Author Archive

Think about the parable of the Prodigal Son… then imagine instead of two sons there are two daughters… and instead of a party being thrown for the younger daughter after she comes home imagine the younger son coming home to a party being thrown for the older daughter… and imagine that the younger prodigal daughter only comes home because she [...]

Just came across this Op-Ed in the New York Times by Bono. Stiring words… powerful images… reflecting on the rythyms of the liturgical year and their relevance for our current economic situation… from an Easter Sunday service in a small church to Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. Here’s an excerpt… It’s Lent I’ve always had issues [...]

I’m just starting on a new chapter (or maybe it will be a section) in my PhD and I am currently working on a paragraph in which I want to define what Christian theology is. Here is what what my supervisor, Andrew Kirk, says in his book “The Mission of Theology and Theology as Mission“… [...]

Well… I’ve actually been sick (as they say in Canada) with the flu for the last couple of days. As part of my recovery I watched, in my bed of sickness, Body of Lies (a movie which I know that Ruth wouldn’t really like). It’s directed by Ridley Scott and is fairly typical of his movies [...]

… the self-made need not apply! I just came across an amazing album by Scottish artist Calamateur called Jesus is for Losers. You can download the album for free here, plus give a donation if you wish (for which you will get an extra 5 song EP download). The album is made up of 11 songs about [...]

I’m a Martyn Jospeh fan – incredible wordsmith and also pretty nifty guitarist as well! I’ve been listening to this song fairly regularly over the last few months – reflecting on the various ways in which “the cross” can be thought about. The Apostle Paul says the cross is a stumbling block to both Jews and Greek [...]

I’m watching “Heroes” with the girls (not quite Ruth’s thing). There is probably not another TV show at present which mentions God as much. Until recently there was a voice over introduction and conclusion to each episode which asked profound questions about who we are as humans – and often in relation to God and [...]

We’ve just finished watching “The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas” – a “Holocaust story” about a young German boy and his forbidden friendship with a Jewish child. The movie has had very mixed reviews. It gets a 63 on Rottentomatoes and on metacritic gets a 55 (with ratings ranging from 100 to 0). But 3 out the [...]

I’ve just finished reading I. Howard Marshall’s ”Beyond the Bible: Moving from Scripture to Theology”. I’m just starting a new PhD chapter/section which will look at theology as a third level missional “speech-act” (of the church). My previous chapter/section looked at Jesus Christ as the first level missional “speech-act” and the Bible as a second level missional [...]

Okay… I guess the first post is always the most difficult. But as I sit in the Regent College library starting on a new chapter of my PhD (trying the read Howard Marshall’s “Beyond the Bible” Moving From Scripture to Theology” I came across this song that I thought would be appropriate. It’s by “The Welcome [...]