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Ian Paul
The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Trinity Sunday in this Year C is John 16.12–15. It is another very short reading (four verses) from the ‘farewell discourse’ of Jesus, and I think is actually quite a difficult reading to preach from. Like much of this part of the Fourth Gospel, it is reflective, repeats things … Continue Reading
The lectionary readings in this Year C for Trinity Sunday are John 16.12–15 and Romans 5.1–5, both quite short readings. Western eyes often read Romans 5 in individual terms, but the honour/shame/glory motif needs to be understood corporately. The surprising combination of hope and suffering shows that Paul’s eschatology stands behind this—the future has broken … Continue Reading
This week, good old Grove Books Ltd has published an important title by Andrew Goddard called Right to Die? The ‘Assisted Dying’ Debate. It is very timely, given that the so-called Assisted Dying Bill is coming back for its third reading in the Commons on 20th June. I offer here some samples of the text, showing how … Continue Reading
Stephen Webb writes: As a (near) lifelong bureaucrat, I always have an interest in, and a certain fellow feeling with, past colleagues facing challenges. And being a Roman military or civil leader confronted with Jesus or his disciples must have been an exasperating experience, given an added edge by the constant looming fear of public … Continue Reading
This Sunday is the feast of Pentecost, fifty days from Passover (hence the name), in the Jewish calendar the festival of Shavuot (‘weeks’), one of the three great pilgrim festivals (with Passover and Sukkot, ‘Tabernacles’). It was the beginning of the wheat harvest, but also celebrated the giving of the Torah on Sinai, and so … Continue Reading
James Cawdell writes: In today’s world, we often find ourselves caught between two cultural poles when it comes to power: one that celebrates dominance and control (often caricatured as the ‘red pill’ mindset); and another that views all power as inherently oppressive, associated with so-called ‘social Marxism’. Christianity, however, has never sat comfortably with either. … Continue Reading
Andrew Goddard writes: On Tuesday 27th May, in the week when the first Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) meeting takes place to begin discerning who should be nominated as Archbishop of Canterbury, the Canterbury Diocese Vacancy-in-See Committee (ViSC) elected its three representatives. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this final stage in the process once again highlights problems with the … Continue Reading
Andrew Goddard writes: Sometime this week those tasked with nominating a new Archbishop of Canterbury will be meeting for the first of at least three scheduled meetings (the next are in July and September). It is most likely that the person chosen will be a current (likely diocesan) bishop serving in the Church of England … Continue Reading
The lectionary reading for Easter 7 in Year C is Acts 16.16–34, and in this season the lectionary emphasises that this is the reading which should be focussed on. It is an unusually long reading—though does not quite finish the story. Luke has carefully structured this to pair with the story of Lydia, so we … Continue Reading
Regular readers will know that I have been concerned for many years at the gradual erosion of the clergy stipend, and both the corresponding decline in the clergy pension, together with the major changes made in 2008 and 2011, reducing the pension to 1/2 of the stipend from 2/3, and extending the qualifying period of … Continue Reading
There has been a record-breaking rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK since the attack by Hamas on October 7th 2023. Antisemitic incidents reached the highest level recorded, the monitoring and community safety organisation the Community Security Trust (CST) said. In the 12 months after the 7 October attacks there were 5,583 incidents in the … 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 Christmas 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 unions sexuality theology video Year A Year B Year C
