Articles, thoughts, essays, and content from Brian as well as students – our budding theologians.
A blog update…
Perhaps you have noticed, but there have not been any new posts on my blog lately, and you might have wondered why. Some of you have been kind enough to check if poor health has been the reason – be assured, that is not the case (but thanks for your concern). A few weeks ago the site ran into a technical hitch which meant that while all posts could be accessed, no new ones could be added. It has taken the immense skills of the wonderful Ben O’Reilly to sort this out – and sort it out he has. Huge thanks to you Ben. So...
read moreManaging Monday with Dorothy Day
Dorothy Day (1897-1980) is remembered as a journalist, social activist and an unlikely (but very genuine) convert to Catholicism. A key figure in the Catholic Worker Movement, and regarded as controversial and radical, she has neverthless drawn high praise from both Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, and her possible canonization is currently being investigated by the Roman Catholic Church. Here are a few of her thoughts… I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least. Dorothy Day The Gospel takes away our right...
read moreManaging Monday with Gustavo Gutierrez
Born in Lima, Peru, Roman Catholic Priest Gustavo Gutierrez (1928-) is regarded as one of the founders of liberation theology. His work is thought provoking and challenging, and it is certainly worth taking time to reflect on some of his insights… There is no true commitment to solidarity with the poor if one sees them merely as people passively waiting for help… The goal is not to become the ‘voice of the voiceless’… but rather to ensure that in some way those without a voice find one. Gustavo Gutierrez We live...
read moreManaging Monday with Helen Keller: Take 3
The story of Helen Keller (1880-1968), the first blind and deaf person to be awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree, has long surprised and delighted millions. Left blind and deaf after a disease contracted when she was 19 months old, Keller became a prolific author, human rights activist and an international inspiration. This is a third and final selection of some of her thoughts… A bend in the road is not the end of the road… Unless you fail to make the turn. Helen Keller Self pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can...
read moreReflections on a cruise…
Together with over 3000 other passengers, Rosemary and I (with daughter Amy and her theologian husband Aaron) recently completed a cruise which visited ports in Italy, France, Spain and Malta. Here are some thoughts… a mixture of the random, theological, ethical, cultural and missiological, which arose during the trip. Having been on a river cruise a few years ago, I wondered how the two would compare. The benefits of a travelling hotel (no need to constantly unpack and repack, or to worry about finding your next destination) were the...
read moreManaging Monday with Helen Keller: Take 2
The story of Helen Keller (1880-1968), the first blind and deaf person to be awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree, has long surprised and delighted millions. Left blind and deaf after a disease contracted when she was 19 months old, Keller became a prolific author, human rights activist and an international inspiration. This is our second exploration of some of her insights… We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world. Helen Keller Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Helen Keller...
read moreManaging Monday with Helen Keller
The story of Helen Keller (1880-1968), the first blind and deaf person to be awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree, has long surprised and delighted millions. Left blind and deaf after a disease contracted when she was 19 months old, Keller became a prolific author, human rights activist and an international inspiration. Here are some of her oft cited insights… The only thing worse than being blind is having sight with no vision. Helen Keller Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see. Helen Keller The most...
read moreManaging Monday with Richard Foster – Take 3
Richard Foster (1942 – ) is an American theologian and author in the Quaker tradition. His 1978 book Celebration of Discipline has sold over one million copies, and has perhaps been more influential than any other book in helping those in the evangelical stream of Christianity to rediscover and experience some of the spiritual disicplines that have nurtured the church for centuries. He has also written significant books on prayer and simplicity. This is our third look at some of his reflections… They are worth pondering at the...
read moreManaging Monday with Richard Foster – Take 2
Richard Foster (1942 – ) is an American theologian and author in the Quaker tradition. His 1978 book Celebration of Discipline has sold over one million copies, and has perhaps been more influential than any other book in helping those in the evangelical stream of Christianity to rediscover and experience some of the spiritual disicplines that have nurtured the church for centuries. He has also written significant books on prayer and simplicity. This is our second look at some of his reflections. In their own way, they are suitable for...
read moreAnd in the Chaos, God…
With Christmas around the corner, I thought I would reproduce one of the Christmas meditations from my book Could this be God: Bumping Into God in the Everyday. It’s called: And in the Chaos, God… Did you get your fair share of nativity plays this Christmas season? I certainly enjoyed watching a host of little children wend their way through improbable presentations of pregnant Marys, dazzling angels, lofty wise men and the rest of the Christmas crew. It was the unscripted moments that produced the greatest mirth—the accusatory...
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