scholarship. serving. ministry.
Please note: this trip is now also booked up! If you would like to be on a waiting list in case of cancellations, or would like to be notified of future trips, please email our partner Steve Upton at [email protected]. We are planning to offer a trip to Paul’s Greece in April 2027, the Seven … Continue Reading
John Hudghton writes: Around this time of year my nerdy mind turns to constructing an authentic biblical nativity scene. This amuses my family, to say the least. I try to take on board the lessons of biblical scholarship that Ian Paul has usefully and consistently emphasised for years now. Sadly, this is something which is … Continue Reading
The epistle for Trinity 15 in Year C is 1 Tim 6.6–19. Once more, the lectionary cuts the reading in an odd place, starting half way through an argument of Paul, and finishing two verses short of the end of the letter. There are some important issues to address in terms of Paul’s language and … Continue Reading
The lectionary gospel reading for Trinity 10 Year C is Luke 13.10–17, a short but remarkable account, unique to Luke, of Jesus healing a crippled woman on the Sabbath. For video discussion of the issues here, together with a new discovery about the text, watch here. There are multiple layers to the meaning of this … Continue Reading
If you enjoy these videos, why not buy us a coffee? The gospel reading for Trinity 10 in Year C is Luke 13.10–17, a short but remarkable story of Jesus healing a woman bent double. It has a striking literary structure, which can be thought of as a kind of literary diptych; the effect is … Continue Reading
PLEASE NOTE: I am very sorry—but the trip is now full for 2026. If you would like to be added to a reserve list in the case of a cancellation (there are four places that still need final confirmation), or you would like to be sent information for the 2027 trip when plans are available, … 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
The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 19 in Year B is Mark 10.2–16. I think it is impossible to preach on this passage without dealing with the question of the consequences of Jesus’ teaching for our own attitude to and the Church’s practice in relation to divorce and remarriage, and this will make it … Continue Reading
The Sunday gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 19 in this Year B is Mark 10.2–16. I think it is impossible to preach on this passage without dealing with the question of the consequences of Jesus’ teaching for our own attitude to and the Church’s practice in relation to divorce and remarriage, and this will make … Continue Reading
When we read the letters of Paul, we often skip over the introductions and the conclusions in our impatience to get to the heart of the letter. But in doing so, we might miss some things that tell us a lot about Paul, his ministry, his material cultural context, and even how we managed to … Continue Reading
Last week I visited Vintage City Church in Fort Collins, Colorado, to talk about the Book of Revelation over the weekend and preach in their Sunday services. Vintage City Church is a really interesting place, where the team are committed to engaging with the work of the Spirit amongst them, thinking well about the Christian … 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
