Towards a Theology of Personal Development (3): 7 Pointers to Shaping Words as Gifts
As a child I often heard the ditty, “Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never harm you.” Much as I loved my childhood, this was an untruth I have had to recognise. Far closer to reality is a sign I saw in military barracks where the Sergeant Major had above his desk, “Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will kill you!” He also had a philosophy that you shouldn’t say something if you could shout it, and though not all were slaughtered by his words, many were deafened! The power of words is forcefully affirmed in the opening...
Read MoreRefresh: Unbusy, Subversive and Apocalyptic – Three Big Eugene Peterson Words…
I can never get enough of Eugene Peterson, so this post was always going to make it to the Refresh page. Perhaps you can shape some time to explore how subversive you could be by being unbusy enough to listen to and notice others… Refresh: Unbusy, Subversive, Apocalyptic – Three Big Eugene Peterson Words One of the joys of teaching theology is that I get to engage with many student projects. Some remind me of things I have forgotten, others introduce me to ideas I have not previously considered. At present I am supervising a project which highlights the importance of the work of...
Read MoreTowards a Theology of Personal Development (2): Watching our Thoughts
Ever been lost in thought and had someone ask, “A penny for your thoughts”? Ok, realistically anyone under 60 is not likely to express it this way, but they might well ask, “You look lost in thought. What’s on your mind?” It can be a confronting question. After all, our thoughts are private, and even if we answer the query, we’re likely to edit it a little. I remember once reading that someone was working on a gadget that would give you the ability to know exactly what others are thinking, and my response was “well that’s a fast way to ensure...
Read MoreRefresh: Blending Amish and the 21st Century
With AI racing away and already impacting our lives more than we likely imagined, today’s Refresh from January 2022 has a fresh pertinency. As I re-read it I thought, “Oh yes, this is genuinely important.” So here is a repeat of some thoughts on blending Amish and the 21st century… Refresh: Blending Amish and the 21st century… OK, so I accept some will think this is one of my sillier blog posts, but I recently wondered if it might be possible to navigate life part Amish, part 21st century. Of course a whole lot of qualifiers need to be thrown in, and I realise...
Read MoreDeveloping a Theology of Personal Development (1): Inner Work First
I’m about to start an ambitious project – mapping out a theology of personal development. Now some may scoff that it’s impossible, and that the focus on us each developing to be the best version of our self is a reflection of Western individualism, and that it has little to do with the world of the Bible. In that world, commitment to the communal good quickly transcends individual good. The African concept of ubuntu (I am because we are – or we cannot decide our actions until we have stood in the shoes of the other) is far closer to the biblical ideal. In short, a...
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