The blog of Richard Hall, a Methodist Minister in Wales.
From the monthly archives:
Via Thinking Anglicans I hear that the Government Equalities Office has announced a consultation on civil partnerships on religious premises
Opening date: 31 March 2011
Closing date: 23 June 2011
In February we announced our [...]
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The BBC was a bit breathless this morning over the discovery of 70 lead codices in Jordan
If the relics are of early Christian origin rather than Jewish, then they are of huge significance.
One of the few people to see the collection is David Elkington, a student of ancient religious archaeology who is heading a British [...]
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Who was the janitor
with the set face, wardening
the approaches? I had prepared
my apologies, my excuses
for coming by the wrong
road. There was no one
there, only the way
I had come by going on and on.
From R.S. Thomas, No Truce with the Furies (Newcastle on Tyne: Bloodaxe Books, 1995), p. 30.
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Glyndŵr University in Wrexham is holding a virtual open day for postgraduates on Wednesday. Theology courses include a DMin Professional Doctorate in Religion and Education and an MSc in Psychology of Religion. Thought you should know.
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Thinking Anglicans reports an Employment Appeals Tribunal ruling that ministers are employees, not ‘office holders’
A sacked female minister in Cornwall has won a landmark ruling to bring a case against the Methodist Church for unfair dismissal.
The decision by the Employment Appeal Tribunal reverses an earlier decision by the Court of Appeal and paves the way [...]
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A fine post about the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, which comes via our friends at Caergwrle Methodist Church. The article challenges the standard reading of this text which makes the woman’s morality a central issue:
…why do so many preachers assume the worst of her? I would suggest two reasons. First, there is [...]
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Son of God, if thy free grace
Again hath raised me up,
Called me still to seek thy face,
And given me back my hope;
Still thy timely help afford,
And all thy loving kindness show:
Keep me, keep me, gracious Lord,
And never let me go!
By me, O my Saviour, stand,
In sore temptation’s hour;
Save me with thine outstretched hand.
And show forth [...]
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I’m pleased to say that Murphy is settling in wonderfully. He is very eager to please and his training has got off to a flying start. He does suffer a bit from ’separation anxiety’, which has made the last few nights a bit trying but he is entitled to have a few issues and he [...]
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Allan Bevere points us to Tsunamis: Or, Why I’m No Longer a Calvinist
There is a meaningful difference between God’s permissive will (that which he allows to occur even though he does not want or intend it actively) and God’s ordaining will (that which he actively wills, thereby ensuring that it happens just as it happened [...]
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I went this morning to pick up Murphy from a local animal rescue centre. He’s about 6 years old, and has been living with neglect rather than cruelty. I hope to be making it up to him. Solo isn’t sure about having him around. No doubt it will take time.
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