Hermeneutics

Preaching the wisdom of James

by

Preaching on wisdom literature is always a challenge, since it is the text most likely to lead us into moralism or simplistic reading. The letter of James is perhaps the closest we have to wisdom literature in the NT, and it shares these challenges. This is the script of a sermon I preached a few … Continue Reading

The meaning of the Millennium

by

It is curious that we get more excited about the supposed events leading up to Jesus’ second coming than we do about what that coming itself will bring. It is a bit like being more excited about the fixtures and fittings on a train than where the train is actually going to take you. My … Continue Reading

Making sense of the Second Coming

by

I’ve come to realise that there is one verse in the gospels which can unlock our whole understanding of what to expect in looking for Jesus’ return, the ‘second coming.’ The verse is Matt 24.34: ‘Amen I tell you, there is NO WAY this generation will pass away until all these things have come to … Continue Reading

Carey, death and experience

by

George Carey has waded in on the debate about assisted dying, and the responses to his comments confirm that there really is a time when a former Archbishop needs to stop saying unwise and unhelpful things that make life difficult for his successors.

There is a very moving personal response from the Digital Nun, which concludes with a reflection on the challenge of dying well:

New online Bible encyclopedia

by

There is a new, free online Bible encyclopaedia produced by the Society of Biblical Literature, which is the largest global academic society for the study of the Bible. Bible Odyssey has been six years in the making, and has a really wide range of very good resources. It includes pictures, short articles, and video clips, … Continue Reading

Vicky Beeching and the sexuality debate

by

Vicky Beeching is a reasonably well-known figure in media circles. She often comments on Sky News about Christianity in the public sphere, is a contributor to Thought for the Day, and (rather occasionally now) blogs. Vicky studied theology at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, then spent 8 years in the States where she established a reputation … Continue Reading

Is God a warrior? (part 2)

by

(continued from the previous post here) Fourth, as we move from the united kingdom to the return from exile, the prophet Zechariah reinforces this perspective. Many people know the verse from Zechariah 4.6: ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit’ says the Lord. But what is not always realised is that the re-establishment … Continue Reading

Is God a warrior?

by

Events of recent weeks offer a serious challenge to our thinking about God and conflict. The video released by the ISIS group of militant Sunni Muslims fighting in Iraq included an British Muslim from Cardiff urging others to join him. In the video he makes three claims: that jihad (understood by some Muslims as a spiritual struggle) … Continue Reading