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Ian Paul
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
John Root offers this review of Black Success—The Surprising Truth by Tony Sewell, published earlier this month. Sewell was recently chair of the UK’s government’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, the recommendations which are now the foundations of the government’s policy on tackling racial inequalities. At the time in early 1970s that Tony Sewell was … Continue Reading
The gospel lectionary reading for Easter Sunday in Year B is the short ending of Mark in Mark 16.1–8. Although it is a short reading, there are lots of interesting things to reflect on. (If you have chosen to read or speak on the reading from John 20, then the commentary on that passage is … Continue Reading
The gospel lectionary reading for Easter Sunday in Year B is the short ending of Mark 16. Despite being a short reading, it raises a lot of questions to explore. (If you have chosen to read or speak on the reading from John 20, then the commentary on that passage is here, and the video … Continue Reading
Andrew Goddard writes: In this article, I offer a summary of what happened at General Synod in February and its procedural consequences. I then look at the recently announced structures for taking LLF/PLF forward and set them out in the context of the past structures and a review of the past motions of General Synod. … Continue Reading
Laurie Clow offers this review of Carl Trueman’s new book Strange New World (Crossway Books, Wheaton, Illinois: 2022): As I move inexorably to the end of my sixth decade and celebrate (?) over 25 years ordained, I find myself increasingly becoming a grumpy old man. My background in social sciences, a graduate of Economics, Politics and … Continue Reading
This Sunday in the lectionary is Palm Sunday, the week before Easter, and here in Year B we are offered the choice between reading the account in Mark 11 and John 12. I am going to look at Mark 11, since we have been doing a lot in the Fourth Gospel in recent weeks, and … Continue Reading
The lectionary gospel reading for Palm Sunday in Year B is Mark 11.1–11. (There is an alternative reading from John 12.) It is a fascinating passage, since, rather than focus on Jesus’ actual entry to Jerusalem (which is described quite briefly) it focuses more on the preparation, especially the ‘untying’ of the colt that Jesus … Continue Reading
John Root writes: By a macabre coincidence the Church of England is simultaneously engaged in debates about safeguarding and the victims of abuse, and responses to its involvement in slavery in the Caribbean. Both issues raise two questions: how are we to make some assessment of the damage done under the aegis of the Church … Continue Reading
When I was a teenager, one of the books I treasured was William Barclay’s New Testament Words. It was a collection of word studies—with an impressive Scrabble-style tiling of Greek words on the cover—though the words were not necessarily the most common, obvious, or theologically weighty terms. But it was my first introduction to the Greek … Continue Reading
The lectionary gospel reading for the fifth Sunday in Lent in Year B is John 12.20–33, and here we are reading the text in a strange order! There are clear indications that this passage follows on, in terms of both contexts and themes, from the first part of John 12, which describes the so-called ‘triumphal … 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 preaching Revelation same sex marriage same sex unions sexuality theology video Year A Year B Year C
