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+

Truth, history, the Church Commissioners, and reparative justice

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Professor Richard Dale writes: KICKING IN THE CATHEDRAL DOOR How the Church Commissioners relied on bogus history to denounce their predecessors and vilify their own Church It is over three years since the Church Commissioners published their controversial report on the Church’s links to the slave trade.  Since then critics have challenged the Commissioners’ historical … Continue Reading

Having our doubts about Thomas in John 20

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The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for the Second Sunday in Easter is John 20.19–31, which includes Jesus’ encounter with so-called ‘doubting Thomas’. It is the set reading for this week in all three years of the lectionary, so we know it well—and need to reflect on it if we are going to preach effectively on … Continue Reading

The experience of Easter

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He’s gone. The, the tomb….the stone’s rolled away! Jesus….He’s not there….I’ve just run the whole way back…. I had to tell you. This is mad. Completely crazy. You’re all looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. Maybe I have. Just… give me a second. Before I say anything else, you need to know who’s … Continue Reading

The future of the Anglican Communion? part 2

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Andrew Goddard writes: Twenty years ago, in June 2006, Archbishop Rowan Williams wrote in his significant and still-worth-reading reflection, “The Challenge and Hope of Being an Anglican Today” There is no way in which the Anglican Communion can remain unchanged by what is happening at the moment. Neither the liberal nor the conservative can simply … Continue Reading

Empty tomb and risen Jesus in John 20

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The discovery by two disciples of the empty tomb, and Mary Magdelene’s encounter with Jesus, in John 20.1–18, is one of the main options for the gospel reading for Easter Sunday in Year A (the alternative is Matt 28.1–10). And it is, in many ways, the most appealing choice, because of its polished literary form, … Continue Reading

What has happened to the Quiet Revival?

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In April last year, Bible Society published a report called The Quiet Revival, and I interviewed the main researcher behind it, Rhiannon McAleer. The report made a number of claims, based on research by YouGov, including both a significant change in attitude amongst young people, and a significant change in church attendance. It provoked much … Continue Reading

The Future of the Anglican Communion? part 1

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Summary: This article analyses the significant developments emerging from the March 2026 GAFCON gathering in Nigeria arguing that a key feature of its Abuja Affirmation is not what it includes, but what it omits: any reference to the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA). This “is…a significant missing piece of the complex Anglican Communion … Continue Reading