Articles, thoughts, essays, and content from Brian as well as students – our budding theologians.
Refresh: Because Lost Direction is Worse than Lost Time…
“Being before doing” – it’s an important life principle. What we do should flow out of who we are, and when the two are inconsistent, heartache and confusion awaits. I thought this post from Oct 2023 worth highlighting as this weeks “Refresh”… Refresh: Because Lost Direction is Worse than Lost Time… Have you heard the one in sixty rule? Pilots are taught it. If you are one degree off course, after sixty miles you will be one mile off course. That might not sound like much, but it is a big deal...
read moreWhy the Bible?
I don’t know what you think of the new fad of bringing old authors to life. It’s pretty widespread, and you can now read new Poirot or Miss Marple mysteries written not by Agatha Christie but by her fans, or dive into a new Ian Fleming novel (Anthony Horowitz of Foyle’s War fame is taking this on) or read a fresh take on Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Some fictional characters are able to capture the imagination of multiple generations, and become a permanent fixture in our collective consciousness – after all,...
read moreRefresh: Blending Amish and 21st Century
I was doubtful about this post when I wrote it back in Jan 2022, but I’m not sure why. The case for “doing an Amish” or at least trying it for at least one day each week, seems to me to have strengthened. What do you think? Refresh: Blending Amish and 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 the thesis would never...
read moreJudge Not! But Judge…
Colliding truths are always fascinating. Try this one. We are not supposed to judge others, but exercising good judgment is a crucial part of living a good life. Should we be moral watchdogs, evaluating the behaviour and lifestyles of others, or should we simply adopt a live and let live attitude, generously passing off differences with “it takes all sorts to make a world” or “if it works for you, it works for you – so that’s fine”? Those in favour of disinterest in the behaviour of others might quickly...
read moreRefresh: When You Can’t Unfriend
Most of us walk away from difficult people and complex situations, but sometimes the greatest joy and satisfaction is found when we persevere with difficulties and refuse to unfriend difficult people. This Refresh post from Nov 2022 reminds us that sometimes it’s best not to give up. Refresh: When You Can’t Unfriend I don’t know what your relationship with Facebook is like, but on the whole, mine is pretty good. It’s introduced me to over 2000 friends, the majority of whom I didn’t know before, and they often...
read moreFollowing the Words, Works and Way of Jesus…
He had expressed his Christian faith simply: “I am trying to follow the words, the works and the way of Jesus.” I thought it a helpful summary of what it means to be a Christian, or as the term was originally understood – one who follows the Christ. While it is disarmingly simple (and great for those in favour of alliteration) there is more to it than first meets the eye. While it might not sound very radical to say that the Christian faith revolves around Jesus, in practice, it is very radical – especially when its...
read moreRefresh: The Case for Mercy
I’ve usually thought that a merciful person is someone who doesn’t stick the knife in when they could. While that is a part of being merciful, this Refresh post from March 2023 reminds us that there is a lot more to this challenging practice – and it is a practice, because being merciful is not a theory, but something you do in the real world of complexity and muddle… Refresh: The Case for Mercy I have been working my way through the Beatitudes and surprised myself by pausing for longer than usual at the 5th: “Blessed...
read moreWhen Faith is Strong Enough to Doubt…
I’m always interested in what people remember from the books I have written. In When Faith Turns Ugly it’s the little line: “The opposite of faith is not doubt but certainty.” Though a little counter intuitive, at another level it is self evident. If you are certain of something, faith is surplus to requirements. You know because you know because you know. Who knows where that certainty came from, (and some people have amazing stories of the intervention of God in their life) but if it is there, it is not faith that...
read moreRefresh: The Arrogance of Procrastination
Some words just sound judgmental. Procrastination is one of them. It’s not usually cited on the list of virtues, and realistically it is usually unwise. This Refresh post from Aug 23 looks at both sides of procrastination – times when it is best not to rush in, and times when procrastination is a form of arrogance or entitlement. I thought it worth a repost. Refresh: The Arrogance of Procrastination It was a perspective I hadn’t thought of before, and it struck me as insightful. She said it with some emotion. “People always think...
read moreBeing Human: The Divine and the Demonic…
Have you heard the quip that people in customer services understand why Noah only let animals on the ark? If you’ve had to deal with the ire of someone sent pears instead of apples, or whose order of milk chocolate ginger biscuits was substituted with the dark chocolate version, you will smile knowingly. Sometimes the smallest things can show us to be petty, mean spirited and filled with a rage that simmers just below the surface. The picture isn’t pretty. But it is not as simple as that, is it? Change the circumstances and the...
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