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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
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
The Sunday lectionary reading for this week, Easter 6 in Year C, is Acts 16.9–15. We are continuing in this season to focus on the reading from Acts, which (the lectionary tells us) must be the first or second reading. This is a pivotal moment in the gentile mission, since it is the time when, … Continue Reading
We continue focussing on the passages in Acts, and for Easter 6 in Year C the reading is Acts 16.9–15. This starts half-way through a paragraph, so we should really start reading at verse 6. We are now in the second half of Acts, focussing on what the Spirit is doing through the ministry of … Continue Reading
Steve Walton has been a friend for many years—but he is also a great scholar, and has just published a collection of essays on the theology of Acts, and the first volume of his Word commentary on Acts. So I thought it was a good time to ask him about his study, Acts as a … Continue Reading
On Easter 5 in Year C, we find that once again the Sunday lectionary points us towards the reading from Acts as an important point of focus in the post-Easter narrative. The reading ‘which must be used as either the first or the second reading’ is Acts 11.1–18, the final episode in the ‘Petrine narrative’ … Continue Reading
The lectionary reading for Easter 5 in Year C is Acts 11.1–18, Peter’s recounting of the story of his meeting with Cornelius. From Easter to Pentecost, we are encouraged to focus on these readings from Acts. This text comes at a pivotal moment in the story of Acts. It is part of the last major … Continue Reading
The Book of Revelation is the most explicitly Trinitarian book of the New Testament. Amongst its complex cast of characters in the narrative of the text, it presents God (the Father, the ‘one seated on the throne’), Jesus (either named, or presented symbolically as the lamb slain and standing, or the rider on the white … Continue Reading
The lectionary readings for Easter 4 in Year C include three substantial readings: Acts 9.36-43, Revelation 7.9-17 and John 10.22-30. There is a note which says: ‘The reading from Acts must be used as either the first or second reading’, which suggests that this reading is thought to be particularly important—and this is characteristic of … Continue Reading
Any discussion of ‘the cross’ in the Book of Revelation immediately faces a substantial challenge: in contrast with almost every other book in the New Testament, it is barely mentioned at all overtly. Its solitary explicit appearance comes in an extended prophetic narrative in chapter 11: the bodies of the ‘two witnesses’ will ‘lie in … 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
