Scholarship • Serving • Ministry – Ian Paul
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 …
The perennial question for anyone thinking seriously about the Christian life and our place in the world has two parts to it. First, we need to think about the world we are in, and try to make sense of it. Secondly, we need to ask what kind of ‘church‘ we are to be—what kind of …
At the beginning of Lent, it is traditional to consider taking up a spiritual discipline for the season—or perhaps giving something up. I have just read a number of posts telling me of friends who are giving up on social media until Easter. (I personally find that odd; it is like saying ‘I am giving …
The Sunday lectionary gospel reading for Trinity 18 in this Year B is Mark 9.38–50. It is a rather unusual reading; it completes the collection of sayings that we began last week, and there is some continuity across the two passages; and it does belong (as we noted last week) to a section of teachings …
The Sunday lectionary gospel reading for Trinity 18 in this Year B is Mark 9.38–50. It is a rather unusual reading; it completes the collection of sayings that we began last week, and there is some continuity across the two passages; and it does belong (as we noted last week) to a section of teachings …
Andrew Goddard writes: The question as to whether it would be right for the Pastoral Guidance to change the current teaching and discipline of the Church of England in relation to clergy (and in some places licensed lay ministers) is one of the challenging questions still left unresolved. The latest paper for General Synod (GS …
The Sunday lectionary gospel reading for the First Sunday of Lent in Year B is Mark 1.9–15. Come and join Ian and James as they discuss the text in the video above, or explore the commentary below. I have to say I am finding what the lectionary is doing with the opening chapter of Mark’s …
The gospel reading for Trinity 14 in Year A, Matt 18.15–20, comes within the fourth of the five collections of teaching organised by Matthew to, in some sense, present Jesus as a new Moses. Having focussed on discipleship (Matt 5–7), mission (Matt 10), and the kingdom of heaven (Matt 13), this collection gathers sayings on …
The gospel reading for Trinity 14 in Year A, Matt 18.15–20, comes within the fourth of the five collections of teaching organised by Matthew to, in some sense, present Jesus as a new Moses. Having focussed on discipleship (Matt 5–7), mission (Matt 10), and the kingdom of heaven (Matt 13), this collection gathers sayings on …
At the end of last week there was a bit of a kerfuffle in the press and on social media about the relative importance of the final of the women’s football World Cup (which England lost to Spain 1–0) and church service times. Kaya Burgess at The Times posted a report under the headline: Skip …
As we enter the season of Lent on Sunday, the lectionary for the First Sunday in Lent in Year A is of course Matt 4.1–11. It is worth noting that the lectionary and seasonal arrangement of the 40 days (46 calendar days minus the feast days of Sundays that exempt us from lenten discipline) corresponding …
