate Health Education as well as Relationships Education, and secondary schools will be required to teach Relationships Education and Sex Education. Together these can be referred to as Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). At one level, this idea is hard to argue with; after all, we live in a complex world, where young people are exposed more and more to issues around sex and relationships at earlier and earlier ages, thanks to the general sexualisation of culture. And these issues are as complex and confusing as they have ever been. But it is also contentious and fraught with danger, since the dominance of ‘identity politics’ means that any discussion in this area will be contested, and groups with special interests in the LGBTQ+ lobby will be ready and willing to press the case for particular views to be taught.
In this context, what might the Church of England (or any Christian group or denomination) want to say? Last week the Church of England Education department published Principles and a Charter for the teaching of RSHE in schools. Although the primary concern was in relation to Church of England schools, the Charter was potentially offered to all schools. As with all statements in this area, it received criticism from both sides of the debate.
John the Baptist and the judgement of Jesus in Matt 3
The lectionary gospel reading for Advent 2 in Year 1 is Matt 3.1–12, and it contains many foundational themes of eschatology, the coming of God, and judgement, which set us…
What is the C of E’s position on abortion?
The question of abortion has been raised once more in the election campaign, because of statements in both Labour and Liberal Democrat manifestos. Labour includes their briefer comments in their…
Does it matter that Jesus wasn’t born in a stable?
I have posted this every year since 2013, and every year it stirs up a response. Why does it matter? For at least four reasons: 1. It demonstrates how, even…
Should we want to be ‘left behind’ in Matt 24?
With the advent of Advent on Sunday (!) we make the move in the lectionary from Year C to Year A. So, after journeying through Luke all year, this Sunday’s…
Women in the world of the New Testament
Dr Susan Hylen is Associate Professor of New Testament at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She has recently published Women in the New Testament World with Oxford…
What does Luke 23 tell us about Christ the king?
This Sunday was traditionally known in the Church of England as ‘Stir-up Sunday‘, a phrase derived from the BCP Collect for the last Sunday before Advent, which in turn inspired…
Mission, creation and incarnation
I was grateful to Philip North for offering a response to my critique of his views on mission in relation to the incarnation, published in the Church Times. There is…
Should we read the Bible allegorically?
Some time ago, I had a fascinating interaction online in the context of discussing the relation of the Old Testament to the New. The conversation went something like this. Blogger:…
How does the ‘Little Apocalypse’ in Luke 21 relate to us?
Sunday’s gospel lectionary reading (Second before Advent, Year C) is Luke 21.5–19. As usual, we need to read on to put this text in its context to understand both the…
On taking Jesus to our urban areas: a response
Philip North, the suffragan bishop of Burnley, offers this response to my comments in the previous post: I am very grateful to Ian Paul for such a thoughtful and reflective response…