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Lectionary Reflections - Year B - The Fifth Sunday of Easter Year B
Lectionary Reflections - Year B - The Fifth Sunday of Easter Year B
by SPCK - Jane Williams
The Fifth Sunday of Easter Acts 8.26-40 1John 4.7-21 John 15.1-8 The writings of John, both in the Gospel and the epistles, are bafflingly determined not to come down on one side or the other of the ‘chicken or egg’ question. Which comes first, love of God or love of our neighbou…
Lectionary Reflections - Year B - The Sixth Sunday of Easter Year B
Lectionary Reflections - Year B - The Sixth Sunday of Easter Year B
by SPCK - Jane Williams
The Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 10.44-48 1John 5.1-6 John 15.9-17 The desire for certainty goes very deep, and all of today’s readings look at that longing with sympathy, though the answers they give are as challenging as they are reassuring. In the Gospel, Jesus is at last givin…
PAUL AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD - The Aims of a Zealous Pharisee
PAUL AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD - The Aims of a Zealous Pharisee
by SPCK - N T Wright
Chapter TWO LIKE BIRDS HOVERING OVERHEAD: THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL The Aims of a Zealous Pharisee Part of the answer to this question is easy; part is more controversial. The two outer limits are easy. First, personal purity. This has been sufficiently explored in ma…
PAUL AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD - Who Were the Pharisees?
PAUL AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD - Who Were the Pharisees?
by SPCK - N T Wright
Chapter TWO LIKE BIRDS HOVERING OVERHEAD: THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL 2 Who Were the Pharisees? Twenty years ago or so there took place a massive debate about who exactly the Pharisees were.11 The debaters included heavyweights like Ed Sanders and Jacob Neusner, with th…
Still Caring - Is it time?
Still Caring - Is it time?
by SPCK - Dorothy M Stewart
1 Is it time? There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. (Ecclesiastes 3.1) We struggle with this. We’ve been struggling with all of this caring business for a long time and this, one more decision, looms over us as the almost impossible on…
Echoing the Word - Blessing and dismissal
Echoing the Word - Blessing and dismissal
by SPCK - Paula Gooder & Michael Perham
21 Blessing and dismissal Although it may be argued that, after the blessing experienced in receiving the consecrated bread and wine of the Eucharist, no extra words of blessing at the conclusion of the service can add much to the service, a blessing by the president at the end o…
Echoing the Word - Words at the distribution
Echoing the Word - Words at the distribution
by SPCK - Paula Gooder & Michael Perham
19 The prayer of humble access There are two sets of words to consider at the time of the distribution: first, those spoken by the president to invite people to Communion; second, those spoken by those distributing the consecrated bread and wine to each communicant in turn, altho…
Echoing the Word - Prayers at the preparation of the table
Echoing the Word - Prayers at the preparation of the table
by SPCK - Paula Gooder & Michael Perham
4 Prayers at the preparation of the table Are there suitable words that help prepare the worshipper for the great Eucharistic Prayer? The pre-Reformation Church thought so and provided prayers that spoke of offering. The Reformation swept these away and instead gave Bible sentenc…
Christ is the Word, with God from the beginning
Christ is the Word, with God from the beginning
by Avis Palmer
Christ is the Word, with God from the beginning, Creative force through whom all things are made, In him is life abundantly proceeding, At darkest times the light of God displayed. O Word made flesh, your dwelling is among us, Children of God, redeemed and blessed have been. Gift…
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - The Passion of Jesus
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - The Passion of Jesus
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
The Passion of Jesus Jesus’ conflict with the Jerusalem authorities escalates. Our labels for these authorities are problematic at best: “Jewish” is anachronistic; “religious” as opposed to “political” is modern and Western. In first-century Jerusalem, the temple authorities, who…
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Second Isaiah
THE WOMEN'S BIBLE COMMENTARY - Second Isaiah
by SPCK - Newsom, Ringe and Lapsley
Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55) The sixteen chapters that begin with “Comfort, comfort my people” comprise a complex but thematically continuous piece focusing on Jerusalem’s restoration as the Babylonian era ended. The prophet is self-effacing and barely visible, but certain aspect…
Enabling Church: inclusion of disabled people - Knowing we're made in his image
Enabling Church: inclusion of disabled people - Knowing we're made in his image
by SPCK - Gordon Temple and Lin Ball
1 Knowing we’re made in his image Genesis 1.26 –31; 1 John 3.2 Purpose: to explore what it means to be human, made in God’s image; to challenge prejudices about what is ‘normal’. Prayer Thank God for the Bible – his inspired message to us all – and for all that it can teach us of…
The Living God - The God of Jesus of Nazareth