Ian Paul

Ian Paul is a theologian, writer and speaker. Associate Minister at St Nic's, Nottingham and Honorary Lecturer at the University of Nottingham. Mac user and chocoholic. Ian Paul on Google+

Is Church decline the fault of evangelicals?

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Last week Mark Woods posted an intriguing article asking whether evangelicals are to blame for the decline in people claiming to be ‘religious’. He is responding to a new survey conducted on behalf of Linda Woodhead which shows that, for those under 40, ‘no religion’ is the new religion. In a strange way, this might be … Continue Reading

The Primates and Public Relations

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In my last post (I hope) on the Primates’ gathering, I want to reflect briefly on what has happened since in terms of public relations. Pete Hobson, Canon Missioner at Leicester Cathedral, commented on Friday last week: So this is the actual final Communique. A clear and strongly-worded challenge to homophobic violence and prejudice. A … Continue Reading

Tyndale NT Study Group 2016: call for papers

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The Tyndale New Testament Study Group is part of the Tyndale Fellowship for biblical and theological research, based at Tyndale House in Cambridge, and including evangelical scholars from all over the world. This year’s NT Study Group will be meeting with the other Tyndale groups from 4th to 7th July at High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire for the joint … Continue Reading

Leadership and the Anglican Communion

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This was my immediate reflection on the Primates’ statement last Thursday, published on the Premier Christianity blog. Prior to the gathering this week of the Anglican Primates (heads of the 38 autonomous Anglican provinces) almost everyone predicted it would end in disaster. There was suspicion from the moment that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, … Continue Reading

Is ‘inclusion’ a Christian virtue?

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Most people reading the title above will wonder what the debate is about—but in different directions. Some will say ‘of course is it’ and others ‘of course it isn’t’. The latest title in the Grove Ethics series explores this vexed question and is a powerful and important study by Dr Edward Dowler, formerly Vice Principal of St Stephen’s … Continue Reading

What does the Primates’ Statement mean?

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So, it happened. A bit like the last General Election, the outcome of the gathering of the Primates of the Anglican Communion ended as no-one thought it would—together, with a statement, an affirmation of ‘traditional’ understandings of marriage, and a rebuke of sorts for the Episcopal Church of the USA (TEC). I am not sure … Continue Reading

Is our culture biblically literate?

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[Stephen Wright writes:] Rethinking Biblical Literacy is a collection of nine essays from different authors, exploring ways in which the Bible continues to feature in contemporary Western culture. Noting the frequent complaints from interested parties about a ‘decline in biblical literacy’, the authors ask probing questions about what this phrase means and how accurate it … Continue Reading

What does grace demand?

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In the discussion about my explanation of the Primates’ Meeting, James Byron (a regular commentator on this blog, who comes from quite a different theological position from me) puts his finger on what is at the heart of the matter: The press portray this split as being about sex, when in reality, it’s about authority … Continue Reading

What is the Primates’ Meeting all about?

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In case you missed it, I repost here my article from last September about the Anglican Communion and the Primates’ Meeting. What has happened? The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has made a significant announcement about the future of the Anglican Communion. He has issued an invitation to 37 Primates of the Anglican Communion (archbishops … Continue Reading