Scholarship • Serving • Ministry – Ian Paul
Ian Paul
I write a quarterly column for Preach magazine, in which I explore a significant word, phrase, or idea in the Bible, or a theme or section of Scripture, and the ideas that it expresses. At the end of this piece I list the previous articles I have written for them. Here I explore the question …
For the Mothering Sunday gospel of Jesus’ presentation in Luke 2, the written commentary is here and the video discussion is here. The epistle is 2 Cor 1.3–7, and the video discussion of this passage is here (and included below). The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Lent 4 in this Year A continues with the …
Lent 4 is also Mothering Sunday in the calendar, and the readings for Mothering Sunday in Year A are 2 Corinthians 1.3-7 and the dedication of Jesus in Luke 2. In 2 Cor 1, Paul begins this letter by exploring the inter-relation between experience affliction (tribulation), and receiving comfort from the God of all compassion. …
It has been reported that US troops have been told that the war in Iran is the beginning of the final Battle of Armageddon that will lead to the return of Jesus. It has come out through complaints made to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF): One complainant, identified as a noncommissioned officer (NCO) in …
John Root writes: The diocese of London has been awarded a grant of £730,000 from the Church of England’s Racial Justice Unit to develop its racial justice work over a three year period. This is part of a national strategy of giving grants to address the issue. In this blog I want to question whether …
The gospel lectionary reading for Lent 3 is John 4.5-42, probably the longest reading in the lectionary! The epistle is Romans 5.1–11, and you can find video discussion of that here (and linked below), and video discussion of John 4 here (and linked below as well). This gospel reading is strange contrast with readings a …
The epistle for Lent 3 is Romans 5.1–11; the gospel is Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well in John 4. In Romans 5, Paul effectively sets out his stall for the second main section of the letter, chapters 5 to 8. This is not about the consequences of justification, so much as what …
Tim Goode is a residentiary canon in York Minster, having previously spent all his time since ordination in 2009 in parish ministry in Southwark Diocese. Tim was elected to General Synod in 2015, and joined the Archbishops’ Council in 2021, where I got to know him. He is a charming man, and we have always …
What do you think if someone says “Samaritan”? John Hudghton writes: Mention the word Samaritan and your understanding may be shaped by Revd Chad Varah and the listening Samaritans in Britain. Similarly, there are numerous other charitable humanitarian organisations sharing the same name world-wide who may produce the same effect. We also know Jesus told …
The Sunday lectionary gospel reading for Lent 2 in Year A is Nicodemus’ meeting with Jesus in John 3.1–17. The epistle is Romans 4.1-5 and 13-17. The video discussion of the epistle is here, and of the gospel reading from John 3 here. Both are also linked at the end. Although we are supposed to …
The lectionary for Lent 2 in Year A is Romans 4.1-5, 13-17. The structure of Paul’s argument here is complex, but the main idea is simple: Abraham is father of both Jews and Gentiles, and the order of events in his life teaches us about the nature of grace. He trusted God as was justified, …
